Friday, April 13, 2012

There's No Crying in Baseball

Last March we took the kids to their first TAMU men's baseball game (Will had attended both major and minor league baseball games in Michigan and Wisconsin, but the TAMU game was Hallie's first baseball game of any kind). This spring we've been back to Olson Field at Blue Bell Park - now newly renovated and arguably nicest college baseball stadium in the country - enjoying another season of TAMU men's baseball.
I don't much care for Blue Bell's ice cream,
but I sure do like their ballpark.
The games have been particularly fun this year because we've both attended with friends and run into friends once we arrived at the ballpark. Will could barely contain his excitement when we went to a game with Logan and his family, and Hallie absolutely loves running into Andrea - one of her teachers - and Andrea's daughter, McKenna, who Hallie affectionately calls "BcKenna". And all four of us are huge fans of the new playground inside the ballpark (you read that correctly, there is a playground inside the ballpark) where children can play while their parents watch both them and the game.
Hallie and Will - and then Will, Hallie, Kendra, Logan,
and Addison - with Varsity,whose horns have been sawed off.

Spencer's Corner, the in-park playground.
Getting ready for baseball season.
Not quite tall enough...and crazy static.
As we entered the ballpark for our first game of the season, someone stopped us and asked Will if he might be interested in running onto the field with one of the players as he was introduced.  He was really excited to participate, and was incredibly well-behaved throughout the 40 or so minutes he had to wait for his moment in the spotlight.
Walking to the outfield with all of the
kids and the publicity folks.
Waiting for the introductions to begin.
(Will's about 1/3 of the way in from the right-hand side - you
can identify him by his white-blond hair and sunglasses.)
Singing the Aggie War Hymn...
...just like the team.
Taking off toward shortstop.  
Still running...
Meeting Aggie shortstop Mikey.
Running back to Daddy.
There are few placed I'd rather be on a Friday night than at a baseball game with my family, as the lights of the ballpark illuminate the expansive Texas sky.

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