A glorious game at Barry 2! The sky threatened rain but held off--and we even got some glimpses of blue sky as the evening progressed. The field was shaggy, our dugout was a bog, and home plate was mucky, but we made it work. We played newbie team Six Point (that's right, the brewery!) and they did not bring any beer with them. Boo.
The True Foes won the home field advantage and took a big lead in the first inning! Six Point faked us out for a moment in the second inning when they scored five runs, but after that they had nothing. It was a fast game because we kept shutting them down one-two-three whenever they were at bat!
When I say "we" I kind of mean Jason--he made five outs in a row at one point! They just kept hitting the ball right to him. Also, Ben guarded first base like a jealous boyfriend, and very few six-pointers had the privilege of meeting it.
We were missing (once again) a couple of our regulars last night: Glenn Baken and Shortstop Brian have apparently gone rogue, but Softball Dave stepped up to play short, despite suffering what may have been a wee hangover, Ryan Hullings bravely covered third base, and David Phillips, Laviola, and Casey covered the outfield on the rare occasion that the other team got the ball out there!
In the Big Bat Breakout category we have Tyson and Abbey! They both repeatedly excelled at excellently placed hits: not too high, not too low, and right into that spot between the infield and outfield where nobody can catch it. In fact everyone was hitting great last night! Jason made two doubles, and David Phillips had a sweet home run! He looked like the roadrunner going around those bases: his legs just kept going faster and faster until they were a blur!
We made our share of errors as well, but overall we outplayed Six Point consistently and thoroughly. Welcome to the league, suckas! The final score (which we know because of Finklea's attentive and enthusiastic score-keeping) was True Foes 13, Six Point, uh, 6.
To be fair, they were a nice team and gracious losers. One of them even told us to "keep making awesome DVDs" during the post-game hand slapping. But that didn't stop us from grinning as we slaked our thirst with some Six Points at the bar. As Alex put it, it was "kind of like drinking the blood of our enemies" after a battle.
What an awesome season so far! Thank you to everyone who comes out every time, and I wish I could give you all the individual shout-outs you deserve and still be pithy. There hasn't been a single game this year where we've feared forfeiting because of too few players. And, ahem, WE'RE THREE AND ONE BABY!
Our next game isn't until Friday, June 4, so stay limber, Foes! We'll be facing off against El Destructo back at Barry again. And since that's a Friday game we can really tie one on after we beat them--you seriously don't want to miss it!
GTF
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
True Foes vs. Predators, 5/5/10
It sure felt good to get back on the field after a rainout and a two-week break! The game was off to a late start over on Barry 1, due to some boys' school team wrapping up a game and taking their sweet time clearing out. Our opponents, the newbie "Predators," showed their true colors early on by poaching our dugout. Grr! We won the coin toss, but the True Foes' bats were a little rusty in the first three innings and the Preds took an early lead. They thought they were the cocks of the walk...until the True Foes' thrilling rally mid-game!
At this point I'd like to give mad props to Sarah Finklea, not only for her determination to take some hacks and reclaim her softball skills, but for keeping careful score and having a civilized discussion with the ump when he thought we were tied 6-6 when in reality we were ahead 7-6 at the bottom of the fifth!
Alas, this was not the only instance of unacceptable ump behavior: he also let himself get hoodwinked by the other team after Ryan Hullings hit a blazing triple. Ryan was safe on third, I was up, and then the Predators' first baseman claimed that Ryan didn't touch first base. Bad boy blue just took their word for it (even though he obviously didn't see anything amiss with his own eyes) and declared him out. Not cool. He also lost track of what inning we were in at one point, and accidentally shouted "Fair ball!" when he meant to say "Dead ball!" Dude.
The ump also failed to establish a stable strike zone, which meant the Predators repeatedly walked on base when they had no business doing so. I mean, I saw every pitch too, and there was simply no rhyme or reason to what he called a ball or a strike. So there Jason is, sweating it out on the mound, and blue is just phoning it in! Plus he was afraid of the ball and did this super girly "twist and flinch" move every time he thought a pitch might bounce in his direction. If you're the ump you've got to get your head in the game, man. Let's have some consistency and conviction, for Pete's sake!
