"A cheesy baseball movie"....(Corben's big moment)

So, first I guess I need to give you a little bit of background. Corben has been playing baseball on a local coach pitch team called the Diamondbacks for the past couple of months. It's his first time playing and he's had a bit of trouble getting the hang of the game. Not as big a deal as the rules are very slack in this sort of game. They don't keep score and each inning goes to 3 outs or until the whole team has batted. Each batter gets 6 pitches and you can hold the ball up in the air to stop a runner from continuing to the next base. Some of these kids have obviously been playing for years and can hit to the outfield and catch any ball thrown their way. Corben is not that kid. He told me last month that he thinks he's not cut out for baseball, that maybe karate is his thing. I have been so proud of him despite this feeling because he has really stuck it out and kept an amazing attitude despite his lack of ability. This is largely in part to the fact that he has an AMAZING coach who pumps him up and tells him he's doing great. The whole team is that way, even the kids cheer him on from the dugout when he's struggling. I've really grown to love this team. At first he was hitting the ball at least once every game though he usually got out at first base. (He did make it to second base once.) But, due to the fact that Corben is left handed and often steps back from the plate the coaches have tried on several occasions to get the ball a bit closer to him and have ended up hitting him with the ball. Not once, not twice, but like 7 times! Needless to say he's gained a bit of a phobia of the ball and has begun to step back a good foot from the plate when the ball comes. Last game he didn't hit at all. The coach is so great and has been sending him home with a bat and ball to practice and even spent over 30 minutes with him at the last practice to help build his confidence (though he hit him with the ball right near the end). Anyway, now we come to tonight's game. Corben didn't even want to go....he said he wasn't any good and he couldn't even hit the ball.

The game was a great one. Our team was hitting like it never had before. Home run after home run, the other team was really struggling to get the ball to a base. There was not a single out the whole inning, then Corben came up to bat. He was last in the line-up so no matter how well he did it would be the end of the inning after he was done. He got up to bat. He was trying really hard to stay close to the base though he kept wanting to step back. Everyone was encouraging him. Kids from the dug out, kids from the other team out in the field, and everyone on the side lines. The coach kept walking out to him and giving him pointers and pep talks. Still, after 6 pitches, Corben missed every ball and walked quietly back to the dug out. Everyone yelled out, Good try! Don't worry, Corben, you did great! The coach rubbed Corben's head and the assistant gave him a little hug and patted him on the back as they walked out to right field together. I sat and thought what a wonderful bunch of men were taking care of this team. 2nd inning at bat things were going much the same. The boys were hitting one ball after another. A few of our team made home runs and everyone was cheering and the coach would pick up each kid and lift them up when they crossed home plate. Mom and I commented several times that that was Corben's dream though we were glad he was getting all the good friend time in the dug out. The coach yelled out to me to get my camera ready because next inning he was going to have Corben on the pitchers mound. (My camera was at home...I'm so smart) Anyway, the little boy before Corben came up to bat. There were already 2 outs and only 2 more batters on the line up, Corben was last again. My mom said a little prayer that the little boy at bat would hit so that Corben would have at least one more chance to bat in the game. (The games are only a hour long.) He did hit and we all cheered as Corben walked up to the plate. Everyone was rooting for him and cheering from both teams. 3rd pitch he tipped the ball but it fell almost straight down behind the plate. 5th ball he tipped it again but it rolled to the right of the line, foul ball. 6th ball just flew by. Corben turned to walk back to the dugout but the coach yelled for him to go back - they give kids an extra ball for each foul ball they hit. Everyone was cheering, even kids from the other team. From the dugout a chant started - Go Corben! Go Corben! Go Corben! The ball was pitched (we all said a prayer - even the pitcher) and Corben swung........he stood there for a second as the ball rolled off into the infield until he realized we were all screaming RUN!!!!!! and he took off. They over threw to first base and he headed off to second. They overthrew to second and he was off to third. By this point everyone was on their feet screaming and cheering! Corben said he was in shock as he rounded second but when he got to third and everyone started screaming Go For HOME!!! he just took off. The ball was being thrown in to home plate as his little legs were running but he crossed the plate just in time (he actually missed the base and Coach Smith, who was right there, made him run back and tag it). It was just like something from a movie! You can see the joy on Corben's face. The coach came running out and picked him up and threw him into the air (several times). The dugout was empty as all the kids gathered around them cheering and screaming. I am not exaggerating when I tell you there were mothers crying on the sidelines (More than just me and my mom). The coach told me he had tears in his eyes and that as much as he loves to watch his son cross home plate that watching Corben cross home held just as much emotion for him as his son's first home run and that he will never forget it. It was the most amazing moment and I hope my little Corben never forgets. I don't know how he could. The last half of the inning Corben ran out, head high, and took his place on the pitchers mound. Everyone agreed he was the man of the game. I am so proud of him!!!

This morning when Ryan got up for work he came downstairs to find Corben at the computer singing "Take me out to the ballgame!...". Corben went to school this morning with a smile on his face asking me to call him the Home Run Kid! He's very excited about his game on Thursday and made a note to tell me I needed to bring my camera. (I'll never leave it at home again!) Go, Corben! Go, Corben! Go, Corben! (Corben told me this morning that in all the excitement he kept thinking that it all just looked like the end of one of those cheesy baseball movies....I told him that was true except for this time it was real and he was the hero! He smiled.)