A Night for the Ages

Cougars play on Flag Day at Howard Park

Tuesday was a night to score and celebrate some great numbers.  

Our first score was Mother Nature leading us off with our greatest temperatures of the year.  It was as hot as a right angle out there.

The Cougars scored again as we battled Chicken Shack to see which team was greater than the other.  We got the victory and the > to prove they were not our equal last night.

Third, in threescore fashion, we celebrated 60 and the victory at The Fort.

Let’s recap the undefeated night.

It was a scorcher at Howard Park and the Cougars were seeing red across the field.  It was our first matchup of the year with our longest and greatest rival, Chicken Shack.  Having won two of the last three against our challenger, the Cougars are now coming-of-age.

 

1^st Inning

We had first raps, and Kev and Charley hit singles but we didn’t chart a run. 

Our foe had only one hit and the Shackers moved their runner around the bases for the early lead.

Shack 1-0.

 

2^nd Inning

Ev led off with a firecracker that exploded off the pitcher’s shins to reach first base.  Martini followed with a lasered liner up the middle for Cougars on first and second.  Joker lit a fuse with an infield single and Ev raced home.  The Green Machine was just starting the engine.

The Red Stead had one single no runs.

All tied up at 1.

 

3^rd Inning

Kev and Rads singled but were stranded on the squares.

The Shackers wanted some credit and started a charge in the third.  After we got the first batter out, the top of the order came up for Shack.  The top two batters singled with their biggest hitter walking to the plate.   We were looking at some trouble…but then back-to-back defensive plays turned everything around for the Cougars.  

Martini toed the rubber, leaped towards the plate, pump faked a pitch, then pivoted towards first and fired to Li’l Rads who clenched the Clincher and swiftly planted the tag on the baffled baserunner (with Brad's spirited call!)

With two outs and a runner on second, the big batter bashed a bouncing ball that Captain Cougar stopped with his chest and then underhanded it to Li’l Rads for the third out. 

Charge declined!

Momentum and mojo activated!  

Still tied up at 1 (not for long though).

 

4^th Inning

Sam led off the inning, took a mighty swing, and put the ball to the wall for a round-tripper to take the lead by one.

Ev lasered a liner to left, and JD had a worm-burner up the middle to put men on first and third.  Martini worked a walk to load ‘em up and Joker smashed a sac fly to register another run.

CShack went down 1-2-3.

Cougars winning 3-1

 

5^th Inning

Teddy singled and traded spots with SRads on a fielder’s choice.  Then Charley stepped in the box and crushed a crafty bomb to right field for a two-run homer.

Sam chopped and beat out an infield single and raced to second on a throwing error.  Ev nailed the ball up the middle and traded spots with Sam for a score.  JD had a big single to left center for another ribbie.

We quickly processed Chicken Shack 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Cougars with the 7-1 lead.

 

6^th Inning

Not acting their age, our sixty-somethings were doing it in the sixth!  Joker punched a single to left center and Pastor Ted beat out an infield hit between SS and 3B.  We stranded them.   Younger decades were no aid.  

Shack had one hit and one run.

Cougars up 7-2

 

7^th Inning

Charley singled to center but didn’t score.

Shack went down 1-2-3.

Cougars triumphant 7-2!  Memories of this win will go on for ages.

 

When the game ended, we all hustled to the postgame at The Fort.  There, we gorged and gulped on greatness.

A feast of greats!

After digesting the win, we got to the sweet part of the night.

We act like youngsters on Tuesdays, and we had a grand time celebrating the Cougars that have accumulated the most youth, Diamond, Pastor, Joker, and Philthy.  

While we celebrated our veterans, the Cougars are truly an all-ages show.

Our victory was even more special because it was achieved with six different decades on the dirt playing together.   

Teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s! 

Living history – one for the ages!

When the Cougars are together it is always a Golden Age.

Go Cougars!

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Postgame Photos

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Celebrating the sixth decade.

The average age in this picture is 40.

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2022 Team Photo

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We had so many Cougars at the field!

***** Click here for 15 years of team photos *****

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Celebrating Sixty

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Standings

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Game Video

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Team Photos | 2008-2024

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Cougars Slam With Sam

 

Cougars corner the action at Howard Park

The Cougars had another debut last night and, oh boy, did he have a ball. 

Sam Gossard was 4-4, including a homer and an unintentional intentional walk.

He made quite the entrance last night.  Sam went from First-timer to All-timer!

Well, it's not his first time at Howard Park.

Sam and the whole Gossard family are charter members of Cougar Nation.  They have rooted and celebrated with us for years.  Sam has been on our radar since the beginning.  

You see, Sam and I have a baseball history together.

When I was drafting new recruits to Charley’s little league team, Sam was our first pick.

Then, Sam came to Howard to watch Captain Cougar smash the ball.

Later, I came out and saw Slammin’ Sam doing the same (at my alma mater!!!).

Now we get to play in the dirt every week together like little kids! 

The Cougars have a youth movement.  At this point, Jimmy is a grizzled veteran leading the way as our first teenager ... and now we have three more.  We've become a teen machine!

The pre-teen teens.  

Every Cougar was youthful last night in our 20-5 victory over UBAA.

The whole game was a highlight reel.   You’ve got to watch it!

Here’s just a sample – Charley demolishing our other homer!

While we scored 20 runs, more impressively, we only let up 5.  Our opponent was done scoring after the first two innings.  We put them down 1-2-3 in five consecutive innings!

