This guy was so excited to hit the field for another baseball season! I have to admit . . . for a dance season that lasts nine months, he probably feels like he's getting the short end of the stick with only two months of spring ball. And he loves it so much that I wish we could somehow make it last longer for him.
Again this year he chose number 23 for his jersey. Michael Jordan, anyone? He was super excited because his team was the Tigers, and they wore purple and gold jerseys. (I mean, it was bound to happen eventually.)
There are lots of stories I could tell you. I do think Mason learned even more this year about baseball and the skill of playing the game. But, more than the game of baseball, this was a season in which he learned a lot more about the "game of life." Sometimes things are just not fair. There's nothing you can do about it. Sometimes things are just plain wrong, and you've been wronged. There's nothing you can do about that either. Sometimes you see and hear things you would rather not. But it's during those times that we had some really teachable moments. Most of all, I am proud of Mason's character and the young man he is becoming. The world will tell us otherwise, but that's what's most important.
Mason also learned a lot about winning and, especially, losing. It stinks. It's not fun. But, at the end of the day, it's not about whether you won or lost but how you played the game. And he always, always enjoyed playing the game. He even received the honor of an invitation to the All-Star team for the second year in a row!
Last year Mason shocked us all when he mastered the skill of first baseman. So that's where I was expecting to see him play this season, too, especially since he had worked so hard at it and experienced such success. But Mason had the opportunity to play several other positions this year! He learned center field, second base and short stop. I think he spent most of his time at short stop.
But we also saw him here.
Yep, he was given the opportunity to pitch during a couple of the games. And I just have to say right here that I don't know how Momma's of pitchers do it because I was a bundle of nerves every. time.
I really don't know that there's much of the pitching mound in Mason's future, but I do think it was a really good experience for him. Seth spent a lot of time working with him this spring, and they spent several hours a week at practices. I know after a long day at work that it's not easy to come home only to have to leave again for a two hour practice. But he did that two and sometimes three days a week.
Our final game of the season was last Thursday. To my pleasant surprise, I got to see my boy play first base again! I have to say it was the perfect ending to a not-so-perfect season.
Mason would say the perfect ending came with the two trophies he received for his growing collection.
