Braves. (August 2023 Chair's Column)

I love having a daughter.  Sometimes it’s hard being a girl dad.  I don’t believe Sarah Kate (SK) started liking me until she was about 14, a process that began with her just giving in to the fact that I was going to be around so she may as well accept me.  But I had many friends with daughters who told me to be patient and things would get better. And they did.

Sometime last summer, SK told me that she wanted to go to a Braves game.  Now, I’ve been around her long enough to know that she often doesn’t mean what she says.  She might just be trying to get my attention or having a little fun with Dad.  But I was wrong – she brought it up again this summer, and I finally got the hint.  So, the Thompson family and her boyfriend loaded up and made the drive from Statesboro a few Sundays ago and melted in the left field seats – but we had a great time. 

I’m so glad to add memories of my daughter to the great importance that the Braves have played in my life. She’s so much fun to be around, so I hope we’ll be able to do attend games together for many years to come.  Braves games have always been a staple for my son Lucas and me.  We’ve attended a few games a year since he was 8 years old, including a couple of great Spring Training trips to Florida.

Including Sarah Kate in our Braves game trip was extra special this time because it was just 48 hours before she started her senior year of high school.  She’ll soon be making decisions about college and her next phase of life, spending less time at home with her Mom and me.  Also, just a couple of weeks later we packed up Lucas for his junior year at Mercer.  He may be with us for just one more summer before he moves on to his adult life on his own.

On the day he was to move back to Macon, I climbed the stairs in our house to wake him up and tell him goodbye before I had to leave for a conference. I counted the stairs as I went up – there are 21 steps to the top of the stairs, and I used to count them when I held him in my arms to take him to bed to make sure I wouldn’t trip.  I counted them again on this morning before I walked quietly into his room to tell him goodbye.

You all know by now how sentimental I can be.  I’m getting a little nostalgic about my time as your Chair, too.  It’s been a great couple of years, and a pleasure.  I hope to see you all soon in Gainesville and Savannah.