Orioles Ball Boy and Ball Girl Tryouts - My Experience...

Today, I went to Oriole Park at Camden Yards and tried out to be a ball boy this afternoon. I’d estimate a crowd of 100 or so people signed up for the opportunity to lead the crowd and snag some grounders during the game. Fans were pumped up to have the opportunity, and while a lot were nervous, everyone was glad to have spent a few hours of their attention to perhaps be chosen to be on other side of the stands – the playing field.

Well, I arrived at the ballpark an hour early and spoke with several fans, along with tossed a baseball to warm up and cure our boredom.

Anyhow, we got escorted into the stadium and got taken to the lower levels into an auxiliary locker room where we given an orientation, filled out paperwork and were explained how the day would work out.

Thereafter, we went in teams of 10 and were taken from the locker room into the tunnel and onto the field. The group was escorted into the third base side dugout where we called one by one onto the playing field and got interviewed American Idol style, were we had to say our names, numbers we were given along with a short Q&A.

Then we got onto to show our fielding prowess and being in a big stadium (you can only imagine it filled with people) was daunting in my eyes. Now imagine writers, cameras, microphones and media flanked out all over.

The adventure began.

I had to field as there was a guy who hit balls with a fungo bat, and another who caught the ball.

While I did the best I could, I was rusty, nerves took over and I missed a ball off the wall and then another grounder. I got 3 out of 5 balls hit to me and I thought I’d okay.

The lesson I learned today is that I will never make fun of a ball girl or ball boy again. It’s a hard job and to do it front of people, be aware of what is going on at times, plus keep your attention at the task at hand must be hard. Myself, I do not know if the job would be for me, as I love to analyze the game, be boisterous and feel a part of it.

All in all, it was a memorable and fun day, where new friends were made and everyone shared their love of baseball.

I do not think I’ll chosen to be a ball boy, as I am 6’4” and past college age, but I got to see another side of baseball, one which was fascinating.