baseball

Baseball
Conner Kendall

Baseball made me who I am.

If you love baseball, you know what I’m talking about.

If you are like “huh?” let me explain

T-ball started it all; it’s where I met my first friends

I was an outsider, nobody knew me  

I recognized kids from my kindergarten and we started to talk

I played through the outfield, the outskirts, the outside of the group;

I kept dropping the ball and throwing short.

I couldn’t throw:

devastated. I just wanted to give up

My dad put an arm around my shoulders:  “Conner, you’re no quitter.”

He gave me a lefty glove and said “Now throw.” So I did.

The ball floated into place, and so did I.

I’m a lefty.

I found my place at first base;

I was a part of the machine and synchronized with my team.

The next year was a new game and a new face

At school: I stayed away from the new kid

On the field: he looked like I did.

I saw that face looking for a place

We became friends and still are

Baseball teaches empathy; everyone starts somewhere; everyone has a part to play.

If you see a person just starting out, remember you were in that position.

You’ve played that base, you’ve needed a place.

If I had given up then, I wouldn’t have my friends

As I got older the game got competitive.

I wasn’t on a team with my friends

it let me meet new people

Plus I would still see them

When you play no one wins or loses; you learn how from what you’ve done.

My friends, my attitude, and bonding with my dad all came through baseball

Baseball made me who I am.