East Nashville's new prep field wasn't quite ready, so the boys got to play on the Old Timer's Field in Shelby Park which, as I understand it, is the second oldest baseball field in Nashville. Interestingly enough, it's privately owned and maintained, although it's located in Shelby Park. It was built in 1914 and scores of major leaguers have played there over the years, including current players, like Mookie Betts and David Price and former players, like Wayne Garland, R.A. Dickey, and Orestre Destrade.
In all my years playing in the city softball tournament at Shelby Park and running the trails in Shelby Bottoms, I've never played or coaches at Old Timer's Field. It was special and I told my players about it before the game.
As I walked into the ballpark from the parking lot Monday evening, I realized I knew our umpires. Both were older gentlemen and one, in fact, I represented in a workers' compensation case more than a decade ago. Jerry has been working as an umpire in Metro Nashville for more than 40 years. He's called college and high school games forever. It was a treat to see him again. I introduced him to my players and he told them that Babe Ruth once practiced in the field when he was in town to play a game at Sulpher Dell and hit a ball over the right field fence into the Cumberland River.
I'm not sure if that story is accurate but it impressed my players. Their eyes widened as Jerry told them, before our games, that they were playing on a field that Babe Ruth had played on. Most, but not all of them, are still a little young, at 13, to be skeptical or cynical, which is sweet.
Our opponent for the double header was a 14U East Nashville team that is in the early stages of their season. A good team with power and speed and good competition for us, although it didn't seem that way in the first game.
We had a full squad, as did East Nashville. We batted all 12 players and they batted, I think 13 or 14. It would have been interesting if both squads had batted their best 9 players.
In game 1, their starting pitcher struggled with his control and the catcher wasn't very good. In part because there is a huge amount of space between home plate and the backstop, our players ran wild on the bases. Every passed ball was an extra base and our players ran at will on their catcher. Almost any passed ball or wild pitch meant a runner in third base scored easily.
Ethan battled for three innings on the mound. Although he allowed a few baserunners and struggled with his control, at times, he kept his emotions in check (always a challenge for him). Overall, he pitched as well as he has all year long. One pitching sequence, in particular, was memorable, as he absolutely froze at batter with a 2-2 curve ball that broke right over the plate for a strikeout looking. It was real baseball and it was impressive.
Cyrus, by far our youngest player, pitched the last inning and retired all 3 batters he faced. He looked good, real good.
Benton continues to knock the cover off of the baseball. He hits it harder, consistently, than anyone on our team and anyone we've faced all season long. It's interesting but for a few years, Benton's pitching was ahead of his hitting, and now it's the other way around. He's my tallest kid, by far, and one of the "Core Four," whom I've coached since the very first year when they were 5 years old. He's also one of the boys I feel closest to because I've watched him grow up on baseball fields across middle Tennessee.
Benton has a burning desire to succeed, to win, and in past years, he could be his own worst enemy. If he struck out, or struggled with his control while pitching, he sometimes lost control of his emotions. What is so special to me, really, is how much he has matured. He's still intense, and he still can get down on himself or mad at an umpired, but he's found a way, it seems, to channel his competitive drive into what he's trying to do at the plate or in the field.
In game 2, I started J.P. Tracy, Kaitlyn, and Matthew came to game, which was special. I wanted them to have a chance to see J.P. pitch. He continued his hot streak and pitched well, again. He was economical with his pitches in the three innings he pitched. J.P. gave up one or two hits, walked one, and struck out five batters. It was his first walk in his last three appearances, spanning eight innings. He's got better control than any pitcher we have at this point and is able to move the ball in and out and to keep it low, which makes life difficult for the hitter.
My favorite moment for J.P. of the game, and maybe the season, happened bottom of the the third inning. East Nashville's dugout was rowdy, with two outs, as J.P. ran the count on the batter to 3-1. The players in their dugout were chanting, loudly, "TWO OUT RALLY!!" They also were banging on a couple buckets of baseball and the dugout roof in an effort to distract J.P. This had been going for a while but it reached a crescendo when it looked like J.P. was going to issue a walk.
J.P. battled back, got strike two, then struck the batter out on an inside fastball. As we walked off the pitcher's mound - and Old Timer's Field has a real, elevated pitcher's mound - he glared into the third base dugout for at least five seconds. The East Nashville players, and fans, were silent. I loved every minute of it, of course. To see my son - who is almost always a cool customer when he's pitching - strike out the last batter and stare down the other team - was special. A Kodak moment for me.
J.P. left with a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, I made a huge tactical error and let Wes pitch next. He pitched in a tournament the day before but told me he didn't throw a lot of pitches and was good for one inning. I knew better but I wanted Wes - another member of the "Cour Four" - to have a chance to pitch on the Old Timer's Field. I could tell three pitches in that he didn't have it, especially after he hit the first batter on the first pitch he threw. He gave up five runs, including two bombs to the fence by the third and fourth hitters in East Nashville's lineup. That one was on me, as I told the boys after the game.
Benton pitched next and looked great. He threw heat and was completely in command, long hard flying behind him with every pitch. He gave up one run which was a fluke, really. One batter pulled a fast ball into left field for a single and came around to score.
Our boys rallied, big time. Nico had a huge two out single. In the bottom of the last inning, Cyrus had a huge double to make the score 6-5, East Nashville, and leave us with runners on second and third. Harrison hit a ball hard and deep to left center field. For a minute, I thought he had knocked the tying and winning runs, but the center fielder went back one the fall and made a nice catch. Game over.
So, the Dodgers split the double header and would have swept it had I made a better decision on how pitched after J.P. in game 2.
The East Nashville coaches were fantastic. Great guys. Their fans and players were super, too. It was a just a good night of baseball.
Oh, and early in the second game, a few parents heard what sounded like a gunshot. Suddenly, a car pulled up to the fence behind our first base dugout. A man got our, blood streaming down his face, and asked one of parents to call 911. He had been shot at through the windshield of his car and the bullet had grazed the top of his head. Soon enough, police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances were on the scene.
We just kept playing baseball.
Yep, a memorable night, all the way around.
J.P. in the dugout. Always concentrating. Always focused.
Winn Hughes and his dad, Will, with Ethan (right).
Benton and his dad, Will. With the Dodgers from Day 1.
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