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Post by sader1970 on May 6, 2024 6:49:16 GMT -5
As a former All-Star Little League shortstop I can almost relate to this ( ): But to share my biggest embarrassment at shortstop (please remember I was probably 11-12 years old but should have known better), we had an announcer who was probably only about 15 years old at the PA. He announces before the play that there is a runner on first. For some, stupid reason, I lost my focus and didn't bother to look or remember that, in fact, there was no runner on first. I get an easy grounder that I field cleanly and my second baseman is running towards the ball and me but in my mind he was going to cover second for a double play and I lob the ball to him to start a double play. He catches my throw and desperately throws to first and the batter easily beats his throw. Sort of like Tinker to Evers to Chance without the resulting double play (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball%27s_Sad_Lexicon) or even a put out. I'm confused as to why we haven't at least picked off the lead runner until I hear the same announcer kid say "Error on the shortstop" - me! At that point I look in vain to see where the "lead runner" is only to realize that there never was a runner on first. Mental foul up. My second baseman says "why did you throw to me?" I sheepishly tell him I thought we were going for a DP. Now, one last LL story. A classic in my family. When I was 12, I was a halfway decent batter and while only average in size, I had what my father called Hank Aaron quick wrists and could hit home runs better than most. My father (HC '42) was the most honest person I have ever known, bar none. On our "major league" field, it was chain link. Over past left field was a "Minor League" field with a snow fence (vertical wooden slates, perhaps each slat about 2" wide). Between the 2 fields was perhaps 15' path between the two. Made for a bit of an optical illusion under the right circumstances. Most of my family is seated in the bleachers on the first base side. Crusader Dad is standing and leaning on the right field fence watching the game. I'm up and hit a home run over the left field fence, bounces between the two fields and over the minor league field fence onto that field. I round the bases, get into the dugout where my coach and teammates all are congratulating me. I'm now sitting on the bench and see the umpire talking to my coach. My coach comes over and tells me that I have to go back to second as it has been ruled a ground rule double. I and my teammates are stunned especially because they were sitting in the 3rd base dugout and see the whole thing. (BTW, the left fielder never saw where it went as he backpedaled and in backing up, tripped over his own feet and fell on his back). Coach tells me that "some man" in the outfield told the umpire that the ball bounced over the left field fence. Have no recollection if we won or lost the game or if I even eventually scored from second. On our way home in the car, older brother (HC '69) says, "you know who robbed you of that home run? Dad!!!" Dad's response was "well, it looked to me like it bounced over." Me: "where were you?" Him: "At the right field fence." Me" "The ball went over the LEFT FIELD FENCE! I and everyone else knew it was a HOME RUN!" The opposing team never even objected to the home run call. I still have a card for my 50th birthday in which my Dad said "I hope this makes up for robbing you of a home run!"
So, 1. What other parent would do what my father did? 2. What other umpire would take the word of one guy to reverse a call?
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Post by alum on May 6, 2024 7:06:31 GMT -5
I will tell you a story of an athletic screwup that is completely on me. It was 7th and 8th grade CYO basketball and we were playing a weeknight game against a team from another league. Coach calls time out within the first minute of the second quarter and puts me in. My older brother is going to inbound the ball to me. The opposing team is covering us man to man. My brother waves for me to go into the back court and then throws the ball ahead of me, presumably to get separation from the defender. I grab the inbound pass and dribble right to the opponent's basket and lay it in.
Thankfully, we lost by three.
