America's Pastime

America's Pastime

© 2023 by Thrillerauthor

"Strike three!"

I swore silently all the way back to the dugout. This was the final practice game before the final cuts were to be made by the coach of my college baseball team, and after going hitless in three at bats and muffing an easy grounder which went right through my legs, I knew that my prospects for making the team had gone down to zero. I hung my head after I sat down on the bench, and it was no surprise when the coach made a lineup change to take me out of the game.

Sure enough, after the game was over and I'd showered and changed back into khakis and a polo shirt, I saw the coach posting the roster for the upcoming season on a bulletin board in the locker room, and a quick glance confirmed that my name wasn't on the list. So much for my scholarship, I thought sadly as I made my way back to my dorm after clearing out my locker. Now I'd be lucky to be able to stay in college if I could find a part time job. My parents were in no position to help me after my father lost his business during the pandemic, and an athletic scholarship which required that I participate at the varsity level was the only way I'd been able to get this far. I'd been a hotshot second baseman at my small high school, but at 5'6" tall with a slender physique, I was almost tiny compared to the rest of the college athletes, and I knew that some of them were laughing at me behind my back every time I went into the shower.

That evening, I was moping around in my room when I got a text from a number I didn't recognize. "Can you meet me in the student union coffee shop in half an hour?"

"Who r u?" I replied.

"Coach Heller." For a moment my spirits soared until I remembered that Coach Heller was the coach of the womens' softball team! What could she possibly want from me? Maybe she needed an assistant, and I could make some money to help me stay in school? I told her I'd be there.

* * *

When I arrived at the appointed time, Coach Heller was seated with a tall, husky girl whom I assumed to be one of her players. They both appraised me critically for a long time after I sat down, and after an uncomfortable silence, Coach Heller broke the ice. "So you didn't make the cut today, and you're about to lose your athletic scholarship. Suppose we offer you a solution to your problems?"

"I'd be glad to help you coach your team. Not sure you'll be able to pay me enough to cover my tuition, room and board, but anything will help."

"Suppose we were able to find a way to let you keep your scholarship?"

"That would be great, but I have to play on a varsity team to do that."

"I want to you to sit back and just listen while I explain. I've seen you play, and you're good, quick reflexes and a great pair of hands. You can't hit the curve ball, and you're a little undersized for baseball, but you could make an excellent addition to our team."

"Your team? The girls' softball team?" I asked incredulously.

"That's right. As you know, the gender barriers in this state have been completely eradicated, and all you'd have to do is identify yourself as a young woman"

I actually laughed out loud. "That's crazy! Look, I don't have anything against trans kids, but I'm straight, and I have no desire to turn myself into a chick."

"Who said anything about transitioning? That's not necessary, so long as you declare yourself to be a member of the female sex. No hormones, no surgery, you don't even have to change the way you dress. Just show up, put on one of our uniforms, and you're on the team."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Even if I were agree to that, which sounds insane, what makes you think they'd let me keep my scholarship?"

"I've already cleared it with the Dean of Students. They're looking for ways to demonstrate diversity, equality and inclusion in these ivied halls, and you would fill the bill."

"Now wait a minute, you told the Dean I want to play on your team as a girl?"

"It was only a hypothetical discussion, but I can assure that the answer would be a resounding yes."

I looked at the girl seated next to the coach, who had been following this conversation intently. "And what about the girls on the team? How are they going to feel about a guy turning up in their locker room and taking showers with them?"

"We had a team meeting a few days ago when coach asked us how we'd react if a transwoman wanted to join the team. We've all known this was coming, ever since that swimmer at Penn won an NCAA championship, and we're pretty cool with the idea if it helps us win. But a lot depends on who our transwoman is, and how she acts around us. If she's a jerk, or some kind of a predator, we'd never stand for it. Looking at you, I think you could fit right in as a girl, but you have a pretty rotten attitude, and I'm not sure we'd want you on our team."

