No, let me rephrase that.
True baseball, especially in the rain.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
I'm talking about the game last night between the Savannah Bananas and the Peninsula Pilots.
"Oh, I remember that name! That was one of the games you got when you traded in a July game, isn't it?"
You are correct! You may also recall that name from the 2016 Championship games. That was the Virginia team the Bananas had to best - and did!
"Very nice! So this game pitted your boys of summer against a team of their same caliber. At last! The Bananas have had a pretty mild season."
Yes, they have. I've been watching the board stats and knew this was going to be a challenge. I had hoped the boys would not scatter errors all over the place, especially as they did yesterday.
"You're telling me. They had two errors before even getting out of the first inning!"
Yeah, that was some sloppy ball to start with, but they remedied their playing and won. Still, it was a good thing Mister Willie wasn't there, or he'd have been having fits at these college boys.
"Heard! Having played ball himself, and with a son in the majors, Willie really cannot abide sloppy ball."
That is so very true!
(smile)
"What about this game? Was he there?"
Yes, he was, and in fine form, too. The day had been extremely hot, followed by thunderstorms, so it had been a source of debate between us as to whether he should go.
I had finally relented about 5:30, as the temperatures had slid back into the 80's.
Berry Aldridge had met us on the apron outside Grayson Stadium and took charge of Willie while I found a place for my car.
"I thought you had the Handicap parking permit from his car...?"
I do, but we had arrived so late - and the weather was such - that all nine slots were filled by the time we had arrived. No worries, though. I was allowed to park right across the way, in the special lot.
"Oh, that was good.
So, just what is going on in the above photo?"
Well, we'd just gone through the eighth inning, with the Bananas still having only the one run, from back in the third inning. Willie had been cheering them on, too, constantly and loudly - you know, like the old days... even if 2009 was not so long ago!
(smile)
But all his encouragement had gone for naught.
The Pilots had scored a run in both the third and fourth, and they were in the lead...
still...
four innings later.
"Well, that was certainly enough to cause concern for the fans in the stands!"
Yes, indeed. And see those four fellows off to Willie's right? They've sat with him several times over the last few years. I think they even took him to Charleston to see the Sand Gnats play the Riverdogs a couple of years ago.
"I remember that! Willie had been very excited about that little jaunt... and the boys had been elated about him being there to cheer for them!"
"Well, okay, that's one way to change the topic..."
Sorry, you just seemed to be rambling a bit and I have a story to finish.
"Well, do carry on, dear."
Thanks, I appreciate that.
Okay, what's happening here?
Well, there had been soft rains for about an hour and the mound had evidently become slick. The Pilots had noted the slippage of the Bananas' pitcher at the top of the ninth when he had successfully mounted his final attack on their batters. The Virginia team insisted that the mound be refreshed before their man took a final stand.
"There will come soft rains... wasn't there a Ray Bradbury story by that title?"
Yes, there was. It was also my favorite part of his book, The Martian Chronicles.
And... you have strayed off topic again.
"No, I haven't! You were just talking about putting some fresh dirt out there because the Pilots were concerned that their pitcher might not fare as well in keeping the Bananas down."
You have been paying attention! Good!
And, yes, indeed, the Pilots had cause to be concerned, as it turned out.
Here we have Alex Rodriguez tying up the score, thanks to a double by Cade Marlowe...
and the crowd goes wild!!!
Yeah!!!
"Hooray! Does that mean the game went into extra innings?"
Thankfully, no.
Justin Dirden hit a single and Marlowe sped around third and landed safely at home!
And the crowd went wild again!
And the Bananas bounced as a bunch out of the bullpen, joining Justin at first base!
What a magnificent way to end the game!!!
"WOW!!!"
Wow. That was baseball at its finest, it truly was. Two evenly-matched rivals, playing their very best, down to the very last of the game.
Believe me, Willie was as happy as I to have been present there!
Afterward, he had one stalwart young man to steady him on his bad left leg. Two other young men held umbrellas over them all, keeping Willie dry.
Very nice.
Thanks, y'all!
"Wow... what a wonderful night!"
What a wonderful night...
i thank You, God.
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