For this year's AtoZ Challenge, I am featuring Hannibal, Missouri, Mark Twain's boyhood hometown.
Everyday is an adventure raising two teenage boys. People ask me where I get my ideas for my books. I don't have to look very far. So, yesterday on our way to church, I swung by Clemens (baseball) Field to snap a few pics. My oldest son said, "Mom, I've got this." My response: "That wall is way too high...okay, never mind." He quickly scaled the wall to take a panoramic of the ballpark. (It was too far away to get a good shot of the field.) So while dressed in my Sunday finery, I kept an eye out for the cops and prayed we wouldn't get arrested. We didn't. But there might have been security cameras. What small hometown would be complete without baseball? Clemens Field was built in 1938 and even detained German POWs on the field. It hosted a professional team in the fifties but since fell in disrepair. A few years ago, it went through extensive repairs and renovations, restoring it to its former glory and elevating the field about eight feet due to its close proximity to the Mississippi River. The Hannibal Cavemen, a prospect league, will begin another season on May 30th.You can catch the Hannibal La-Grange University's baseball team playing several games here in the spring.
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| My pic of my son taking a pic |
Clemens Field was the pivotal point of inspiration for my first novel Free Runner. Several years ago, after watching my oldest son climb the concession stand (he has an obsession with climbing), he jumped, flipped and landed flawlessly. I almost had a heart attack. Then I asked him what on earth he was doing. He said, "Free running." Technically, he was performing parkour. Free running involves, well, running. And, yes, he does that too. But not running from the cops, because he's a good kid.
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| The Grandstand |
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| Outside view |
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What's your ideal "adventure"? Do you enjoy baseball? What's your favorite team? Do you ever go on adventures with your kids?
Gorgeous!! I love baseball.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Go Brewers;-)
DeleteHe scaled that wall? Holy cow! That's high. I would've had a heart attack for sure!
ReplyDeleteI don't really enjoy baseball...Not my sport.
He loves to scare his mom.
DeleteI was just discussing baseball with a friend of mine this morning. I was really into baseball as a kid and I was a huge bandwagoner, following the Blue Jays religiously during their glory years of about 1991-93. Then they tanked in 94 and so did my interest in baseball (to be fair I was going through my teenage years and my interests changes wildly at that time - not to mention that though I loved the sport I was never very good at it) and I don't think I've watched a full game of baseball since.
ReplyDeleteI grew up playing softball. My dad wanted boys but ended up with girls. I'd much rather watch baseball in person than view a game on t.v.
ReplyDeleteYour son got some good shots. Nothing like minor league baseball. The game moves faster.
ReplyDeleteThx! He's quite the daredevil.
DeleteWhat a cool A to Z theme! I live in a small town as well, and baseball is HUGE here! We don't have a field nearly as nice as yours, though!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog! I'm your newest follower. :)
Great! Nice to meet you:)
DeleteI'm not very much into sports, but your son is a very talented photographer!
ReplyDeleteThx! I keep telling him he should be a graphic designer/artist :)
DeleteKeep that boy at it. Great photos! I love baseball. It started with my grandfather. I think I still love it because I remember the afternoons we shared those games.
ReplyDeleteThx! I will.
DeleteKeep that boy at it. Great photos! I love baseball. It started with my grandfather. I think I still love it because I remember the afternoons we shared those games.
ReplyDeleteWe did go on adventures as a kid. Now our adventures are usually about making wrong turns when we travel. Except for my husband, we mostly all enjoy those and have fun blaming each other for taking us on another adventure.
ReplyDeleteI love visiting new places.
DeleteDid you know your son is leading a secret life as Spiderman?
ReplyDeleteYes, I've always suspected that. :)
DeleteThe biggest adventures I go on involve road trips and getting "lost" (but not very lost with good maps).
ReplyDeleteSounds like me!
DeleteI play table top RPGs with my kids, so every weekend is a new adventure for us! Before kids my wife and I would often get in the car and drive a random direction and try out new restaurants or places.
ReplyDeleteI do love baseball and my favorite team is the St. Louis Cardinals.
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Tim Brannan, The Other Side Blog
2015 A to Z of Vampires
http://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/
Well, I live in Cardinal country, but I'm a Brewers fan. And I think they won last night by one run:)
DeleteI'm very glad you didn't get arrested :) Ideal adventure ... that's a hard one, I suppose I love exploring museums etc. I'm one of those people who likes to have things planned in advance, so not really adventures ::g:: I'm afraid I have to admit to finding baseball one of the most boring sports I have ever tried to watch - I have to assume I just don't get it :) I'm the same with football. I prefer watching things like figure skating and gymnastics :)
ReplyDeleteTasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
I don't watch baseball, but I've been to the local stadium. It's shiny and new and truly amazing.
ReplyDeleteHe does take excellent photos!
ReplyDeleteWatching baseball in small parks is much more fun than huge stadiums, I think.
Heather