“This is a baseball.”

The dugout speech that started every season from t-ball through college

Posted on behalf of my Dad, coach, and partner in crime, Bob Phillips
who wrote this piece.

Recently I was given one of the most precious gifts of my life. It came to me in the form of a wedding invitation. You see, years ago I was blessed to coach a little baseball. I got to spend what I hoped was quality time with my son and his classmates learning and playing the game of baseball. I was further blessed by the parents of my son’s classmates to be allowed to spend time coaching their kids. I had a blast. We played ball, and learned the game and I watched them grow from t-ballers to varsity baseball players and some even college ball players. I got to see them struggle with the ravages of teenage angst and grow to become young men who I am proud to call friends and family. I have been further blessed to call some of their parents my best of friends. Men with whom I coached and families of children I was allowed to coach.

One of those young men was married last week and honored me with an invitation to the festivities. I was thrilled to attend. And, as if that were not gift enough more than a handful of the young men I coached were in attendance. The father of the groom made a point of gathering them all up in a corner of the reception hall to get a picture. I can’t wait to see it.

These little boys who helped me in so many ways become a better parent and man stood behind me, towering over me, with the same stupid grins they had when they were 10 years old.

But then it got even better. At least for me. You see, I started every season of baseball with a speech. As far as speeches go it really isn’t much. It is short and sweet and hopefully to the point. It hasn’t changed more than a word or two in the 15 years since I started giving it and it lasts no time at all. But, to my delight, the boys wanted to hear it again. My great friend and fellow coach wanted to hear it again. He even dug up a baseball to use as the needed prop.

So, in a corner of the reception hall hidden away from the dance floor I stood before my boys and one more time gave the speech. They spoke along with me, word for word as I started. They grinned and laughed as the familiar words tumbled out of me more a prayer than instruction.

They tolerated the tears in my eyes as I looked into theirs seeing men I am so proud to know. They hugged me when I finished and treated me as if I were an important part of their growing up. They made me feel like I had given to them something when I know without a doubt in my mind; I got so much more from them than they could have ever gotten from me.

Oh, and they listened as I finished the speech with words they had never heard me say but were always a part of the speech in my heart. I hope they know what a wonderful gift they gave me. I hope they know what joy their letting me play a part in their childhood was for me. I pray that they get the same joy in their lives of coaching their son’s and joining in the celebrations of their lives. I pray they get in their lives the same gift they have given me.
This then, is the speech:

Take a baseball in hand, hold it up and say…

Boys, this is a baseball.
The team that controls the ball will win the game.
We will control the ball with our hands, our gloves our bats and our brains.
We will control the ball with our hands by throwing it where it needs to go.
We will control the ball with our gloves by catching it and fielding it.
We will control the ball with our bats by learning to hit it and putting the ball in play.
We will control the ball with our brains by knowing the situation and what to do with the ball.
Boys, this is a baseball.

(And now the part they had never heard…)
But as we get older the game changes.
Now it is no longer a baseball
It is Love.
The team that honors Love will win the game.
We honor Love with our hands, our hearts and our brains.
We honor Love with our hands by treating those we love gently and holding them close.
We honor Love with our hearts by giving it to those we love.
We honor Love with our brains by learning to give those we love what they need.
You see boys; this was never just a baseball.

I thank God every day for those boys, their families and my son. Every single day.