SPECIAL REPORT - HTKP II - We didn't start the fire

The Intro
The final tally is in for the WHO IS THE  BATMAN Poll..
James Taylor                                                   42% of the popular vote
Mrs Del Greco                                                31% of the vote
Simon smith                                                     26% of the vote
Danny Chiasson                                               10% of the vote
Dave Argue                                                     10% of the vote
Mark Doyle                                                       5% of the vote
Kevin Boston, Chuck Cragg, Tim Osmond.        0% of the vote.

SELFISH NOTE:

I have officially given up trying to predict readership.  Two weeks ago we had the Chuck Cragg BLOG which I still maintain may be the funniest thing I`ve ever written and we got about 600 page loads that week.  Last week we did The Batman BLOG which didn`t take much effort but generated 1200 page loads.  To put that in perspective, that 13% of what we`ve had in 2 years.

Please.  help me understand!!!

This BLOG is more all over the place (hard to believe?) than my typical BLOG.  As an intro, here are the top 8 things to happen at the Help The Kids Play tournament, from my point of view only.  I'll try to stay balanced, but there is a chance this could be a little Grisslie centric.

1.  The Mercat Tai-Chi guy.

Sorry, but if you missed this guy, then you missed what may have been the most entertaining part of the weekend.  If you don’t know what a mercat is, it’s a mangy little thing that lives underground and looks like a cross between a lemur and and a raccoon.

Anyway, everyday at dawn, they all come out of their holes and line up facing the rising sun.  No one really knows why this happens.  Well, before our game Saturday morning at C3, there was meract; Tai-Chi guy facing the rising sun and doing some for form of funky Bee-Gees tai-chi meditation. I wish I had better words to describe it, but I’m going to just go with “wrong”.

2. Danny Chiasson playing Short.

I know. I’m having trouble believing it myself, but yes, the lad seems able to play short and 3rd as well. After we dropped our first two games and lost all hope of moving on to play Sunday; Rob and I decided to experiment (with the team). The first experiment of having Piero in Centre Field produced mixed results. The second experiment with Ingo umpiring had its moments. However, I think we may have hit on something with Danny boy.

3.  The Alumni game

Alumni? Didn’t I play half those guys last week? This was a great addition to the weekend program and I’ve not heard a bad word about it from anyone. The Alumni were like kids in a candy (pun fully intended) store with the opportunity to play and their attitudes were infectious.

4.  The dedication ceremony.

What a genuine outpouring of warmth from all the people in attendance. Everyone did an excellent job in presenting and speaking, but no more so than Jeff Dancey who found the right words to convey our sincerity without making everyone weep. Its was close though, I’ll admit it!

5.  The All Star game

Oh yeah. This was the main event!!! More, much more on that later.

6.  The pig roast.

By all accounts, the pig was the only one that got hurt!

7.  The music!

In addition to the Alumni Game, the Pig Roast and the All Star game, this was the 4th significant change to the weekend and another one that was really well received. I loved the fact that there was live music and it made for great atmosphere. Thanks Chris and Jim!

8.  Piero’s Play at the plate

This one may be better saved for the legion. It was a bang-bang-bang play at the plate with an opportunity for double play on one catch. Its tough to do on your back though!

The Speech

So here is the thing about Rob that maybe you don't realize.  Rob is very proud of his team, The Grisslies, but he is probably even more proud of the league overall.  He is big proponent of supporting the rookies on all teams and recognizing people who have contributed to and helped maintain the values of our league.  In the two years I`ve been with the Grisslies, the Help The Kids Tournament hasn`t been presented as an option, but something that ``we do, because its the right thing to do``.  To that end, Rob found a way to mention the names of 106 player, 11 teams, 1 tournament, 1 park and 1 nerd all in one song!!!

This one goes to the tune of "we didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel.

