Nick Jonas

Wiffle Ball

Helfaer is actually pretty incredible for a little league field, perfect dirt with no weeds to be found, covered dugouts, and a scoreboard. I admire it for a few seconds before stepping down into the dugout to meet the rest of our team.

"Hey, welcome to Team Clark. I'm David Ross, manager of the Cubs," we are greeted immediately.

"Hey, skipper, what's the-oh, hey guys! I'm Anthony Rizzo," says a guy dressed in the same uniform as us, and we all shake his hand.

"Nick Jonas. This is my cousin Harper, my wife Priyanka, and Laine Hardy," Nick says, introducing us all.

"Nice to meet you guys. Everyone else is out in left field stretching. You should join us!" he says, and when we nod, he leads us out to the four man circle on the grass. "Meet Javy Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, and Craig Kimbrel."

We introduce ourselves to the rest of them, stretching out and swapping stories while we stretch for around ten minutes. They are all extremely friendly people and we get along very well, so it shouldn't be hard to play as a team with them.

"So, we're playing this game exactly like baseball, with nine people on the field. I know traditional wiffle ball only uses three, but we thought it would be more fun to follow all the baseball rules with just a lighter ball," Anthony explains.

"Sounds good. We like normal baseball better, so yeah, this will be fun for us," I say, and Nick nods.

"What positions do you guys want to play? You get first pick," Javy says.

"Laine?" Nick asks, and he shrugs.

"I'll catch. That would be fun," he says.

"Okay. Harper, I know you like the outfield," Nick says, and I nod.

"Center field, if that works for everyone," I say, and nobody seems to have a problem with it.

"I'll play outfield with Harper," Priyanka says.

"Then I'll take second," Nick decides.

"I'll play left like always," Kyle says. 

"Nice. Javy, you're at short, and Kris, you're at third. Craig, can I pitch since we're not supposed to have actual pitchers pitching?" Anthony says, and Craig nods, deciding to play first.

Once we've got the positions decided, Rossy makes up the lineup and we play catch with a wiffle ball to warm up our arms and get used to the weight really quick before batting practice. I throw with Laine, and he's a natural, though he's never played before.

"You're sure you've never played baseball?" I ask him, laughing as he throws the ball perfectly to my chest.

"Never," he grins. "But let me tell you, it's way more fun than I expected."

During batting practice, of course the members of the Cubs can hit the ball. Even playing with the wiffle, they jack it over the 200 foot fences. Nick does the same, a few swings into it, and Priyanka's jaw drops at this.

"I did not know he was that good," she says, and I nod.

"If he didn't become a singer, he wanted to become a professional baseball player," I tell her.

"Of course he did," she says with a laugh.

Right before we start the game, both teams are announced and line up down their respective baselines for the national anthem, though the only fans in the small stadium are family members and teammates of the major leaguers.

"First we have the visiting Team Clark, managed by number 3, David Ross," Brian Anderson announces from the tiny press box. Rossy runs out to the line, standing closest to home plate as our lineup is listed off. "Number 17, the third baseman, Kris Bryant! Number 9, the shortstop, Javier Baez! Number 2, the second baseman, Nick Jonas! Number 12, the left fielder, Kyle Schwarber! Number 4, the center fielder, Harper Jonas! Number 1, the catcher, Laine Hardy! Number 44, the pitcher, Anthony Rizzo! Number 19, the right fielder, Priyanka Chopra Jonas! Number 46, the first baseman, Craig Kimbrel!"