Despite the disadvantages, the True Foes got it together and played hard to the end! Jason and Willy both hit spectacular home runs, and Alex Laviola unsettled the other team with his mismatched knee socks and aggressive base running. Softball Dave (our shortstop this game) and Issa made plenty of solid outs at first base, and David Phillips and Ben made good catches and brought the ball in quickly from the outfield. Tyson had a great hit during a crucial rallying moment, and Finklea & Casey covered the tricky rover/second base territory. Yours truly got to tag a guy gunning for home, which doesn't happen often and was great fun (especially because he said "Oh, shit!" right before he got out). I apologize for any positions/plays that I've omitted or misremembered--the sun was in my eyes the whole game, and the Cinco de Mayo margarita merriment may have interfered with my recall a bit!
It was exciting right up to the finish--the Predators reclaimed the lead by scoring some more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and our second big rally didn't quite get off the ground, leaving us with a final score of 12-10. It's no fun losing, but we stepped it up in a challenging game and enjoyed an evening of absolutely perfect weather! Thank you to Susan, Lee, and Morgan for being our cheering section and keeping our spirits up even when our score wasn't!
We won't have to wait long for our next shot at glory: the True Foes face off against our old foes "El Destructo" next Wednesday on the very same field. If we can start strong and nix the pop-ups we're sure to destroy El D! You don't want to miss it!
GTF
At this point I'd like to give mad props to Sarah Finklea, not only for her determination to take some hacks and reclaim her softball skills, but for keeping careful score and having a civilized discussion with the ump when he thought we were tied 6-6 when in reality we were ahead 7-6 at the bottom of the fifth!
Alas, this was not the only instance of unacceptable ump behavior: he also let himself get hoodwinked by the other team after Ryan Hullings hit a blazing triple. Ryan was safe on third, I was up, and then the Predators' first baseman claimed that Ryan didn't touch first base. Bad boy blue just took their word for it (even though he obviously didn't see anything amiss with his own eyes) and declared him out. Not cool. He also lost track of what inning we were in at one point, and accidentally shouted "Fair ball!" when he meant to say "Dead ball!" Dude.
The ump also failed to establish a stable strike zone, which meant the Predators repeatedly walked on base when they had no business doing so. I mean, I saw every pitch too, and there was simply no rhyme or reason to what he called a ball or a strike. So there Jason is, sweating it out on the mound, and blue is just phoning it in! Plus he was afraid of the ball and did this super girly "twist and flinch" move every time he thought a pitch might bounce in his direction. If you're the ump you've got to get your head in the game, man. Let's have some consistency and conviction, for Pete's sake!
Despite the disadvantages, the True Foes got it together and played hard to the end! Jason and Willy both hit spectacular home runs, and Alex Laviola unsettled the other team with his mismatched knee socks and aggressive base running. Softball Dave (our shortstop this game) and Issa made plenty of solid outs at first base, and David Phillips and Ben made good catches and brought the ball in quickly from the outfield. Tyson had a great hit during a crucial rallying moment, and Finklea & Casey covered the tricky rover/second base territory. Yours truly got to tag a guy gunning for home, which doesn't happen often and was great fun (especially because he said "Oh, shit!" right before he got out). I apologize for any positions/plays that I've omitted or misremembered--the sun was in my eyes the whole game, and the Cinco de Mayo margarita merriment may have interfered with my recall a bit!
It was exciting right up to the finish--the Predators reclaimed the lead by scoring some more runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and our second big rally didn't quite get off the ground, leaving us with a final score of 12-10. It's no fun losing, but we stepped it up in a challenging game and enjoyed an evening of absolutely perfect weather! Thank you to Susan, Lee, and Morgan for being our cheering section and keeping our spirits up even when our score wasn't!
We won't have to wait long for our next shot at glory: the True Foes face off against our old foes "El Destructo" next Wednesday on the very same field. If we can start strong and nix the pop-ups we're sure to destroy El D! You don't want to miss it!
GTF
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Game 2: True Foes vs. The Shatters, 4/12/10
[I missed Game 1 because I was in Spain on vacation, but the True Foes won!!]
Game 2: The True Foes vs. The Shatters 4/12/10
Spain was spectacular, but there’s no place like home plate, and there’s no better homecoming than enjoying America’s favorite pastime—especially when your team is undefeated!
It was a gorgeous spring night (just chilly enough to keep things interesting), and the True Foes shattered the Shatters! I was tempted to say “we shat on the Shatters” but they were a very nice team and did their best, so I’ll also refrain from calling them “the Shitters.” It was a typical warm welcome at Murray Bergtraum: a high school team playing on well into our field time and an uptight “security guard” telling us not to warm up, play catch, eat, drink, or do anything except sit on our hands and wait.
