The RedHawks have wrapped up another season.  I attended more games this summer than any other year residing in Fargo – cause for picking up on a few comical things about the crowd.  The fans that show up to these games are hilarious!  In all seriousness, even if you arent a baseball fanatic, it is basically impossible not to have a good time at these games. 

As any RedHawks fan knows, there are contests and activities planned between each inning – and entertaining they are!  Some of these contests are for kids, while other games are designated for the adult fans.  Observing these activities, you find the intentions of the "youngins" differ greatly from the "oldies."

The kids participate in a game where they must run down the first base line, dress themselves in an adult RedHawks uniform and throw a ball while clad in the over-sized getup. 

Kids make it count.  Putting the pants on, they stand stationary, trying to pull eight feet of slack up their leg in order to get their foot through the hole and keep it there.  Some kids start buttoning their jersey, concentrating hard on what buttons go in what holes.  Meanwhile, Hawkeye gets impatient and starts rushing them along. Eventually, one of them totters to the ball and tosses it to win the prize.

Watching them is amusing because bending the rules doesn’t cross their young, innocent minds.  They don’t want to cut corners.  They’re legit!

Watching the adult activities, you quickly find the new level of competition leaves no room for innocence.

In one activity, adults need to roll an inner tube down the third base line, hula hoop and then roll the inner tube back to the start.  There, they pick up a suitcase and need to pack up the clothes spread on the ground on the way to the finish line.

First, instead of rolling the tube, they pick it up and sprint with it, turning it in effort to make their outright cheating less obvious to the audience – thousands of RedHawks enthusiasts.  Hula hoop?  Right.  Using their arms, they eventually get the hoop around their hips the required amount of times, and they’re off to cheat their way back with the inner tube.  "Packing" their suitcase consists of picking up the case and shoveling the clothes in so its easier to carry as they run for (and literally fall across) the finish line.  The clothes hang out and they nearly lose it all as they sprint to the finish. 

Perhaps in this instance we can learn a lesson from the youngsters. As you get older you find that shortcuts are necessary, time is precious and you have a "to do" list longer than a roll of toilet paper. Maybe it’s time to appreciate the little details and put forth your best effort at doing something the right way. 

Shootin’ the Wit is a weekly column about everyday life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.