July 19, 2007

sports

Power hitter Aamil Wagner at t-ball with Coach Jimmy Chesire last month.

By Jimmy Chesire

I’m setting up, putting down the bases on the small diamond, placing the two black rubber tees on the two home plates, dropping the blue bags, each full of bats and balls, just inside the backstops of each diamond. It’s 6:25 p.m. — we start at 6:30 — when I see her coming. Blonde. Tiny. Her curls still neatly tucked under the brim of her red Perry League cap. I see her through the backstop’s chain link fence first, when she’s still 30 feet away. She’s really clipping along, in a big hurry to get to me. Her mother is right behind her.
The child is focused, on a mission, a soft radiance flowing behind her like water in the wake of a speeding motorboat. She’s intent, she’s heading right for me.

It’s Devyn Deal who’s just turned 3 on June 28. I realize she’s read last week’s article. Or had it read to her. The one in which I praised her for her natural gifts as an athlete. Where I praised her for her unrelenting, deliriously happy, completely non-stop, ball diamond activity. For her perfect stance in the batter’s box, how she looks like a professional standing there at the plate, whacking that ball on her first or second try. How she’s one of those gifts t-ball give us, one of these natural athletes who appear every summer, little gems in the making.

I see it in her face. She knows what I said. She loves what I said. She’s coming to thank me, to praise me for noticing her, for really seeing her — and this is something we all need, each and everyone of us: to be noticed, to be taken seriously, to be attended to, to be singled out. And I see in her seraphic glow, in her extraordinary focus, that this is something she’d been thinking about, planning, wanting to do; something she was anxious and eager to do.
I drop to my knees just as she comes around the backstop and steps onto the diamond. She’s coming through the long grass by and around the on-deck circle, not 10 feet from me.

I open my arms and she hesitates — now, it’s only a split second, barely half a beat, but you can see it. It’s as if she were a galloping thoroughbred who suddenly feels the bit in her mouth: she’d not thought of this, of me dropping to my knees, of me spreading my arms, of me being down here eyeball to eyeball. It’s in her face, this whole, licketty split, lightning fast, complicated calculation: “What? He’s down? On his knees? Eye level? Facing me? About to grab me? Swoop me up? Do I want this?” — and then, before you can count “one thousand one,” her hesitation’s over. A decision has been made and she’s in my arms.
“Thank you thank you thank you,” we say to each other.

We’re chest to chest. Her tiny birdlike chest grazing my larger, thicker, more ancient chest. I have my arms about her, softly, not clutching, not squeezing, just there. It’s like holding a butterfly. You have to be careful, they’re so delicate, so easy to break.

“Thank you thank you thank you,” we say — she for the beguiling public affirmation of her gifts, for having singled her out, for having been appreciated; and me for her darling and dramatic display of gratitude, for her clear recognition of me and what I’d done, and for the gift of her sweet, sweet love and appreciation.

“Thank you thank you thank you,” her mother, Dana Deal, and I say to each other as Devyn trots away, her mission accomplished, her business done.
So why do we do this? This t-ball stuff? Is there any doubt? Because of moments just like this, when suddenly the heavens open and the deluge dumped upon your head is pure love, a love as perfect as the mystics and saints have been telling us about for centuries. Because in my brief 62-year sojourn on this planet I have come to believe that this, a toddler giving you her (or his) love, is one of Creation’s finest pleasures, one of the universe’s richest gifts.

And you find them, these phenomenal gifts, in the Perry League, Yellow Springs’s t-ball program for all the community’s wondrous children ages 2–9 regardless of race, color, or creed. We’re at Gaunt Park every Friday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Children can begin to play at any time and there’s no requirement to play every week. Come when you like, come when you can. We’ll be out there for the next three Friday nights, till our final potluck trophy-to-every-kid-who-shows-up night, Aug. 3. So why don’t you come on out? Give a little, get a little. There’s plenty for all and it’s free. All you need is a little willingness. Won’t you try a little willingness? We’d sure dig it, we really would.

Indians lead Minor League

By Tim Sherwood

The Indians continue to lead the Minor League standings going into the final week of play, even after suffering their second loss of the season.
Another week of exciting games kicked off Monday, July 9, when the Yankees pounded the Pirates, 24–12. The Yankees broke open a fairly close game in the fifth inning, scoring 12 runs. Jacob Whetsel led the Yanks with three home runs and a pair of doubles in his five at bats, scoring a total of 5 runs himself and driving in 8 others. Likewise, Jaron Fox went five for five, with three singles and a pair of doubles, scoring 5 runs and hitting in 2 others.

