This is my blog… and I want to use it right now to point out a remarkable young man that I have had the pleasure of photographing and getting to know his family the past few years. Today closed the curtain on his “Little League” experience, he’ll be too old in 2011. Because I never put names on my site I’ll refer to this remarkable fella as “T”. (for those that know him, I’m sorry I’m not too creative with a pseudo-name!)
I’m in a somewhat unique position out at the field, I get to spend time in and around both teams. Some of the kids I know because I’ve been shooting their leagues for awhile, others I meet out at the fields each night, I’m always welcome because the kids love to be the one that I photograph, it’s fun, we have a good time… my point in a minute….
When you really LOOK at this photo you might or might not notice something “different”. T has a handicap, (but you’d never know it knowing T…)… but let me explain to you what you’re looking at… This is the Nevada District 1 Little League All Star Tournament for the 11-12 age group. The 11-12 aged kids are the kids, if they should win District, State, Regional, etc…. go on and play in the LIttle League World Series. Even with his handicap, T was a pitcher for his All Star team. There are A LOT of kids that play Little League. There are some of those that pitch. Some make the All Star team… There are VERY FEW that play All Stars and Pitch for that team.
Going back to my point about being around the other teams… for obvious reasons kids pick up quick on things that are different. This past week I was standing next to the team playing against T’s team. During warm up’s the fellas started noticing and talking about what T was doing… At first they saw something was a little different, then they watched closer, made a few comments to each other trying to figure out what was going on…. To me it was just a part of what happens… but to them, it was new. They all watched as T would catch the ball, with his glove on his left hand, remove his glove and hold it with his right while passing the ball to his left for his throw to first. If you’re not used to seeing this it happens so fast you’re not really sure what’s going on so you watch closer. It was fun to watch their “learning” process take place involving something that I now just take for granted, that’s the way T plays….
T, thank you. Every time I see you out there you inspire me. I want to wish you the very best of luck and I’m sure I’ll see you around!! Keep up the great work buddy!!
On the photography side…. he also always looks great in the photos, his stretch is always nice… since he’s left handed, today the light was just about to drop below the hills and was lighting him but shadowing the pitching mound… you rarely get great light like this… I took a few and saw that and immediately knew I had some cool stuff!