We Didn't Start The Fire

Bob Candy, Dennis Short, Ed Vonda, Fraser Barratt

Keogh Park, Wycliffe Wheeler, Bobby Vienneau

Chris Ross, Andy Gee, Dave Polny, Billy Cloutier

Wayne Bickford, Mark Bickford, Piero Del Greco

Foerster’s, Kevin Moon, Bear Wyatt, Henry Lukassen

Fonzie, “Torn Ligaments” and “The Dodge City Rounders”.

Hughie Armstrong, Stiffer, Oldtimers have a new team

Shmagola, Danny Chiasson, Recycled said goodbye

We didn't start the fire,

The jokes are always burning 

Since the league was forming

Maybe sometimes we're campy

No we don't need to fight it

'Cause we kinda like it.

Jerry Wallace, Chucky Cragg, Steve and Doug De Land

Cliff Joseph, Randy Hipkin, Cameron Clark

Al Fry, Gary Cox, Pendlebury, Sandy Bell

Kevin Nicholl, Hargreaves, Al Nicholl

Hjelholt, McCarron, Brew Jay’s got a winning team

Dave Argue, Bartens, Tim Osmand, Grissleland

Comeau, Robertson, Caradonna, Sullivan

Chris Pulfer, Marky-Mark, And the Funky Bunch

We didn't start the fire,

The jokes are always burning

Since the league was forming

Maybe sometimes we're campy

No we don't need to fight it

'Cause we kinda like it

Jason Bowers, Cartegena, Wayne Caldwell, Rod Duggan

Doris, Francis Walsh, Batman's a hell of a guy

Jens Lepa, Jim MacDonald, Welcome to Jimmerville,

Units try to run and hide, Red Dogs on the other side

Billy Brown, Glen Gray, Stephen Kapp, Craig Beatty

Yellow bats, Frank Laird, Stevie Brooks can really throw.

Mike Olliffe, Club house beer, Matson's paying big cheer,

Paul Piellusch, Bob Pearce, Grisslies in 10th place

We didn't start the fire,

The jokes are always burning

Since the league was forming

Maybe sometimes we're camp

No we don't need to fight it

'Cause we kinda like it

Scott Peters, Coopman, fine pitching by Bill Jonkman,

Radar, Clayton, does anyone speak cajun?

Roger The Big Kahuna, many strikes from Robert Farah,

Gord Dol, Bill Clark, Cudnik hits it out again.

Steve Ross, Lucky Stiff, Rookies are sure to whiff,

Steve Grenkie hits all day, what else do I have to say

We didn`t start the fire

The jokes were always burning

Since the league was forming

Maybe sometimes we're campy

No we don't need to fight it
 'Cause we kinda like it.

Peterson, Darren Mason, Eric Hipkin's still pitchin'

Cliff Tucker, Cliff Stacey, Rob Stock, Greg Tracey.

Wynnyk, Koolhaas, Dean Clarke, new fence in Keogh Park

Rob Hayward still a nerd, Mark Kolsen's rarely heard.

Help The Kids, Simon Smith, Cal Steeves is coming with

Fancy shorts, John Harrett, Walsh, Black, Terry Doucet

Rouleau's backs not sore, The Banshee's have no big flaws

Saunders got a fast new car, I can't take it anymore

The Game

Yes there was a ladies final, a men's final and a young timers finals.  Congrats to all, but that wasn`t really the big story.  The real attraction Sunday was the oldtimers vs young timers all star game. 

No one asked me for my opinion, but I get to write this so I`ll give it anyway.  Here is what I have to say:

We (the Grisslies) lost to Ed and Tony`s Wild team last year in the Semi-finals of the end of season tournament.  They were nothing but gentlemen after the game and their team followed the lead of their captains.  They went on to win the finals in tough match and maintained their class and represented the league fantastically.  When they were asked to pick and coach the all star team they were handed somewhat of a losing proposition.  We have 168 guys in our league.  They were bound to leave people off that others thought should be on.  You simply can`t make everyone happy.  That being said, I think they picked a great team and handled the job seriously and with integrity.

Enough of my views.   (I`m sure you`re all happy).

