Friday August 28, 2009
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Reston - Herndon Adult Softball Council
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Reston - Herndon Adult Softball Council
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The Game That I Stole
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The Game That I Stole
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You better know the Rules
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The year was 1985, if I remember correctly, and the FishHeads team that I sponsored and played for was playing a RHASC B-League Summer Tournament game. Winner advances to the Championship game, the next day; the Loser goes home to stay.
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The FishHeads were a bunch of over 35 year old, beer (and other stuff) pals and the team that we were playing was comprised of young, big muscle bound jerks. They laughed at us when we showed up, they laughed at us when we took batting & infield practice and when their first batter smacked a dinger over the fence, they laughed hilariously. After just one of their batters, they were chanting ‘slaughter rule, slaughter rule’. (see end Note)
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Our old scorebook shows that we were losing 10-5 with 2 Outs in the top of the 7th inning when I poked a hit into Right Field. As I rounded First Base, I saw that their Right Fielder had misplayed the ball and so, I kept running .. all the way to Third Base. Once the play was complete, their Catcher hollered that I had missed First Base and their Pitcher should appeal the play. And so, the Pitcher goes to the Pitching Rubber as if to pitch to our next batter and their Catcher runs down towards First Base pointing to throw the ball there. When their Pitcher throws the ball over to First Base, I see no one covering Home and so I take off for the Plate, scoring easily. Not only was the appeal overruled but their complaint about me running on the appeal was negated, as well. Now, we’re losing 10-6. But that one heads up play sparked our team and we went on to score 5 more Runs.
And so, the steroid-ers (as I called them) were trailing 11-10 going into the bottom of the 7th inning.
But THAT wasn’t how I stole the game. No. But, keep reading.
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The steroid-ers first batter in the bottom of the 7th smashes a long, deep drive to Left Center Field. It hits about a foot from the top of the fense and by the time our Fielder chases it down and gets the ball back in to the Infield, their batter is standing on Third Base with a Triple. Still, no Outs.
Their next batter hits a bouncer right back at our Pitcher who sees the Runner on Third Base a little too far off the Base and zips the ball over there, nailing him. One Out, man on First Base.
Their next hitter whallops a long fly ball to Left Field. Our Left Fielder runs it down but right in front of the fense, he drops it. Their base runner was expecting a Base Hit but, still, tagged up and made it to Second Base. One Out, men on First Base and Second Base. Their next hitter lines a Single to Left Field but their Runner on Second Base stops at Third Base for safety precautions.
Now, one Out, Bases Loaded. Next hitter swings for the fenses but undercuts the ball, badly and pops up to our Infield. Now, there’s two Outs, bases still looaded .. and their best hitter is up. He’s 4 for 4 with a wicked Home Run, already. Their Coach / Manager is yelling that the Runners on Second Base and Third Base are all that matters. They must score but he keeps yelling that nothing else matters; ‘nothing else matters’.
The first pitch, their hitter drills a ball down the Right Field line where I’m playing Right Field. Now, I know their Runner on Third Base will just walk in and tie the game and their Runner on Second Base will, most likely score, too .. winning the game for them .. but I’m not giving up. No, not me !
Still, the ball is way deep in the corner before I chase it down. When I pick it up, their winning run is 10 feet from Home Plate and we’ve surely lost ..
BUT with all that ‘nothing else matters’ – I see that their batter did not run to First Base. He’s there at the Plate watching their perceived winning run scoring. And he’s dancing down the First Base line but in no hurry to get to First Base.
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Now, you Baseball fans know what I mean when I say those two Runners crossing Home Plate don’t mean sh!t UNLESS the batter runs to First base and touches it WHICH HE DID NOT DO ! ! !
So, I spot it, immediately but I can’t throw the ball to Calvin, our First Baseman because he’s got his head down, walking off the field. I want to yell but I don’t want to alert their team what we all know and that is if the batter does not reach First Base – it’s basically a Ground Out. So, I start slipping in towards Fist Base. Fast .. but trying not to show my hand. The Umpire is not awarding their team anything because he knows what the dealio is. He’s watching me .. and I see him watching me.
Their batter is, still, dancing with his arms up in the air and he’s pointing at our Pitcher and trash-talking.
Now, I’m creeping in within 20 feet of First Base when the steroid-ers Coach sees the Umpire doing nothing and it hits him what’s up. He screams at their batter to run to First Base. By the time the batter gets it and starts to run, I’m already there and step on the bag. The Ump yells, “you’re out !” And follows up with, “the game is over. FishHeads win !”
And I slam the ball down on the ground ala Pete Rose, right at the feet of their batter/runner.
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I stole the freaking game and our players did not even know what had happened. None of them. Five minutes after the game was over and beer cans were a popping in the parking lot, some of our guys, still, weren’t sure what had happened.
