The Longest Homerun

If I didn't see it, I wouldn't have believed it. In fact, I didn't see it and I STILL believe it.

I could tell that after Christopher took an 0-2 pitch and after listening to both Steve and I give our opinions on his not swinging on any of those two fast balls down the middle (he apparently had a game plan of his own), something unique had just occurred.

From where I was sitting I couldn't see past the Mustangs' dugout let alone further than the little electrical shed which resides just on the other side of the 200 foot fence on March field. I uttered how I only saw a white blurred object jump off the end of his bat and into the night. I was afraid he didn't see it. I was afraid the middle infielders didn't see it. I was afraid anyone in the outfield or (gasp!) the by-standers at the basketball courts might have gotten seriously injured by an errant fly ball.

I was confused. I couldn't tell if what was happening was a good thing or a bad thing. Straight ahead of me Steve stood numb and almost paralyzed with shock and delight, I think; with his right hand slapped against his right cheek. His mouth dropped he could catch a fly. In that long 3-4 seconds an eternity passed. Steve had to question the coaches on the other team if what he saw was a reality. The coaches were equally as numb struck as Steve.

Christopher's hit cleared the 200 foot fence, beyond the 250 foot start of the basketball court, landed at the edge of the second set of basketball courts - which we were told by the officiating umpire is measured somewhere between 320 and 340 feet. This, we were told, was the further ANYONE had ever hit on that field.

The basketball players, one from Cypress College's baseball team, was in denial that no one could hit out that far. The group of peopled gathered at the courts to shoot some hoops stopped their game and applauded with respect this 12-year old phenom as he rounded the bases for the furthest home run he has ever launched.

It was surreal. It felt similar to the time Christopher hit his first-ever grand slam in a tournament in Temecula. You didn't know whether to cry or laugh or both. You just knew it was one of the best hits and best performance as a player this kid could ever have.

I'm still amazed. I'm still in shock. I still can't believe it.