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Jackson has been playing baseball for awhile. Last year he played Y T-Ball in the spring, then Little League Fall Ball, but this is his first year of the real-deal Spring Little League. It’s the first time that outs count, and lemme tell ya, that was a huge shock to this little guy tonight. He’s made it through 5 games this season without getting put out, but tonight, it finally happened. They got him out at 2nd base, and he had to make his way back to the dugout. I didn’t really think much of it. I glanced over at him and he was digging in his bag for his glove and hat. I figured he was okay. A couple minutes later I saw him dart past the dugout coach, out of the dugout, off the field, and make a beeline toward me while trying to hold back the tears. By the time he made it, the dam broke, and the tears fell. He jumped in my lap, wrapped his arms around my neck, buried his face in my neck and said, “I don’t want to play baseball anymore! It’s not fun!” At first it was the heartbreak of the first out, but then he was embarrassed because he cried. He didn’t want to go back on the field because he didn’t want anyone to see him cry. It took him a little while to get himself under control, but he finally went back to the dugout, then back into the field to play. He did come up to Scott once more to ask how much longer until the game was over, and he did let a couple tears leak out during his next at bat up there with his Dad, but otherwise he seemed like he was going to make it. Jackson has always loved baseball so much, I wondered if this would cause a change of heart. When we got home Scott asked Jackson if he had fun at the game. He quickly responded, “Yup!” Scott asked him if getting out upset him and he nodded. We both explained how getting out was part of baseball and it happened to everyone. He just looked up at us and said, “Yeah, but it was my first one.” So, okay, yeah, there was some crying in baseball tonight. Anybody got a problem with that?!?
