When you played baseball...

[Chisoxfn]

Growing up I played so many different positions until I got to about 6th or 7th grade then I mostly played 1B but then my 8th grade year my team didn't have a catcher so I jumped in there and liked it a lot. So Freshman Year I tried out as a catcher and made the team and we were real good, then the next year I tried out for the first two days but quit after realizing that if I made the team it would probably be my last year on a high school team and I wouldn't play very much so I thought it wasn't worth it. I still play in local rec leagues and play just for fun with my friends.

 

I was a pretty good player in High School and middle school. In Middle School I hit close to .400 because I didn't play travel baseball, and once I got to high school the AVG went down a bit because it was a big change of pace from in-house leagues to high school.

Catcher...the one position I could never play and I got a lot of respect for anyone that does play it. Being a lefty helped, but us pitchers would catch each other from time to time and I had a hell of a time with it. One time my dumb self missed a ball and got drilled in the chest (knocked the wind right out of me).

[Hangar18]

I remember playing in a game, my 2nd ever for this team, so they had no idea who I was or if I had any talent so thats why I was batting 9th. We have a guy on 2nd and 3rd, and for some reason, the firstbaseman is playing way way off the line practically in between 1st and 2nd. I could hear my teammates all saying 'can this guy hit', 'he sucks man', when I got the bright idea to take a late swing and see if I can hit down 1b Line. I did .................... we won the game ........and I thought man is this game Crazy

[RibbieRubarb]

I remember playing in a game, my 2nd ever for this team, so they had no idea who I was or if I had any talent so thats why I was batting 9th. We have a guy on 2nd and 3rd, and for some reason, the firstbaseman is playing way way off the line practically in between 1st and 2nd. I could hear my teammates all saying 'can this guy hit', 'he sucks man', when I got the bright idea to take a late swing and see if I can hit down 1b Line. I did .................... we won the game ........and I thought man is this game Crazy

 

And I bet the next day there was no mention of that in the Tribune, right?

[PaleHose4Life35]

Catcher...the one position I could never play and I got a lot of respect for anyone that does play it. Being a lefty helped, but us pitchers would catch each other from time to time and I had a hell of a time with it. One time my dumb self missed a ball and got drilled in the chest (knocked the wind right out of me).

 

I love catching now but it does take a big toll on the body after a game. Eventhough I play in rec leagues my dad coaches my team and he'll have me catch the entire game eventhough we're playing for nothing. After a game I have a bag of ice on each knee and I sit in a massage chair and don't get up for atleast a half hour. But I love catching it really makes you feel involved in the game and I have almost total control of what is coming. My best moment is when I caught a no-no freshman year for this kid who was our worst pitcher, I called the entire game myself and it felt so good to have that final out recorded and then know that I've caught a no hitter.

[ChWRoCk2]

I played travel ball till high school then just didnt feel like tryin out for the highschool team, played for Roselles team, not the rockets for those of you familiar with them, was on a more private team. I played CF and SS but preferred outfield.

[Whitewashed in '05]

I played for 2 years. All in the OF. I wasn't a bad defender since I had decent speed and was fundamentally sound. I couldn't hit worth a s*** though. I probably led my team in walks and also K's since I never protected with a full count. Even though I sucked I wish I could have played longer just for fun.

[Drew]

I played Little League up through 7th Grade. I always wanted to play first base but never had the offense, and in those days I was small and not a good throwing target.

 

Where I ended usually ended up was right field, because you have to have nine guys on the field but nobody ever really hit it there. However, I do remember getting a grounder on a hitter I was in position for (the infield wasn't) and throwing out a guy at first on what he thought was going to be a base hit.

 

Later on in my career, which lasted until seventh grade, I was a solid left fielder and could hit for contact, although where I still really wanted to play was first base. I don't think I saw a game in the infield until the last game of the season when coach asked each of us where we wanted to play. As a tradeoff, I batted ninth, which was down from my usual 7 or 8 slot. Of course the coach's kid always batted third and played either shortstop or pitcher, but this time he was probably one of the better athletes on the team and deserved it.

 

Occasionally I would get in at second base, which was my favorite position to play, and I felt I could field pretty well. I remember chasing down Jimmy Goodwin's blooper and catching it on the fly in shallow right to end the game and getting mobbed by my teammates.

 

Of course the next game I was back in right.

[RockRaines]

I would love to join a competitive league next summer or the end of this summer. Its been a short hiatus and I would love to get back into it.

[zach23]

I would love to join a competitive league next summer or the end of this summer. Its been a short hiatus and I would love to get back into it.

 

Let me know, there are always teams in our league looking for guys. We have 16 guys on our roster but we have only been getting 9 or 10 to shop up the past few games.

We usually play a fall league where there are no win-loss records and the games are more like pick-up games but with umps.

[RockRaines]

Let me know, there are always teams in our league looking for guys. We have 16 guys on our roster but we have only been getting 9 or 10 to shop up the past few games.

We usually play a fall league where there are no win-loss records and the games are more like pick-up games but with umps.

Is there more info on this?

[zach23]

Is there more info on this?