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Post by hchoops on May 6, 2024 11:05:52 GMT -5
As a former All-Star Little League shortstop I can almost relate to this ( ): But to share my biggest embarrassment at shortstop (please remember I was probably 11-12 years old but should have known better), we had an announcer who was probably only about 15 years old at the PA. He announces before the play that there is a runner on first. For some, stupid reason, I lost my focus and didn't bother to look or remember that, in fact, there was no runner on first. I get an easy grounder that I field cleanly and my second baseman is running towards the ball and me but in my mind he was going to cover second for a double play and I lob the ball to him to start a double play. He catches my throw and desperately throws to first and the batter easily beats his throw. Sort of like Tinker to Evers to Chance without the resulting double play (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball%27s_Sad_Lexicon) or even a put out. I'm confused as to why we haven't at least picked off the lead runner until I hear the same announcer kid say "Error on the shortstop" - me! At that point I look in vain to see where the "lead runner" is only to realize that there never was a runner on first. Mental foul up. My second baseman says "why did you throw to me?" I sheepishly tell him I thought we were going for a DP. Now, one last LL story. A classic in my family. When I was 12, I was a halfway decent batter and while only average in size, I had what my father called Hank Aaron quick wrists and could hit home runs better than most. My father (HC '42) was the most honest person I have ever known, bar none. On our "major league" field, it was chain link. Over past left field was a "Minor League" field with a snow fence (vertical wooden slates, perhaps each slat about 2" wide). Between the 2 fields was perhaps 15' path between the two. Made for a bit of an optical illusion under the right circumstances. Most of my family is seated in the bleachers on the first base side. Crusader Dad is standing and leaning on the right field fence watching the game. I'm up and hit a home run over the left field fence, bounces between the two fields and over the minor league field fence onto that field. I round the bases, get into the dugout where my coach and teammates all are congratulating me. I'm now sitting on the bench and see the umpire talking to my coach. My coach comes over and tells me that I have to go back to second as it has been ruled a ground rule double. I and my teammates are stunned especially because they were sitting in the 3rd base dugout and see the whole thing. (BTW, the left fielder never saw where it went as he backpedaled and in backing up, tripped over his own feet and fell on his back). Coach tells me that "some man" in the outfield told the umpire that the ball bounced over the left field fence. Have no recollection if we won or lost the game or if I even eventually scored from second. On our way home in the car, older brother (HC '69) says, "you know who robbed you of that home run? Dad!!!" Dad's response was "well, it looked to me like it bounced over." Me: "where were you?" Him: "At the right field fence." Me" "The ball went over the LEFT FIELD FENCE! I and everyone else knew it was a HOME RUN!" The opposing team never even objected to the home run call. I still have a card for my 50th birthday in which my Dad said "I hope this makes up for robbing you of a home run!"
So, 1. What other parent would do what my father did? 2. What other umpire would take the word of one guy to reverse a call?
2- if other umpires were told this by the batter’s dad, maybe at least one more.
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Post by rgs318 on May 6, 2024 11:50:14 GMT -5
I still hold the strike out record for New Milford Little League...BUT I was not the pitcher. My one highlight came when I was in for our playoff game (since everyne had to play). The bases were loaded and I came up. I got a full count. The next pitch hit me in the helmet and the hit my bat and was caught by the catcher. There was a huge argument with both coaches and the ump. They first ruled I was out because the catcher caught what was a foul tip. They they realized that I had been hit first, so I was awarded first base, forcing in the tying run. The next batter got a hit and we won 6-5. My one moment of glory in an otherwise dreadful LL "career."
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Post by WCHC Sports on May 6, 2024 14:07:39 GMT -5
Baseball: Little League World Series qualifying game I hit a grand slam to walk off over the left field light tower... foul ball. I struck out looking on the next pitch to end the game.
Basketball: Not me, but in 6th grade, we had a classmate who was a bit of a wild kid (had some larger troubles later in life as an adult) who was out with a broken wrist or a sprain. Whatever it was, he was in a soft cast. A) our team was not very good, B) the kid was not very good, and C) his mom never came to games. Despite basically being on the injured list and not playing, his mom happened to come to this particular game. And despite not being very good, we were blowing the opponent out for this game. So our coach, good guy, looks across half court to the kid's mom and basically gestures "Can he play?" Figuring he'd get the son some rare playing time in front of his mom. Mom gives the thumbs-up, so the kid goes to the scorer's table. He was in his jersey, sneakers, and had the snap-on/snap-off warm-up pants. Ball goes out of bounds, horn goes BRRRRRRRRRRT, and the kid starts to walk onto the court to applause. Grabs both sides of the warm up pants and rips them off: and is wearing just his tighty whities underneath and not wearing his uniform shorts.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on May 6, 2024 14:37:37 GMT -5
Ok, I'll share my little tale of woe.
In baseball, I was a decent youth player. In my town, back then there was the Pony League, for kids 13-15. In my last year I was a third basemen who shared pitching duties on a good team. Late in the year, as a pitcher I started struggling with my control; no clue why. Anyway, in the playoffs we get to the championship series, and in the deciding game I drive in what we were hoping would be the winning run in the top of the 10th inning.
Bottom of the inning, I had to take the mound to close things out (our starter had reached his max innings per league rules). In between 2 outs I loaded the bases with 2 walks and a hit batter. The other team and their fans were going crazy, yelling at me. Coach came out, but the only thing he could tell me was to treat it like a game of catch. Great. I proceeded to walk in the tying and winning runs. I think I threw my glove over the backstop as I walked off the field.
