The Man in the Picture

 

            Last week, our local paper devoted its front page to a photo with the caption, An Era Ends.  The picture shows Clare and two teammates with high school coach Tom Eukovich.  This spring was Tom’s last after eleven years as varsity coach.

            “Euks” happened to be Clare’s second-ever coach.  She ended up on his fall-ball baseball team as an 8-year old.  We were the only team with a coach who shaved his head and started a girl in the infield.  It was the first time Clare faced live pitching, and she loved it.  She also loved the drill where Coach taught his players to do “banana” on the base paths.  Until then, everyone tried to run the bases by turning on a dime, so to speak, only you can’t do that.  The best way to go from home to second or third base is to make a series of long, shallow ellipses in the form of a…yes, banana.  The lesson really clicked with Clare.  So did the coach.        

            The summer between sixth and seventh grade, Euks invited Clare to play on his high school team, made up of j.v. and varsity players.  Playing fast-pitch softball for the first time ever, my daughter looked like a midget among giants.  She held her own, though, and got some hits.  Euks invited her back each of the next two summers.

            Clare started all four years in high school and helped Euks win four straight regional titles.  He repaid the favor by making calls to college coaches on her behalf.  Euks says he’s coming to a lot of Clare’s games next spring; talk about your double whammies.  I’ll be dealing with softball past and present while dreading a softball-less future.  They say there’s no crying in baseball.  But that’s a different game.