Sports Legend

I realized yesterday after I left that I had forgotten about my softball tales. Many years ago, I worked for Zio's and in doing what a lot of server groups do, we got a sports team together. First it was soccer, but then, in order to get the girls involved, we decided to go for a co-ed softball team. Well, seeing how my grandfather was a fast pitch softball pitcher, and I can still see my dad pitching slow pitch and snagging those line drives out of the air, so I told the team I'd give it a try. Well, we got through a couple games and all was well, until one guy came up and drilled one back up the middle. It hit me square in the ankle and took me off my feet, giving me a good limp for about a week. This was back in 2001, and the ex-wife was down with me in Mustang (we weren't married yet, obviously). She watched the event unfold and when I got off the field she was the first one there. I had to promise not to pitch anymore if I wanted to keep playing softball. So, I didn't, and Zio's stopped playing softball after one more season I think.

Anyway, the point of me telling that is that on the weekend before Memorial Day, I was pulled out of retirement to start playing the most of the old gang again. This time, I was free to drink and flirt (much like Dad did I might add :)). Well, our pitcher, Erica, couldn't get the slow pitch down, and we lost our first four games on run rules on account that our team, well, sucks, and the other teams got easy runs. So, our fifth game is going, and I'm playing my infield spot, and we're down 11. So, Darrell, the guy who I still am pretty good friends with despite not working at Zio's for 6 years, calls from the outfield and inserts me on the mound. Now, I don't like losing, even in a co-ed D league, and I really don't like getting run ruled every game, so I thought, hey, can't hurt. So, I pitch the rest of the game without incident and then the second game of the night, we actually got to play the full hour and even went into extra innings. So, now, I'm the new pitcher.

So this past Sunday, we play a team that's just knocking the piss out of the ball. So a lefty comes up, who's hit the ball hard already a few times, and lines one right back at my chest. I get my glove up just in time for it to hit me right on the wrist. I went down like a sack of potatoes when it hit me, and everyone rushed in to make sure I was ok. Since it was my glove hand, I went ahead and finished the game. Well, the next batter came up, and she in her first at bat had hit a little dribbler three feet and then popped out weakly the 2nd time. So, my first pitch after the incident, she starts her swing and I creep up a few feet just in case its another dribbler. POP! Right back at my chest. Luckily, it wasn't as hard and I got my glove up and nearly caught the damn thing, but it dropped to the ground and I made the play and got her out. I think it was the ghost of dad (it was Father's Day) just getting a kick out of me pitching, because he got a good laugh when I got hit on the ankle too.

No real point to that story, just thought it'd be fun to share. I'll have a picture of my bruised wrist sometime, maybe.