In the history of baseball there have been games decided by an exciting event or with an obvious outcome. Sometimes, they go as scripted, while others keep you on the edge of your seat. A game-winning home run can bring the stands to their feet and players into a delirious joy. A blowout can be fun for the winning team, leaving the loser ready for a shower.
Often, parents bring their little ones to experience America’s Game in a way they did during their younger years. Most of the time, fans sit in their seats, eating and drinking, enjoying a sunshiney day at their favorite ballpark. T-shirts from the gift shop, a hot dog and soda from the concessions, and a newly broken-in glove with the slim hope of catching a foul ball. Typically, the fans are separate from the players, and they don’t get to see what the players experience during a game.
So, I decided to change that.
I arrived at UFCU Disch-Falk Field during the top of the first inning of Wednesday’s doubleheader between the Longhorns and Bulldogs of Alabama A&M. As I arrived, I grabbed some food and water (as most fans do) and quickly made my way to a seat right next to the dugout and the on-deck circle. I sat down as the Horns ran off of the field to get ready for the bottom of the first inning.
My approach was simple. I wanted to see how the players interact with each other, the coaches and training staff, and to learn the little things that make the players tick.
Jordan Danks came up with two outs in the bottom of the first, while Preston Clark, waiting his turn, chatted with the ball boy. Kyle Russell, standing on the dugout steps, was laughing with Clark and making fun of someone in the dugout. “At a boy, Jordan,” exclaims Clark, as Danks takes a ball. Eventually, Danks reaches on a fielder’s choice. As Clark comes to the plate, and steps into the batter’s box, the pitcher overthrows first base. Danks moves to second. “Good eye, Pres,” someone yells from the dugout, as Clark draws a walk and runs to first base.
Kyle Russell struts to the plate and goes through his typical motions before stepping in. Pat the shoes with bat, take a half swing, take a full swing, take another half swing, step up to the plate, take another half swing, and now he’s ready. Then, the pitch comes, and Russell hits a double to left center, scoring Danks. Several players empty the dugout and hit helmets with Danks, congratulating him on scoring the game’s first run. The Horns blew the game open, scoring five more runs in the first, to take a 6-0 lead.
A few innings later, there is a Bulldog on third, and a coach yells to Cameron Rupp behind the plate. “Step out, Cam!” Rupp proceeds to instruct the infield on how they want to line up before the next pitch. The hitter steps in and lines the ball right to the second baseman, Travis Tucker. Sounds like the coach knew what he was talking about.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, David Hernandez took his usual (yet unusual) high upper-cut, practice swings before stepping into the batter’s box. Michael Torres stood on deck saying, “Let’s go David!” Hernandez swings at a high pitch and launches it high into the air. “Oh! That’s out,” yells Torres, as he watches the ball fly over the fence. As Hernandez enters the dugout, several fans start chanting, “David, David, David.” He comes out for a curtain call, putting his helmet in the air, and the fans go wild.
Torres singles up the middle, Tucker reaches on an error, and Danks walks to load the bases. Preston Clark comes up to the plate, as his music plays intimidating the pitcher. Wind up, delivery, BAMB! Clark is hit in the head with the pitch, and he slowly walks to first, shaking off the blow. A fellow teammate says, “Check his head!” Torres scored on the play, and as he walked to dugout, overheard the comment. “Check his head?” Torres says laughing, “Check the ball! He’s got a hard head!”
Still bottom of the fifth inning, and the score is now 15-0 in favor of the Horns. Texas has now batted around in the inning, and Torres is again at the plate. The Bulldogs were ready to get the inning (and probably the game) over with, as their shoulders slumped, hands on knees and heads down as if they would rather be playing Guitar Hero on the Wii.
Torres laces a low fastball off the centerfield wall that gets by the centerfielder. As he rounds second, heading to third, the excitement builds. The players realize he was going to try for an inside-the-park home run. “He’s got it! He’s got it!” a teammate yells. “Get it T! Get it T!” Torres crosses just ahead of the throw, and sticks his tongue out in exhaustion as teammates surround him. “Michael! Michael! Michael!” the fans yelled. He took his curtain call, and everyone cheered.
Even Augie smiled at that one.
This article appears in May 16 • 2008.