First, allow me to explain.  For every run that my running club does, someone writes a summary of what happened, a theoretically humorous recap to poke light fun at people and to remind everyone of the day.  Someday, I would like to try to write for the running club, so I thought I’d start off by writing about our games.  It may be funny, it may not – feel free to tell me so I can get better at this.

Annie’s Mooners Get Reamed – May 13^th Game

Ah, the sun on your face, the roar of the crowd (well, at least Jim and his girlfriend,) and a battlefield ready for a slaughter.  It seems like only yesterday to me.  Actually, it was yesterday, but that’s beside the point.  It was another wonderful day for the B61 Bus Stops to take the field.  Our opponents – Annie’s Mooners, whose cheer, “Go Mooners!” would set them off into giggling titters.  Some things are better left unexplained.

The heart of the Ball Bussers lineup was there –

• Whippet on first
• “Sleeveless Medium” Matt at shortstop
• “Coach” Jamie with his black derby/ beret, whatever you want to call it, on third
• Steve “I need a good nickname” in left field
• Alex “See, I do have sneakers” in center
• “I’ll take a dive for my team” JJ in right center field
• Adam once again taking the mound
• Andrew “Put me in, Coach.  I’m ready to play” started on the bench
• Yours truly – official bench guzzler

The Lady Bus Stops (This reporter’s reason that we actually won) were the force to be reckoned with

• “6:29pm, Don’t call me Yo Yo Ma!” Johanna as catcher
• “Lucky number 7” Elyse at second
• “Sticky glove” Tamara in right field
• Late-comer Amy making a guest appearance
• Can we count Dennis’ beautiful baby Isabella as an honorary Lady Bus Stop?

They wore grey.  We wore white.  Why were we punished with white uniforms?  There’s not enough All Temperature Cheer in the world to get JJ’s jersey clean.  Them’s the breaks.  Still, it was good to have the solidarity of team colors.

Our ump, Mister Enthusiastic, was ready with his dance steps and his call.  He loves this job.  “22, 22.  2 and 2”  Did he remind anyone else of Leslie Nielson from Naked Gun?  “Look!  It’s Enrico Palazzo!”

Let the game begin.  Oh, no, wait.  Let’s wait for Johanna to make her grand entrance on her bicycle.  Ok.  Now, we can begin.  And begin we did.  The team came out swinging.  4-0 by the end of the first inning with 8 of our batters going to the plate.  JJ with possibly the first home run of the season??  They got nowhere with Adam’s pitches, and the team took them down, often 1-2-3.  As Sleeveless Medium says, “ What’s the key to winning?  Defense!”  14-0 by the end of the fifth???  That doesn’t seem fair.  The slaughter rule doesn’t seem so bad when you’re on the winning side. 

As a show of good teamsmanship, the Coach brought Adam out from his power pitching, and brought in JJ to give them some mercy walks.  JJ showed great compassion by walking in two runs so it wouldn’t be a complete slaughter.  “That’s just the kind of guy I am,” said JJ.  “I was rooting for the little guy, and I just couldn’t bear to throw a pitch over the plate.  Then, I got mad and stuck that big guy out.  You can’t be nice all the time.”

Blue wanted to call the game, but slipped him $25 (or was that for the calls?), and we played on.  Coach brought in Steve to show his Mariano Rivera closer skills.  Three batters up, and the game winning pop fly catch sitting in Tamara’s glove.  Final score --16-2.  One step closer to the big lights of playoffs. 

Johanna was named player of the game.  Not sure why, but I’m sure she deserved it. They never tell me anything. Congratulations!

Other memorable plays –

• JJ stuck in a rundown between 2^nd and 3^rd
• Me opening my first Corona while sitting on the bench
• JJ robbed of a rocket to left field
• Jamie with a clobbering of a homerun “I’ve never seen anyone hit it that far” was heard from the opposing team’s coach.  Yeah, like the Coach needs a bigger ego.
• Me opening my first Budweiser while sitting on the bench (Hey, it’s my writeup)
• Matt’s surprise toss to Jamie to catch the runner going to third
• Amazing hitting by the Lady Bus Stops – There’s a rumor that they have a better batting average than the Ball Bussers….

We went back to the bar, and there was much reveling.  Hip, Hip, Hooray.  Pizza and ribs.  Did anyone realize that there’s a restaurant upstairs?

Final thoughts – Three cheers to Dennis and Deborah for their baby girl Isabella.

Lastly, the Lady Bus Stoppers were plotting a Stitch & Bitch session.  I get the stitching part.  What are they going to bitch about, compensation packages and advertising agreements?