Seagulls help Indians beat Royals and MLB catcher nearly trampled by Chorizo

MLB – Last night was a weird night in baseball as seagulls drove in the winning run in the Cleveland Indians’ 4-3 10th inning win over the Kansas City Royals.

The play happened in the bottom of the 10th inning with two runners on base after a Mark DeRosa single and Victor Martinez walk.   Indians Right Fielder, South Korean native, Shin Soo Choo lined up the middle to Royal’s Center Fielder Coco Crisp, the ball struck a seagull and deflected away from Coco.    Coco raised his arms in frustration after the play, but according to Major League Baseball, the ball is still in play after striking objects, including birds in fair territory.     Choo’s bird bash drove in the winning run in a walk off game that went to the birds.

The last time seagulls made headlines in Major League baseball was back on August 4, 1983 when Dave Winfield killed a seagull by throwing the ball in a 5th inning warmup at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium.   After hitting the bird, Winfield was battered by flying objects from angry fans.     Thinking that was the end of his problems, Winfield was later arrested for cruelty to animals.   Fortunately, no birds were hurt last night and no arrests were necessary.

Over in Milwaukee, there was a close encounter of  a different kind as St. Louis Cardinals’ catcher Jason LaRue was nearly trampled by a seven foot chorizo running full speed.  LaRue forgot to look both ways before leaving the dugout and was nearly taken down by the giant pastry.  LaRue continued to dodge and weave his way past the hot dog, bratwurst and Italian sausage to safely make his way on to the field for some between inning warm ups.

Youth Sports – Not just boys fun

Early on as the parent of  a girl who was very interested in sports, I realized there were mild differences in people’s opinions on girls sports vs. boys sports.    In general, boy sports were always given more social importance, baseball, football and hockey while the traditional girl sports were back seat novelties to the general community, softball, gymnastics, cheer.  Even when you look at youth and scholastic soccer, the boys teams are given prominence, usually.  

I sometimes remember back in high school, when the Toms River North Girls field hockey team won the state championship, the headline in the Ocean County Observer for the day highlighted the Toms River South vs. Toms River North regular season football game and the girls championship was given a sidebar mention.  For me, it was alright at the time.   I was a boy.  I played football.  Football was more important than field hockey at any cost.

Today, I received a study and excerpt from a book at GoKidsNJ that discussed this phenomena and social misunderstanding in a study presented by sports sociologist Michael Messner, a professor of sociology and gender studies at USC.

In his book he writes:

As a shared belief system, soft essentialism embraces participation by girls in team sports, Messner said, but it also justifies pushing girls toward softball even though they are legally entitled to play baseball – and often creates an inhospitable environment for female coaches in both baseball and soccer.

source: http://www.gokidsnj.com/youth-sports-gender-lines-still-clearly-drawn-what-to-do-in-nj/2009/05/

Early this spring, my daughter, a Yankees baseball fan asked about playing baseball.  So naturally, I investigated the girls softball options within Jackson, thinking it would be better for her to play with the girls than to be one of a couple, if not, the only girl on a little league baseball team.

I was ready to sign her up for the municipal softball program until I found out that low registrations will probably turn it into an instructional league when I thought to check the Jackson Little League.   I remember a couple girls playing when I played in the Toms River Little League and wanted to see if it was still allowed.   Again, I’m told my mindset was normal and it is clearly dissected in Mr. Messner’s new  book.

Eventually, the choice was clear, she was to play baseball, the game she enjoys watching and getting excited over on television and not softball, a baseball substitute crafted for girls only.   She deserved it.  She cheers for Jackson Pop Warner, is enrolled in a U.S. figure skating program, plays all-girl soccer and gymanastics, clearly fulfilling her young female sports obligations.   Why not deviate from social expectations just a little?

Messner writes: However, individuals’ often unexamined beliefs about gender function to create a very skewed gender division in youth sports. And these continued divisions in youth sports reinforce an “unfinished feminist revolution” in families and workplaces, Messner argued.

