During baseball games, behind the press box, kids play a game called 'Cup Ball'. It is simple, it is competitive, and it has been around since my husband's days of playing Little League Baseball.
The game is played as a simplified version of baseball; there are bases, the pitcher, a few kids in the field, and the batter. Instead of using a baseball a crumpled up cup is used and instead of a bat the 'ball' is hit with your hand. Simple.
RJ was intent on us making a 'Cup Ball' field at home after his game last weekend. We brought out the spray paint and painted bases and a pitchers mound onto the basketball court and the games began. At first he and Lily practiced pitching at hitting with each other and then the requests for us to join in began. Of course we played, each of us with a beer in hand on a beautiful weekend played Cup Ball. Rather than having a full game we abbreviated our game so that it only had three innings, but this only made RJ want to play more. The requests to play came often and while we would join in we also would decline the invites so that we could get some stuff done around the yard.
The surprising part of the newfound favorite back yard game was how much Lily loved playing. She would bat and run the bases and field. The times that she became frustrated with hitting she would acquire a small snow shovel and use that as her bat. This did not work in her favor even with the larger surface area because it was a bit awkward and difficult to swing. After we played a few games Lil talked about wanting to try playing baseball with RJ's team at the end of the season, I was surprised and happy that she was finally taking some interest in sports,
Cup Ball. Such a simple game. Isn't this the type of activity that should be dominating our children's lives? A game that requires no special equipment, no adult planning, and can be played just about anywhere. Childhood should be simple, simple like Cup Ball.
The game is played as a simplified version of baseball; there are bases, the pitcher, a few kids in the field, and the batter. Instead of using a baseball a crumpled up cup is used and instead of a bat the 'ball' is hit with your hand. Simple.
RJ was intent on us making a 'Cup Ball' field at home after his game last weekend. We brought out the spray paint and painted bases and a pitchers mound onto the basketball court and the games began. At first he and Lily practiced pitching at hitting with each other and then the requests for us to join in began. Of course we played, each of us with a beer in hand on a beautiful weekend played Cup Ball. Rather than having a full game we abbreviated our game so that it only had three innings, but this only made RJ want to play more. The requests to play came often and while we would join in we also would decline the invites so that we could get some stuff done around the yard.
The surprising part of the newfound favorite back yard game was how much Lily loved playing. She would bat and run the bases and field. The times that she became frustrated with hitting she would acquire a small snow shovel and use that as her bat. This did not work in her favor even with the larger surface area because it was a bit awkward and difficult to swing. After we played a few games Lil talked about wanting to try playing baseball with RJ's team at the end of the season, I was surprised and happy that she was finally taking some interest in sports,
Cup Ball. Such a simple game. Isn't this the type of activity that should be dominating our children's lives? A game that requires no special equipment, no adult planning, and can be played just about anywhere. Childhood should be simple, simple like Cup Ball.
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