Ian Chick scored 3 runs off his three hits in five at bats, while rookie Awrylo Jones scored 3 times off two singles and a double in his four trips to the plate. Newcomer Cameron Croft hit a pair of singles and scored twice, while brother Ben added a run off his own after hitting three for four. Parker Bleything and Kenny McKinley each added a run while Zoe McKinley hit a pair of singles and scored twice, as did Joe Thorp, who went four for five, including a pair of doubles.

The Pirates mounted a strong effort in the final inning, but it was too little, too late. Kaner Butler led the Pirates’ offense with a pair of singles and a double in as many trips to the plate and scored 3 runs. Aaron Sherwood scored twice after hitting three base hits in as many at bats. Isaiah Taylor went three for three, including a home run, while veterans Nate Baggett, Devon Perry, Joey Plummer and Molly Brown each added a run of their own. Rookie Aidan Hackett continues to improve, hitting a pair of doubles and scoring a run, while Sharde’ Scott knocked in a run and Liam Brown hit a pair of solid grounders.

Wednesday’s game saw the Dragons even their record at 5–5 with a 9–6 win over the Reds. Evan Pace led the charge by going two for two, including a home run and 5 RBIs. Taran Pergram knocked in 2 other runs after going two for two at the plate, as did both Desiree Clark and Rhona Marion. Meanwhile, Grant Reigelsperger continued his strong defensive effort with a double play.

Friday, July 13, saw the Indians continue their winning ways with a hard fought 6–3 victory over the Yankees in a defensive standoff. Hayden Orme went three for three and scored twice for the tribe, while Fielding Lewis, Nathan Hardman, Theron Orme and Liam Weigand all hit a pair of singles and scored a run. The Indians were tough on defense as well, stranding seven Yankee runners, snagging three fly balls and turning one of those catches into a double play. Meanwhile, Jacob Whetsel of the Yankees hit his third home run of the week, while Ian Chick and Chelsea Horton each batted one for two and scored a run. Despite coming up short on the scoreboard, the Yankees’ defense stood tough as well, stranding nine Indian runners, while first baseman Theron Orme caught seven different put outs from his team mates off hard hit Indian grounders.

The Pirates rebounded from their earlier loss to open Saturday’s action with a strong 15–8 win over the Indians. Kaner Butler was awarded the game ball for his strong all-around play, including scooping up grounders to force a runner out at second three different times, catching a fly ball, going three for three at the plate and scoring a pair of runs. Isaiah Taylor led an 8-run third inning with a grand slam home run. Meanwhile, rookie Nathan Miller and veteran Nate Baggett each scored a pair of runs and knocked in another after both also went three for three at the plate. Sharde’ Scott and Devon Perry each scored twice off the pair of base hits they each smacked. William Evans, Augie Knemeyer, Kennedy Butler and Aaron Sherwood rounded out the Pirates scoring by each adding a run, while Joey Plummer knocked in a pair of runs with as many singles and Molly Brown added a hard hit single of her own.

Saturday’s second game saw the Yankees defeat the Reds 8–0. Ian Chick, Jaron Fox and Jacob Whetsel all scored twice for the Yankees, while Ben Croft and Awrylo Jones each scored their own run. Chelsea Horton, Zoey McKinley, Cameron Croft and Olivia Greco all contributed with base hits. Meanwhile, even though the Reds struggled on offense, they did make a number of outstanding defensive plays, including a pair of caught fly balls and several strong throws to first to put out the hitter.

Going into the final week of play the Indians hold on to first place with a record of 8–2, followed a game-and-a-half back by the Pirates at 7–4, the Yankees two-and-a-half back at 6–5, while the Dragons are three games back at 5–5 followed by the Reds at 0–10.

The season finale all-star games are scheduled for Saturday, July 21. Players ages 6–8 will play in the first game, starting at 9:30 a.m. Nine-year-olds will play in the second game at 11:15 a.m., while players who are 10 and 11 will play in the finale starting at 1 p.m.

You can keep up with all the latest scores, standings, field status and other information on the league Web site at www.htosports.com/YSMINORLEAGUE.