Aaron joined his first little league team this year. He was blessed with a great coach, fun supportive team and a teammate with a photographer as a mom. Bart volunteered to be one of the unofficial assistant coaches. It was a real bonding time for Bart and Aaron to go off to Baseball a couple times each week. I didn't get to attend all the games because I was running the other kids around to their activities. I did however always make him some hot chocolate when he got back because we had such a cold spring here in Utah. When I did get to got to a game it was a real treat to see Aaron develop into a great player who loves this game.
Each week after the game Bart and Aaron would hash out the game. I caught that this Angel red team creamed everyone another team was really bad and we were somewhere in the top of the middle. As soon as they scheduled the tournament everyone's heart sank a little to know they would go up against the undefeated Angels. You see the first time they played this team they lost by 20 runs or so. The second time they were so proud of themselves that they kept it with 10 runs but man these guys were hard to beat. I for one thought its been a great season Aaron's had fun but this tournament is going to be quick one for them up because I just didn't think they would get past the first game against the Angels.
The coach held a couple extra practices with a machine pitching machine and most importantly encouraged them to stay calm, do your best and think the pressure is on them to stay undefeated. The game starts and we were first to bat. No luck or runs and soon the Angels were up to bat. With bases loaded a heavy hitter was up to bat and sent all of them home and soon it was Angels 4, Dodgers 0. Then the magic started to happen. We got a few runs in the next few innings and our pitcher kept them at bay striking a few out. They had a some guys on bases and a heavy hitter of their was up to bat. I loved hearing the many recaps of what happened next. The Angels player hit a pop fly straight to Arjun in the center field. (A little history about Argun: This was his first time ever playing baseball. He hardly knew how to hold his mitt let alone catch anything. He made some progress but continued to be afraid of the ball.) So here is the pop fly coming straight at him. It was almost straight out of the movie sandlot and Arjun stuck is mitt in the air closed his eyes and it flew straight into his mitt and he caught it. The crowd went wild, the team was shocked and surprised but with the catch it was 3 out and nobody could run home!!
The momentum continued with everything happening that needed to go right for our team. Collin hit some people home and by the end of whatever inning it was we were tied.
I got to the game right after this time and asked what the score was thinking we would be behind. It was so exciting to hear that we were tied. From then on it was a nail biter. I think everyone was so nervous when our coach replaced our star pitcher Collin with the back up Beacom. It was a nail biter game from then on. Bart later said Beacom throws slightly wild pitches that threw off the other team and caused them to swing instead of waiting to take a ball and he struck out a lot of their players. Somewhere along the line we snuck in run and we were up by one and it was the bottom of the last inning and all we had to do was not let anyone score. The coach kept Beacom as the pitcher and Aaron was his catcher. He continued his streak of striking some of the guys out and only a few walked or hit the ball. Soon it was 2 out and they had a player on 3rd just itching to steal home and end the game. Every time the ball left Beacom's hand I held my breath and silently pled that Aaron would catch the ball because if he didn't that 3rd basemen would sure enough make it across the home plate. Aaron never missed catching a ball and pushed that 3rd basemen back. All we needed was a strike out and the game would be over but that dang hitter hit the ball but whoever it went to got it right back to Aaron who pickled the 3rd basemen who ran for the home plate and they got him out and they won the game. The Dodgers were so ecstatic and they all ran out to the pitcher. It was just like the movies when the under dog wins. It was amazing to see these boys be on cloud nine with each other. As we were leaving I overheard Cole and Aaron commenting that they saw a few boys on the Angels team crying and they felt bad for them having to lose. It was touching to see them looking outside there victory to feel compassion for the other team.
So the tournament continued and the hope and expectations grew with each new win. In the end the Dodgers pulled through and won the whole tournament!
The league then put together an all star team to play with other teams in the area. Knowing it fell on the time I would be in Teasdale with the kids and Bart on an autograph adventure to D.C. I just thought we would have Aaron skip it this year. After his fabulous season and encouragement from his coach Aaron really wanted to try out for the team. The coach was from the Angels team and picked all but a few boys from his team. Aaron was one of those boys who got picked. On the first day of practice I could see his pride and confidence as he proudly sported his blue dodgers hat out on the field of a sea of red knowing he was the only one from the campion team.
The new team was an adjustment for Aaron and it was hard to hear about the favoritism toward the coach and his players from his team. Some of the boys were also rude and snobby towards Aaron which took away some of the fun. I told him people are that way because they are threatened by him. Bart was good for Aaron to remember that he won't have to be with the team forever and to keep his chin up.
With both of us going to be gone for the All star tournament Papa willingly said he would take him to all of his tournament games and he could stay with them for the week. It was a rough moment when Aaron realized he had to leave to go back to Salt Lake with Bart instead of coming along to Dark Valley with the cousins but once he got to Nona and Papa's house he settled in for the week and reported each day about the great game they had.
Thinking that the championship game would be played on Friday, I made plans to come home to see Aaron play in it if they made it that far. I was happy to learn that Aaron's team made it the the finals but disappointed to find out it was going to be held on Thursday night instead of Friday. I wish I could have been there to see his team win the tournament but luckily John sent me the updates and took some cute photos of a very happy champion.
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