The Legend Of The Shark

Don’t blame me if this story seems a bit fishy.  Another well-played game between the A’s (Matta) and KFC (JD). This time the A’s MVP for the game was John Carpenter, affectionately known on our team as Carp. After the game he played today, we might just call him Jaws. The KFC team tried as hard as they could to reel him in and land him in the boat, but Carp hit and fought like a shark. He swam all over the field and attacked like a predator. John was 4 /5 with two doubles and a triple. More importantly, Carp the Shark put the bite on the other team by knocking in 9 runs.

The seas were calm for both teams in the first inning. The A’s started out floundering, putting up 0 runs in the first inning. The zero-score belonged, in part, to Bob Vandenberg. It was Bob, on defense, who speared a hot line drive off the bat of TQ, with a runner at 2^nd, to gut any chance of a rally. In the bottom of the first, the KFC team feasted on a little chicken of the sea, when they scored after 2 outs. Hits by Keller, Seguin, Davis, and Sweet Lou, landed a pair of tuna in the boat. After one inning, the score was A’s: 0-KFC: 2.

In the 2^nd inning the shark stalked his victims. Carpenter doubled in three runs, after Bailey, Burns and Coffman reached base with hits. Two more runs scored after Reagen cast his line for a single, then Essenmacher went Deep Sea fishing, hitting a HR. After 2 innings the A’s lead, 5-2.     

In the 3^rd inning the A’s took out their harpoon and took aim at the white whale in the field. You could almost hear Captain Ahab say these words from Moby Dick; “...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.” Hits from Shirer, Quinones, Book, Bailey and Coffman all stabbed at the whale. It was Carps triple though that sunk the harpoon.  John cleared the seas of trouble and the bases of runners. After 3 innings, the score was A’s: 10-White Whales: 3.

In the 4^th and 5^th innings the KFC team cast their net and hauled in a load of fish. They scored 3 runs, in the 4^th inning and 5 runs, in the 5^th inning. The Starfish for those two innings were Lou, Alumbaugh, Vandenberg, Benson, Morton, Vidal, Keller, Seguin and Davis. Take note, some of those starfish had hits in both innings, (Lou, Alumbaugh, Vandenberg and Benson).

As an aside from our softball story, maybe we can all learn a lesson from The Starfish Story: One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. 

Approaching the boy, he asked, what are you doing?

The youth replied, Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out.  If I don’t throw them back, they all die.

Son, the man said, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf.  Then, smiling at the man, he said
I made a difference for that one.

That two-inning rally by the big tunas, (KFC), could have put a hook in the jaw of the A’s; if not for the fact that the A’s also scored 5 runs in the top of the 5^th.  Shirer, Matta, Quinones, Book, Burns and the Carpenter saw to it that the fish would just not stay on the line. Again, Carp was the one who put the bite on the other team, with a bases loaded double. After 5 innings, the score was A’s:15- KFC: 11. Even an anti -shark cage would not work this day against Carp. Just ask the captain from the movie, Jaws.  Quint: Anti-shark cage. You go inside the cage? [Hooper nods]  Quint: Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water. Our shark.

[sings]

Quint: Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain. For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again.

The A’s reeled in another 4 runs in the 6^th, they chummed the waters and added 2 more in the 7^th, they trolled and added 3 more fish in the 8^th then they surf fished for another 2 runs, in the ninth. In other words, the bats stayed busy and the A’s showed lots of heart and fight.

The KFC team also jumped through the waters like a game swordfish; fighting hard to win the contest during that same stretch of innings. To borrow again from Herman Mellville’s, Moby Dick, the KFC team was; “Panting and snorting like a mad battle steed that has lost its rider”. They added 10 runs to their total. It was just not enough, Carp the Shark, had already taken his toll on the game. This would not be the fish story of the one that got away from the A’s. Carpenter and his A’s teammates were the masters of the sea today. A’s: 26-KFC:21.

Maybe Chief Brody, from the film Jaws, had Carp in mind when he said these words: “Were going to need a bigger boat.”

Treasures of the Sea, Leading Hitters for the A’s:

Essenmacher: 4/6, HR and double.

Shirer: 4/6, two doubles.

Matta: 4/6

Quinones: 3/5, double and a SF.

Book: 4/5.

Burns: 4/5.

Coffman: 3/5.

Carpenter: 4/5, two doubles and a triple.

Reagen: 3/5.

Treasures of The Sea, Leading Hitters for KFC:

Vidal: 3/5 with a double.

Keller: 5/5, with 2 doubles.

Davis: 3/5.

Lou: 5/5.

Alumbaugh: 4/5.

Vandenberg: 4/5.

Benson: 3/5.

Morton: 3/5.

Jose: 3/5.

