A night at the ol' ballpark

Top of the 2nd - Navigated Elijah and Noah out of the seats they were sitting in because they belonged to someone else…a very TALL family.

Bottom of the 2nd - Missed it because Elijah and Jacob were BOTH in my lap since they couldn't see over the family in front of us

Top of the 3rd - Bathroom break

By Chris Campbell

When the boys were younger I used to keep a journal, and I ran across the entry for August 31, 2008 (seven years ago today) describing our first trip to a Frisco RoughRiders baseball game with all three kids:

Now, I'm not a huge baseball fan but there's something 'right' about baseball I don't want to get too sappy and sentimentel, a la “Field of Dreams,” but baseball is part of Americana

When we got to the park we found that our seats were two rows behind the home team dugout so Jacob's first ballgame was going to provide close-up look at America's favorite pastime. Hank Blalock, Rangers first baseman, was recovering from an injury and was playing for the Roughriders as part of his rehabilitation assignment, so he was in the starting lineup What a bonus!

I'd love to give you details on how the game went Regrettably, all I can tell you is that the Roughriders won 2-0, and that all of my children were embarrassed when their father stood up to do the "Chicken Dance "

Here's a breakdown of my evening:

Top of the 1st - Spent majority of this inning explaining to Elijah and Noah why we stand up and remove our hats during the National Anthem

Bottom of the 1st - Took Elijah to get more food at the buffet (our tickets included all you can eat ballpark fare - SWEET!)

Bottom of the 3rd - Buffet line for more hot dogs (because Jacob dropped his)

Top of the 4th - Yes, Jacob dropped ANOTHER hot dog!

Bottom of the 4th - Spent most of this inning explaining to Noah that I would get him some ice cream after the 6th inning

Top of the 5th - Spent most of this inning explaining to Noah that it was not yet the 6th inning Robin took the other two to the playground.

Bottom of the 5th - See "Top of the 5th"

Top of the 6th - Comforted a crying Noah while explaining that we would get ice cream AFTER the 6th inning - not DURING

Bottom of the 6th - Lost my battle with Noah; went to get Dippin' Dots (the so-called ice cream of the future) with Elijah and Noah

Top of the 7th - Took Jacob to get Dippin' Dots

Bottom of the 7th - Begged my children to sit down beside us while promising to never embarrass them again by doing the Chicken Dance during the 7th inning stretch

Top of the 8th - Temporarily lost my sight after trying a spoonful of Rainbow-flavored Dippin Dots. I thus determined that if you're a bad person when you die, you go to Hell AND you are fed Dippin' Dots 24-7

Bottom of the 8th - Spent most of that inning wearing my glove on my head to entertain my restless, fidgety two-year old

Top of the 9th - Actually got to watch this inning

Roughriders win 2-0 and I slept like a baby that night!

Auction items

*Hand-carved ink pen - Donated by Ernie and Beverly Martin

*Coach wallet - Donated by Georgia Caraway and the Sanger Wednesday Study Club

*Basket of goodies - Donated by the North Texas Fair and Rodeo

*Exotic wooden heirloom box – Donated by Ernie and Beverly Martin continued from Page #12

Donations can be made payable to: Collins Memorial Fund P O Box 250, Howe, TX 75459

Auction items can be delivered to:

101 E Haning St , Howe, TX 75459 mwalker@cityofhowe org