Playing for Keeps

It was a brutal game, one of those disheartening affairs when one team is clearly outgunned and overmatched. The other team’s pitcher was throwing bullets. Their batters were ripping shots to all fields — whenever they could find a pitch to hit among all the errant offerings that begat a procession of runners advancing one walk at a time. Any chance at redemption — to actually get an out — was most often squandered by ineptitude. Fielders were simply drained of spirit by miscues, boredom and an oppressive, blood-sapping sun.

But this was tournament-play, all-star baseball, and there would be another game later that hot July day. Meet back in 90 minutes, an hour before game time. At which time I was asked to round up a half-dozen or more missing players.

Read more here.

0 Likes

Share