Baseball?

You may be wondering why we're discussing baseball when we live in Holland.  No, it's not as popular as soccer but they do play it here.  Our season began on the first weekend after school started when a friend invited Grant to his baseball team's practice.  Grant had never played much baseball in the states, but he didn't have anything better to do so away he went. 

Luckily, I had packed our baseball gloves so he had the basic equipment.  But he came home from practice saying that he needed baseball pants, a bat, a batting helmet and baseball shoes.  Those things we didn't even own in the US, let alone think about packing.  And I did not expect to be able to buy them in The Netherlands.  But, like everything else, you ask other expats and you are amazed what you can buy. 

We found out there is a store in Den Haag that specializes in baseball gear.  Going there for the first time you wonder if you have the address correct.  It's in the middle of a residential apartment district.  It is a small corner shop and it appears to be closed because the door is locked.  But you ring the bell, go inside and they have more baseball and softball gear than Temple's in Moline.  All of it very good quality at pretty reasonable (considering they have a monopoly) prices. 

Grant's team (Astro's) played against Dutch teams within a 30 minute radius.  Some of the fields were very nice.  Some were pretty basic.  With all the rain over here you'd think that the fields would get muddy.  No, the Dutch have an answer for that...they asphalt the area around home plate.  It makes it hazardous to slide, but at least it's not a sea of mud.   One of the umpires was typical Dutch.  When a player got hit by a pitch and went down in pain, he'd pick them up by the shoulder, rub the affected area with a baseball and send them down to first base.  No extra sympathy, no parents running on the field, no delay of game.  It was great.  

Grant had a very successful season.  He caught a fly ball when playing left field and threw a runner out on a grounder from third base.  Not bad for his first year in organized baseball!

Grant Watching the Hot Corner

End of Game Cheer