Tuesday, September 23, 2014

From Batman to Ballboy

Sounds like the sad tale of a baseball player's precipitous and unlikely decent from superstardom to a position generally held by the teenage son of someone high up in the team's organization.

But, it's really about a new name I have given to our 18 month old grandson. Most toddlers like balls but Ballboy has place The Ball on a pedestal above almost anything else.

As the essential feature of many forms of play, usually requiring physical exertion, the ball is nearly as old as civilization itself. Some form of game with a ball is found portrayed on Egyptian monuments. Like few other playthings, the ball facilitates and promotes free play among people of all ages. A rolling object appeals not only to people but to a kitten or puppy. In 2009, the Ball was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame located in Rochester, NY. I say - what took them so long?! Play-Doh, Etch-a-Sketch, The Frisbee, G.I.Joe and the Jack-in-the-Box all made it in before the Ball. The Etch-a-Sketch is amazing, but really - before the ancient and ubiquitous ball?

Ballboy likes balls of all shapes, sizes and colors but has become particularly attached to these small rubber balls we picked up at the local toy store. They were on sale, 3 for $.80 vs. the regular price of $8.00 (who would pay that much for 3 Angry Bird balls?), so we snatched up a few of them. They are the size of a golf ball fitting perfectly in each of Ballboy's hands and he carries them everywhere - around the house, while sitting in his car seat and even while he is eating (food in one hand and a ball in the other). I think he feels some comfort in clenching them in his tiny hands.

The other day he figured out that he can actually carry 3 at one time by placing one under his chin! Very inventive Ballboy! I think he has has the potential to one day be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest juggler. The only problem is that to juggle you actually have to throw them in the air - something Ballboy is not willing to do. Once he has them in his grip, he won't let go. This can be hazardous to his health. A couple of times after he first learned to walk, he was moving too fast and fell over right on his nose. But do you think he would let go of those red and green balls still in his hands? Much to our surprise, they can also actually avert injury. One day he was carrying a large ball in both hands and took an ill-advised step off the driveway on to our brick patio. By not letting go of the ball, he merely bounced off the stones and got up without a scratch.

One day I asked his brother, Spiderman, what he wanted for lunch. Ballboy, who I think loves meal time as much as balls, looked over and said with total conviction - "ball". Spiderman went into apoplexy with laughter. He thought that was the funniest thing he had ever heard and, of course, made me repeat the conversation multiple times. Ballboy's first joke.

When he starts talking in more complete sentences, I wouldn't be surprised to hear him say -
"Did you hear the one about the ball that rolled into the bar...?"



2 comments:

  1. You know, if Ballboy's combining his love of balls and food, there's only one outcome. Meatballs!

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