Thursday, July 14, 2011

Hoping for a Well-Rounded Life

Yesterday I was given tickets to the AAA-league All-Star baseball game, being played this year at Spring Mobile Park in SLC.  Ashtyn and Spencer and I went to the game.
We arrived at the bottom of the third inning.  I wanted to be there at the beginning for the national anthem and "Play Ball!"  Didn't happen.  Oh, well.

Here is a list of the things I had to explain to Ash about baseball:

An inning is 6 outs:  Each team gets their "ups" (three outs).
"Ups" means its your team's turn.
If the home team is winning after the top of the 8th inning, they don't take their ups, and the game is over.
The visiting team always gets first ups.
It doesn't count as a hit unless you get to base.
A foul ball counts as a strike, unless it's on the 3rd strike.
The strike zone is in a certain area.  If the ball goes through the strike zone, it's a strike, even if the batter doesn't swing.
If the pitcher hits the batter with a pitch, the batter gets to take the base.  If he can walk.
If the pitcher leaves the game, he doesn't come back.
It's not called a baseball SQUARE, it's a baseball DIAMOND.
The home team is in white; the visitors are in gray or dark uniforms.
Those guys whose pants are up to their knees are wearing their uniform in the traditional way (or--as Grandpa would say--CORRECTLY).

Clearly, we haven't exposed our family to enough baseball.  Just as clearly, we are not ready for the nuances of the game.

But we know how to have a good time together!

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