A Night at the Ball Field

The Bowie BaySox stadium hosted "Cub Scout night" yesterday and I accompanied several boys to the game. I use the term "accompanied" lightly, since they were hardly ever actually with me. The great thing about having a minor league baseball stadium so close by is that you get to watch real baseball from good seats at reasonable prices, and when the kids get bored they can run around spending their allowance (right!) buying food and playing games in the Kids Park, leaving their parents to watch the game (or the beautiful summer night sky) in peace.

Last night's game got exciting in the eighth inning, when the home team suddenly got a spurt of energy and hit some balls, resulting in three runs. Finally getting some action, we all leaped to our feet and cheered, a moment almost captured on my cell phone camera.

I had travelled light since we were staying after the game to camp out on the ball field with the other Cub Scouts. Knowing I'd be dragging a heavy tent and tarp and my sleeping gear down through the bleachers and onto the field, I left my camera at home. But I sure wish I had it later that night when I stood up in the bleachers looking down on all those tents on the field. It was a sight you don't see every day, that's for sure.

The Bowie Baysox stadium has a real grass field with the most perfectly soft and clean grass. The kids immediately kicked off their shoes and spent hours just running around in their bare feet. I took off my shoes, too, and walked around on the grass for a while in my dignified adult manner. Seeing the kids have so much fun and feeling that wonderful grass on my feet made the sleepless night entirely worthwhile!