I went on to play in high school for a year, and Sr. Babe Ruth as well, but I could never pitch again. I came down with Steve Sax/Chuck Knobloch syndrome; I couldn't even play catch to warm up, or throw batting practice. To warm up I had to get whomever I was partnered up with to move far away from everyone else. I was able to play in the outfield at least, but that was it. I was just grateful it didn't happen on the high school team, because there were a few tools on that team that would not have been too kind to me.
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Post by hchoops on May 6, 2024 14:54:09 GMT -5
So it a good thing for all of us, who so highly value your talents as a super fan and resident poet, that pitching labs and sports psychiatrists were not around then. Otherwise you would have gone on to Fame and fortune.
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Post by sader1970 on May 6, 2024 15:19:02 GMT -5
So far, a short thread but one of the most enjoyable I've seen here in a while (yeah, Lenten hiatus may have lowered my expectations).
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Post by DiMarz on May 20, 2024 20:15:32 GMT -5
We all have had our "moments",mine was 6th grade touch football..I'm the QB, moving the ball toward the goal line with sort passes and an occasional run...Now one has to know i spent a lot of time at HC football practice, well before the Hart Center was built, studying Pat McCarthy and everything he did...Late in the game, I faked a handoff with my left hand and put the football in my right hand behind my hip, just as McCarthy did so many times..It worked perfectly! I rolled to the left, nobody between me and the goal line for a TD in the Worcester city playoffs! BUT, ooops, I dropped the ball, literally. play was blown dead. Lost the game and my chance to be the hero.... I still feel the pain when I occasionally drive by that little field at the bottom of Airport Hill! I did go on to be the QB of my D-1 high school team, but that one play always haunted me!
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on May 20, 2024 21:51:21 GMT -5
NY Giants QB Fran Tarkenton excelled at that “bootleg” play and spurred a lot of kids to try it in real games such as yours or even in touch football on city streets.
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Post by hchoops on May 20, 2024 22:18:15 GMT -5
Jack Lentz loved that play, especially as we drew near the goal line. He would call a sweep right; the entire line and blocking Fullback went right as Jack put the ball in the running back’s, also running right, belly, then take it out, hide it on his hip, run left, and waltz into the end zone, a blind bootleg.
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Post by hc6774 on May 21, 2024 6:05:48 GMT -5
Ok, I'll share my little tale of woe. In baseball, I was a decent youth player. In my town, back then there was the Pony League, for kids 13-15. In my last year I was a third basemen who shared pitching duties on a good team. Late in the year, as a pitcher I started struggling with my control; no clue why. Anyway, in the playoffs we get to the championship series, and in the deciding game I drive in what we were hoping would be the winning run in the top of the 10th inning. Bottom of the inning, I had to take the mound to close things out (our starter had reached his max innings per league rules). In between 2 outs I loaded the bases with 2 walks and a hit batter. The other team and their fans were going crazy, yelling at me. Coach came out, but the only thing he could tell me was to treat it like a game of catch. Great. I proceeded to walk in the tying and winning runs. I think I threw my glove over the backstop as I walked off the field. I went on to play in high school for a year, and Sr. Babe Ruth as well, but I could never pitch again. I came down with Steve Sax/Chuck Knobloch syndrome; I couldn't even play catch to warm up, or throw batting practice. To warm up I had to get whomever I was partnered up with to move far away from everyone else. I was able to play in the outfield at least, but that was it. I was just grateful it didn't happen on the high school team, because there were a few tools on that team that would not have been too kind to me. Dave, a similar story for an HC baseball HoF, my roommate we both had solid baseball experiences as catchers at rival NJ high schools; neither of us was recruited As freshmen we reported to the Fieldhouse in late Feb for pitchers & catchers; the area was screened off from the basketball courts by a green curtain... he could not reliably throw the ball back to the pitchers. he continues to call it 'the green screen disease' When we went outside with the freshman team, the problem persisted in the preseason including a preseason game against Worcester Academy. After that game he told me he might drop baseball & try lacrosse. However in batting practice he was in the top 2 or 3 of our hitters. So he was moved to the OF for our first freshman game & the rest is history... varsity starter soph year, junior year leads nation in batting avg/ All American selection, invited to the Cape League, calls from major league scouts.
