America’s Pastime: The Last 4 Innings

Sixth Inning PNC Park The culmination of a week long bike trip with my Boy Scout troop that encompassed 150 miles was a baseball game on the fourth of July at PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. My dad was not able to accompany us on the biking journey, although he would have loved to, because he had to teach, but he did not miss the game. My baseball knowledge had grown significantly over the years and I was now keeping score on the program that my father had bought for me. During the middle of the game I heard, “Quick, look at the score board.” As I looked up, I noticed that my father had surprised me once again. He had arranged to have our troop number and the city that we were from on the score board to congratulate us on our journey. He told me later that he tried to arrange for us to present the colors before the game, but that those duties were already taken by some naval officers. Although he had the tough job of keeping track of about fifteen scouts th...