The Morning Phone Calls
Posted 03-26-2016 at 12:40 AM by ForeverRoyalKC
For many years of my youth, I had a close friend named Jim. Jim and I don't see each other anymore as our lives grew apart and the mileage and time come between us. But I cant help but look back at my favorite times of my childhood whenever I watch baseball or play it in video / computer form.
Every morning, when school was over for the summer, we never failed to be up early in the a.m. so we could watch the previous nights baseball highlights on ESPN. But...we didn't watch it alone. Whether I called him or he called me, we always watched it together on the phone. Oooing and aweing at big plays. Pointing out how "bad" (meaning cool) that long home run by Sandberg was at Wrigley. And taking turns with great baseball terms back and forth with each strikeout. "Take a seat!" he'd say after a J. R. Richard strikeout. Or me with "Seeee ya!" after a Kent Tekulve save. ESPN MLB highlights, every...single...morning. Without fail!
After the highlights, we remained on the phone to talk about our lineups for that day. See, we still had our games to play for the afternoon and evening. Wiffle ball played major league style and the four of us, with his brother, Eric, and our friend Denny, would converge on mine or Jim's backyard and let loose with double and triple headers. On the phone, we discussed who was who. Jim and Eric would take on me and Denny. Jim and Eric the Cubbies. Denny and I the Royals. I relayed to him the batting order Denny and I had in mind (with the two of us representing each and every Royal and their batting stances. Likewise, Jim and Eric with the Cubbies.). We also figured up our stats and performances throughout the summer's games.
We also talked about who was getting baseball cards that day as one of us had to leave and go with their respective Mom to the store or out running errands. Then whoever left would call the other when they got home and we would proceed to start the trading. Honestly, I can't remember each and every trade we pulled. But I do know that 2 for 1 and 2 for 3 trades were confirmed.
Every morning, when school was over for the summer, we never failed to be up early in the a.m. so we could watch the previous nights baseball highlights on ESPN. But...we didn't watch it alone. Whether I called him or he called me, we always watched it together on the phone. Oooing and aweing at big plays. Pointing out how "bad" (meaning cool) that long home run by Sandberg was at Wrigley. And taking turns with great baseball terms back and forth with each strikeout. "Take a seat!" he'd say after a J. R. Richard strikeout. Or me with "Seeee ya!" after a Kent Tekulve save. ESPN MLB highlights, every...single...morning. Without fail!
After the highlights, we remained on the phone to talk about our lineups for that day. See, we still had our games to play for the afternoon and evening. Wiffle ball played major league style and the four of us, with his brother, Eric, and our friend Denny, would converge on mine or Jim's backyard and let loose with double and triple headers. On the phone, we discussed who was who. Jim and Eric would take on me and Denny. Jim and Eric the Cubbies. Denny and I the Royals. I relayed to him the batting order Denny and I had in mind (with the two of us representing each and every Royal and their batting stances. Likewise, Jim and Eric with the Cubbies.). We also figured up our stats and performances throughout the summer's games.
We also talked about who was getting baseball cards that day as one of us had to leave and go with their respective Mom to the store or out running errands. Then whoever left would call the other when they got home and we would proceed to start the trading. Honestly, I can't remember each and every trade we pulled. But I do know that 2 for 1 and 2 for 3 trades were confirmed.
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