Alpha Sigs at the Charlotte Knights

 Alpha Sigma Phi National Fraternity is holding it’s bi-annual national convention right here in Charlotte this weekend. Part of the convention featured a minor league baseball game at the Charlotte Knights. Since I’m an Alpha Sig alumnus (Delta Xi ’91), I like baseball, and Knight’s Castle is just a few miles away it was a no-brainer for me to go to the game last night. Patty wasn’t interested in going but I brought Maegan along with me. I met up with some brothers attending the convention. That was pretty cool to chatting with them for a while.

Later Maegan and I sat on the grass berm down the right field line. A foul ball went over our heads and Maegan watched a bunch of kids run after the baseball. She asked me if she could get a foul ball and I told her she could try. I’ve been to easily over 100 baseball games and I’ve never gotten a foul ball. I told Maegan that if she wanted to try to get a fould ball she’d have to get right in there with the big kids who would be fighting for it. A couple of innings later there was a foul ball near by and several older boys went after it. When the ball bounced out of the pile of kids right towards Maegan she saw her opportunity and without hesitation, dove for the ball fully-outstretched. Her fingers just barely touched the ball and an older teenage boy got it. I was very impressed by the way Maegan wasn’t afraid to get right in there with the big kids, and of her willingness to dive for the ball. I was also proud of the fact that she got up quickly, brushed herself off, and wasn’t pouting about not getting the ball.

As Maegan walked back to me with a smile on her face for being so close, a relief pitcher for the Knights, Matt Skrmetta, called her to come over to the field. He told Maegan that he saw her dive for the ball and thought she tried really hard and deserved a baseball for her effort. He gave her a ball from the bull pen. Maegan was so happy! Matt Skrmetta played 14 games in the Major Leagues for the Expos and Pirates in 2000, but is otherwise a career minor leaguer who’s played for 23 different professional teams in his 14 year career. Maegan didn’t ask anybody for anything and she wasn’t upset, so that was very nice of Mark to go out of his way to give a ball to Maegan just for trying so hard.

As for the game, it was a 0-0 tie for 7 full innings, but then the Rochester Red Wings broke it wide open with 3 in the 8th and another 5 in the 9th for an 8-0 Knights loss. But Maegan had a great time and is still excited about getting the baseball. Thank you, Mark.