Hey Dad, wanna play catch?
Scribbled Notes on a Cocktail Napkin, part XXII: Why the simple act of playing catch is such a powerful bonding moment and more Father's Day stories
"Scribbled notes on a cocktail napkin" is my weekly Sunday feature that's a tribute to the sports columnists I grew up reading who penned Herb Caen-inspired three dot columns. It's an excuse to shamelessly plug my other side projects, post my favorite Immaculate Grid from the week with a story about one of the players, link to stories I found interesting, and string together loose topics on my mind.
Scribbling from Albuquerque
I played catch on the field with my friend Ryan yesterday. I’ll play catch again tonight. I need to do it more often.
I work in baseball, yet don’t do baseball things as often as I should because, well, I’m old, and because I’m working, and because I don’t want to broadcast a baseball game all sweaty.
Catch is different. Playing catch is so simply, yet so fun. It’s grounding. It’s soothing. It’s bonding.
Today is Father’s Day, and is our custom with the Albuquerque Isotopes, we’ll invite all our fans onto the field for a pregame Father’s Day Catch on the field. Really, anyone can play catch with anyone, whether it’s your dad, stepdad, feaux dad, mom dad, uncle dad, or your daddy-oh friend.
It’s really something when you see the smiles on people’s faces when they enter a beautiful baseball diamond and play catch. Our field will be covered hundreds of people. It’ll get chaotic at times, people chasing baseballs after bad throws. Not a single person will be angry. Everyone just smiles and plays catch.
I’m sure we’ll play the theme song from Field of Dreams. I’ll get goosebumps and I won’t be the only one.
I met the actor Dwier Brown 10 years ago in Reno. He played the most famous game of catch ever. It’s the climactic scene in Field of Dreams, the one that still gets infield dust in my eyes, when his character, John Kinsella, plays catch with Kevin Costner. I interviewed him once about the simplistic act of playing catch and meaning behind it.
“I give to you,” he told me, “and you give to me.”
I got my picture taken with Dwier and he signed a book for me.
I played catch with my Dad later that night.
My Dad wore the shirt I got him the year before when I was in Des Moines, Iowa with the Isotopes and made the five-hour roundtrip drive to Dyersville to see the Field of Dreams movie site in person.
Some of my favorite memories with my Dad are simply playing catch.
We didn’t always do it, but I recall us going to A’s games, playing catch in the parking lot — because, you know, you gotta warmup your arm before you watch a baseball game — and bringing our gloves inside the Coliseum.
I remember the sidewalk in front of our house on Valley Trails Drive in Pleasanton.
That was our primary spot to play catch. I’d practice my pitching. My dad would get into a crouch – no cup, no catchers equipment – and block the ridiculous curveballs I’d try to throw. Or if he missed, he’d run down the street chasing after the pitches he couldn’t block.
We didn’t play catch for a couple decades, until that night in Reno in 2014. It was the last time we played catch. I’m really glad we did. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it mighta been our final catch. My Dad had a stroke a couple years ago. He moves pretty slow these days. He’s definitely not catching any of my curveball anymore.
My Dad reads this Newsletter, so let me speak to him now:
Dad, keep doing your physical therapy.
We need to play catch again one day.
Who played John Kinsella in Field of Dreams?
Dwier Brown has made a quasi-career out of his brief role in Field of Dreams. He’s still an actor, also a motivational speaker, and wrote a book about the filming of the movie. It was a fascinating book that I enthusiastically recommend.
The final scene was stressful. They had one chance to get it right. They had to wait until the lighting was perfect. They had a helicopter to get the aerial shot of the cars arriving at the field and their communication system wasn’t working.
Dwier and Kevin Costner couldn’t mess up. They couldn’t drop the ball. They couldn’t have a bad throw. The scene is ruined if they drop the ball. Dwier was using a super old catchers glove from the 1910s to make the scene authentic. The glove doesn’t have a pocket. It’s not the easiest to squeeze.
The actors nailed the scene.
Dwier wrote about how, after the movie came out, the quantity of people who’ve come up to him in person, and shared emotional stories about the impact of that final scene. Grown men left the movie theatre and called their estranged fathers to reconcile after watching that scene. The movie transformed lives.
Playing catch is a simplest act, yet it’s powerful.
It doesn’t matter your age, or how far you can throw the ball, or how hard you throw it.
Just play catch with someone.
Trust me.
This week’s not-so random Immaculate Grid: Eric Young, Sr.
The first time I met Eric Young, Sr. was 2003. I was the Giants beat writer for The Oakland Tribune and he was acquired in a midseason trade. Almost every day, EY was out on the field before batting practice, working with his teenage son on groundballs and batting practice.
Four years later, I switched careers from writer to broadcaster, beginning with the Single-A Modesto Nuts, and their second baseman was … Eric Young, Jr.
I remember Senior coming to Junior’s games, taking ground balls with all the players, giving feedback and lessons, and he joined live on the broadcast for a few innings. Senior just radiates happiness and a zest for life.
Junior made the majors in 2009 and it was so cool when I got to interview him at Dodger Stadium.
Eric Young, Sr. led the National League in stolen bases in 1996, at age 29, with 53
Eric Young, Jr. led the National League in stolen bases in 2013, at age 28, with 46.
Seriously, how can you not be romantic about baseball?
More father-son baseball facts
My Dad and I were there on Sunday, Sept. 9, 1990 when Ken Griffey, Jr. started for the Mariners in the series finale at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. His father, Ken Griffey, Sr., was used as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. Senior single and I was convinced Junior was going to hit a game-tying home run. Nope. Junior grounded into a fielder’s choice and the Mariners lost 3-1.
Five days later, Senior and Junior hit back-to-back home runs in a game at Anaheim. My favorite part was the reaction of Senior.
Prince Fielder hit 319 home runs in the major leagues. His father, Cecil Fielder, also hit exactly 319 home runs in the majors. Seriously, what are the odds of that?
Through 403 games in his career, Vladimir Guerrero, Sr. had 87 home run and a .364 on-base percenage. Through 403 games in his career, his son, Vladimir Jr., also had exactly 87 home run and a .363 on-base percentage.
Only two players in MLB history have hit more than 300 home run and stolen more than 400 bases: Bobby Bonds and … his son Barry Bonds.
If you liked that story, you might enjoy some of these others from my Newsletter with a similar theme.