So, about this Baseball Quaker Bash 2023 thing. I gotta tell ya, I nearly gave it a miss. The name itself, you know? “Quaker Bash.” Sounded a bit… I dunno, like it might be a bit too quiet or something. Maybe a bunch of folks sitting around politely, not much of a “bash” at all. That was my first thought, anyway.
But then the day came, it was a Saturday, and the weather wasn’t half bad. I thought to myself, “Alright, what else am I gonna do? Stare at the TV?” So, I decided to actually get up and go see what this was all about. Figured if it was lame, I could just leave. No big deal.
I got down to Willow Creek Park, and you could hear it before you saw it. Not super loud, but like, a happy buzz. And the smell of grilled onions and hot dogs hit me straight away. That’s usually a pretty good sign, in my experience. People were actually milling about, kids were darting around, and there was a general feeling of, well, community, I guess. Wasn’t expecting that much energy, to be honest.
The “baseball” part was pretty loose, which I actually appreciated. No super serious league stuff. Just a couple of diamonds chalked out on the grass. Saw some dads pitching to their little ones, a group of teenagers having a laugh trying to hit, and even some older folks taking a swing. It was all very casual, very much about just having a bit of fun. One guy, must’ve been in his seventies, hit a blooper and ran to first like his hair was on fire – everyone cheered. It was that kind of day.
What the “Quaker” Bit Was About
And the “Quaker” element? Well, it wasn’t about people in bonnets handing out oatmeal, thank goodness. Turns out, the old Quaker Community Hall on the edge of the park was one of the main sponsors. They were the ones doing a lot of the food. And let me tell you, their setup was something else. They had these long tables with homemade pies – apple, cherry, blueberry – you name it. And giant dispensers of lemonade and iced tea. Simple, but done right.
I ended up grabbing a hot dog – because, you know, baseball – and then caved and got a massive slice of that apple pie. Probably the best pie I’ve had in years, no joke. Sat on one of those park benches, just watching everything. Watched a bunch of kids try to organize a proper game, which mostly ended up in them giggling and chasing the ball. It was good to see.
There was this one little part that stuck with me. They had a small tent where a couple of the older members from the Community Hall were just sharing stories. Not formal or anything. Just talking about the neighborhood, how the park used to be, some local history. I listened in for a bit. It’s the kind of stuff you don’t find online, you know?
- Just folks connecting.
- Sharing simple food.
- Enjoying a bit of sun and a relaxed game.
My whole “practice” from this, if you can call it that, was just to show up with an open mind. I almost let the name put me off. But it turned out to be a genuinely good afternoon. It’s a solid reminder that sometimes the best things are these local, slightly quirky events that don’t promise the world but deliver a really nice, grounded experience. Left feeling a whole lot better than when I arrived. Sometimes you just need to get out there and see what your own community is up to. You might be surprised.
