For each baseball player it is once the day of his debut on the baseball field and on Saturday March 14 1998 that was the day for Mitch Cartwright. The five year old son of coach Adam Cartwright was very excited.
“Mitch, I treat you the same as I treat the other children”, Adam said during breakfast.
“I know that. So uncle Hoss and uncle Joe stay at home?”, the boy asked on his turn.
Adam had to laugh about it and his father Ben too but the uncles of Mitch, Hoss and Little Joe didn’t.
“We all come to watch”, said Ben.
“Then I must extra do my best of course”, said Mitch.
“As long as you have fun with it and also do your best it’s fine by me”, reacted Adam.
Not long after breakfast Adam and Mitch went to the baseball stadium of Virginia City.
“Here I have met your mother. I got hit by a ball and she was the first one who took care of me. That way we stayed together. She stimulated me to learn for baseball coach”, said Adam.
“And now you are going to teach me how to play baseball?”, asked Mitch.
“You can play it already well but now you are going to learn it better”, answered his father.
“I wish that mama was here”, said Mitch.
Adam swallowed.
“Me too son. But she sees you playing from above”, he said.
Adam drove up the parking lot and stopped the car. He and Mitch got out and walked to the field.
“So we play here?”, asked Mitch.
“Indeed”, answered Adam.
They walked to the dressing rooms where the clothes were.
“Mitch, this one is for you. Number 7”, said Adam.
“Mickey Mantle had that number too”, the boy reacted excited.
“Why do you think that you have that number?”, asked Adam.
Mitch put it on and followed is father to the field with his glove and bat. The other children were there also. Mitch knew them too because they went to the same school.
The children started with the warming-up while the stadium became full with parents and other family members of the two teams. Of course Ben, Hoss and Little Joe were there too.
“Boys, I am afraid that this will become the second home for my grandson”, Ben said when he saw how enthusiastic Mitch was busy.
“We just say to Adam that his son is going to follow up his grandpa in the family company”, said Little Joe.
“And you think that Adam listens to you? When you suggests this to our older brother he is going coach Mitchy harder than now the case is”, laughed Hoss.
Ben found it amusing but Little Joe of course didn’t.
The game between the Ponderosa Cowboys and the Young Lions began. Mitch stood on the mount and was very alert. Because the kids had to hit the ball off a pole they often came in the direction of Mitch. He caught it and threw the ball to first baseman Teddy Rashdon. But at bat the Ponderosa Cowboys were also good. Adam had instructed his pupils so that the opponents couldn’t get or catch them. That idea worked and so after 4 there came an end to the game.
Glen Miller came furious to Adam and said, “This team shall never play against that team of yours, Cartwright!”
“Pity. The kids liked it well”, Adam answered calm.
Glen rushed away with his team.
After the game Ben, Hoss and Little Joe waited for the other Cartwrights. When the whole family was complete Mitch got his promised milkshake.
“Joe, didn’t you have something to say to your brother?”, asked Hoss.
“And what is that?”, Adam asked worried.
“We have decided that Mitch will follow up pa in the family company”, said Little Joe.
Mitch heard that too and before his father could say something about the idea the boy had his reaction ready.
“Grandpa and uncle Joe will have to do without my support because I will become a baseball player later”, Mitch said determined.
Adam and Hoss laughed but Ben and Little Joe didn’t. They could understand it though.
Arrived at home Mitch told the Chinese cook Hop Sing, their dog Cody and foreman Candy Canaday everything in bright colors. From that day on the Cartwrights had to keep in account with an upcoming baseball talent.