So odds makers had the over under for the game 31 runs and 10+ to the young timers.  Conventional wisdom and popular betting had the young timers winning this easily and possibly even invoking the mercy rule!  Chris Ross spoke to the oldtimers troops before the game and spoke of the `kids` youthful enthusiasm and how the oltimers had to use their guile and moxie to over come their athleticism.  At least that`s how Tony remembered the speech. 

The game started with the oldtimers up first and the game was led off by a with a single by Rob Hayward.  In a sign of things to come, the next batter hit a crisp two hopper to Red at third base who moved deftly to left to scoop it and fire to second to start a twin killing.  The 5-4-3 double play left the bases empty and two out.  The oldtimers didn`t cave though.  Doris, Mooner and Andy all worked their way on to load the bases with two down and put the kids on their heels before a fly out to left ended the inning. 

The bottom of the 1st started with a flare to first base caught in foul territory by Doris.  With one out Tim and Waylen got on bringing up David Presenza.  He wasn`t there long, because he crushed a ball to left and trotted around the bases with Waylen and Tim scoring in front of him.  The next two hitters reached leaving runners on the corners with still only one out; then the oldtimers flashed some leather.  A ball was stung down to Chuck at 3B who threw a rocket to Steve Ross at 2nd base for the force out.  The runner from third decided to risk the play at the plate and Steve threw him out by a hair.

After one inning the youngtimers were up 3-0

The old guys must have been inspired by the defense because they started the next inning with McCarron, Jeff and Ricky-Bobby reaching base.  With one run in and one out another run came in on Steve Ross`sac fly and the inning ended on another fly to left.  But the oldtimers had gotten on the board!

The bottom of two started promising for our side.  A quick fly out to left, followed by a grounder to third had no one on and two outs.  Then Jay and Red scored on a triple by Beech before the inning ended on a harmless fly to right.

After two innings the youngtimers had a 5-2 lead.

Neil led of the next inning with a single and he would eventually score after he was able to stay ahead of a couple of fielders choices.  The oldtimers chipped away, getting another back.

Not to be outdone, Tim and Waylen both got on again to lead of the third, but the oldtimers would tighten things up a bit by getting the next three batters to fly to left and center.  They scored on one of the sac flys but didn`t get any other hits.

After three, youngtimers 6; oltimers 3.

The Fourth inning was a bad one offensively for the oltimers.  A line out to third, a line out to short and a strike out (foul strike 3).

Although Andy answered the kids strikeout with one of his own, the youngtimers put the hammer down and rolled a 3 for the inning.

After four innings it was the youngtimers 9 and the oltimers 3 and for the first time it looked like the game might be getting away from our guys!

The 5th was a crucial inning that saw our boys send nine men to the plate and score 3 runs!  Ricky-Bobby, Anisette and Steve Ross scored that inning and there was some bad luck on line shots that prevented our guys from inching a little closer.

Maybe the momentum shifted a bit.  Waylen had a hit around a ground out and a fly out and Luke singled before a fly to centre ended the inning.  Finally, the youngtimers were kept off the board!

Youngtimers 9; oldtimers 6 after 5.

The sixth would be another productive inning for the oldtimers.  After a lead off flyout to left, Chuck, McCarren and Jeff all reached.  Chuck scored on Jeff`s hit and McCarren would score on a fielders choice. 

With the oldtimers now nipping at their heels, the youngtimers scored 3 runs on 5 hits in the 6th inning.  None was bigger than Red`s bases clearling triple and he would score on Beech`s single. 

12-8 for the youngtimers. 

For only the second time in the game the oldtimers went down one, two three.  The final score was 12-8 and all of our guys did a whale of a job. 

If I had to pick an MVP (and I didn't), the person I would have chosen was Red for the youngtimers.  Red was 3 for 3, drove in runs and scored twice, had 3 assists and 3 put outs.  Busy day and well played Red!!!

Thanks to all for an absolutely amazing weekend.  It was a treat.  Not quite enough to make me forget about my broken down Transmission from Friday night, but amazing nevertheless!