August 13, 2009

GAME DAY
THE SCENE

• June 23rd 930, The worlds oldest Parliament is formed in Iceland.
• June 23rd 1917, Red Sox pitcher Ernie Shore retires 26 consecutive batters after replacing Babe Ruth who was ejected for punching an umpire.
• June 23rd 1927, Lou Gehrig hits 3 home runs in an 11-4 Yankee win over the Red Sox.
• June 23rd 1963, Colin Montgomrie is born.
• June 23rd 1969, Joe Frazier TKOs Jerry Quarry in the 8th round to win the heavyweight title.
• June 23rd 1972, The Watergate Scandel breaks, leading to the resignation for Richard Milhouse Nixon.
• June 23rd 1973, Phillies pitcher Ken Brett (George's brother) hits a home run for the 4th consecutive game.
• June 23rd 1976, The CN Tower opens.
• June 23rd 1981, AAA game between Pawtucket and Rochester ends after 33 innings. (Cal Ripken Jr was 2 for 13, Wade Boggs 4 for 12 & there were 60 strikeouts in the game)
• June 23rd 1990, Arsenio Hall is selected by TV Guide as the television personality of the year.
• June 23rd 1992, John Gotti is sentenced to life in prison for murder.
• June 23rd 2006, Aaron Spelling dies.
• June 23rd 2009, The Grisslies lose their last game before going on a 7 game (11 counting the HTK tournament) winning streak.

It had been 49 day between games where the Grisslies tasted defeat. Sure, this most recent loss was to the 1st place team overall in the league, but it still stung. The team left Coventry Park last night a somewhat dejected group. Even Ingo Bartens didn't do his normal post game back flip, into a front hand spring, followed by a hands free cartwheel, ending with a back round off. You know that when Ingo doesn't do gymnastics, that the team is taking things hard.


INGO after Grisslie win over The Wild

THE SPEECH


Its hard the think along with the always philosophical Rob Farah. Farah, in Lebanese actually translates to "dark, mysterious stream of unknown depth and complexity, known to churn muddy waters and possess a strong under current of emotional awareness". Yes, the Lebanese are well know for being cunning linguists (use your imagination). Rob clearly knew that the usual fare wouldn't do. Quoting Shakespeare or UK bands just wouldn't cut it this time. This time, the team REALLY needed a rally cry. He decided to blend instruction with inspiration and came up with his best pregame speech to date.


Music courtesy of Youtube ====> CLICK ME

GET BACK THAT WINNING FEELING (To the tune of you've lost that lovin' feeling)

Please don't close your eyes anymore when you hit a pitch,
And you should hold the ball only in your fingertips,
And fling it hard when you throw it, (Johnny).
But Danny and Ingo, I know it...

Get back that winning feeling,
Whoa, that winning feeling,
Get back that winning feeling,
Before its gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.

Now there's a hungry look in your eyes,
When you reach first base,
And its our base running skills that got us out of last place,
It makes me just feel like crying, (Steve-o)
When our runners, our runners are flying.

Get back that winning feeling,
Whoa, that winning feeling,
Get back that winning feeling,
Before its gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.

Billy, Billy, I'm rolling up my sleeves like you.
'Cause you play third, like Scott Rolen would do,
We have a team...a team...a team you don't find everyday.
So don't...don't...don't...don't let it slip away.

McCarron (Wynnyk), McGovern (McCallum),
I beg of you please...please,
I need your glove (I need your glove),
I need your glove (I need your glove),
So bring it on back (So bring it on back),
Bring it on back (so bring it on back).

Bring back that winning feeling,
Whoa, that winning feeling
Bring back that winning feeling,
Before its gone...gone...gone,
and we can't go on,
noooo...



THE GAME

So for regular Blog followers, you know that there was a lot riding on this game personally.


Pride.


On Friday July 31st Fonzie boldly predicted that he would strike me out. Since that day, I've been dead man walking, listlessly meandering through life, town to town, up and down the dial.


Tito has been a really good sport over the last two weeks with people all over the league calling him "Fonzie" now. However, he came back at me a couple of days ago giving me the nickname of Costanza! I thought that was pretty clever. Short, fat, bald. Sometimes obvious is just plain funny. I mean, he could have come up with Winston Churchill, Homer Simpson, or Budha. I should be honoured.


I heard from Mark Doyle who referred to this match up as Fonzie Vs. Mork. I totally forgot about that episode of Happy Days, but he's absolutely right! There was a Fonzie Vs. Mork showdown. Plus Mork rhymes with dork and that's pretty much how I ended up.


So, game time at Keogh Park. There was heightened anticipation in the crowd as the number of spectators swelled well into double digits.


1st at bat
Hit a slider away into a fielders choice which counts as a hit our league.

2nd at bat
first pitch - ball one
second pitch - ball two
third pitch - foul
fourth pitch - ball three
fifth pitch - strike, looking (it was a change up away)
FULL COUNT PITCH - strike, swinging (it was a cutter off the plate inside and it got in on my fists, very Mariano Rivera like.)

3rd at bat
First pitch - ball one
second pitch - ball two
third pitch - ball three
fourth pitch - strike one (looking)
fifth pitch - ball four
Walk.


4th at bat
First pitch - ball one
second pitch - line single to right; however, tried to stretch a single into a double and was called out.


At the end of the day the Grisslies now have a two game losing streak as the Rusty Rebels from downtown Titoham won by 3 runs. For the second game in a row the Grisslies fell behind early, fought their was back and came up a bit short. There were a few stellar moments in the game. Two provided defensively by Doris turning very "Doris Like" double plays. Another was Rob Farah going four for four plus snaring a bullet back to the mound. McCarron was solid in the outfield and at the dish while Billy put his gun slinger speed on display once again.


A little good news for the Grisslies is that some of the regulars start to come back next week.


Meanwhile.....although there was no "bet" and I didn't predict that I 'wouldn't strike out', I happily bought Fonzie a beer last night after the game. He seemed pretty appreciative of that.

So.....


Where does this mess leave me? I'm just a rookie in the league. Called out and taught a lesson by league veteran. I will admit that for a millisecond as my bat went vacantly through the strike zone I thought about cork screwing myself into the ground and disappearing. I thought about quitting the league and giving up baseball, which a few people would probably prefer right about now. I thought about going to Tibet and becoming a monk. I thought about going to Cooperstown New York and becoming a tour guide at the Baseball Hall of Fame. I thought about giving up the BLOG. I thought about taking a course in how to deal with public humiliation and come through the other side.


But.....

GEORGE COSTANZA IS NOT A QUITTER!