Down in the County
Subscribe

Season Stirs New Love for Baseball

Andrea Bruce

Jun 8
1




At the end of Ball Park Road in Bayboro, on field number three, 15 boys line up behind home plate. Most of them are 11 years old.


“I knew they were going to run us,” I overhear one of the boys say. He doesn’t sound like he’s complaining.


Mosquitos have started to bite; it’s the end of May. Crickets and seagulls are heard but not seen. The baseball field is flanked by a field overgrown with weeds on one side and on the other, a thick forest that smells like pine.


Grace Veberes, and Lillie-May Ipock—both seven and little sisters of boys on the team—play Barbies on a small stand of bleachers behind the fence.


“Most of the team had never played before,” says Susan Veberes, one of the moms. “To see where they started and where they are now…” She shakes her head.


They are the Edwards Erectors, named after their sponsor, and part of the Pamlico Babe Ruth League, holding a 1-9 record. Their final game is this weekend. This is their last practice—unless they choose to continue through the summer, just for fun.


Half of the players are now running bases, the other half on the field. They listen closely to the head coach, Chuck Edwards, who rarely raises his voice, doesn’t smile and signals approval with a nod.


“Need duct tape in his glove to cover up the hole it just went through,” notes a parent seated in a folding chair that he brought himself.


“No, no, no, no, no, no, no. We don’t score enough runs to give ’em away,” Coach Edwards tells the team. The ball was dropped.


After more running drills, they meet in the outfield, away from the bleachers, and take a knee.


The coaches and assistants talk to the players about the summer and the upcoming game. Their voices turn more tender.


”Y’all enjoy winning last week?” asks an assistant coach. It was their first and only win. The team yells “yeah!”


“Only one thing that feels better,” he continues with a wink, “winning again.”

If you have ideas for future bulletins, feel free to message or email me: downinthecountyPC@gmail.com

To see more photos, follow me on Instagram @andreabruce

Subscribe for free to Down in the County
By subscribing, you agree to share your email address with Andrea Bruce to receive their original content, including promotions. Unsubscribe at any time. Meta will also use your information subject to the Bulletin Terms and Policies
1

More from Down in the County
See all

A Revived Tradition in Mesic

One basketball hoop is lowered for young kids. A normal hoop, on the other side of the court, holds the focus of older teens and adults. The outdoor basketball court is just off Highway 304 in Mesic. If it were in a gym, it would be loud with sneakers squeaking and calls for the ball. But here, the sound disappears into the surrounding trees.


Jun 19
3

May 2022 Pamlico Pix: Larry Zim, George Hill and Nick Mathews

Welcome to Pamlico Pix, a monthly look at the beautiful photography coming out of Pamlico County. If you would like your photo to be considered, please email it along with a short summery of who you are and how you did it to: downinthecountypc@gmail.com
May 16
2

Plans for a library and more

About 50 people sit on flip-seat chairs of the historic Old Theater in Oriental to see the new county dream with a presentation and video on a large screen that normally displays movies like His Girl Friday and Flash Gordon on Friday nights. The red-velvet curtains framing the presentation hide sets for local community theater groups—this week...
Apr 28
2
1
Comments
Log in with Facebook to comment

0 Comments

Share quoteSelect how you’d like to share below
Share on Facebook
Share to Twitter
Send in Whatsapp
Share on Linkedin
Privacy  ·  Terms  ·  Cookies
© Meta 2022
Discover fresh voices. Tune into new conversations. Browse all publications