Write up by Nick Matta

Tues. Feb. 28th. Field D a game between Bloom's Giants and Black's Nationals took place.
The Giants jumped the gun with 5 runs in the top of the 1st., only to see the Nats storm
back with 5 of there own in the bottom half and never looked back, winning 28 to 14.
Someone came to our dugout before the game started and asked if we would miss Don Ing.
The whole team looked at each other in amazement and all at the same time asked the
question DON WHO | | |  EH.
Leading hitters
Giants:
Herbie O     3/4 D
B McLellan  4/4 2 HR, D   Nice hitting Bill
Thompson   3/4
Hite              4/4
Nationals:
Shaffer       3/4 HR, BB
Learn          4/5 D
Rutan          3/4 T, SAC
King             5/5 D  Also nice hitting Bill
Lopez           4/4 BB
Ridley            4/5 D  ( turned a Hr. into a double )
Hampton        4/5
Guspyt            3/4
Barnes           3/4
Submitted by Elmer Black      

Strait's Tigers took on Fabians FLYERS and what a game. Fabe's team was down 8-7 going into the bottom of the 8th and came up with 5 as George Knox circled the bases to finish the nickel. Strait's Tigers came up in the top of the 9th for the open inning but the staunch defense of the Flyers didn't bend.  Final score. Fabian Flyers 12. Strait Tigers 8. 

No pat on the back, but Flyers had several good plays up the middle where I was playing. Jim Laffoon made a great catch on the grass and almost got a 2b at first. Ed Kline again played a solid 2b. 

Again, I must ask that records are kept better. The Tigers scored 5 runs in the 4th inning and only 1 of the players was indicated how he got on base. Please help for the sake of the write up. 

What I get for the Tigers is Steve Hill was 2-4, Ray Aufiero was 4-4 and  Larry Strait was 1-2. I know others had hits, but it's impossible to write up without accurate books kept. 

For the Flyers Andrews was 4-4, Boswell 3-4, Laffoon 3-4, Knox 3-4 HR, LaPointe 3-3 and newcomer to the league Bobby Casanova 1/3 with 2 runs scored and a fine catch in centerfield. Welcome to the league Bobby.   Casanova isn't his real name, but he's known as Bobby C. 

This National league is coming down to a tight race. 

Write up by Loren Fabian

Today's game on Field A had Powell's Braves vs Simon's Yankees.  After 4 innings  the Yankees led  6-4.  In the sixth frame  Powell's squad scored three times to take a one run lead. They scored four in the eighth and four more in the ninth.  Simon's squad did not score in the last 5 innings.  The final was 15-6 with Powell getting the win.  Don LaMay was the WP.  Don asked that any player with extra  softball jerseys at home to bring them to the sign in desk next week.. He needs them to start a 75's team up north.  Top hitters for Simon's Yankees:  Simon 3-4, Hartley 3-4 2B, Dean Schapeler 3-4, Zakrowski 3-4.  Top hitters for Powell's Braves:  Castillo 3-5, Dampier 5-5 3 2B and a 3B, Spitaleri 4-5 2B, Powell 3-5 2B, Minder 4-5.  Both teams had several hits clear the short fences for ground rule doubles.  The game was hotly contested and close for the first 7 innings  .  Gibson was a pool player and played on Powell's team.  Beautiful day for a softball game.
Write up by Jeff Simon

Friday, February 24th

The Braves Team was trying to win its 5th game in a row. It wasn't easy. Fabian's Flyers got off to a great start by scoring 9 runs in the first two innings. After seven innings the score was Flyers-14 and Powell's Braves--6. The Braves came from behind again in the last two innings to score ten runs to take the lead in going into the ninth inning 17-16. The Flyers did not score in the ninth inning and Braves won its 5th game in a row..

Leading hitters for the Flyers:

Boswell 3-5, Laffoon 4-5,Schapeler 5-5. one home run, one triple,

Leading hitters for the Braves: Juan Castillo 4-5 two doubles, Larry Powell 4-5,

Gary Burtner 3-4, Robert Spitalier 3-5, Duff Hill 3-5 two doubles, Jack Minder 3-4, one triple.

Submitted by Larry Powell

Friday, February 24th

Lights, Camera, Action:

“I heard a story once — as a matter of fact, I’ve heard a lot of stories in my time. They began with the sound of a tinny piano playing in a parlor downstairs…”, from the film, Casablanca. I’ll tell the story of today’s game using a cinematic approach, since the Oscars are right around the corner. I ‘ll recant the game, minus the tinny piano.

In Friday’s game, the A’s took on the Yankees, or should I say it was Gladiator vs. Braveheart. Let me tell you the game hung on many plays, but it came down to just one play. “It was the stuff dreams are made of”, Maltese Falcon. A catch that won Jeff Stier, best actor, or in this case MVP. (More on that later).

The A’s came out in the first inning and at coach Matta’s signal unleashed hell, “At my signal, unleash hell”, Maximus Decimus Meridius, from the film, Gladiator. We scored 3 runs. The Yankees started out “Driving Miss Daisy”, they scored 1 run in the first. A’s: 3-Yankees 1.

