Cooperstown New York. The MECCA of baseball to many... A really really far drive for a baseball tournament to others.
So, the kid heads to Cooperstown in a few days. He and I fly to Albany with frequent flier miles. Hubby has to coach son number 2 in the last tournament of the year, then drive like a bat out of hell across the country to join us. The kid is excited. I am excited. Everyone is excited to have the opportunity to go and watch some competitive baseball. I have never been to Cooperstown and my husband already has been to the Hall of Fame, so I will not have to go and watch him read EVERY placard in the place. He and I are the complete opposite. When I go to a museum, I have total A.D.D. and float around looking at the next bright shiny thing in the place. He, on the other hand, methodically reads all postings, signage, investigates all displays. Really, a museum curator's best student.
So, here is the skinny on Cooperstown so far. The kids stay in barracks with the coaches. The parents stay in accommodations of their choice someplace around the parks. There are two baseball facilities in the area. I will post photos when I get back to give you some idea of all this in photos. Our place is on Lake Goodyear about 9 miles from Dreams Park. More to come on all that. Since my little boys will not be along on the trip, I will have some time to take photos of things other than them:) I will have my phone and my ipad to myself for once!
The pre-planning for this adventure has been going on really, since the boys were 10 years old. Bowling fundraisers, volunteering at Brewers baseball games serving hot dogs, working the hometown tournament as parking attendants...you get the idea. What cracks me up is how some adults view this as the culmination of their own dreams and wishes as a person. For me, its for the kid. He wants to go play ball and honestly doesn't care if its against teams from California or baseball teams from the next town over. He wants to play competitive baseball. For him its not about the cute little pins that you exchange with other players. Its about playing the game. Let me tell you, there have been some crazy conversations about pins. What size should they be, what numbers are on them? what color? do we order 100 or 125 per kid just in case someone wants two? When do we collect them? How come parents can't have some too? What? WHO CARES??? I know its supposed to be a keepsake about the event, but does it really matter who collects the most pins? How about who collects the most WINS? Heard all this and more in conversations over this event.
I am heading out right now to buy the last items to pack - bungee cords (for the kids to hang up their towels in the bunkhouse) and some emergency gold bond powder. Enough said.
