Anniversary

The ball is one of eighteen I have on display; it’s the only one without an autograph or more, with thirteen of them being White Sox team autograph balls. That doesn’t make it any less important. The label reads, “Clare Bukowski, Berwyn Bronco Yankees/2-run walk-off homer/225 feet, left-center field/July 2, 2004.” God, could my twelve-year old daughter hit. The next day, despite my attempts to dissuade her, Clare insisted on taking part in an All-Star homerun hitting contest. I think it’s safe to say most if not all of the other participants also played on travel teams. Clare was the only girl. She finished fifth out of 25. She played one more year of baseball, moving up to the Pony level, and I wanted her to come back for a second year the summer between grade school and high school, but it didn’t work out. Berwyn switched over to Little League, and that involved way too much money for us as we were just starting to navigate our way through travel softball. Several years ago, our daughter let it slip she would’ve liked to play softball at the University of Chicago, why I really couldn’t say. Maybe she heard that Kim Ng had played there, or she had a thing for Enrico Fermi. The Maroons’ playing field is located a few blocks from the site of Stagg Field, where scientists for the Manhattan Project split the atom in a facility under football grandstands back in 1942. Ng went from softball to baseball, working her way up to general manager of the Marlins in late 2020. Despite leading Miami to the playoffs last season, she left the team over what may have been a power struggle. Ng reportedly moved on after learning the Marlins intended to create the position of president of baseball operation, who in effect would be her boss. Clare called me yesterday to say that Ng had signed on as a senior advisor for yet another attempt to establish a pro women’s softball league. Right now, Athletes Unlimited has players compete on an individual basis; think a series of All-Star Games where pay is based on individual performance. According to an AU press release, next year a number of teams will barnstorm and the year after that four teams will play in host cities. Baseball doesn’t particularly want women, and pro softball can’t seem to catch on. My onetime baseball player is currently teaching her son how to hit. I wonder if she’ll do that with her daughter, too. And will it be baseball or softball?