Kayta Cengel is the author of Bluegrass
Baseball, which describes a year in the life
of four minor league baseball teams in Kentucky that tell a larger story about
the culture atmosphere of today's minor leagues. Below
she describes meeting her youngest fan.

Although Bluegrass Baseball is an
adult book, it is about baseball, so I figured I would have some young baseball
playing fans. But I wasn’t quite prepared for the ones I came across while on
tour in Kentucky. Most of them were middle school age boys who hoped one day to
be playing in the minor leagues, like the subjects of Bluegrass Baseball. In
Louisville a ten-year-old with a shy smile thanked me personally for signing
the book his father had bought him. Then he bashfully asked if he could take a
picture with me. A few minutes later he returned with a baseball he wanted me
to sign. Watching him inspect his ball as he walked away is a memory I will not
soon forget. But it was another young Kentucky fan that stole my heart.

His name was Myles and I met him
while signing books at a Lexington Legends baseball game. A customer wanted me
to sign a book for her friend’s son, Myles. I always like to say something
personal when I sign a book so I started asking questions about Myles, who was
not with the woman at the time.

“Is he an adult son or a little
guy?”

I motioned with my hand to what I
figured would be the approximate height of a 10-year-old boy in case she needed
a visual cue.

“He’s a little guy,” she said.

“Does he play baseball?” I asked.

“No, but this is his third Legends
game.”

I was a little surprised that he
didn’t play t-ball or anything, but figured he was just a passionate fan and
signed something appropriate. The woman went on her way. A few minutes later
she returned with Myles. His mother was too engaged in the game to come, but
she had instructed her friend to take a picture of Myles and me. That’s when
little Myles was thrust into my hands and I understood why he didn’t play
baseball. Myles not only did not have much hair, he also had yet to celebrate
his first birthday. He was a three or four month old baby. He started crying
soon after he was placed in my arms. I hope, for his sake, it was not an
indication of how he felt about my book, or, more importantly, baseball. 

Cengel and Myles bonding over baseball and some tears.