The brotherhood of baseball forms bonds that are unbreakable. Throughout games, practices, and all the time spent together, the memories add up and make for stories that last a lifetime.

Bishop Carroll’s varsity baseball team is the epitome of comic relief, especially in pranks. Jacob Christopherson, Junior, is known for his bubblegum chewing. Blowing massive bubbles in the dugout and getting his hands on any piece of bubblegum he can, he has become more creative with it. As other players intensely watch the game, Jacob blows a respectable bubble, takes it out of his mouth, and carefully places it on a player’s hat. Without the player’s knowledge, the other boys whisper and laugh at the boy’s embarrassment. Junior, Tyler Alverson, says “When JC puts a bubble on someone’s hat, the whole dugout tries to hide the laughter, but sometimes, it’s just too funny.”

Eventually, someone gives it away and Christopherson’s cover is blown. With a bright red face the player yanks his hat off and pulls the pink, sticky bubblegum off his hat. This game continues throughout the game as Christopherson nails each player. Player after Player, each one reacts differently. Some get angry, some laugh it off, some become embarrassed. nevertheless, the other boys have a good laugh about the whole ordeal. The lighthearted fun continues.

                After the laughs have run out and the jokes have subsided, the memories come down to time spent with a team that is a family. Each player knows that he belongs and he has a band of brothers to count on. “My teammates are my brothers on and off the field,” says Brayden Whitchurch. The love the boys have for each other is a bond that is hard to find.

                Not only do these friendships make the tie more enjoyable, the team is more successful when they see each other as brothers. Coach Charlie Ebright has seen many teams come and go throughout the year and says, “Over the years my most successful teams have great chemistry. This year’s squad seems to have that bond of brotherhood. I really feel that the boys genuinely like each other. They understand the value of a tight group and have bought into what we are trying to accomplish. It should be noted that the coaches really enjoy this group. We are having a blast.”