The next 3 innings the A’s were Gone With The Wind, we were shut out. I felt like Rhett Butler watching the defeated Confederate Army in Atlanta. "Rhett Butler: Take a good look my dear. It's an historic moment you can tell your grandchildren about - how you watched the Old South fall one night.”  As the A’s were falling, the Yankees played the role of Braveheart. They scored 5 runs in those same three innings, to take the lead. Juan Toro must have given the William Wallace speech to his team, to inspire them. From the film, Braveheart; William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

After 4 innings of serious movie dialogue the score was A’s: 3-Yankees: 6. Intermission, reader, go get your popcorn.

 

In the 5^th inning the Yankees put a hurt on the A’s, they followed Don Vito Corleone’s advice: “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” The A’s bats were certainly cold, we only scored a run in the 5^th. The Yankees “made us an offer we could not refuse” they cut off a horse’s head, stuffed it in our dugout and scored 5 runs. A’s: 4-Yankees 11, after 5 innings.  

In the 6^th and 7^th inning the A’s picked themselves up off the canvas, like Rocky. “Yo, Adrian”, we did it! The A’s scored 4 runs in the 6^th and 5 in the 7^th to take the lead. The Yankees were shut out those two innings. After 7 innings the score was A’s: 13-Yankees:11.

In the 8^th inning both teams fought like they were Patton’s 3^rd Army attacking in France and Germany, in WW2. You could almost hear George C. Scott, playing the role as the famed general, tell both teams, “Here's where we hold them by the nose and kick them”. The A’s scored 3 runs in the top half of the inning. The Yankees scored 5 runs in the bottom of the inning. We had a tied game, A’s: 16-Yankees: 16.

It’s time now for a classic movie finish, the 9^th inning. One team was going to be Scarlett O’Hara, left on the doorstep. One team was going to go down like a sinking ship, reminiscent of the scene in the movie, Titanic. One team was going to gamble and lose, like in the movie, The Sting. The A’s struck first in the top of the 9^th, scoring 5 runs. The A’s felt like things were “Going My Way”. We were so happy we were, “Dancing With Wolves”. We felt like a triumphant “Gladiator”.

The Yankees came up to bat in the bottom of the 9^th, down 5 runs and feeling like they were chained to the oars in an ancient ship’s galley, like in the film Ben- Hur. You could almost hear the Roman commander, Quintus Arrius, say:” You are all condemned men, we keep you alive to serve this ship, row well and live.” The Yankee players responded by rowing well. They fought back hard, scoring 3 runs and advancing runners to 1^st and 2^nd base, with only one out. With those two runners on base, that is when Jeff Stier turn in his Oscar winning performance on defense. Jeff stole the Maltese Falcon. He made a fantastic catch over his shoulder, as he hustled out to short left field, to catch a dying black falcon, pop up. He then threw to 2^nd base and doubled up the runner, who had left the bag thinking it was a sure hit. Game Over. A’s: 21-Yankees:19. No one should get too worked up about the game, remember what Scarlett O’Hara said at the end of Gone With The Wind, “after all, tomorrow is another day” and another ballgame.

Oscar Winning Hitters For The A’s:

Alumbaugh: 4/5.

Stier: 4/5.

Shirer: 4/5 with 2 doubles.

Matta: 4/5.

Book: 4/5 with a double.

Bailey: 3/5. 

Oscar Winning Hitters For The Yankees:

Rivera: 3/5 with a double.

Ojeda: 3/5.

Toro: 5/5 with a double.

Jimenez: 4/5.

Brock: 5/5 with 2 doubles.

Luttrell: 3/5.

Crowell: 5/5.

Pokey: 3/5.

Wells: 3/4.

Write up by Nick Matta

Friday, February 24th
I would classify todays game between Strait's Tigers and Black's Nationals as boring and uneventful. I thought there would be more ground rule doubles over the shorter fence, due to the strong hitters on both teams, but only 4 for the Nats and 1 for the Tigers. The only excitement was probably in the top of the 6th. when the Tigers scored 6 runs to tie the score at 12. The Nats scored 3 in the bottom and added 5 more in the 7th for a final score of Nationals 20, Tigers 15. Leading Hitters:






Tigers                                                   Nationals






Aufiero  2/4 D                                       Roy      3/4 D


Parker   2/4 D                                        King     4/4 2D


Remington 3/4 D                                  Lopez    2/4 D


Letourneau  4/4 T                                 Learn     2/4 D              


Newton      3/4                                       Hampton   3/3 BB


Taylor   4/4                                             Black     2/3


Strait   2/3

Note; Our star player, Don Ing, has returned to Windsor ,Ontario, due to a business problem. You see he owns a chain of Chinese dry cleaners, I am am told that his last shipment of starch from China was not starch, but some kind of white powder that has a high street value | | |  If you wish to visit him, you can on the 2nd. and 4th. Thursday of the month in the big house in Windsor.Go figure EH | | Don we will miss you in the dugout and on the field, not to mention at the Legion.


Submitted by Elmer Black.