the 2 best baseball plays I have seen

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

My son is on his school's Junior Varsity (JV) team and "swings" to varsity.  In other words, he is primarily JV and they can call him up to varsity on an as-needed basis.  That's pretty good for a sophomore.  Anyway, as an umpire, I am prohibited from umpiring his school's varsity games to avoid conflict of interest (no objection here; it only makes sense).  However, they don't care if I umpire his JV games.  The school's record is solely based on varsity games, so JV and lower are merely for developmental purposes.  

 

Last year, I was working the bases (another umpire had the plate) and my son was playing shortstop.  There was a runner on 1st, so I was in the "B" position -- behind the pitcher's mound and between the 2nd baseman and the base.  The batter hit a low line drive that came back FAST, probably close to 100 mph, but was very low and was going to hit the ground behind the pitcher, but in front of my son.  With the reaction time of a professional boxer, he dove like I've never seen anyone dive, and made the grab before it hit the ground.  The crowd from both teams gasped audibly, "OOOOOOH!!!"  The batter removed his batting helmet as a sign of respect to my son, and several of the batter's teammates did the same.  My son's team went bonkers.  It was the absolute best catch I have seen in my time umpiring, and the fact that my son made it with me standing just a few feet from him made it all that much better.  

 

It's not technically a catch until the fielder "voluntarily and intentionally" releases the baseball, such as reaching into his glove and pulling it out.  So, being a good umpire, I waited to make the call until he did so.  I was telling myself the entire time, "look stoic," because I'm not supposed to be excited for one team or another.  I have to be (and appear to be) impartial all the time, so despite the fact my son had made the greatest catch in the history of baseball, I could show no emotion.  When he pulled the baseball out, I gave a routine "out" mechanic and kept the game going.  There was no need to "sell" that call, and I wouldn't have wanted to anyway.  

 

Last night I was not umpiring, but was just a parent in the stands.  On the way to the game, he expressed some trepidation.  "I'm not a pitcher and they're having me start on the mound," he told me.  I told him to remember how much he loves the game, and that someday -- no matter how far his baseball career takes him -- he will have played his last game and will want to look back on his time on the diamond with fondness.  So he should have as much fun as possible and play his heart out regardless of what happens.  

 

He took the bump and pitched four complete innings.  He held them to 0 runs through the first two, and gave up two runs each in the 3rd and 4th, for a total of 4 runs.  His team had 6 runs when he was pulled (high school games are 7 innings or 2 hours; they completed 6 innings and his team won 8-4, so he gets a W on his stats and the reliever got a save).  The runs were all scored due to fielding errors; his pitching was outstanding.  All he has is a fastball and a changeup because he hasn't pitched since Little League.

 

Anyway, while he was still on the mound, the batter went for a bunt and popped up a baseball about half-way between the pitcher and the catcher.  My son made another diving catch, once again coming up with the baseball.  It was absolutely the second best diving catch I have ever seen, and this time I was not governed by the necessity to remain stoic or unbiased.  I yelled, "HE CAUGHT IT!!! HE CAUGHT IT!!!" while the umpire signaled the out.  I probably even jumped up and down a few times.  Although he didn't get a hat tip from the opposing team like he did before, he did get some audible congratulations from the opposing dugout.

 

 

[Blackwater 53393]

I think of the play where Bo Jackson ran up the outfield wall to make a spectacular catch! That was phenomenal!! However, the play that sticks out in my mind was the throw! Jackson caught a fly ball down the left field line in fair territory that forced his back to the wall. He stepped forward and fired the ball to home, his heel still against the base of the wall. The runner at third tagged and charged all out for home as the ball hit Jackson’s glove.  The throw beat the runner easily.  The commentators were amazed.

 

Still, neither play spurs my memory like one my son made as a ten year old.  He played third base for much of his youth baseball career. On this particular occasion, a ball was hit to the shortstop toward the third base side of his position.  It should have been a routine play. The shortstop fielded the ball cleanly, but rather than a quick underhand flip to third, he leaped a hurled the ball with everything he had! The ball hit Hatfield at the top of his forehead and bounced ten feet in the air, landing in foul territory near the fence at the dugout. The third base coach waved the runner rounding the base toward home.  Hatfield turned and, dodging the coach, ran to the fence, picked up the ball, and threw the runner out at the plate.

 

The third base coach stood there stunned. Ben, my son’s real name, walked over and picked up his cap, walked over and sat on the third base bag, and calle time. His coach, both umpires, and the third base coach all hurried out to check on him. He sat there while they checked him over and then explained, “My dad says you should make the play. Then you can say ouch!”

 

He stayed in the game.  Kids’ll amaze you!!

 

Cyrus!!  Sounds like you got one of those young’uns that plays the game all out!!  They are treasures!!

 

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

The most memorable play I ever saw was when Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson ran right into each other at full speed in the outfield. I mean a full sprint. They hit face to face so hard I swear you couldn't tell there was two players there for a second. The ball hit the ground.

 

Didn't say it was the best. Just the most memorable.

 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

1 hour ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

The most memorable play I ever saw was when Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson ran right into each other at full speed in the outfield. I mean a full sprint. They hit face to face so hard I swear you couldn't tell there was two players there for a second. The ball hit the ground.

 

Didn't say it was the best. Just the most memorable.

 

 

Ball never hit the ground.  Mookie caught it and held on to it.    

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

I liked the play that Jeter did with the throw from right field to home plate being off line and he grabbed it and redirected to the catcher for the out. Pretty hard to beat.

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

16 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

I think of the play where Bo Jackson ran up the outfield wall to make a spectacular catch! That was phenomenal!! However, the play that sticks out in my mind was the throw! Jackson caught a fly ball down the left field line in fair territory that forced his back to the wall. He stepped forward and fired the ball to home, his heel still against the base of the wall. The runner at third tagged and charged all out for home as the ball hit Jackson’s glove.  The throw beat the runner easily.  The commentators were amazed.

 

 

 

I also saw Bo Jackson do something that made my jaw drop.  We were attending a AA game in Chattanooga. He was playing ball against our hometown Chattanooga Lookouts.  Bo hit a line drive so hard that when it hit the concrete outfield wall, it sounded like a gunshot.  The ball appeared to not get any higher than 5-6 feet off the ground all the way to the wall.  After hitting the wall, the ball hardly came off the wall.  By the time our outfielder threw the ball in, Bo was standing on third base with a smile on his face.  The outfielder threw the ball to the pitcher, who gently tossed it to the catcher.  The catcher handed it to the home plate ump.  He held the ball up and all of us on the right field baseline got a great look at it.  It was noticeably flat on one side!

[Utah Bob #35998]

13 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

 

Ball never hit the ground.  Mookie caught it and held on to it.    

Thanks. I couldn’t remember. I guess that makes it the Greatest play!