The Jackson Little League so far has been great for her as she learns to play with the boys and be one of the boys, if only for just a few weeks out of the year.   There are about 10 or so girls playing t-ball in the Jackson Little League and it’s always exciting for her when she plays “the other girls” and as a parent, you can see that special unspoken bond these girls have on the field.

At games, some parents don’t even realize girls are allowed in little league.  At one game, I remember some guy at the game exclaiming  “wow, they let girls play too? I didn’t know that”, obviously shocked to see the long hair from under the helmet.   After she hit the ball pretty hard, his opinion was changed as he yelled “We got our new cleanup hitter!”. 

So the reason I bring this article and study to Jackson is that if you are the parent of a young girl who enjoys watching the Yankees, Mets or Phillies with you, why not give her the chance to play the game and consider little league baseball before you throw her into a softball recreation league?

If this topic is of interest to you, you can also read more of Mr. Messner’s expanded findings at  http://www.momsteam.com/team-parents/the-secrets-of-successful-women-coaches or check out his new book on the subject: It’s All for the Kids: Gender, Families, and Youth Sports.

 

 

 

Play Ball! Jackson Little League Opening Day

The Weather Channel called for a windy and cool morning and the forecast was dead on.   Hundreds of parents and players gathered Saturday morning for the 2009 Jackson Little League opening day ceremony at turf field 1 at the Jackson Municpal complex.      Students from the local high school trumpeted the Star Spangled Banner and sang America the Beautiful.    Mayor Reina was on hand to wish the children well.   

Unfortunately the weather put a damper on things for many parents as the wind made for bone chilling conditions.    We were planning on staying for the Challenger All Star exhibition game, but it was just a bit too cold and windy.      

I must admit, being a product of the Toms River East Little League and all of our World Championships and near world championships, I had always looked down on the facilities and league in Jackson.     My last interaction with the Jackson Little League was back in 1984 when my championship major league team faced off against the Jackson Little League major league champion in what was round 1 or 2 of the tournament that eventually led to the Little League World Series.   That game was our first and only legitimate loss of the season, which we lost 12-0 to Jackson, so this league has always been my arch enemy!   It’s one of my worst childhood experiences that I think about each and every time I pass by the old complex on East Veteran’s Highway, which is multiple times per day.   I guess I’ll just have to let go of the past and enjoy the present from now on.

I will say, the new complex is amazing and the league is great.  It’s much smaller of course than what I’m accustomed to, but I think smaller is definitely better.   So far the staff of JLL has been nothing but first class and I look forward to our first season in the JLL Family.   I’ll just have to lie to my old friends about sleeping with the enemy.

San Francisco Giants 36  Los Angeles Dodgers 36
When I was 6, there was no t-ball.  Little League started at 7 or 8 years old and the coaches pitched.  Those games were just as competitive back then as the majors and travel teams are today.       I was introduced to t-ball when I was around 13 or so and TRLL began offering t-ball.   Back in the day, T-ball kept score and I remember watching games with scores of 45-38 in 3 or 4 inning games.      Nowadays, t-ball is non competitive and instructional as it should be.    It’s a great way for young children to be introduced to the sport at such a young age when they barely understand the rules.   

The Giants and Dodgers kicked off the 2009 t-ball season in a 36-36 tie that went down to the wire!   Everyone went 3 for 3 with 3 runs scored.   It was a perfect way to start the season!

Kids eat for free at 2009 BlueClaws games

The Lakewood BlueClaws announced that they will expand their Monday program, where kids under 12 eat for free at home games, to every home game this season.   When entering the stadium, children 12 and under will be give a food voucher for one free hot dog,  a bag of chips and a 12 ounce soda.    The BlueClaws are hoping the promotion is enough of an incentive for budget weary parents to bring the family out to the baseball game.