While coaching a machine pitch team, I learned a valuable lesson. I had a player named Bo who was red-headed, freckles, wore glasses, bubbly personality and stocky. Not athletic but a kid you just had to love. Well in about the eighth game of the season Bo got on first base for the first time.
And as the league rules stated the last batter ran until he was out or the ball was tossed to home plate and the plate touched for an out.
I explained to Bo (who had a great big smile and big eyes - he got a hit, he was on first base) that Matt was the last batter and he needed to run to first base, second base, third base and to home as fast as he could. Sure enough Matt hit the ball to the fence. I was looking at Matt and hollering at him to run, run, run. I turned my attention to Bo and he was only three feet away from the base, standing. By this time Matt passed him and was out home by a foot.
I set my defense and went over to talk to Bo on the bench. Bo still had that big smile on his face, he had been on first base. I stood in front of Bo, my mistake as I must have looked like a giant to him. I said in a fatherly manner, "Bo, great hit but what did I tell you to do when you were on first base? His head bowed down as if praying. Still wanting an answer, "Bo, what did I tell you to do?" Head still bowed, he never looked up. "Bo, didn't I tell you to run to first base, second base, third base, and home fast as you could."
He looked up, smile no longer there replaced with glassy eyes, and asked "Which one is second base?"
I picked Bo up and hugged him as tight as I could without crushing him. I said, "Great hit and thanks for teaching the coach a great lesson!".
And as the league rules stated the last batter ran until he was out or the ball was tossed to home plate and the plate touched for an out.
I explained to Bo (who had a great big smile and big eyes - he got a hit, he was on first base) that Matt was the last batter and he needed to run to first base, second base, third base and to home as fast as he could. Sure enough Matt hit the ball to the fence. I was looking at Matt and hollering at him to run, run, run. I turned my attention to Bo and he was only three feet away from the base, standing. By this time Matt passed him and was out home by a foot.
I set my defense and went over to talk to Bo on the bench. Bo still had that big smile on his face, he had been on first base. I stood in front of Bo, my mistake as I must have looked like a giant to him. I said in a fatherly manner, "Bo, great hit but what did I tell you to do when you were on first base? His head bowed down as if praying. Still wanting an answer, "Bo, what did I tell you to do?" Head still bowed, he never looked up. "Bo, didn't I tell you to run to first base, second base, third base, and home fast as you could."
He looked up, smile no longer there replaced with glassy eyes, and asked "Which one is second base?"
I picked Bo up and hugged him as tight as I could without crushing him. I said, "Great hit and thanks for teaching the coach a great lesson!".