Back when I lived in Madison, Wisconsin, I played three seasons of second base on a recreational baseball team known as the Madtown M’s. In spite of my rather paltry .146 career batting average (damn curve balls) and a crippling injury suffered midway through my second season (a broken thumb), I thoroughly enjoyed being on the diamond — the infield chatter; the late-inning, nail-biting tension of a close game; the thrill of turning a tailor-made double-play. I didn’t play ball in high school or college and I considered myself lucky to have this latter-day opportunity to participate in my favorite sport, especially since most post-collegiates were expected to play the more beer-gut friendly game of slow-pitch softball. I played my last game for the M’s in August of 2003; we moved to Seattle the following March. After two seasons off, I now have to decide if I’m going to play this year.
The Seattle area boasts one of the largest amateur baseball leagues in the country, the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League with over 1200 players competing on 70 teams. I learned of this league when Amy and I were preparing to move out here. We were just getting settled in during the league’s March tryout period and I felt it would just be too much to add baseball to everything else we had to do as new residents. Last year, I somehow managed to fracture my foot just before the tryouts, so I missed out again.
Tryouts for this year are coming up in a couple weeks. Since I am back in reasonably good shape, I’m looking forward to oiling up the glove, donning the double-knit polyester pants, sharpening the cleats, and hitting the field (since the field is about the only thing I can hit).
But I’ve been having reservations about joining a team for the season. The level of both financial and time commitment is significantly higher than the Madison league. Fees are almost tripled, an expensive uniform is mandatory, I need all new gear, and games are played mostly on weekends all over the Puget Sound area. That final point is the most significant. Warm-up time plus play time plus travel time for any given game is likely to be four to five hours two times a week — hours that I wouldn’t be with Ray; hours that Amy and he would be without transportation.
The easy answer is for me to just wait a couple more years until Ray is old enough to come to games with me and sit and enjoy them. But, as Veruca Salt says, I want it now! I’m not getting any younger, so who knows if my aging body will be up for playing as I approach and hit 40? On the “pro” side, it’s only for a few weeks and I really don’t do much of anything else for a hobby. On the “con” side, the time would cut directly into my Ray-time, which also means it’d add to Amy’s already overloaded single-parenting time.
Any advice from my Loyal Readers?
Comments
Why in blazes would you even consider such a loathsome activity? You do realize that you can drink beer without having to sully the activity by integrating *sports* into it, don't you? Why not take up some activity that you and Amy can do together? Like Yoga, or Ballroom Dancing, or huffing paint or something?
Posted by: John Hughes | February 19, 2006 2:32 PM
Baseball is a wonderful game, The National Pastime. It is meant to be watched from a seat in a stadium with a cold beer in one hand and a hotdog in the other while highly paid professionals entertain you. Get a little glove for Ray and play some catch. Ooooh, another image is coming to me. Your arm in a cast. Hmmm, that happened while playing catch, didn't it?
I still have in my mind another image of you holding your hand wrapped in bandages and a pin sticking from the end of your thumb. There is danger in that game.
Heed my advice - you never do - watch the game, don't play it.
Posted by: Your Mother | February 19, 2006 3:28 PM
"The time would cut directly into my Ray-time (family time), which also means it'd add to Amy's already overloaded single-parenting time." So this is a difficult decision because? Forty is not old! Keep your body in shape and play in a few years; it's a decision everyone can appreciate.
Posted by: pseudo mil | February 19, 2006 4:02 PM
Having a hobby of your own is *always* going to cut into some "other" time. Is it really going to be so much easier in a few years? You and Amy both need to be able to pursue your own interests to be well-rounded, enriched individuals. You are not only parents, you are people.
Here are some ideas:
*Get a ride to the games with someone else, thus not leaving Amy and Ray with no transportation.
*Let Ray stay at a friend's house for a few hours or overnight and Amy can attend the games, or do her own thing while you are away. (This works great if you swap time watching their kid too, so it doesn't cost anything.)
*Talk to your teammates and see if any of their wives/kids have the same dilemma. Maybe they can form a "play group" and come to some of the games, or get together elsewhere on game nights.
Posted by: Liana Ottaviano | February 21, 2006 8:33 PM