I Go to a Softball Game

Last week Melanie and I took a walk through Park Road Park and came across the Queens University softball team practicing. We didn't know they practiced and played their home games right down the street from us. We vowed to go see a couple of games. I took a long lunch today and went down there to catch as much of the two games as I could. They were playing Mars Hill College today. Mars Hills is north of Asheville.

I arrived today just in time for the last two outs of a 2-0 win by Queens. The teams then took about a half hour break. Next time I am bringing a book. I left during the second inning of the second game. Judging by the pitching and how the hits were falling I am willing to bet that Queens went on to win that game also. This was the first time I had watched women's college softball. I like it, the teams play for single runs just like Ty Cobb.

I saw several players take a step as they swung in an attempt to slap the ball to the opposite field. Just like Ty Cobb.


I was surprised while previewing pictures when I saw the obvious great balance it takes to pitch this way. I showed Charlie at work and he compared what he saw to dancers. I think that is an apt comparison.

Jessica Scott, Queens University pitcher


Mars Hill pitcher


I messed this one up. I only caught part of ball. This is Kaitlyn Cheek and she drilled this ball out to left center. She has a great swing.


One thing I have noticed while watching some softball on television is that women's softball teams keep up constant chatter, both while on the field shouting encouragement to the pitcher and to teammates who have made good or bad defensive plays and while batting. Queens even had some chants they would throw out in certain situations. I liked the one they used when a teammate fouled a pitch off. Something along the line of, "Don't like it, foul it off" and then they smacked the fence. In the picture below Mars Hill players are encouraging their current batter.


That was a nice lunch outing. I hope to go see them play again and this time catch both games.

Another Boring Golf Story

This last Sunday Wendell and I headed out to Revolution Park to play some golf. I had a decent day for once. For a few holes I really felt like my swing was coming together. You know how that works though. A couple of holes later and you're about to swear off golf.

It's funny and frustrating to me that the best shots I hit seem a lot of the time to turn into bad shots. Usually it is due to picking the wrong club. There is a green on the back nine at Sunset Hills that I have twice sailed with a seven iron because I was fooled by the distance. Each shot was a beauty also. Is there a German word for the elation and then frustration you feel after hitting a beautiful looking golf shot with the wrong club for your distance? Goddamnitfruede, maybe?

This time I hit my first shot on the short dogleg eighth hole around the dogleg and next to a tree about 60 yards from the hold. I hooked the shot and got lucky. The ball was sitting up on top of a pile of weeds and dirt and there was a tree halfway to the hole, right in my path. I figured my only chance was to take my wedge and knock the shit out of it and hope for the best. I just nailed this ball and it went straight up over the tree (over the tree! Holy shit how did that even happen?!?) landed on the green and...rolled off the back. God Dammit!! Well, it was only six feet off the green and if I hadn't pooched the chip I could have been putting for par...but still, you would like to what is possibly the best shot you ever hit stay on the green when it hits there. I can still see that shot go up over that tree and hit that green, it was perfect for a few seconds.

Dale Earnhardt

Since the Daytona is being run tonight under the lights how about a NASCAR picture? I took this picture of Dale Earnhardt pitting at Rockingham in 1992. This was during a Busch series race.

Another Old Picture

The only information on the photo is the date someone wrote on the bottom front. It reads 17 Aug 1952.

Michael Jordan

Cool photograph of Michael Jordan as a sophomore playing Ms. Pacman.

Old Pictures

The last time I was up in Michigan I told my uncle Ron that I would be happy to scan and post any old family photos he had stored away. That day he told me had some photos from his tour in Vietnam and I even more enthusiastically told him I would be happy to scan and post those also. A few of the Vietnam photos follow.

Ron sitting on some steps.



Standing in a doorway. Chow hall, maybe?



This photo is labeled "K.P.s" I assume these are women that worked in the kitchen and mess area.



Ron clowning around with a couple of ladies. These look like KP workers to me.



I love this shot of Ron in his cook's hat

The Knuckleball

Joe Posnanski posted a essay on the knuckleball on his blog and it got me to think about Jimmy Flores, who pitched at Glen Lake when I was there. He was a year behind me. I cant' remember if Jimmy used that knuckleball in a game but he used to throw while we played catch. He had a good knuckleball. Catching it was tough. One time he threw it and, I swear, I had my glow near my belt and the ball hit me on the foot.

Old Photo

Occasionally I'll buy an old photograph at a thrift store if it catches my eye. This is Tommy Amy on Easter Sunday in 1956.

One More Torch Lake Picture

The day after I took the winter Torch Lake photograph the sun came out. I had to drive down there one more time. The lake's color needs sunlight to shine.

The difference a season makes

In September I took the first picture of Torch Lake at the public access near the Clam River. The picture below I took yesterday.