Fit To Be Tied

The night started with one of the most competitive and tension-filled games in which I have ever been involved.  And I was just a spectator!

The Tappers, Cougars, and Chicken Shack are on opposite sides of the chalk at Howard Park, but during Little League season, many of us are one in the bleachers.  Miniature versions of Radtke, Martin, Pekar, Marshall, and Day along with their ten-year-old teammates took the turf on Tuesday evening.  

It was an exciting playoff game filled with frozen ropes and golden gloves.  In the top of the final inning, our boys were up to bat and down 4 scores. They rallied for 8 runs, 7 of which were scored on 2 outs.  With the lead in the bottom of the last, our pitching and defense held on for the victory.

As happy as I was for our boys, I felt proportionally sad for the young opponents.  It is always tough to lose and particularly in the last inning.  It was quite a blow to the other team and especially their pitchers.

Baseball is a team sport but each player has a personal responsibility.  There is no greater example of this than in the batter's box or on the pitcher's mound.  You can't hide.  All eyes are on you.  

Imagine yourself today on that isolated island in the middle of the diamond and try to throw a hard sphere through an imaginary square.  Now put on your 10-year-old shoes and do the same thing.  It can be lonely out there.  

Baseball is a game of failure.  Fail 7 of 10 times at the plate and you could be a MLB millionaire.  Pitching to victory just 50% of the time could lead to the hall of fame.

When these kids were just starting sports, half their lives ago, and asked me the score of the game, I would typically say, "It was a tie."  In baseball back then, the kids didn't even make outs.  The inning was over when everyone batted.  They were only a few years removed from the womb and did not need their competitive fire stoked just yet.  

Now, these boys are aged, aggressive, and ambitious. They are determined to win because they know there are only enough trophies for one team.

In-between is unacceptable for them.  A tie does not suit.

_______________________________________

After the little men played, we grown men hustled from the 9-inch ball game to our 16-inch ball game.  The Cougars battled Gulliver's last night.

It was a back and forth scoring match.  We had plenty of highlights.

• Martin pitched like he was lonely and the only infielder.  He rained down high strikes and reined in ground balls.

• Danielsen and Lipsey each crushed crucial run scoring three-baggers.

• Bobis and Otsuka were our daily double with nighttime singles.

• Flannery showed mettle with his metal and manufactured hit after hit.

• Lipinski turned a fancy double play to end an inning and had multiple hits to extend innings (we are going to have him in charge of an excellent postgame every week)!

• Hoglund maimed the ball and will be using his medical skills to care for his bloody leg he garnered with a safe slide at home.

• McDonnell, who earns his monetary digits as a dentist, put his 10 digits at risk with a fantastic catch and tag at the plate.  Those same fingers gripped the bat and ripped the ball.

At the end of regulation 7 innings, the bells at St. Joe's rang 9 o'clock.  Time limit.  Umps called the game.

While walking to the postgame with the kids, they asked, "what was the final score?"

I told them it was 7-7.  We tied.  At least I think we did.  The ump did look like my dad.

_______________________________________

Enjoy the pictures from the postgame, where it's never a tie and we're all winners. 

(and Ellie was the big winner when Dan yanked her tooth out - where was Dr. Phil?)