Now Batting, Ryan!

Just like my other sessions with graduating seniors, my new session with Ryan brought back a sweet memory and some laughter to the session.

Backstory: Growing up, I never participated in any organized sports though I loved playing them. In my junior year (11th grade), I decided to try out for my high school’s baseball team for fun. While all the other players had the standard and proper baseball attire (baseball pants, cleats, batting gloves, appropriate fielding glove, etc.), I brought swapmeet seat pants and my catcher’s mit, which I had previously found four years earlier in the house my family moved into. I was laughed at and made fun of by the other players and one of the coaches. However, I had too much fun to notice or care.

The story I shared with Ryan and made him (and his girlfriend and mother) laugh was of me fielding a ground ball during tryouts. There I was at first base with my catcher’s mit trying to field the ground ball hit to me by the head baseball coach. I handled it cleanly and then had to throw it across the field to another player at third base. Done. The funny part – the ball dribbled the last third of the way until the other player finally picked it up. I found out then I had no arm! It’s a wonderful memory and one that I will never forget or tire of telling.