Grandkids can have a lot of fun on the farm and there were always cousins to play with. Doug, Eugenia, Galen, Burt and Mary Jo Bumgarner(Aunt Wilma's kids) lived just up the road from the farm and were always available to play with even if no one else showed up. Most of the time we played out in the fields exploring, building forts, hide and seek, etc. When my brothers and I were big into baseball we took along our bats, gloves and baseballs. There was plenty of space to play a game. You just had to find an area where there were not a lot of cowchips. Most of the time we played in a field that was in front of the farmhouse. It was slightly downhill with home plate at the high end closest to the house. Not many cowchips but it was a little rocky. By the way, baseballs are white, correct? In major league games if a ball hits the dirt they get a new ball. Not us. The baseballs we played with were usually brown, scuffed up and played with until the cover came off.
While we played ball adults would be sitting in the front yard under the trees engaged in adult conversation. I remember Dad telling me that Grandpa would talk about swapping knives at Hokinsons general store in Strafford. I do remember once when we were playing baseball Grandpa stood up and said something like,"Let me try and see if I can do that". We were all taken by surprise. Grandpa Campbell was going to try and hit the ball? Had he ever played baseball before? Could he do it? Anticipation set in as Grandpa took the bat and stepped up to the plate/rock/cowpile (take your choice) I think it may have been Gregg or Scott who was pitching. I was out in the field quietly rooting for Grandpa to hit the ball. Yes! He hit the ball!Having done that he handed the bat back and walked back to the front yard. -30-
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