My head was spinning. I'd just been offered a way out of my dilemma, and a girl just told me that I looked like I'd fit right in as a member of the women's softball team, yet every fiber in my body was telling me to get up and walk away from this madness. They were practically asking me to emasculate myself!

Coach Heller broke in before I could respond. "Look, I'm sure this is a lot for you to take in. We are asking you to make a significant sacrifice in terms of your self esteem. This would be a wonderful learning experience for you, but you would have to be one hundred percent committed to the team before we let you do it. Why don't you sleep on it tonight and let me know in the morning if you'd like to give it a try?"

* * *

I spent a sleepless night, tossing and turning as I tried to get my head around what was happening to me. My dreams of playing varsity baseball had been dashed, and my scholarship was about to go down the drain, along with my hopes for a college education. I dreaded the thought of having to tell my parents that I had to drop out, and return to live in my old bedroom while I looked for some dead end job. The wheels in my head began to turn. My family home was hundreds of miles away, and my parents would never have to know that I was playing softball as a girl instead of baseball as a guy. The only real friend I'd made at college was my roommate, maybe I should ask him what he'd do?

Bud knew that I'd been cut from the baseball team, and he assumed that I'd be packing up and heading for home. So the next morning I told him I needed his advice, before I hit him with the incredible proposition that Coach Heller had put to me. Bud thought about it for a moment before responding. "You must be the luckiest guy on the planet. One minute, you're out on your ass, and the next minute a bunch of chicks are inviting you into their lair! So maybe the gals on the softball team aren't the hottest chicks on campus, but they're still broads, aren't they? This is a no brainer, dude!"

"I didn't think about that. Look, if I do this, will you help me keep it a secret? The last thing I need is for everyone in my classes to know that I'm pretending to be a girl!"

"Well, isn't that the way Coach Heller pitched it to you? You can be a guy except when you're wearing your uniform. What is it, anyway? Don't tell me you've gotta put on a skirt or something?"

"Nope, the girl's softball uniform is practically the same as what the guys wear, pants that come down below the knees with long sox tucked into them and a matching jersey."

"And your hair is long enough to pass for a girl's, especially when you tuck it under a ball cap. You can't miss, Miss!"

* * *

Later that morning, I met with Coach Heller in her office. "I've thought about it overnight, and I have a couple of questions."

"Go ahead."

"What position do you want me to play?"

"I know you tried out for second base with the men, but we desperately need a shortstop who can cover a lot of ground, and I think your arm would be strong enough for us."

"No problem. What name would I have to use?"

"Why, that's up to you. Pick any name you like."

"And most important, I need to know for sure that we're not going to publicize this. You said I could wear whatever I want when I'm not playing ball, and I want to make sure you know that I'm not about to start living and dressing as a girl on campus."

Coach Heller pushed back her chair and smiled. "There are all sorts of girls, including tomboys who dress like boys all the time. I don't care what you look like and who you call yourself when you're not with the team. But it would make sense for you to, I don't know, try being a little androgynous when the team is on the road. You know, try blurring the lines a little. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's get you into a uniform and see how you fit in with the team."

I followed her into the women's locker room. "Better come up with that name fast," she whispered as we approached the equipment manager. My real name is Eric, and after thinking about it for a moment, I whispered "Erin" into her ear. She smiled as she told the equipment manager, "Meet Erin, our new shortstop. Let's get her suited up."

In no time, I was out of my jeans and tee shirt and dressed from head to toe in a woman's softball uniform. The pants were a little snug, which made them look more girlish for some reason, and the jersey was loose enough to conceal the fact that I had no breasts. The long sox always seemed almost feminine when I had to wear them for baseball, and the cleats were hardly different from the ones I wore as a guy. When I tucked my longish hair under a ballcap, the illusion was complete: I was Erin, girl shortstop!

PHOTO

The "other" girls were already out on the field, and when the coach called them together to introduce me, there was a range of expressions on their faces. Some were friendly, some were curious, and a few were downright hostile. Coach Heller soon took care of that. "Ladies, this is Erin, who is going to try out for shortstop. She was born a male, but she has recently decided that she is a woman, which is all we need to comply with state law and put her on our team. This is going to be a new experience for all of us, but we all knew this day was coming, and I'm sure we'll all learn together. If there are any questions or concerns, my door is always open. Now let's play ball!"

