There’s No Crying in Baseball

So I was babysitting the other day and the youngest child started to cry, while trying to calm her down I said to her “come on, there’s no crying in baseball.” Why that phrase came to mind I have no idea, I mean I haven’t seen A League of Their Own since it was on the big screen and why I associate crying and baseball I’ll never know. Perhaps it is just one of those phrases from child hood that sticks with you throughout your life…I guess I can safely say I have also said that phrase to myself from time to time when I have cried over something stupid (read: a boy.)

Moving on, the crying child’s little 3 1/2 year old brother asked “why,” as most children of that age do when there is something that does not literally make sense. What I thought would be my last response to the question became the first of many, many follow up questions that well I was not ready for. I said to him “because it is a fun sport.” Again he replied “why,” I then had to think quickly and to respond “because it is America’s favorite past time would have opened up a whole barrel of worms that I do not think I was going to be prepared to answer, at least not in an answer that a 3 year old could comprehend…maybe when he gets older. I digress, I then answered timidly “sometimes they hit home runs and they go out of the park.” As soon as the words left my mouth I thought to myself “seriously, that was your answer?!” Again the inquiring child asked “why.”  I then took a second to think about this one “well some players train all their lives to hit home runs and when they get that perfect pitch and swing just right, they can knock it out of the park.” Again “why” and again I am wondering to myself why they hell I would answer so elaborately.  I then tried to change the subject “sometimes the outfielders catch the fly balls that people think are going to be home runs and that’s pretty exciting too.” The child looked at me for a moment and I was waiting for another “why” and as my mind raced for a simple answer that could not be attached to any sort of follow up question he responded “don’t you like when the catcher catches it?” I then looked at him for a moment to digest what he just said I laughed to myself and said “yes, that is also great.” He then said okay lets finish this snake book. 

I will say during this lively baseball discussion the baby did stop crying…I wonder if she was wondering how I was going to get out of that question too.

Moral of the story: You’d better have a good concrete reason as to why there is no crying in baseball before you say it in case anyone decides to question the statement.  I wish for the love of God I could have remembered Tom Hank’s reasoning behind it.