Baseball is the best, yet hardest game in the world. The highs are high and lows are low. Try to name another sport that celebrates a 30% success rate. A .300 career average in the MLB will get you consideration to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. For this exact reason, it is the most rewarding game. I played competitive baseball at high levels, and I always valued every second I had on the diamond. Being on the diamond was the highlight of my week and nothing else in my life mattered except my teammates and what happens between those lines. Just like in Field of Dreams, you walk on the field, and you are only a ball player. Not a doctor, not an IT consultant, just a baseball player. Everyone is equal. However, that time has passed. I took a few years off from baseball due to injury and other obligations, but then I heard about this local sandlot baseball League in Raleigh, NC.
I came out to a random Saturday practice and was met by 40+ incredible people just playing baseball without a worry in the world. I had never met any of these people before, yet it felt like I knew some of these guys for years with how nice and welcoming everyone was to me. I stumbled upon the greatest secret in the country. A group of people who love baseball no matter the field quality, skill level, or need to keep score. It is truly just for fun, and it is truly for everyone. Playing with my team, The Neuse River Nine, has reignited my love for the game in a way I never thought would happen. The vibes coming from every individual on the Nine combined with the comradery makes this team something truly special. I do not think any team has more fun than us on the baseball field. Watching my teammates that have never played baseball before enjoy the game for the first time is what it is all about. That feeling of making it to first base safely for the first time or crossing Homeplate for the first time after your teammate gets a base hit is an indescribable feeling.
We had a game just this past weekend where I was lucky enough to hit a homerun and because of my Achilles injury, I was not able to run, so my teammate, Heather, was able to trot around the bases in my place. The joy of seeing her round the bases while my teammates wait at Homeplate to mob her with congratulatory pats on the helmet is everything sandlot baseball aims to be. I was even lucky enough to convince my best friend of 20 years from California, who I played baseball with for about 10 years, to move out to North Carolina and play on the Nine with me. Being a member of a team is a feeling rivaled by no other. I relish watching my teammates learn to love the game that I have loved since before I can remember. Sandlot is a perfect way to love the game in its purest form.
Sandlot baseball means more to me than I could ever put into words. It has brought me new friends, memories, and a chance to play baseball again. I would play baseball every day of my life if I could, but I have a new perspective on the game now that I have experienced sandlot. The true joy I get from baseball now is watching my teammates have fun playing. A diving catch, double in the gap, figuring out how to pitch, developing a comfortable swing, stepping in the box for the first time, celebrating with the team, and so many more moments are made more special when you are surrounded by an amazing group of people, and that is exactly what the Neuse River Nine has done. We have canoe paddles that we use for celebrations on the diamond and initiation rituals (Like a knighting ceremony). There are no lows in sandlot baseball, and success is measured by the amount of fun you have playing the game. Sandlot has found a way to make the game of failure an all-inclusive experience for everyone at any level. Whether you have played before, never played, or just want to shake the rust off, take the leap of faith and find a new family in the Sandlot community.