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If you’re going to play Baseball / Softball – it helps to know the Rules.
And I do.
.
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** Note: Slaughter Rule is when a team is ahead by 12 runs or more after 4 innings.
.
.
.
.
The FishHeads were a bunch of over 35 year old, beer (and other stuff) pals and the team that we were playing was comprised of young, big muscle bound jerks. They laughed at us when we showed up, they laughed at us when we took batting & infield practice and when their first batter smacked a dinger over the fence, they laughed hilariously. After just one of their batters, they were chanting ‘slaughter rule, slaughter rule’. (see end Note)
.
Our old scorebook shows that we were losing 10-5 with 2 Outs in the top of the 7th inning when I poked a hit into Right Field. As I rounded First Base, I saw that their Right Fielder had misplayed the ball and so, I kept running .. all the way to Third Base. Once the play was complete, their Catcher hollered that I had missed First Base and their Pitcher should appeal the play. And so, the Pitcher goes to the Pitching Rubber as if to pitch to our next batter and their Catcher runs down towards First Base pointing to throw the ball there. When their Pitcher throws the ball over to First Base, I see no one covering Home and so I take off for the Plate, scoring easily. Not only was the appeal overruled but their complaint about me running on the appeal was negated, as well. Now, we’re losing 10-6. But that one heads up play sparked our team and we went on to score 5 more Runs.
And so, the steroid-ers (as I called them) were trailing 11-10 going into the bottom of the 7th inning.
But THAT wasn’t how I stole the game. No. But, keep reading.
.
The steroid-ers first batter in the bottom of the 7th smashes a long, deep drive to Left Center Field. It hits about a foot from the top of the fense and by the time our Fielder chases it down and gets the ball back in to the Infield, their batter is standing on Third Base with a Triple. Still, no Outs.
Their next batter hits a bouncer right back at our Pitcher who sees the Runner on Third Base a little too far off the Base and zips the ball over there, nailing him. One Out, man on First Base.
Their next hitter whallops a long fly ball to Left Field. Our Left Fielder runs it down but right in front of the fense, he drops it. Their base runner was expecting a Base Hit but, still, tagged up and made it to Second Base. One Out, men on First Base and Second Base. Their next hitter lines a Single to Left Field but their Runner on Second Base stops at Third Base for safety precautions.
Now, one Out, Bases Loaded. Next hitter swings for the fenses but undercuts the ball, badly and pops up to our Infield. Now, there’s two Outs, bases still looaded .. and their best hitter is up. He’s 4 for 4 with a wicked Home Run, already. Their Coach / Manager is yelling that the Runners on Second Base and Third Base are all that matters. They must score but he keeps yelling that nothing else matters; ‘nothing else matters’.
The first pitch, their hitter drills a ball down the Right Field line where I’m playing Right Field. Now, I know their Runner on Third Base will just walk in and tie the game and their Runner on Second Base will, most likely score, too .. winning the game for them .. but I’m not giving up. No, not me !
Still, the ball is way deep in the corner before I chase it down. When I pick it up, their winning run is 10 feet from Home Plate and we’ve surely lost ..
BUT with all that ‘nothing else matters’ – I see that their batter did not run to First Base. He’s there at the Plate watching their perceived winning run scoring. And he’s dancing down the First Base line but in no hurry to get to First Base.
.
Now, you Baseball fans know what I mean when I say those two Runners crossing Home Plate don’t mean sh!t UNLESS the batter runs to First base and touches it WHICH HE DID NOT DO ! ! !
So, I spot it, immediately but I can’t throw the ball to Calvin, our First Baseman because he’s got his head down, walking off the field. I want to yell but I don’t want to alert their team what we all know and that is if the batter does not reach First Base – it’s basically a Ground Out. So, I start slipping in towards Fist Base. Fast .. but trying not to show my hand. The Umpire is not awarding their team anything because he knows what the dealio is. He’s watching me .. and I see him watching me.
Their batter is, still, dancing with his arms up in the air and he’s pointing at our Pitcher and trash-talking.
Now, I’m creeping in within 20 feet of First Base when the steroid-ers Coach sees the Umpire doing nothing and it hits him what’s up. He screams at their batter to run to First Base. By the time the batter gets it and starts to run, I’m already there and step on the bag. The Ump yells, “you’re out !” And follows up with, “the game is over. FishHeads win !”
And I slam the ball down on the ground ala Pete Rose, right at the feet of their batter/runner.
.
I stole the freaking game and our players did not even know what had happened. None of them. Five minutes after the game was over and beer cans were a popping in the parking lot, some of our guys, still, weren’t sure what had happened.
.
If you’re going to play Baseball / Softball – it helps to know the Rules.
And I do.
.
.
** Note: Slaughter Rule is when a team is ahead by 12 runs or more after 4 innings.
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LARRY..CURTIS..SPURLOCK
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