Anything is possible with the promise of ice cream in the air!
The young seven year old had no intention on a fine day of June to grab her softball gear and play with her team. School had just let out and after three full months of spring sports under her belt, the last thing she wanted to do was put her helmet on. Being informed by Daddy that this softball player was needed to round out the team was not the motivation that the young ears wanted to hear, but the promise of getting ice cream was all that she needed to wear her uniform. However, the promise of sweet frozen dairy came with a caveat, play well in the game.
Off to the game, the smaller player went with her Daddy with her softball bag in hand. Victory would be hers and ice cream was not just a lofty goal, but do not tell that to the first five innings. 0 for 3 at bat and not seeing much action with her glove hand were only letting the desire for ice cream melt away. The effort was not exactly all for not as the team was winning. All the young player needed was a good pep talk.
The top of the sixth and final inning brought the seven year old with ice cream sundae dreams up to bat. Unlike the first three appearances at home plate, the fourth attempt of getting on base was successful with a line drive sprinting between the short stop and the third base player. To the ordinary spectator, the play did not look impressive, but the toothy grin peaking underneath the helmet certainly applied otherwise. Eventually over the course of several plays, the player crossed home plate and Daddy in the dugout knew that his wallet was going to get some exercise at the ice cream shop too.
The story, my friends, does not end here. The bottom of the sixth inning put the young ice cream connoisseur behind home plate. The first two players at bat both struck out, but the third batter was not going without a fight. Two fouls past the third baseline zipped through the air at a feverish pace. Only one strike was needed to finish the game, but it never came. The third pitch resulted in a pop up that ended with the ball landing in the catcher’s hand. Not only did she have a hit, the player ended the game with a catch. Ice cream would be hers!
Following the shaking of hands, a quick trip to the ice cream shop was made. Daddy had made a promise and the player was ready to cash in. The quickly melting vanilla ice cream was worth the game!