I took my position at shortstop and we began to throw a ball around the infield. Of course, I'd played softball as a kid, and it didn't take me long to get into the groove. The equipment manager had provided me with a glove which was slightly larger than the baseball mitt I was used to, but I quickly got the hang of it, and I had no trouble making the longer throw from shortstop to first base. Maybe it was because I wanted to prove to the girls that I wasn't some kind of imposter, but I found myself playing flawlessly as Coach Heller put me through my paces, smashing hotter and hotter grounders my way with a fungo bat, and I felt none of the pressure that used to tense me up when I was playing with the guys.

When it was time to take batting practice, I selected a bat and dug into the batter's box. I hit the first pitch thrown to me over the fence for a long home run. Some of the girls actually cheered, and I could sense that the ice was beginning to crack.

* * *

After practice, I hung around my newly-assigned locker until the rest of the team was gone before I quickly showered and changed back into my jeans and tee shirt. One of the girls on the team was waiting for me when I returned to my locker. "Hey," she said. "My name's Jan."

Jan was incredibly cute. She was about my height, a natural blonde with beautiful blue eyes, and I could feel myself stirring. Down boy! I said to myself. Raising my voice as high as I could without breaking it, I said, "Nice to meet you. You play left field?"

"Uh huh. Didn't have much to do out there today, what with you sweeping up everything like a vacuum cleaner."

"It was a good practice. Hope I can make the team."

"Are you kidding? Erin, we've been looking for a player like you for a long time. I gotta admit, when coach told us about you, most of us were skeptical, myself included."

"What exactly did Coach Heller tell you about me?"

"She was a little vague. Said there was a guy who was probably not gonna make the baseball team who could pass as a girl and would be a natural for us if she could convince him to identify as a female."

"Do you think I'm passable as a girl?"

"Not the way you're dressed right now, but you sure looked like a girl in your uniform. I'll bet if we put you in a dress with a little makeup and padding, you'd be downright hot."

"Well, that's not gonna happen."

"I know. It's like you're some kind of chameleon, a real life shapeshifter. You're cute as a guy too, by the way," she said as she walked away. "See ya at practice tomorrow!"

I watched her plump little ass wiggling in her tight jeans as she left the locker room. Maybe this little masquerade wasn't going to be so bad after all...."

* * *

I slept soundly that night, and got up early to do some reading before my classes the next morning. I tried to concentrate, but I couldn't get Jan out of my mind! She was the first girl on campus who seemed to notice me, and despite the bizarre circumstances, I couldn't help wondering whether I might have a shot at asking her out?

I got to the locker room a half hour before practice, hoping I could get changed before the rest of the team showed up. I was surprised to find a small package in my locker, with "From Jan to Erin" written in a girlish hand on the tag. I tore it open to find a pair of panties and a sports bra, with a note which read, "Wear these under your uniform today, they'll help you fit right in "

There was nobody around, and I wondered how Jan had gotten into my locker? Without hesitation, I tore off my jeans, tee shirt and briefs and pulled the panties up my legs. They were a little snug, just like my uniform pants, but Jan was right, they'd probably help my butt look a little more girlish. The sports bra took a bit if figuring before I was able to get it around my chest, and it didn't really add anything in the way of a bosom, but it wasn't uncomfortable and I soon got used to the feeling of it. Once I had the rest of my uniform on, I was lacing up my cleats when Jan came around the corner with a big smile on your face. "Did you like your presents?"

"I can't say I was expecting them. Now I have to get something for you."

"You can do this for me instead." She pulled her lip gloss out of her purse, and before I could protest, she smoothed a healthy dose on my upper and lower lips. "Presto, you're a girl now!" she giggled. I looked at the mirror on my locker door and had to agree with her - with pink painted lips on top of everything else, my appearance was decidedly feminine. I watched as she took off her pants and top and changed into her uniform, marveling at her gorgeous body. She seemed very unselfconscious, and as soon as she was dressed, we picked up our gloves and headed out onto the field.

