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Another Lesson

The following was written by John Testa, my friend and long-time pitcher of my Sunday morning softball team:

Jim writes:

When playing baseball or softball, after hitting the ball, put your head down and run as fast as you can to first base. If you lope, complain, and pity yourself, there’s a good chance that you’ll break your fucking leg sliding into home. And it’ll be your fault.

Well the improbable and impossible happened on Sunday August 20,2005. Our Braden Chiropractic softball team was playing the Dead Sox in a best 2 out of 3 winner take all for the C division championship. As always, we have a pretty set line-up with 10 guys which is the requirement to play a game that will give you the best opportunity to win although you can get by with 8 guys.

The day started out well as we won the first game 19-10. In the second game we switched a couple of positions so that if we are pressed into a third game, we won t have tired, ass dragging players out there.

As the first game was ending, who should show up but the author of this website, Mr. McCormick - fresh off of the shattered leg which he has been gaining your sympathies over. It was a bit of a surprise for us to see Jim out and about without crutches and moving along pretty well.

We got to talking prior to the second game and where I knew that I was going to have to be the catcher. Usually I pitch, but the last couple of seasons I have been alternating with Doctor Bill Braden who has a desire to be me. Make no mistake about it, I am the better pitcher! As a catcher, I can get the ball back to the pitcher without making the pitcher work to catch the ball. Believe me, I have been there and done that with having a slew of catchers over the years that have a mental block about throwing the ball back to the pitcher.

I field the catching position pretty well but my problem is tagging someone out at the plate as I am a defensive liability in that respect and don t wish to end up in the same position as Jim did with bone fragments emanating from my leg and ankle. (hehe).

Jim said to me on the side that he would catch the second game if I didn t want to. I just laughed and said, Are you crazy?

Jim said: I think I could do it !

I thought about it and asked our captian/leader, Joe, if this was a plausible idea. Joe pointed at home plate and said to me, Go there. I told Jim this and we both shared a laugh.

This is where the story gets interesting and where Jim has been so humble in not sharing the rest of the story. Maybe because he did not want the Wife-beast to find out what happened next. Anyway, there was a controversial call at second base in the top of the third inning whereby our batter was called out because in the umpire s judgement, our baserunner (even though he was standing on the base) interfered with the shortstop who was trying to catch a pop fly. Our bench voiced it s displeasure with the ump s call and our Joe picked up a bat and threw it at the backstop. Unfortunately Joe missed the backstop and hit the umpires crate and smashed it into pieces. He was immediately ejected from the game which left us one player short.

Well guess who came to the rescue?! That s right - Jim stepped up and got his wish to catch as I moved to right field. It was improbable and impossible. I didn t think he would be able to sustain pressure to his leg but he hung in like a trooper and we won the game and the championship no thanks to Joe.

Jim had been saying all along that he would defy his doctor and his therapists and that he would play before the season was out. I still can t believe he got away with it.

(EDITOR s NOTE: Jim also got one hit in two chances.)

Another lesson to be learned here:

Go ahead and put your body and limbs on the line and forget about your family and job because there is nothing like the thrill of sport and winning. Winning is everything.

Comments

Kevin said:

"Go ahead and put your body and limbs on the line and forget about your family and job because there is nothing like the thrill of sport and winning. Winning is everything."

Yeah, that is until sometime later, when the pain has set in for the 1000th time, and you can't pick up your daughter to hug her because you just had to play in that game.

The 6 males in my family (father and sons, of which I am but one) have at least 10 knee surgeries between them, mostly the major incredibly painful kind where parts are removed and replaced. They can almost all be attributed to the attitude embodied in the quote above.

Yes, I know it was tongue in cheek. Yes, I also know most of us guys live that way anyway, even though we know how stupid it probably is.

Did I mention I took my 42 year old carcass running on hard pavement this morning?

I never learn either.

Posted on Aug 29, 2005 02:13 PM

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