 

http://www.midwaybaseball.org

 

I haven't heard if they are going to do a fall league this year. It all depends on field availability. I do know they are planning an offshoot league for guys 38 and over and hope to play some games this year in August after the regular league wraps up.

I can talk to the guys that run our team and see if they plan to add any players. Our team is the Cardinals.

[SoxFan76]

My positions changed as my body changed. I started out as a 3rd baseman. Then I got fat and moved to left field. Then I got fatter and moved to 2nd base. Then I finally grew into my 6'5" 240 frame and became a 1st baseman. A pretty good one I must say. Think Paul Konerko, but I couldn't hit home runs. Tons and tons of doubles. Lots of walks, no range, good glove good arm.

[Kid Gleason]

I was in Little League, played pitcher and catcher. I was damn good in Little League. When I moved on to 13 year-old league (stop off before Babe Ruth League), my manager and coach let their kids play any position they wanted. I got stuck in right field while thier hoser kids pitched and caught. We didn't come close to winning a single game since their kids gave up hundreds of runs. Our team gave up trying finally. It became the most unruley team you could imagine. Smoking in the dug-out, swearing at the umps, everybody getting kicked out of a game at one time or another, hitting the batters instead of the intentional walk, tripping baserunners, etc. We made the Bad News Bears look like angels. My parents stopped going to games due to being disgusted by the team as a whole. At the end of the final game when my parents got to the game I told them I was done with the sport. I joined Martial Arts instead where it was all up to me as to how good I got and how successful I was. I also took my guitar more seriously.

 

This was in '83. I didn't watch baseball again until '95. I didn't pick up my glove again until 3 years ago when my daughter joined Softball and I became her coach.

[RockRaines]

http://www.midwaybaseball.org

 

I haven't heard if they are going to do a fall league this year. It all depends on field availability. I do know they are planning an offshoot league for guys 38 and over and hope to play some games this year in August after the regular league wraps up.

I can talk to the guys that run our team and see if they plan to add any players. Our team is the Cardinals.

cool, being that im def younger than that, im more into the 25 and up leagues.

[jenksd]

slow contact hitter with a good arm that played right field. I hit the ball hard just never got any air under it. I think I hit a ball 500 feet straight into the dirt that just kept rolling.

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

I played from when I was 7 through high school, I haven't played since but I am looking into getting into a non-competitive adult league. Anbody know any in the Rockford area?

[juddling]

I played 2nd base through-out childhood 'career' due to a accurate arm but a decidely weak one. I was what we called a "defensive replacement" which as we all know is political correctness for "all glove no stick!!!"

 

honestly..i loved playing defense (was that way in HS football as well). maybe because i was good at it.

Edited June 14, 2006 by juddling

[Hangar18]

I remember playing in a game, my 2nd ever for this team, so they had no idea who I was or if I had any talent so thats why I was batting 9th. We have a guy on 2nd and 3rd, and for some reason, the firstbaseman is playing way way off the line practically in between 1st and 2nd. I could hear my teammates all saying 'can this guy hit', 'he sucks man', when I got the bright idea to take a late swing and see if I can hit down 1b Line. I did .................... we won the game ........and I thought man is this game Crazy

 

What I also remember about that, was we "Practiced" for a couple of weeks, and the guys on that team didnt really make me feel all that welcome, probably because nobody knew who I was and I was pretty shy as a kid. So for like basically 3 weeks, I would be practicing and not really talking to anyone, and after that hit, my teammates were so excited we won, I was mobbed going back to the plate everyone jumping on me. That ended up being a really special summer, as it was the first time ever that I started to hit and hit regularly. My confidence grew leaps and bounds. I love baseball

Edited June 14, 2006 by Hangar18

[SoxAce]

Started baseball real late (age 12) played every position expect pitcher, catcher when I played. I ran track so I was one of the fastest kids around South Chicago for a long time. I still rub it in some people's faces cause when I was in high school when I did impress a couple scouts when we played Carmel (said I could be a potential 4 tool gem [not 5 tool cause of my weak arm] with "developing power".. ) I could run, play good D, excellent batting eye [where I got the most recoqnition], but I had a below average arm and was just an "ok" hitter (hit .324[not too good when your in H.S. and it was my best season average wise] 2HR [both inside-The-Park] 23 RBI's 18W 12K [had a 15W 22K my Junior year]) last time I checked my stats for my H.S. If I would had continued playing, (2nd base probably would had been my position cause of my weak arm) I probably would had been drafted really late (or singed as a non draftee in all likelihood) and would have sucked in A ball.. (would of gotten man-handled but put up a decent W/K ratio..)

 

I will probably play during the summer and bat against the 6'4 "stud" Slavko, a.k.a SoxFan1, and see what he does against me (he should be intimidating since I'm only 5'7-5'8) I will give him his respect since I heard he's got a good curveball.. (12-6 break on that filthy s***) but I will crush his 79 mph fastball out of the park. But now... I have gained 30 lbs since H.S. so I'm not skinny anymore, but I'm not that strong eigher.

Edited June 15, 2006 by SoxAce