Did You Play?

A tip of the cap to the Watching The Game blog for the inspiration for this post.
http://watchingthegame.typepad.com/my-blog/2010/07/did-you-play-1.html

The answer to the question is yes. Probably I participated in thousands of hardball, softball, wiffle ball and stick ball games, most never finished because of time or the desire to play on when the score became too one-sided. We played with whomever was available and sometimes due to our numbers half the outfield would be foul territory. You literally had to "call your field" when you stepped to the plate to bat. It wasn't as fun as being able to hit to all fields but it at least satisfied our desire to play the game, no matter the self-imposed limits.

When you were younger than the assembled crowd of ball players it was a right of passage to be asked to play. The invitation was usually extended so a full complement of players could be fielded on both sides. Sometimes this meant right field, but in my case I learned early to tell them I would pitch. Now this was a somewhat dangerous position given the strength and size of some of the players I was pitching the softball to and because of the short distance between pitcher and batter. You were either quick or lucky when you pitched in those games, and for the most part when I was young, I was both.

By the time I assumed the status of the older boys I still liked pitching, even though I could have chosen a spot in the outfield based on seniority. The infield was largely off limits because I am left-handed, though at one time or another I did play every position on the diamond, and once toward the end of my playing days, I played center field with a right-handed glove. This effort took some guile and an effortless looking throwing style. I did field one fly ball that day and a couple of grounders. It was just my usual good luck that nobody on the other team knew that my arm was far less than the cannon one would usually expect from a center fielder. Yes, I played and still enjoy reflecting back on those blissful days in the sun.