Notes from the Sidelines

Notes From the Sidelines:

Celebrating my two favorite right fielders

June, 2014

This week the only person I’ve ever called my “sports hero” passed away leaving me and much of San Diego musing over memories of #19.  Tony Gwynn started playing for the Padres the year I was born and retired with the Padres 20 years later.  This means I literally watched him play my entire childhood.   I truly loved watching him play and am glad those memories add to the mosaic of my youth.

There are lots of great Gwynn memories.  I remember the 3000th hit and the year he almost hit .400.  I remember him walking on the field with Ted Williams during the opening of the ‘98 World Series to throw the first pitch and countless games one by a clutch hit in the 9th.  

My favorite field memory came when I was 8.  That year I had a second favorite player who played 1st base for the Giants named Will Clark.  I don’t know why I liked him so much, he was grumpy and played for a rival team, but I was still fascinated.  As it turned out, at the end of the 1989 season Will Clark and Tony Gwynn were both vying for the batting title.  In fact it came down to the very last game.   My mom took a friend and I to that game.  This was before prices were so exorbitant, so we were actually able to sit field level, right in between 1st base and right field.  It was a great game.  Tony got 3 hits and won another batting title.  I was in baseball bliss.  

Tony Gwynn was a great influence to my personal game as well.  My dad and I watched his batting videos together repeatedly and we listened to his wisdom about how to play the game the right way.  I took it as a personal gift when he chose to stay with the Padres instead of going to another team for more money.  I wish more players now valued quality, loyalty, and purity in the way that Tony Gwynn did.

I also have some personal memories about Tony Gwynn.  Since his son was a year younger than me at Poway High, Tony was a frequent visitor to baseball and basketball games.  In fact at the beginning of each basketball season he gave all players, boys and girls, a new pair of shoes, which was awesome.   One time after one of my JV practices my teammates and I were watching the boys Varsity game.  Several of my teammates got up to get snacks or something, leaving the seat next to me empty.  In came Tony Gwynn and sat right next to me on the empty bench!  When my friends came back we gave an awkward look at each other.  In no way were we going to ask Tony Gwynn to go to a new seat.  Still he noticed our dilemma (I suppose teenage girls aren’t known for their subtlety) and gracefully moved up a few rows.

I will miss Tony Gwynn immensely.  I will miss hearing him share his knowledge of the game and I will miss his wonderful laugh.  I hope he gets to catch up with Ted Williams and Jerry Coleman in his new home.  

But now I have a new right fielder to cheer for, #4, Ethan Worthen!   Ethan is playing on his first all-star team this summer and his coaches have given him his new position.  Right field in the Shetland (5-6 year olds) division has a very important role: backing up the first baseman and yelling “timeout” to stop the runners.  It turns out Ethan is pretty speedy and always pays attention, so this is a good place for him (even though I think 6 is way too young to focus on one position--but that’s a rant for another day).  

I thought I knew everything about summer tournament teams, since I spent every single summer of my childhood playing on one, but I have to admit I have been totally unprepared for watching these games on the sidelines.  Why hasn’t anyone ever told me how nerve wracking it is to watch your kid play when someone is actually keeping score?  It’s terrifying!  It is so hard to watch your baby strike out or make an error and know that they’ll be embarrassed.  The moms of kids sports do not get enough credit.  Their emotions are put through the ringers every game and then have maybe the hardest job of all: keeping the kids positive, happy, learning to be good sports.   It is definitely a new experience for me, but with my kids as competitive and active as they are, probably an experience I will be having for many years to come.