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It’s a glamorous life, and someone has to lead it.

That’s the thought that ran through my head the other night as I scurried through a fierce wind and 40-degree weather while working at the Bill Smith Softball Complex concession stand.

I unloaded another cartload of hotdogs, skittles, soft pretzels, and beer and looked to my right to see a scoreboard lit up like Clark Griswold’s Christmas tree. Murphy’s Mafia was deeply entrenched in their league-opening slugfest against Kearney’s Complete Nutrition team. All of three innings had been played, but if you hadn’t been watching the game until that point, the 29-26 score might have led you to believe that the teams had ditched their bats and gloves in favor of football pads.

Another clank of the bat shot through the cold air, bringing with it three more runs to add to the scoreboard.

And that’s when I knew: It was going to be a long night of slingin’ nachos. Summer softball season had arrived, and it was here to stay. I left the complex that Tuesday night just after 11:00 p.m. to the glow of stadium lights still shining on the two teams that had to wait to begin their league opener until Murphy’s and Complete Nutrition had crossed home plate a total of 90 times (Murphy’s won 46-44).

All in all, four Men’s Class C & D games were played that night, accounting for a total of 233 runs.

I’ve worked at the Bill Smith softball complex concession stand for more summers than I care to admit. That means that I get used to smelling like burgers, popcorn, and nacho cheese from time to time.

But with the dawn of each spring, I must admit that I get a small glint in my eye at the thought of returning to my part time summer job. For one, I get to work for possibly the greatest boss ever, my mom (She lets me eat the hotdogs sometimes.). What’s more, I also get to see a boatload of my friends. Most of all, though, I just like being surrounded by people who are enjoying an honest-to-goodness good time.

I often think how lucky Hastings is to have a place like the Bill Smith Softball Complex. I mean aside from all the revenue that finds its way to our city from visitors at state and national tournaments, the softball complex provides a unique social forum for our residents. Friends have a convenient excuse to get together en masse a couple of times a week. Our local school schools have first-rate facilities for practice and hosting games.

I always enjoy the atmosphere on league nights the most, though. That’s because softball often is secondary to popcorn, nachos, a brew, and socializing with friends (my kind of sport). That and I don’t have to deal with crazed softball parents taking the game a bit too seriously and spewing venom at umpires and popcorn prices. Okay, most of the parents are good, but I’ve seen a few incidents that left me scratching my head, including rounds of mean-spirited softball smack talk cheers initiated by parents sitting in bleachers mere feet apart from each other.

Whether league-night play or state or national play, summers spent at the complex are always an adventure. Stop by, and have some nachos!

About the author: Andy Herrmann

Andy is an oh-so-inquisitive twenty-something living in Hastings.  He had a quarter-life crisis early, at the age of 23. He is an avid moviegoer and a fan of things like books, parks, music, food, road trips, and any interesting combinations thereof.