My Beyond Amazing Mother – Margaret Evelyn Boyce

I am not sure where to start when writing about my mom, but this blog will focus more on athletics. My mom is truly a unique, special person with so many talents. Incredibly intelligent, hard working, efficient, practical, positive and much more.

As a boy who spent much of his youth playing sports, my mother’s athletic prowess was a gift of unimaginable significance. My athletic endeavors were primarily focused on football, basketball and baseball. My mother was outstanding in each of these areas but also excelled in tennis, bowling, fast pitch softball and a little bit of soccer. It is hard to even say which she was best at because she was good across the board.

As I started to write this I am realizing she simply is a ferocious, formidable competitor. Whether it is board games, Yahtzee, Monopoly, lawn darts, cribbage, cards, crosswords or puzzles, she always plays to win and does so with a joy and enthusiasm rarely seen. I would label it glee whenever she wins or makes a good shot in tennis or finds the key puzzle piece. The pure elation is something to behold.

So for today I will focus mainly on sports. My mother was an outstanding softball and fast pitch player. We used to watch her play in tournaments. She knows the sport inside and out. Typically when I call to talk with her she is distracted because she is engrossed with watching the Seattle Mariners play. On the occasion we go to a live game she keeps the box score, counting balls, strikes and much more. Baseball was probably my best sport although I could argue that I was even better at basketball. Anyway, my mother spent many hours playing baseball with me in the backyard. She would be in the house preparing dinner and I would beg her to come hit me grounders, flyballs and line drives. She could do it all. I never wanted to stop! My father was much less gifted in this area. In basketball, although she is only 5’3″ or so, she had a great two hand set shot. I was good but she often beat me shooting HORSE or PIG and enjoyed it way too much. She would get inside of my head! In football, I would get her to come throw me passes.

One Winter, we had a particularly cold stretch. The temperature on our thermometer measured near zero degrees Fahrenheit and there was snow on the ground. Reminded me of the Green Bay Packers. So of course I wanted to go out and play. It was bitterly cold, but my mother with her freezing hands tried to throw me the ball. It was brutal, but amazing that she would do that. In bowling she was a superstar. We have a trophy in the house for her 3 game series score of 604..or was it 602? She had individual games over 250. In tennis, she played for years and excelled in doubles. We partnered one summer and did OK. Like everything else she knew how to play. Very smart!

I don’t know if there are more accomplished puzzle solvers or crossword players than her. She has such an extensive vocabulary from all of the crosswords she solves. Sometimes when I call she asks me for help but I think she just wants to make me feel good.

Thank you mom for being the incredible person you are and always being willing to play sports with me. There are few mothers in the world that could do that.