Okay, so I ruined the surprise for my 11-year old grandson Boone by spilling the beans over his birthday present from his parents. (Old people will do that.) They spent nearly $400 on a top of the line first baseman's mitt for his birthday, which is today...June 12. That's the way we are in our family. If our kids need something they get it, though we are sensible about spending money foolishly. Buying top of the line baseball equipment is not at all foolish.
We consider it a investment of sorts. An investment not in a potential baseball career but an investment in a positive life.
You see, baseball like other sports gives youngsters a chance to be successful as well as being a good teammate no matter what level you play on. If you could see Boone and his teammates cheering for each other...slapping each other's back when they do something good...or uttering consoling words when they strike out or make an error, it would warm your heart greatly.
That's why baseball is such a great game. It mirrors our society in that not everything is perfect. When things don't go our way we have people in our lives who offer encouragement and support as we all work for a common goal. That's just what these youngsters are learning each time they take the field. In addition, they're also learning about the game of baseball.
My initial first baseman's mitt was purchased at Zayres for $19.99. I didn't know if it was top of the line or not but in 1964 it was the finest thing I ever owned. I kept it through college and even transitioned it to softball when my baseball days were over. It's a bit ironic that both my children played first base and pitched and two of my grandkids are also playing first base and pitching. Rawlings made my first mitt because in 1964 Rawlings made the very best gloves you could buy. In 2023, Rawlings is still considered to be one of the very best but there are also other good companies like Nokona, Mizuno and Wilson making top notch gloves and mitts.
I always felt that owning a really good glove or mitt was important no matter whether or not you still actually played the game anymore. It's always good to know that if you just wanted to play catch with someone you could pick up that glove and do it.
So I hope you enjoy your new mitt, Boonie Bear and I hope you continue to play and learn from the great game of baseball. Happy Birthday little buddy!
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