Schuckman: Sharing Mother’s Day with their sons and love of game makes baseball moms unique

QUINCY — Where Mother’s Day is positioned on the calendar makes sense.

The beauty of spring and the breath of fresh air May brings plays hand-in-hand with the love and nurturing we receive from our mothers. Florists love it, too, because moms love receiving fresh bouquets as much as love giving them.

Yet, the one drawback to the calendar is the season Mother’s Day shares.

That’s baseball season, and because of that, many moms spend their special day at a ballpark or on the road or doing laundry or juggling whatever number of tasks are needed for their sons and their teammates.

See, a baseball mom is all encompassing. She’s a caretaker, providing coolers of drinks, bags of snacks and whatever else is needed. If there is something any of the boys want or need, it can be found in a baseball mom’s bag.

She’s a medic, patching up cuts and scrapes. She’s a seamstress, fixing rips and tears in baseball pants. She’s an organizer, creating lists and making orders so postgame meals and snacks don’t get missed. She’s a laundromat, cleaning uniforms that can be caked in dirt, soaked by sweat or rain, or soiled by a headfirst slide into home on a turf field.

She’s a cheerleader, often as loud as anyone in the stands. She’s a worrywort, flinching when her son gets hit by a pitch or holding her breath when there’s a close play at any base. She’s a hugger, giving each and every boy his due and a dose of love after every game.

Above all else, she’s a mom, arguably the greatest job title in the world.

With it comes sacrifice, something all baseball moms do without a flinch. They often give up a day designed for them to ensure their sons can chase their dreams.

My mom was a baseball mom back in the day, never missing a game and forever being the one who cheered us in victory and offered a shoulder to cry on in defeat. She is so much more than that, too. But at the end of the day, she’s my mom and I love her endlessly.

So happy Mother’s Day to the baseball moms, the soccer moms, the basketball moms and all the sports moms out there. You deserve a special day for making the opportunities so many athletes enjoy possible and a special reward for every ounce of effort you put forth.

Will a tournament title do?