There was a championship league game or something on our field, so we had to make do on the little league field at Balboa. We were promised a weeks free permit
if we gave up the field, and after a little deliberation we gave in and headed for the far field. Our bases ended up being about 75 feet, and the mound was somewhere between 56-62 feet. But hey, it beats a rain out. I think everyone involved had some trouble running with the grass to dirt to grass lip to dirt process, but we all made it through fairly unscathed (take care of that hammy Neel.)We instituted a wooden bat only rule to keep the game in check, and Dennis started on the bump for the home team, yours truly faced off for the visiting warriors. I got to say that Satch thrives on games in the ambiguous realm. Dennis threw 6 for the first time and kept the pill all around the zone. Crackatoa treated our team pretty well, I must say, and we notched up a healthy lead early. The home squad just seemed to be swinging at my slowball, which was alright with me, cuz the moist air made for a heavy pitching day. However, I don't know if I have seen the ball flying so live in the outfield, so I guess my wet ball theory doesn't hold too much water (natch).
The game was a little lopsided for a few innings, and the wind and clouds kept coming and going, but like in all games, one error begat another, and line drives and long bombs ensued and the home squad was threatening comeback. Being 7 on 7, we had a few unlucky players who had to do the inning and a half of defense, but hey, that's what happens. Unfortunately as the sun faded in the west the wind picked up and the temperature started to drop. The Championship game ended and the field opened up, but we decided that we should finish what we started on our own field of dreams....at least until the end of the 7th, and then we got tired of freezing our asses off and called it a game.
Had a flash of my very first little league team, the Pirates. I was the only kid on the team that used a wooden bat....in fact I think I was the only kid that could heft the thing. Back then, I just thought that was the only way to play the game. Being older now, and poorer to boot, I avoid the wood for fear of breaking someone's $65 dollar investment. But the wood bat sound is true, and that is what I got most out of today's game; the cacophony of clicks and snicks of a good piece of hickory on the old horsehide.
Highlights
* A good clean game
* Chris, Neel, Bob, Tony, Satch, Noah, for giving the pill a first class ticket to the Himalayas...a couple of times each.
* The knuckleball Greg swung at, not my best, but it had some funk
* Dennis doing his part with the bump and the bat
* Johnny back in form, glad your airsacks are back on track Chief!
* Bob for getting our permits, so we had some legal swing in the Championship snafu (remember to toss some lettuce his way when you get a chance)
* The fact that the monsoon that has descended while your humble servant writes this out waited until we finished our game
* The successful dusting off of the time honored old favorite center fielder pickoff manuever, almost a two pickoff day, if Tony's catlike reflexes hadn't saved him one more time (yeah that throw was a little wide too)
Looks like the February rains have come, which we need, so get some liniment and a medicine ball and lets all start gearing up for spring.
Well....lets have a few more games before that happens.
See you under the tarp
S. Paige
PS
Here is an official picture of Pete Simonelli in baseball gear. It was great to see a East coast player out in the sun, and a hell of a good show at the Hemlock that night too...
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