Prison journalism: A father and son's game of catch before, during and after prisonA simple game of baseball holds powerful truths about family.
by Prison Journalism Project
14-06-2023 16:02
in Prison Journalism
Father and son. Photo: PEXELS/Photo by Anete Lusina
Prison Journalism Project trains incarcerated writers to become journalists and publishes their stories. Subscribe to Inside Story to receive exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our best stories, as well as author profiles and other insights.
--
THE SON'S STORY
Baseball and my dad - the two are inextricably linked inside of my brain. When I was younger, nothing brought me more joy than playing catch with him. We would play until it was too dark to see the ball.
After my dad went to prison, I missed playing catch with him as much as I missed hearing him cheer my name at my baseball games. I would stand on the pitcher's mound and hope he had somehow escaped just to watch me play. I never looked towards the bleachers to avoid the inevitable disappointment.
--
Once my dad was finally released, the first thing we did was play catch. I had dreamed about this moment for what seemed like my entire life.
But it wasn't the same. I was crestfallen. My dad was not the hero my 7-year-old self had frozen in time. He was a man worn down by San Quentin State Prison, and I was a boy who had grown up without his father.
ALSO READ: Prison journalism: The feelings I hold for Nelson Mandela
--
At that moment, I felt immense satisfaction. It came from realising that I didn't need my dad to be whole. I was no longer the broken little kid who would have done anything to play catch with his dad one more time. I had healed without him, and my character was forged by his absence. Now when we talk about baseball, I don't feel the sadness created by loss. I don't feel like a helpless child. I feel at peace.
THE DAD'S STORY
We were playing catch, father and son. As a father in prison, there were few opportunities that created deeper communication than when working in tandem, keeping a sphere in endless back-and-forth motion.
My son and I used to share this flow on beaches, baseball fields, parking lots and hallways. It was our shared time outside. Inside, in the visiting room of San Quentin State Prison, it was no different, but perhaps more meaningful.
I was serving a seven-year, eight-month sentence for gross negligent vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence. Both of us needed this time because the opportunities for us to talk were few and short.
It really doesn't matter what or when you share the flow. Any ball will do.
ALSO READ: Prison journalism: Forgotten Youth
At San Quentin, it was an orange purchased from a vending machine in the visiting room. To us, it was the same as being at AT&T Park with mitts and a hardball.
As the orange floated between us in its parabolic arc, my son would tell me as much as he could remember about his life since he last saw me.
While I listened, I thought of how I grew up wandering the bluffs, coves and inlets of the rugged Northern California coast. Here he was under the fluorescent lights of a prison visiting room in sweatpants and a loose shirt that fell within the visitation guidelines. I knew he had waited in a long line with others visiting their loved ones. I knew his mom had shown a guard his papers as he exchanged $20 bills for quarters to use in the vending machine, our only access to refreshments during our time together. I knew he took a bus down past all the other prison blocks through more security to reach the visiting room. My son was growing up faster than he should have.
He stopped tossing the orange. It was a sticky mess anyway, and our flow time had passed. He looked up at me and said, I love you, Dad.
ALSO READ: Prison Journalism: Life in Pollsmoor prison for the first time
When I was released after six years and three months - I earned good-time credits - my family did not meet me at the gate, which is a tradition for many of the incarcerated. The kids were in school and my ex-wife was working. I had a good morning as an old friend met me and we shared the day with breakfast, clothes shopping and real coffee. I got a Korean sauna scrub because I needed to shed the feel of prison by removing the outer layers of my skin.
I didn't feel at home, however, until my son came home from school and wanted to go play catch.
It was one of those misty San Francisco days, but this was important. We geared up. He had found my old glove in the garage, and we went down to the park. I want to practice my pitches, he said, but the reasons were irrelevant. We began by tossing the ball and existing together.
In that moment of flow, we were one, a team working together with purpose and skill. Time stopped and the world faded away, leaving just the ball as it danced to gravity's law. I was home.
Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer's identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.
Written by FATHER AND SON IN CALIFORNIA
Do you have any question you would like to ask our prison journalists, WhatsApp us on 060 011 0211
Do you have contact with a prison inmate who would like to write for The South African website?