Here are a few of our defensive gems on the diamond.

• Martini to Li’l Rads pickoff (and a fired up Joker!)
• Martini to CRads to Li’l Rads double play
• Ev showing off his hops with another leaping catch

It was a rowdy night!  Crawdaddy, Diamond and Boom lost their voices cheering and Diamond ran out of ink keeping the book.  Our fans assembled for the largest crowd and loudest game of the year!

Next week we keep the youthful slam dance going!

Go Cougars!

Host with the Most

 

Howard Park | Home of the Green

 

Howard Park was the home for a two-for-Tuesday special.

We went Dutch and split the twin bill.  In each match, the hosts were not kind to their guests.

Cougars vs Pink Panthers

In the first matchup, the Cougars were the home team and shared our plate with an upstart green team.  The Green Cougars were not very welcoming to the Pink Panthers with a 10-3 victory. 

The new crew led off the game and put runners on first and second base.  With two outs, as soon as the runner on first started to take his leadoff, SRads fired it to Li’l Rads.  The ball got away and the runners took off.  Li’l Rads retrieved the ball and touched first base for the third out.  The Pink Panthers were stunned and confused because they didn’t understand what they just experienced.  Welcome to the league, boys!  Everyone learns the house rules and eventually gets initiated with the Wheel Play.

We first experienced the Wheel Play 15 years ago!  Here is the recap from 2008 by Bobi.

What happens next will go down in Dead Cougars history.  Marc takes his lead at first and the pitcher for the Hitmen tries to pick Marc off. He throws the ball away. Danielsen, who's coaching first, starts waving his arms, Marc breaks for 2nd and I break for 3rd. As I'm standing on 3rd the Hitmen tag out Marc, throw to 3rd and tag me out, double play. Basically I can't advance because they didn't make a play on me and Marc can't advance because 2B wasn't open, so we're both out. We end up getting a third out and the game was over. Unf'ingbelieve-able.  After the game we talked with the Santa Claus ump and clearly we made a rookie mistake.

Back to the game.  In the bottom of the first inning, Boom walked and SRads singled.  With an overthrow we had runners on second and third.  CRads nailed a sac fly to score Boom.  Then Ev shot a single to left center to score SRads.  Cougars up 2-0.

We silenced our foe in the top of the second inning.

Cougars scored five in our half of the inning.  Joker singled and Jimmy hit a big ball to the left side and took second while Joker was stopped at third.  Then the Pink Panthers got another out, but we weren’t done.  With two outs, Crawdaddy lasered a liner to make it first and third.  Pastor singled just over SS to score Jimmy.  Boom hit a hard-to-handle grounder to load them up.  SRads singled up the middle for two RBIs and then CRads singled up the middle for two more ribbies.  Cougars up 7-0.  Not a very nice way to treat our guests.

In the top of the third the Panthers got a tally and in the bottom the Cougars did not.  JD was a thief when he swiped a base from our guests.

 

Two more for the Pink Panthers in the top of the fourth inning.

We recorded one in the bottom of the fourth frame.  Crawdaddy walked.  Boom singled for first and third.  SRads had a sac fly.  Up 9-3.

Pink Panthers went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth.  In the inning, Ev made an amazing one handed catch to steal a hit from our visitors.  

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Who did it best?  Incredible!

In their fifth, CRads pitched consecutive Ks and combined with SRads for six in the game.

In our fifth, we got one run.   Ev singled up the middle.  Fort lined a shot that pinballed off the pitcher for an out and moved Ev to third.  JD had a long sac fly for a RBI.  Cougars winning 10-3.

Opponent scoreless in the sixth inning. 

In our turn at bat, Jimmy hit an ungrippable ball in the infield and made it a double with a throwing error.  Li’l Rads moved him over to third.  Crawdaddy walked for men on first and third.  Pastor Ted singled scoring Jimmy.

Cougars with lockdown defense in the last inning to seal the victory and close the door on our guests.

 

Cougars vs Tito’s

Tito’s were not very hospitable hosts as they walk off the Cougars in a closely contested game.  We had some highlights and lowlights.

We were the visitors and started the game quickly.  CRads had a liner to center.  Then Ev blooped the ball to left center and Charley scored from first.

Tito’s responded three in the first.  Cougars down by two, 3-1.

Everyone quiet in the second.

Cougars down 1-2-3 in top of third

In the bottom of the third, Tito’s scored two more.  Even worse, Fort injured his hammy while playing SS and went to the bench to evaluate.  Tito's up 5-1.  

A tough bottom ... of the inning. 

Top of the fourth we worked hard for a run.  CRads had a liner to center and Ev followed with a liner to right center.  Fort, with a torn hammy, singled up middle to load ‘em up.  JD flied a sacrifice to score Ev.

Score 5-2.

Nothing in the fifth for either team.  Cougars still losing 5-2.

We had a sixth inning rally.  SRads singled and CRads beat out an infield single.  With two men on, Ev doubled to right scoring SRads and putting runners on second and third.  At the plate on one good leg, Fort singled up middle and hobbled to first base for two RBIs to tie it up. Incredible!  Two for two with a torn hamstring!

Bottom of the sixth inning we got Tito’s down in order. 

In the top of the last inning all tied up, the Cougars could not touch the dish.

In the bottom of the last, Tito’s strung together a few hits to walk us off for an inhospitable victory. 

Cougars split the night.  In each game the host had the most.

Forget proper etiquette, as the visiting team, next week the Cougars will be the Guest with Zest.