Little League

[soupcan]

I've gushed on these pages before about soupcan jrs. LL coach and what a great coach and guy he is but what he did yesterday just goes above and beyond.

My town's 2nd grade Little League is classified as an 'instructional league' which means that the coaches pitch, there are no bunts or base stealing and we don't keep score. Teams are up until three outs are made or they score 4 runs - whichever comes first.

Yesterday was the Padres last game of the season and it was a thrilling one to watch. The Pods finally recorded three outs in consecutive innings to retire their opponents. The coaching staff as well as the parents were kvelling. Although we don't keep score some of us actually do and the Pods crushed the overmatched Razorbacks 12-3.

After the game there was a seaon-ending barbeque at one of the coach's houses. Head Coach Bob said that he had some things to give the boys in appreciation for a great year (this was in addition to the trophies that the league provdes) Now Bob had already been giving the boys baseball cards after practices all year so already the guy was just being incredibly generous, but what he gave them on Sunday was just above and beyond.

First he gathered the coaches - 4 of us - 2 official, 2 unofficial - and presented us with mustard colored Nike baseball hats with the old San Diego Padres logo of the friar swinging the bat. When he was done thanking us he pulled out enough of those hats for every kid on the team. Now that alone would've been enough but he then pulled out another box and presented each kid with an official San Diego Padres home jersey with each kid's last name and the number 05 on the back. The kids were ecstatic and all of us were just floored.

Afterwards the boys filled up a huge bucket of water and doused him Gatorade-style. It was just a great, great experience. Bob is a really good guy and a great, caring coach. For those of you with young kids I hope you get to experience a coach like this guy. Regardless of all the swag, he was so nice and patient with the kids, never letting any of them get down, constantly encouraging each one of them and always having enough time to explain and instruct.

My son is a better kid - not to mention ballplayer - for having had him as a coach.

[seawolf17]

Props to Bob! Wish I could say I had experiences that great in Little League!

[Guest sharpie]

The final game of the team I coach was played a week ago Saturday and was called on account of lightning with us behind by 4, the bases loaded and our best hitter up. We had a pretty rotten won-lost record this year but had a good time yesterday, picnic, trophy and stat presentation. I didn't get them any Padre uniforms but I did go 0-for-3 in the parent/kid game, much to the delight of the squad.

[Willets Point]

I joined up with a recreational soccer team recently, playing for the first time since I was 10. I remember I stopped playing because I hated my coach and teammates even though I liked playing. I wish my soccer coach was like your baseball coach.

[Guest cooby]

Sounds like a nice Father's Day gift for all!

[Guest Edgy DC]

My dad would custom hand-illustrate a baseball for each member of his team.

I don't know where he found the time.

Oh, yeah, he never goofed off on the internet.

[Guest cooby]

Neat, what did he draw on them?

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Very nice soup - Bob sounds like a fabulous guy!

[Guest Edgy DC]

Neat, what did he draw on them?

Fun awards in ballooning letters. For instance, for three seasons he coached the Halperin Shoes team . (Our teams back then bore the names of our sponsors.)

Halperin Shoes Awards =darkred]Jimmie Diodato With the 1979 =darkblue]Big Stick Award Let's Go Bad News Shoes!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Halperin Shoes Awards =darkred]Brian Boggiano With the 1979 =darkblue]Super Hustle Guy Award Let's Go Bad News Shoes!

Thankfully, he spared me the "You-Only-Played-Because-You're-My-Son Award."

If you like, I can scan in the picture of all of us holding our balls.

That didn't come out right.

[Guest cooby]

Of course we want to see that!

We still have sponsers here, my son played for

Woolrich, Inc. (tee ball)
Miller's Lawn and Garden (minors)
Restless Oaks Restaurant (majors)
Woolrich, Inc. (teener)

My daughter played for

Woolrich, Inc (tee ball)
Chatham Run Mill (softball, but quit cos of bitchy coach)

[seawolf17]

Whole lotta Woolrich on that list. Do I sense some nepotism in the team sponsorship?

