First Swings in the Batting Cage with Poppie

I took my two grandkids to the batting cage for the very first time. Ten years old and six years old - wide-eyed, nervous(!), and crazy with excitement. They'd never played baseball before, let alone stepped into a cage, never stood there waiting for a ball to come flying in. And yet, the second that first pitch zipped out, you could feel the joy take over.

The 6-year-old swung with all the might his little arms could muster, missing more than connecting - but grinning the whole way through. Helmet slipping, feet shuffling, laughing out loud with every swing. To him, it didn't matter if the bat met the ball. The fun was in trying.

The 10-year-old? A little more serious, which is where the nervousness came in. Focused. A stance borrowed from watching other kids. When the bat finally cracked the ball, the look on her face - equal parts surprise and pride - was everything. I hit it, Poppie! That moment was pure gold.

Watching them reminded me of why baseball matters. It's not just about stats, championships, or big-league drama. At its core, baseball is joy. It's a smile breaking across a kid's face after a big swing. It's the sound of laughter echoing in a cage. It's family, connection, and memories you'll hold onto forever.

That day, it wasn't about becoming a ballplayer. It was about fun. It was about watching two kids fall in love with the game the way I did years ago. And as Poppie, I couldn't have been prouder to be standing there with them.

Baseball starts here - in the joy of a child's first swing.