Baseball Blues

I was once a huge fan of baseball. And if you know me at all, then you are seriously doubting that last statement. Of course, I don't have anything against baseball now, I just can't care any less about any spectator sports. I love playing sports, but the idea of sitting and watching them is a habit in which I'd rather not form. There are enough things in the world for me to waste my time with. I don't need another.

Back to the point, I think that I was 11 years old. I played a full season and we were a good team. I'm not trying to brag here, but I was one of the better players on the team. We had been practicing for a few weeks before games started and I just knew that the Shortstop position was mine. Unfortunately, despite the fact that I was most qualified for the position, I also was most qualified as catcher. And when I say that I was most qualified as catcher, what I really mean is that I was the only one on the team that wasn't afraid of the wild pitches from our wild pitcher. I turned out to be the only kid that could actually catch the ball which so happens to be the main job of catcher, go figure. Our pitcher was a year older than the rest of us and at that age just one year has major advantages. His advantage: he could wing the ball twice as fast as anyone else. The disadvantage: you never really knew where the ball was going. Anyway, since I could catch the ball, our coach decided that I was the best candidate for catcher, despite my protests. I guess he didn't feel like developing anyone else for the job. I played the whole season as catcher except for one game, one inning, two minutes. It was our fourth game. It was the fifth inning. We were ahead by four runs. For whatever reason, coach had me take off my gear and give it to some other kid. He told me to play shortstop. I couldn't believe my ears. Here was my chance and I wasn't going to blow it. In short, the inning lasted maybe two minutes. Three batters, three outs. The first batter hit a grounder right past the pitcher that I ran and snatched up at about second base, and threw to first for the out. Second batter hits a fly ball out to center field. It was caught, second out. The third batter nails one between me and third base. This one was humming, but I barely got it in the end of my glove with a very dramatic leap. I was glowing. I just made two great outs in one inning. There was no way that coach was going to stick me back in the catcher position ever again. Not after that performance. Nevertheless, back to catcher I went never to return to the field. That was my first and last baseball season. The next year, the same coach called my mom to see if I would play, but I said "no" and said why. My mom relayed this and he promised that I would play another position, and so I got on the phone and told him "no" myself, much to my satisfaction. I told him that the game was no longer fun for me and that if I played again I would get stuck in some other postion that I didn't want and didn't deserve.

During this single year, I had spent every last penny that I could find on baseball cards. I specifically collected Nolan Ryan, Kirby Puckett, and Mark McGuire. I had 52 different Nolan Ryan cards and an autographed photo that he sent me after I wrote and sent him a letter explaining how I was his biggest fan. When in actuality, being that I was always small for my age, I was quite possibly his smallest fan. All in all I had about 3000 cards including 2 full sets of Topps cards for 1988 and 1990.

So, this last week I sold my entire collection of baseball cards and memorabilia to another Nolan Ryan collector in Florida. It was sad to see them go after almost 17 years. But, they'll bring a little joy for someone else, and they'll stop reminding me of my traumatic experience. The good news is that I took the money I received from the buyer and bought two mic stands that I will also use as light stands AND two softening reflective photography light umbrellas. Now I just need to buy the clamp light fixtures from Ace Hardware and some low-heat, high luminesence bulbs and I will have all the lighting that I need for Studio Living Room. What is Studio Living Room, you ask? It is my newest hobby turned business opportunity. I have increasingly gained interest in professional and artistic photography. I have had requests to photograph a couple of weddings coming up soon and I have my first studio session (that isn't my family) this next weekend. If the requests keep coming then I will purchase a digital SLR and acquire a business license which will make Studio Living Room an official entity. If you want to see some of my shots, check out my MySpace pictures. A link to my MySpace page can be found in the column on the right.

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