Diary of a Cleat Chaser - Day One of the World Series!

I grew up in the New England town of East Hartford, CT. Ever since I was a little girl, I sure had it big-time for the boys in uniform. And not just any uniform...I liked the tight pants, the knee high socks, the baseball cap tucked tightly over a scruffy mop of hair, and the black eye makeup shielding the glaring rays from a sun-kissed face. Little did I know, this affinity for baseball players would carry me well into college.

I can recall riding bikes with my girlfriends to watch the boys play in the summer leagues and giggling in the stands at who we thought was the cutest. Then high school rolled around, my high school crushes big sister was the manager of East Hartford High School's baseball team. I thought that was "just the coolest".* As with most things that I want, I found a way to be a manager too. Alas, I was a little boy crazy, but I truly appreciated all that the game was about. I can still feel the nervous and hopeful energy in the dugout when the team had bases loaded. I can hear the heckling of the opposing team and the fans. Heeeey. Batter. Batter. Swinggggggg. And then POP! The crowd goes wild! As the baseball manager, I would do the books and learned the difference between a "K" and a "Backwards K". We would also bake goodies for the team. One of my most favorite things to make were BASEBALL CUPCAKES. I would use a simple cake mix and frost the tops with white icing and pipe the stitching on with red gel. Too cute!

Upon graduation, I had decided to attend the University of South Carolina and pursue my career in Journalism. One of the boys from my high school had been a left handed pitcher for the Gamecocks and he showed me around town when I first moved down here. Nonetheless, I was still passionate about baseball. In college, I watched the movies Field of Dreams and Bull Durham too many times to count. In my English 101 class I met a fella that was player for the team. He mentioned that the coach was looking to get some girls to be Bat Girls for the team! Being a girl from CT, I had not yet rushed a sorority, and found this a great way to get involved. The collegiate baseball schedule is pretty rigorous, but I managed to be there for most every home game! I loved it all. And I had my eye on the first baseman.

I wish I could find my journal from Freshman year! One of the entries went something like this, "#22 is sooo cute! He has the best butt and legs!" What a dork! Anyways, I can remember leaving the library and my roommate running up to me..."#22 just called!!!!!" This was, of course, before anyone had cell phones and he had left a message on my dorm phone. I rushed home and the rest is history. I had my little baseball player boyfriend. We would hang at the Roost (the athletic dorm). Rent movies. Make out. All the silly things Freshman do, considering our age and in my case...shyness. (Yes!) I would play that song, "Let's Hear It For The Boy" from the Footloose soundtrack over and over in my car. (it was a mixed tape...even worse!)

The summer after Freshman year, I was a camp counselor for a Girl's Leadership Camp at Carolina and one night we took the girls to a minor league game in town. I know what I wanted my summer job to be: serving beer to the fans in the box seats! How glamorous! I loved it! Slinging draft beers and watching baseball. We were allowed one meal per shift and I used to hit up every concession stand for a hot dog. That's a broke college student for you. While I worked there, I had the opportunity to work during the exhibition game between USA vs Cuba before the Olympics in Atlanta. I met some of the players and actually traveled (or possibly stalked!) the team and went to a game in Atlanta.

I still enjoy going to the USC Baseball games, eating a hot dog, listening to "Put Me In Coach"** (my karaoke song of choice...by the way!) play over the loud speaker's and sneaking a peak at the boys in uniform. Only then do I think...GROSS! They are only eighteen! Oh well. :)

And the lyric's of Bruce Springsteen run through my head: "Glory days, well they'll pass you by, Glory days, in the wink of a young girl's eye, Glory days, glory days..."

* I received a text from my "crush" that he was trying to recall if it was his sis that was a manager. It was. ;)

** I was graciously reminded by a dear reader, "Just to clarify - that Karaoke song is not called "Put me in Coach" - its called Centerfield, and its by John Fogerty. Its hands down one of the greatest baseball songs ever - and always brings back memories of playing ball (whether its high school, colllege, or even town league games). " Thank you. Fond memories for me too.

Ball Game Cupcakes, makes 24

courtesy of http://www.bettycrocker.com/

-1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
-1 cup water
-1/3cup vegetable oil
-3eggs
-1cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
-1container (1 lb) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
-Assorted colors Betty Crocker® decorating icing (in 4.25-oz tubes) or Betty Crocker® Easy Flow decorating icing (in 6.4-oz cans)
-Assorted food colors

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box--except gently stir chocolate chips into batter. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 2/3 full).
2. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Decorate as desired below. Store cupcakes loosely covered at room temperature.

Baseballs: Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting. With black, red or blue icing, pipe 2 arches on opposite sides of cupcakes, curving lines slightly toward center. Pipe small lines from each arch to resemble stitches on a baseball.

Basketballs: Color frosting with yellow and red food colors to make orange; frost cupcakes. With black icing, pipe line across center of cupcake. On either side, pipe an arch that curves slightly toward center line.

Soccer Balls: Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting. With black icing, pipe a pentagon shape in the center of cupcake, piping a few rows of icing into center of pentagon. Pipe lines from pentagon to edge of cupcake to resemble seams. With toothpick or spatula, spread black icing in center of pentagon to fill in the entire shape.

Tennis Balls: Color frosting with yellow and green food colors to make tennis-ball yellow; frost cupcakes. With white icing, pipe curved design to resemble tennis balls.