I grew up playing Steal the Bacon, Red Rover, Red Rover, and Kick the Can. In 57 years, I never had had the honor of playing that famous children's game, Duck Duck Goose. Until last night's Conehead game. I mean I didn't even know the rules. So I had to look it up.
Did you know that there are variations with names like "Duck, duck, gray duck", and "Daisy in the Dell" and my favorite, "Mush Pit". Do you suppose that in the late seventies at that first Dead Kennedys concert I went to at Ashkenaz in Berkeley when they started the first mosh pit (yes I was there, at the beginning), they actually thought they were playing a child's game? This places a whole new light on punk rock as we knew it then. Just a bunch of innocent children, completely misunderstood!
But I digress. In yet another blowout, the Coneheads, that group of punks from the East Bay, made the Presidents' Club look like the Dead Presidents, 19-6. We spotted them six runs in the first. A rare stretch of wildness by our fearless leader Joe as he adjusted to the baseball diamond mound at Orinda Sports Park Field 1. We even literally gave them a run. When one of their runners, a new player, stepped on home plate instead of running by, the ump called him out. I was ready to be a hard-ass about it, especially when their coach kept crying about it. But then Ol' G says, "Aw, it ain't gonna matter. We'll still crush them." So I caved in, and sure enough they didn't score again in the inning. Or in the game for that matter. We answered with eleven in our half and the rout was on. Nineteen unanswered runs.
As Sting keeps reminding me, this is because we play defense better than your average slow pitch softball team. Chuck went deep in the hole for a ball to get a force in the first - that is expected. Sting made a great catch after nearly losing his eye on one bad hop single in the outfield that hit him square between the orbs - he has some kind of titanium sunglasses or something, that saved him from possibly serious injury. The best play of the night was probably the Chuck Boogaloo. There was a pop up that you could see Joe was going to have trouble with, and Chuck just kind of snuck in behind him, and flopping like a fish (his legs actually flew up in the air like a fishtail), caught the ball about an inch above the ground. And Greg McAlmost made a great stop at third, but could only throw a short hopper to Larry at first, and he nearly held on for a great play. Even our almosts look good.
Which brings us to the Goose. On offense Chuck started us with a blast to left over the left fielder's head in a rare pull hit - but when he does he has power! We followed with several hits sandwiched around a sac fly by Lefty. I came up and laced a two run single. This is where the fun begins. Chopper sends a blast over the outfielders on the right side. I knew I could jog home, and even though everyone thought I was just that slow, I was, er, conserving energy. Chopper was determined to catch me. And he just about did, just as I came to the line at home. And he gooses me.Well, I have learned my lesson. Next time it will be Duck Duck before Goose. In fact I think I will duck so low, I will just slide across that line, just to be safe. The things I have to bear for your entertainment.
By the way Chopper's homer put us ahead, and became the Game Winning RBI, that obsolete stat I still keep. We went on with consecutive hits by Larry, Markeley, Joe, Don, a sac by Chuck, and more hits from Sting and Greg (a two run double) before we were done in that first inning. And the rout was on. Big night by McKnight and the heffinator, both 4-4. Chopper led the team with four RBIs, and had a rare walk.
The Early Big Game is this Thursday against Cal Bronco. Five players missing - I am working on which subs will play. Everyone who is playing should make sure they are on time. And watch your back if Chopper is hitting behind you. So to speak.
Milestones:
Ol' G 200 r (#15)
McKnight 50 rbi (#26)
Markley 50 rbi (#27)
Markley 100 ab (#27)
Did you know that there are variations with names like "Duck, duck, gray duck", and "Daisy in the Dell" and my favorite, "Mush Pit". Do you suppose that in the late seventies at that first Dead Kennedys concert I went to at Ashkenaz in Berkeley when they started the first mosh pit (yes I was there, at the beginning), they actually thought they were playing a child's game? This places a whole new light on punk rock as we knew it then. Just a bunch of innocent children, completely misunderstood!
But I digress. In yet another blowout, the Coneheads, that group of punks from the East Bay, made the Presidents' Club look like the Dead Presidents, 19-6. We spotted them six runs in the first. A rare stretch of wildness by our fearless leader Joe as he adjusted to the baseball diamond mound at Orinda Sports Park Field 1. We even literally gave them a run. When one of their runners, a new player, stepped on home plate instead of running by, the ump called him out. I was ready to be a hard-ass about it, especially when their coach kept crying about it. But then Ol' G says, "Aw, it ain't gonna matter. We'll still crush them." So I caved in, and sure enough they didn't score again in the inning. Or in the game for that matter. We answered with eleven in our half and the rout was on. Nineteen unanswered runs.
As Sting keeps reminding me, this is because we play defense better than your average slow pitch softball team. Chuck went deep in the hole for a ball to get a force in the first - that is expected. Sting made a great catch after nearly losing his eye on one bad hop single in the outfield that hit him square between the orbs - he has some kind of titanium sunglasses or something, that saved him from possibly serious injury. The best play of the night was probably the Chuck Boogaloo. There was a pop up that you could see Joe was going to have trouble with, and Chuck just kind of snuck in behind him, and flopping like a fish (his legs actually flew up in the air like a fishtail), caught the ball about an inch above the ground. And Greg McAlmost made a great stop at third, but could only throw a short hopper to Larry at first, and he nearly held on for a great play. Even our almosts look good.
Which brings us to the Goose. On offense Chuck started us with a blast to left over the left fielder's head in a rare pull hit - but when he does he has power! We followed with several hits sandwiched around a sac fly by Lefty. I came up and laced a two run single. This is where the fun begins. Chopper sends a blast over the outfielders on the right side. I knew I could jog home, and even though everyone thought I was just that slow, I was, er, conserving energy. Chopper was determined to catch me. And he just about did, just as I came to the line at home. And he gooses me.Well, I have learned my lesson. Next time it will be Duck Duck before Goose. In fact I think I will duck so low, I will just slide across that line, just to be safe. The things I have to bear for your entertainment.
By the way Chopper's homer put us ahead, and became the Game Winning RBI, that obsolete stat I still keep. We went on with consecutive hits by Larry, Markeley, Joe, Don, a sac by Chuck, and more hits from Sting and Greg (a two run double) before we were done in that first inning. And the rout was on. Big night by McKnight and the heffinator, both 4-4. Chopper led the team with four RBIs, and had a rare walk.
The Early Big Game is this Thursday against Cal Bronco. Five players missing - I am working on which subs will play. Everyone who is playing should make sure they are on time. And watch your back if Chopper is hitting behind you. So to speak.
Milestones:
Ol' G 200 r (#15)
McKnight 50 rbi (#26)
Markley 50 rbi (#27)
Markley 100 ab (#27)
U forgot the unassisted dbl play from rt fld...lol...
ReplyDeleteI knew there was something I forgot...I even had in my notes..."Chopper showing off on D", but couldn't recall, how could I forget. In the last inning, he ran a ball down coming in hard, really a great catch, but the Goose couldn't stop, and he ran all the way to first to double off the runner there.
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