Role Model

    Baseball used to be "The All American "game!  During the depression it was essentially the only sport having a professional team.  Football was "manned" by semi pros of dubious talent and the communities seemed to be steel mill towns such as Akron, Wheeling, Bradford(Pa), Massillon and basically evanescent supporting towns of the Ohio and Pennsylvania area with scattered towns from Indiana, Illinois and Michigan mixed in.
   The two 12 team (National & American) leagues that were in operation in baseball seemed to be the only stable portions of professional sports in operation. As a morning paper boy my day frequently began with reviewing the previous day's games to see how my"Yankees" did. The premium professional team of all sports at that time.  My friends would follow the  Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox, ,the Tigers, etc.. Baseball was it!!
   With this background it is easy to realize that baseball players in the family meant a lot to me.   Especially since our family was not built on heroic lines , as required in football and  many other sports.
    Two of our sons were excellent baseball players.  One of them was in Kansas for the high school years of his sons.  Both excelled in baseball -- as pitchers-- not fielders, although I'm sure they could have handled those areas as well.
    I was privileged to be in Kansas when the elder of the two was pitching for his high school team.  Unfortunately I was a bit late so I didn't get to see the whole game.   However, when I arrived in the second or third inning my grandson was on the mound and doing well.
    Of course ,I wanted to see his "stuff"so I stationed myself behind the backstop screen, to get the best angle for evaluation of the pitcher's delivery.  Very shortly a foul pop fly from a strike soared over the backstop screen.  I as in perfect position to make a deft grab and snared the ball barehanded. Of course the impact of the ball stung my hand.  As I waited for the stinging to subside --- thoughts flashed through my mind!  Here i was having made a good play! --the 3 all-star selections I'd been in flashed through my mind- and the only guy to hit a home run in my high school team zipped through my rapid thinker. I 'd be a Role Model for my grandkids!
    - So the stinging did subside, --I heaved the ball ostensibly over the backstop.  -In 3-5 seconds the ball returned to me.  Rumbledy, bumbledy hop to my waiting hand. Just a little bit later with a full head of steam I threw the ball "over the backstop". This time it took 5-7 seconds for the ball to come rumbledy bumbledy hop to me.   This time with my "tail figuratively between my legs" I walked around the edge of the screen and tossed the ball to my grandson,  -And the game resumed. (We won!)
          "Role Model "-- hmm.    Humiliation, YES!

Note  As recently as 24 Sept 2011, my grandson remembered the incident well!  --He still loves me but(as a Role Model---NO!) !