So I have this lingering fantasy.
I played baseball as a young man. And I was good at it. And I’ve written a pretty lengthy essay about why I stopped playing.
In short, a game rained out, we practiced instead, water and baseballs don’t mix, line drive, my face, concussion. Bad news. No more baseball.
Anyway, I still love the game. And I have this nagging fantasy.
I want to go to Busch Stadium and take BP. Batting practice. I want to hit one home run.
I’m 40 years old and I know for a fucking fact that I can do it.
Will it ever happen? Probably not. Would I totally do it if I had the chance and risk the embarrassment of not hitting one out? Yes, I would.
Is it kind of a glory days moment? I guess. Maybe. Not really. I don’t know. Haha!
Do I need anyone to see it? Nope. It’s not about that.
I never got to hit one out during a game. I hit several out during batting practice. Very long, line drive home runs, in fact.
And yeah, I know, this wouldn’t be in a game either. It’s more about being on the field I wanted to play on. And to watch the ball go over the fence I wanted to catch home runs off of, as an outfielder. That was something I did get to do during during games as a kid. Play really good defense and make some pretty impressive plays.
But hitting a home run in the major leagues, it was my dream. Actually the only childhood dream I ever had. Aside from a being a lion tamer. That one didn’t work out either. Thankfully, we can form new dreams.
And I’m on the road to building one I’ve had for a long time. We’ll see where it goes.
Anyway, sometimes you just have to put stuff out into the universe. My life will be complete if it never happens.
But I still have this deep, down feeling that won’t go away. Like it is unfinished business or something. So yeah, maybe I will…
Hit a tater. Launch a long ball. Hit one way back.
Or as former Cardinal Chris Duncan used to say, “Crush a boomskie”