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Post by timholycross on May 21, 2024 8:49:11 GMT -5
Ok, I'll share my little tale of woe. In baseball, I was a decent youth player. In my town, back then there was the Pony League, for kids 13-15. In my last year I was a third basemen who shared pitching duties on a good team. Late in the year, as a pitcher I started struggling with my control; no clue why. Anyway, in the playoffs we get to the championship series, and in the deciding game I drive in what we were hoping would be the winning run in the top of the 10th inning. Bottom of the inning, I had to take the mound to close things out (our starter had reached his max innings per league rules). In between 2 outs I loaded the bases with 2 walks and a hit batter. The other team and their fans were going crazy, yelling at me. Coach came out, but the only thing he could tell me was to treat it like a game of catch. Great. I proceeded to walk in the tying and winning runs. I think I threw my glove over the backstop as I walked off the field. I went on to play in high school for a year, and Sr. Babe Ruth as well, but I could never pitch again. I came down with Steve Sax/Chuck Knobloch syndrome; I couldn't even play catch to warm up, or throw batting practice. To warm up I had to get whomever I was partnered up with to move far away from everyone else. I was able to play in the outfield at least, but that was it. I was just grateful it didn't happen on the high school team, because there were a few tools on that team that would not have been too kind to me. Dave, a similar story for an HC baseball HoF, my roommate we both had solid baseball experiences as catchers at rival NJ high schools; neither of us was recruited As freshmen we reported to the Fieldhouse in late Feb for pitchers & catchers; the area was screened off from the basketball courts by a green curtain... he could not reliably throw the ball back to the pitchers. he continues to call it 'the green screen disease' When we went outside with the freshman team, the problem persisted in the preseason including a preseason game against Worcester Academy. After that game he told me he might drop baseball & try lacrosse. However in batting practice he was in the top 2 or 3 of our hitters. So he was moved to the OF for our first freshman game & the rest is history... varsity starter soph year, junior year leads nation in batting avg/ All American selection, invited to the Cape League, calls from major league scouts. Check out last night's MLB highlights. Christian Yelich stole home. The catcher parachuted a throw back to the pitcher, Yelich took off and slud (yes, it's "slid", but I like quoting Casey Stengel whenever I can) in safely. No doubt the catcher's got some issues throwing the ball back to the pitcher.
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Post by timholycross on May 21, 2024 9:13:42 GMT -5
Personally, my biggest embarrassment in baseball was missing practice* and being switched from splitting games at catcher (which I was getting decent at) to third base, which I had no clue about. Four errors later (the last one, a dropped tag, I'll blame on my awful glove, but the rest were all on me) I ended up in the outfield the rest of the season.
*I went to a Red Sox game and I'm glad I did- it was the afternoon of the famous Al Luplow catch falling into the right field bullpen...the guy who hit the ball was none other than Dick Williams.
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Post by Tom on May 21, 2024 11:12:18 GMT -5
Only saw a clean MLB steal of home once.
Jacoby Ellsbury. Left handed pitcher so his back was to Ellsbury. Ortiz at the plate so the shift was on and even though Ellsbury was half way down the 3rd base line, he was still closer to the bag than the 3rd baseman. No danger of getting picked off for a ridiculously large lead. Perfect storm and Ellsbury flat out beat the pitch to the plate
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Post by alum on May 21, 2024 11:29:43 GMT -5
Only saw a clean MLB steal of home once. Jacoby Ellsbury. Left handed pitcher so his back was to Ellsbury. Ortiz at the plate so the shift was on and even though Ellsbury was half way down the 3rd base line, he was still closer to the bag than the 3rd baseman. No danger of getting picked off for a ridiculously large lead. Perfect storm and Ellsbury flat out beat the pitch to the plate Here is Jacoby stealing home off of Petit. I love that JD Drew, one of the dullest person in baseball history, doesn't even react, and does't even appear to congratulate him.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on May 21, 2024 11:47:50 GMT -5
Speaking of Pettite, I believe he is the only pitcher in MLB history to (A) win 200 or more games (he won 256) , AND (B) never have a losing season. He did this by pitching a complete game victory to win the last game of his career and go 11-11 in that final season. Others that you might guess never had a losing season such as Whitey Ford or Pedro Martinez actually did have a season or two below .500.
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Post by Tom on May 21, 2024 12:08:10 GMT -5
Only saw a clean MLB steal of home once. Jacoby Ellsbury. Left handed pitcher so his back was to Ellsbury. Ortiz at the plate so the shift was on and even though Ellsbury was half way down the 3rd base line, he was still closer to the bag than the 3rd baseman. No danger of getting picked off for a ridiculously large lead. Perfect storm and Ellsbury flat out beat the pitch to the plate Here is Jacoby stealing home off of Petit. I love that JD Drew, one of the dullest person in baseball history, doesn't even react, and does't even appear to congratulate him. Thanks for the video. I was on the first base side of home plate pretty much in line with the 3rd base line and had a great view
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