Jan and I were playing catch when Coach Heller approached. "Erin, can we talk for a minute?" Jan disappeared as the coach cleared her throat. "I wanted to let you know that the Dean of Students has confirmed that your scholarship will remain in place."

"Wow, that's great! Thanks so much!"

"Not at all. She asked me a lot of questions about what we're doing here, and there will be a couple of changes required, nothing really significant but I need to make sure you're okay with them."

"Oh oh."

"Like I said, it's nothing too bad. She's naturally concerned that this might attract attention from the media, and she recommends that we get ahead of the curve by taking a few simple steps."

"Like what?"

"I'm afraid she insists that you begin presenting as a female 24/7. Now don't get alarmed, this doesn't mean you have to start wearing dresses on campus! But she does recommend that you start wearing clothes that are a bit more feminine, like women's jeans and tops. I know money's tight for you right now, but I have enough in my budget to help you put together a few outfits."

"How am I supposed to explain this to my professors and classmates?"

"I don't think that's going to be a big problem, we're only talking about blurring the lines a bit. You've seen the way most of the students dress on campus, if anything you might look a little avant garde but nothing overtly feminine."

"So you're turning me into a tomboy, is that it?"

"Sort of. You'll need some help, and I've asked one of the girls to go with you to the mall to pick out a few things."

"This is not what I signed up for."

"I know, and I feel badly about it, but it's really no big deal, and if you want to be on the team, you're going to have to get with the program. I see that you're wearing a bit of lip gloss, and your sports bra and panty lines are a big improvement, so you've obviously been thinking about the same thing."

My head was spinning. The last thing I wanted was to start dressing as a girl full time, but if I backed out now, I'd be off the team, lose my scholarship and be on a bus back to oblivion. "Who's supposed to help me with all this? I don't know anything about girls' clothes."

"Jan volunteered to help."

Suddenly I knew how Jan had gotten into my locker. She was obviously in cahoots with the coach, and was helping her to set me up for feminization. At that moment, I don't know whether I was more disappointed in Jan, or terrified by what was about to happen to me. "You said there were a couple of things I'd have to do. What else did the Dean have to say?"

"Oh nothing really, we just need to clean up your act a bit. I want you to do something with your hair, and get yourself a manicure."

"This is bullshit!"

"Erin, I'll remind you that I'm your coach. I'm doing everything I can for you, but if you're not going to be a team player, this is not going to work."

I hung my head in despair. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes. The Dean insists that your name on your college records be changed to Erin, and your sex changed to female." She knew that I was about to explode. "Now settle down, it's only paperwork! We can change it back as soon as the season's over. The Dean will tell your professors in a way that protects your privacy, and none of your classmates need to know."

"I need some time to think about all this."

"Of course. You need to have your head in the game if you're going to play for me. Tell you what: why don't you and Jan take the afternoon off and head for the mall?"

Jan could tell that I was steaming when she met me in the locker room. "Erin, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this."

"Save it. So much for my fantasy about being your boyfriend."

"Oh, that's so sweet! I do have a little crush on you, and I want you to know that I'm on your side."

"Like I said, save it. Let's just get this over with."

"Erin, if you must know, coach has asked me to do a little bit more than just helping you shop. Your whole attitude, and the way you carry yourself, has got to become a little more feminine if you're going to be able to satisfy the Dean. She's only thinking of the school's reputation, and if it looks like we're just pulling a scam here, it could trigger an NCAA investigation. You've got to play the game, okay?"

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Leave your sports bra and panties on when you get changed."

I heaved a huge sigh and put my jeans and tee shirt back on. Jan changed quickly - I didn't even bother to ogle her beautiful body this time - and we were off to the campus shuttle which included a stop at a nearby mall. We sat in stony silence, and Jan could tell that I was thoroughly pissed at her. She didn't try to say anything until we got off the shuttle.