The Game that Wouldn't End

 Mother Nature sent us a surprise gift this morning. The torrential rains which had been forecast for today never materialized and thus this morning there was no rain falling. Now, that doesn't mean that it was bright sunshine for all to enjoy, but at least it wasn't raining. 

The games started at 8:45 today. Touch 'Em All started off hot against the Bellmen. We scored four runs in the top of inning number one and..............well......that was it. We gave up eight runs in the second and another pair in the fourth inning and we were done. The bad weather held off for the most part, but we could not get things in gear later in the game. We all played various positions during the game as the contest meant nothing in the standings. I played left field, first base and third base. 

During my time in left field (I should not be allowed to play the outfield. Only bad things can happen) a batter hit a long fly ball which was foul and then traveled to the warning track. I left it there as it was a long ways away, in foul territory and posed no threat. Two batters later another batter crushed one over my head and down the 3rd base line to the corner. As I'm headed over to retrieve this batted ball I watch it roll and collide with the ball which was left over from a previous batter. Too strange. Not that the odds against said event were high, mind you. 

Game two saw us on the on the turf field. We, as a group were basically gassed for this game. Even while switching positions each inning we found not much success in anything we did. We trailed 15-8 going to the 7th inning in this one. But somehow we banded together and strung together enough hits to get back to within one run with yours truly representing the tying run at third base. But, alas, I was stranded there and our week of games had come to an end. We never let up, but I tell you, if we'd been given the option to end the game in the fourth when it was raining yet again, we'd probably have taken the offer. This game took nearly three hours to complete somehow and at times it felt like an eternity.

It rained on every single game we played this week at some point, but we completed them all. 

The championship game was played and the 69ers took the crown by defeating Core 11 by as score of 6-3. My congratulations to their team and coaches Ron Swoboda and Duffy Dyer. I congratulated Duffy while at Tutto Fresco for dinner after the game tonight and I think I saw him crack a smile. 

Tomorrow we have our final day of activities. Team and group photos, which we haven't taken yet plus the awarding of a couple of gold and brown ropes which we had to postpone due to inclement weather will also be handed out. The chance to hit against the pros in the cages will be open and the home run derby is scheduled as well. 

Tomorrow may very well be the best weather day of the week, but when you get right down to it, any day, playing baseball, wearing a Mets uniform is the best weather day of any week of the year. So one more day before we have to vacate the premises and take our memories with us. Friday has gotten here way too fast.

I found myself beginning the cleanup process of try locker stall today. A sad moment to be sure. As Carol Burnett used to sing, "Seems we just get started, and before you know it, comes the time we have to say so long".