[soupcan]

We have the sponsors names on the back of our unis too.

The Padres were sponsored by mlb.com of which coach Bob happens to be the president and ceo.

I like what your dad did Edgy. Very cool - was he a generally artistic guy or just thought it a good idea and ran with it?

[Guest cooby]

No :)
I didn't even work here then!

[Guest sharpie]

I did a similar thing this year, 'cept I used a computer to do it and attached some digital photos of the kids on their various awards. Sometimes it was a real stretch to come up with something notable about a player, hence the Stylin' at First Base Award. In past years I would give them awards which would link them to MLB players (the Hank Aaron Award, etc.) Our sponsor this year was Yes Bank. Never heard of them, never have seen a branch, seems too MFYish to me.

[Guest Edgy DC]

My dad was a generally artistic guy, but rarely found an outlet for it.

When I coached pee-wees, I couldn't not follow the example. What we did was make up fake contracts for them announcing their signing for a million dollars to play their favorite position for their favorite team.

Two thirds, it seemed, had second base as their favorite position and the Mets as their favorite team. So it seems the Mets should have about 10 27 year-old secondbasemen about now.

[seawolf17]

A million dollars? That's it? Your players needed better agents.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It was like 1984 or so.

And they were rookies.

[MFS62]

If the league were run using the Met organizational philosophy, they would keep sending all the best players back to the instructional league. (is there a Brooklyn team in yor league?)

Later

[soupcan]

Check 'em out...

[metirish]

I meant to post on this thread, great story and great pic.

[Guest cooby]

very nice

[Guest Edgy DC]

That kid in the middle row to the left flashing some sort of gang sign?

[Guest martin]

damn that is a great story and a cool fella. i would have killed to have that guy coach me as a kid. my coach only cared about winning, even at the expense of instruction. i was a fast kid, and our age for whatever reason it was very easy for a fast kid to get on with a bunt. so i was rarely given a chance to swing away and learn how to really hit, i just bunted all the damn time. i hated it. he even had a batting cage in his backyard and i would practice bunting over and over, smashing my little fingers.

and also we had a really intense set of signals that were impossible to remember. mostly we were given the take sign over and over because kids were too young to throw strikes and we would walk alot, and win alot. anyways, once i missed a take sign and hit a triple and the dude actually yelled at me in front of everyone in the middle of a game. it sucked.

i couldnt stand it, and i quit the team. they went on to win something pretty good like city championship after i left. i switched to soccer, which was awesome, but i would have been more likely to stick with both for twice the fun if this dude hadnt been so terrible.

ouch that was a long and stupid story i told. the point is that your coach rules and i will try and be like him if i ever get to coach kids.

[soupcan]

He's buttoning his shirt wise-ass.

I live in Westport, CT man, the only thing that comes close to a gang out there are the 3 10th graders that hang out in the Starbucks parking lot chugging espresso for the caffeine high.

Edgy DC wrote: That kid in the middle row to the left flashing some sort of gang sign?

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't know, I see Baseball Furies on the neighbor's lawn, getting all baggy pantsed with their shirt-tails down to their knees and caps on backward, I'm making a bee-line for the Volvo, Doris.

[soupcan]

Gotta hand it to you Edgy, you can be pretty funny when you want to.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Thanks. So, like, whenever I'm not funny, or desperately un-funny, understand it as I didn't want to be funny.

Anyhow, the Bad News Shoes have returned.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Look out, Westport! Here they come!

[Frayed Knot]

So are we supposed to play "Guess the Edgy" w/that picture?


I'm going w/the kid in the upper left who looks like he's holding a
slice of watermelon instead of a ball.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Put the name with the face for your Halperin Shoes.

Ellen Abrams
Eve Abrams
Andrew Appell
David Attonito
John Attonito
Brian Boggiano
Jimmy Diodato
James Farrell
Anthony Fiedler
Eric Gladstone
Artie Hoyt
Edward Hoyt
Rob Kaiden
Stevie Rubenstein
Bob Wolf
Kennny Wolf