Fastpitch: Spoke Too Soon
2008 July 3 | General
Yeah, so I’m superstitious for a reason, darn it.
Last week, after posting about how well I was playing so far this year, I went out and had my worst game at the plate, a 1-for-3 performance in a 5-1 win against a team with just eight players. This past Tuesday, though, is when all the wheels fell off.
I committed two errors in the first inning at first, then made an astoundingly bad blunder on the basepaths. We lost for the first time, 6-1. To make matters worse (at least from a personal standpoint), I pulled a muscle beating out an infield single in the third inning. I’ve strained things at various times in the past, but they’ve always recovered within a day or two. I don’t think that’s gonna happen this time. I’d tell you where the muscle is, but this is a family blog. Just know it’s an important area when it comes to running at a sprint. I’ve iced it, taken copious amounts of ibuprofen, and am doing nothing strenuous before next Tuesday’s game, but I’m afraid what wheels I have left at 38 have just been further reduced.
How did I close that entry I mentioned above? Oh yeah …
And I still haven’t hurt myself.
Guess I should’ve looked harder for some wood to knock.
Fastpitch: Renewal
2008 June 26 | Sporting Tales
So despite hitting a robust .229 last year, I was actually invited to return to play for Vogel Center Agrepair in the McBain Fastpitch League for the 2008 season. Before you ask, no, I have nothing to hold over the head of Al, the gentleman who runs the team. I can only assume he didn’t keep aggregate stats.
I’ve been moved to first base this season — Al claims he wanted someone “athletic” to man the bag, whereas I’m pretty sure he wanted someone younger chasing those slicing drives in right field (and he got his wish — our new right fielder is just 17-years-old and very good). In fact, I am now officially the second oldest person on the team, something I find a bit stunning. Then again, as my dad will point out, I am “nearly forty.” (I’ve been telling him for three years that he’s “nearly sixty.”) I played first once last year, with mixed results, but I’ve always had trouble seeing the ball during the late game in the lights while playing outfield, so I’m hopeful that a move to the infield will be beneficial.
You’ll recall that last season I never had a multi-hit game, and had just eight hits all year (though I did have a pretty solid slugging percentage, since five of my eight hits were for extra bases). Well, the great Willie Keeler says to “hit ‘em where they ain’t,” and that’s what I’ve been incredibly fortunate to do through two and a half games this season. I already have seven hits in 11 at-bats (though my 2-for-2 effort in our opener may end up being unofficial, depending on if the game is finished or replayed), including a pair of doubles. I have to share some detail about one hit, though, to illustrate just how aging affects the mind and body. (And though I try very hard to not be a superstitious person, I can’t help but wonder if my telling you about my good fortune to date will have a detrimental effect on tonight’s game — let’s hope not.)
In our second game two weeks ago, I doubled to the left-center gap in my second at-bat. Well, I should’ve doubled to the left-center gap; instead, as I approached second base, I noticed the center fielder was just picking up the ball at the fence. In my mind, I figured he’d need to make a perfect throw to get me at third, so I rounded the bag and kept on going. Unfortunately, as Pastor Chad recently discovered, one just doesn’t have that extra gear anymore when one is in one’s late thirties (or “nearly forty”), and the youngster (who has a cannon left arm that I was fully aware of and conveniently forgot) made that perfect throw, gunning me down by a good two steps with a one-hop strike. (Naturally, later in the game, he launched another throw to third over the eight-foot fence that separates the field from the stands and into the parking lot — where was that throw when I needed it?) I should be happy I didn’t pull something, but I’ll admit it was pretty embarrassing.
Still, we’re 2-0 (and we were leading in that first game after three-and-a-half innings), my boneheaded errors in the field haven’t actually cost us a game yet, and it’s still more fun than paying $15 a week to golf poorly, so I really can’t complain.
And I still haven’t hurt myself.
(Anyone got some wood on which to knock?)
Abbyisms, Part IX
2008 May 19 | Abbyisms Tomfoolery
Daddy, Alexander and Abigail are driving in the van. Momma is out of town with Grandma. The kids have been told that Momma will be bringing something home for each of them.
Alexander: “I bet it’s something really cool.”
Abigail: “I think it’s a ball!”
Daddy: “Why do you think it’s a ball, Abby?”
Abigail: “If it is a ball, I’ll be a genius!”
I Knew It
2008 February 20 | Photos Tomfoolery
Just a click away.
So it really is for sale!
Separated
2008 February 18 | Photos Tomfoolery
So I was watching some highlights (lowlights?) of the Roger Clemens congressional hearings (don’t these guys have better things to do?) last week, and I was struck that I’d seen Henry Waxman, the chairman of that committee, somewhere before. And then it hit me — Harry Potter. I’m sure I’m not the first to figure out this connection, but for my three readers, allow me to point out that this guy:
Mr. Waxman
…could easily pass for this guy:
Mr. Goblin
The resemblance is startling, no?