Tonight I wanted to shoot something of significance. I also wanted more practice withe my new lighting system. I enjoy my pictures more when I have some connection to them. Hopefully it comes through that tonights post is about much more than a baseball. Yesterday's Superman post was fun to shoot, but made for a very uninspired post.
I did not want to grow up to be a baseball player. I grew up wanting to be a Dodger. It was this little boy's dream to play the game I loved. My early memories of the Dodgers are tied closely to memories of my dad. He taught me the game. He taught me to love the game. My favorite player as a youth was Ron Cey. Like most kids, I was drawn to the home run hitter and Ron Cey surely fit that bill. Not by today's standard's though. I had pictures of him on my wall. I even had a small picture of him cut out from the newspaper that I kept on the outside of my bedroom door. Until my sister ripped it in half during one of our tiffs!
Fast forward to just a few years ago. A friend of mine and I were going to a Dodger game. I got field level tickets. It was a giveaway night. The Dodgers were celebrating their record setting infield of the 70's which included a presentation before the game. In attendance was Ron Cey. Since I knew he would be there, and since we had field level seats, I decided to bring a pen and baseball just in case I had the opportunity to see him. We arrived early, and sure enough, there he was on the field prior to the game. The usher graciously let me approach the rail at the edge of the field. I called out to him and motioned that I had a ball and pen awaiting his signature. He asked me to wait a moment until he finished a conversation he was having. In that time the kind usher was gone and I was approached by a less pleasant usher. Fortunately, after pleading my case, I was permitted to stay and get the signature.
The autographed baseball might have some monetary value. But to me, its value is that of a memento of a boy and his dream, and a boy and his father.
I did not want to grow up to be a baseball player. I grew up wanting to be a Dodger. It was this little boy's dream to play the game I loved. My early memories of the Dodgers are tied closely to memories of my dad. He taught me the game. He taught me to love the game. My favorite player as a youth was Ron Cey. Like most kids, I was drawn to the home run hitter and Ron Cey surely fit that bill. Not by today's standard's though. I had pictures of him on my wall. I even had a small picture of him cut out from the newspaper that I kept on the outside of my bedroom door. Until my sister ripped it in half during one of our tiffs!
Fast forward to just a few years ago. A friend of mine and I were going to a Dodger game. I got field level tickets. It was a giveaway night. The Dodgers were celebrating their record setting infield of the 70's which included a presentation before the game. In attendance was Ron Cey. Since I knew he would be there, and since we had field level seats, I decided to bring a pen and baseball just in case I had the opportunity to see him. We arrived early, and sure enough, there he was on the field prior to the game. The usher graciously let me approach the rail at the edge of the field. I called out to him and motioned that I had a ball and pen awaiting his signature. He asked me to wait a moment until he finished a conversation he was having. In that time the kind usher was gone and I was approached by a less pleasant usher. Fortunately, after pleading my case, I was permitted to stay and get the signature.
The autographed baseball might have some monetary value. But to me, its value is that of a memento of a boy and his dream, and a boy and his father.
