I have seen countless fast flying baseballs but a baseball certainly doesn’t seem to fly by as fast as time. If you are a parent or grandparent that has had a child playing baseball or other sport for several years you certainly know what I mean. As a matter of fact, if you have just been out of high school for a few years and are starting to get a few gray hairs you will understand how quickly time flies.

Just think back to the day your child was a newborn bundle of joy. Now look at where he or she is today. The child athlete in your family may now be a preteen or teenager. That sweet innocence seems to be quickly disappearing as they spread their wings. You are now experiencing those occasional days where he or she is a bit obnoxious with those hormonal changes brought on by puberty. Having once been that age our self we understand that our child is just trying to express their maturity.

If you are like me you sometimes miss that bundle of joy while at the same time you are proud of the accomplishments your child has made. We think, “Oh my gosh my mom said we would get ours!” We now understand “Payback Time.” Thank goodness we still have baseball and lots of other sports so our kids can work off some of the emotions they are dealing with as they pass through puberty and adolescence.

Today as my grandson Seth was preparing to join other Pleasant Hill Babe Ruth players that will be trying out for the Willamette Valley Babe Ruth – Cal Ripken All Stars I was thinking back to his years in youth baseball. No longer that bundle of joy or sweet little tee ball player, he is now a pubescent 11 year old 6th grader in his 7th year of baseball and t-ball.

Tee ball and baseball brings back so many wonderful memories to our family. I started looking over the pictures of Seth in Tee ball, Little League and Babe Ruth – Cal Ripken baseball. As I looked over those pictures I saw so many other kids now in Babe Ruth that have also been playing for so many years. As these photos brought back memories to me I thought that I would share a few of them for perhaps they would also bring back some of those wonderful memories to others. Here are a few of those pictures and I hope you enjoy them.

~Terry W~

Note from editor: If others would like to share their story and pictures we would like to publish them.

Devil Rays Tee Ball 2005

Seth Dodgers 2006 (if any of you have this team picture please share)

White Sox 2007

Rookie Minor 2008

Rookie Majors 2009

AAA Navy 2010

Major Minor 70 2011