If so, send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211
You can also follow @TheSAnews on Twitter and The South African on Facebook to get the latest prisoner journalism articles.
Are you a true Scandal!' soapie superfan? Then ENTER our soapie quiz and WIN R1 000 in cash!
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/03/2026
NBC Sports selected Imaginary Forces to create the main title sequence for the M...
02/03/2026
The NFL announces the launch of the NFL Draft Innovation Challenge, a new crowds...
02/03/2026
The World Teleport Association (WTA) has named Skyline Communications' DataMiner SatOps solution as a finalist for the 2026 Teleport Technology of the Year ...
02/03/2026
Ventum Tech announces a strategic partnership with Pixotope, a real-time graphic...
02/03/2026
Victory , a free, ad-supported sports streaming service, announces the launch of...
02/03/2026
Global powerhouse Delta Goodrem to represent Australia at this year's Eurovi...
02/03/2026
SBS brings together prominent voices to discuss rising social division and seek ...
02/03/2026
NITV Unveils Wednesday Night Sport Night
Media releases
A Midweek Hub for Blak Sport
Flagship NRL program Over The Black Dot moves to Wednesdays at 9:30pm
...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 2, 2026 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) today announc...
02/03/2026
Harvey Norman tops New Zealand's biggest ad spenders as retail leads and telcos and beverages sure Auckland March 3, 2026 - Nielsen's New Zealand'...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media creatives and content owners, has appointed Jody Boatwright as Chief Strategy Of...
02/03/2026
Lightware, an industry leader in signal management, is reinforcing its commitment to simplifying complex AV environments with the continued evolution of its TPN...
02/03/2026
ZEISS Cinema opens its doors to an exclusive screening, filmmakers Q&A and hands-on showcase of the new ZEISS Aatma lens family on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-9:00 ...
02/03/2026
To expand the creative potential of the compact Astera QuikBeam, DoPchoice introduces the SNAPBAG Round. The new light-shaping accessory transforms the powerfu...
02/03/2026
Douglas Dubler
On a rooftop in New York City, veteran photographer Douglas Dubler watched the sun's angle shift across the urban landscape, his internal cl...
02/03/2026
ZEISS is expanding its Otus ML lens family with the introduction of the new ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/35. This manual-focus lens is designed for photographers who live ...
02/03/2026
Matthews Studio Equipment now offers the new Dinkum Systems White FlexiMount and Phone Mount Kit, a compact, highly adaptable setup for mobile content creation...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
02 03 2026 - Media release Ausfilm and Screen Australia launch joint UK market initiative
Ausfilm and Screen Australia have announced Partner with Australia (...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
02/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for 53 Sundays, the New Film by Cesc Gay
Entertainment
02 March 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
28/02/2026
With two features seen in Formula 1 coverage, the broadcaster aims to bring view...
28/02/2026
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addresses a crowd of approximately 1,500 L3Harris employees in Camden, Arkansas, as part of his Arsenal of Freedom tour....
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/02/2026
Berklee Presents Mambo Mania: Eguie Castrillo and the Berklee All-Stars Big Band...
28/02/2026
Berklee Announces Two New Summer Programs in Los Angeles The Berklee Music Business Program and Electronic Music Production and Sound Design Workshop bring imme...
28/02/2026
AI-RAN is moving from lab to field, showing that a software-defined approach is ...
28/02/2026
Autonomous networks - intelligent, self-managing telecommunications operations -...
28/02/2026
Back to All News
Final Trailer for BEASTARS Final Season Part 2' Roars Tow...
28/02/2026
New way to intentionally discover molecular glues could expand drug discovery Scripps Research scientists and colleagues show how drugs that eliminate certain d...
27/02/2026
The E.W. Scripps Company names Oliver Gray as Vice President, Network Sports and...
27/02/2026
The Gotham Sports App, the exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming home of MSG Networks and the YES Network, is now available for purchase through Prime Video fo...
Prison journalism: A father and son's game of catch before, during and after prisonA simple game of baseball holds powerful truths about family.
