I made a slideshow of our softball game. You can view it online at my Photodex page. You'll probably need to load their presentation module (an Active X thing) to make it work. It's about 8 minutes long.
There may be 2 thumbnails. You want the one with the glove.
For the first time since moving to Winston Salem, i participated in an athletic event, when my department at work held a fun softball outing one recent Friday afternoon. It all started when our "real" team kept getting drubbed in a local city league, and we started razzing them at the office. Our department head, my boss, taunted that he could take the leftovers from the non-players and beat the real team.
I was one of those non-players. So drug out the dusty white cleats that had sat in the garage all these 8 years. Borrowed Caroline's glove since i couldn't find my own. Stretched for all of 3 minutes, tossed for another 3, and then we hit the field.
I hadn't played ball since the Windsor vs. Atlanta Casualty showdown back in Atlanta, somewhere around 1997. In that game (which we won), i went 4-4 batting lefthanded for the first time in my life, and helped turn a triple play from 1B. I decided it would never get any better than that, and retired from the game.
But duty called me back to the diamond. Like riding a bike. All the little things came naturally back to mind. Where to go on each play, how to position myself defensively. Batting was a but rusty. In 3 at-bats, had a meager popup to SS, and sharp fielders-choice grounder to SS, and a Texas Leaguer to RF for a double.
After that double, the next batter hit a grounder to short. When he pegged the throw to first, i took off for 3b, having noticed that the 3B had drifted away (no idea where she went). The astute SS notices and starts running with me to third. I know the 1B is good, and now i'm in trouble. I'm gonna have to slide. At least that's what those baseball instincts told me. Head-first. At the last moment, though, i noticed the throw going wide, and i maybe remembered the warning from Julie (don't get hurt!), and decided not to slide.
Alas, the body didn't mind the mind, and i got caught in-between, and ended up pounding into the pebbly dirt knees-first. Then i tumbled over the bag, scrapping my right shin/calf, but still able to stay safely on the bag. I lay in the dirt, too embarrassed to rise and face the guffawing crowd, laughing myself at how goofy that must have looked.
I came into score, but the game ended 2 outs later. I trudged over to the first aid station (me on the sidewalk, pouring bottled water over my wounds, gooberly trying to stick a bandage on a wet knee). I didn't feel it at the time, but these strawberries have been killing me since, as have the sore muscles.
I'm back in retirement. They'll need cash money next time.
Not much to say right now. Just taking advantage of the wireless card while watching Jackson play coach pitch, on an unseasonably hot October afternoon. It's almost 90 (yet again; we've already had an all-time record # of days at 90 or above, and look to add to that record tomorrow), but at least the humidity is low.
I don't know the name of Jack's team. I don't think they have a team name. But their shirts are red, so we'll call them the Reds. They started miserably ("pathetic", to use their coach's term) in the first inning, giving up the maximum 6 runs. But ever since then (maybe the coach's admonishment worked), they've played stellar defense, with about 3 web gems, and a 6-run inning of their own.
Jackson has struck out once, and hit a nubber-single. He's pretty fast, and a smart baserunner, and ended up scoring that time. He's up 3rd this inning, so let's see how he does...
3rd at-bat, and 3rd different bat he's taken to the plate. I've instructed him to let the first pitch go, to get the timing down, to practice watching the ball cross the plate. He finally let the first pitch go, but he stood statue-still, never moving his head or taking his eyes off the coach-pitcher. Struck out again, though i only saw 2 swings & misses. Nobody said anything, and Jackson ran back to the bench, so maybe i was wrong.