Because of the late start, the game was called on account of darkness after four innings—but if even if we’d had plenty of daylight it only would have lasted one inning longer: with a final score of 22-9 and the way we were racking up the runs, we were headed for not only our second victory but a second mercy ruling in our favor!
The Foes had a great turnout and high caliber contributions from all who played, but the first shout out has to go to Glenn Baken, who made the ball disappear over the right field fence for an impressive home run! Alex Laviola and Brian also had big hits and took turns calling and catching everything that came anywhere near their shortstop/rover territory. Another great catch was made by Jason, who covered right field, and mad props go to Willy Brese for not only pitching the entire game, but for being the best pitcher to take the mound last night—for all their efforts, the Shatters’ two pitchers didn’t give us much to swing at (and due to our discerning eyes, many a Foe walked to first).
Softball Dave, Brian, and Issa demonstrated some especially good baserunning, with the style award going to Issa for his skin-ripping slide into third! Tyson had great at-bats, including 2 RBI from one hit and great placement right over the head of the Shatters’ first baseman. Mike also favored the first baseline when he hit, and Laviola proved he’s equally good at dodgeball when one of them appeared to have his name on it! Yours truly was thrilled to be back in the swing of things on her favorite team, and made a solid start with a double and a run scored--not that we needed it!
Due to the late start and early finish, our subs didn’t get the field time they deserved. But what they lacked in game time they made up for with brio: Sarah Finklea bravely stepped up to the plate after a 2-year hiatus (it’s just like riding a bike, man! don’t be a stranger!), Mabilon wowed us with a long bomb from the outfield, and Casey had a fabulous hit followed by a fearless performance behind the plate.
We took the scenic route to Fontana’s, detouring around the FDNY’s latest handiwork and absorbing the unique sights and smells of Chinatown. Drinks, dumplings, and team spirit abounded, and we have two whole weeks to rest up and relive our latest victory until Monday the 26th, when Gimme Shelter will surely be seeking shelter from the unstoppable True Foes!
GTF
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
True Foes vs. Dot Bombers, 7/20/09
The Dot Bombers must have had somewhere to be after the game last night, because they wasted no time in racking up a big score that resulted in a mercy ruling after just five fast innings.
Though the Foes did lose 20-5 (I heard a rumor that we had six runs, so it could have been 21-6), there were plenty of high points worth mentioning. For starters, we had a great turnout and welcomed Issa and David Phillips (plus families!) back to the field. We were also happy to have Shortstop Brian and Willy back in action, and Alex's friend Michael, who is quickly becoming a True Foes friend as well!
Jason was enjoying some R&R in sunny California, so David Phillips was brave enough to be our starting pitcher last night. Then Willy stepped up and did a fantastic job, especially considering he hasn't pitched all season! Abbey had a terrific game last night, getting an out at second base and catching a scorching line drive that surely would have busted some ribs if she hadn't gotten her glove up in time! Said Lustgarten: "It was painful, but totally worth it."
There was a bright spot in the fourth inning where it looked like we might be able to turn things around: Glenn, David, and Issa all had slamming hits and chalked up some runs. Michael also hit a screaming meanie right through the infield--I swear, it must have gone past at least four Bombers' gloves. A big thank-you is owed Softball Dave who filled in as team manager, doing the lineup and the coin toss in addition to covering left field. Brian made an excellent double-play, and in general all the Foes played a better game than we did last week. Well done, team!
We did shut down the Dot Bombers in a couple of innings, but in the end they lived up to their name and knocked a bunch of bombs deep into the outfield. That plus a healthy dose of errors on our part resulted in a disgusting number of home runs for the other team, and the ump called the game shortly after seven o'clock.
The heat and haze we had earlier in the day dissolved into an absolutely gorgeous evening, and we took advantage of the early finish to get some relaxing and morale-boosting batting practice. Our numbers were small at the bar, but we very much enjoyed trying out a new watering hole: Rebar. The extensive beer list, expansive interior and eclectic soundtrack made for a great evening, which only got more interesting after Matt Lipson joined us for a round.
Unless there's another makeup game scheduled at the last minute, our final regular game will be Wednesday July 29 at 7pm at Murry Bergtraum. I say no pressure, no heroes, just put your game face on and give it the old college try! Let's bring our natural energy to the artificial turf and give the Pay Scrubs a run for their money!
GTF
Though the Foes did lose 20-5 (I heard a rumor that we had six runs, so it could have been 21-6), there were plenty of high points worth mentioning. For starters, we had a great turnout and welcomed Issa and David Phillips (plus families!) back to the field. We were also happy to have Shortstop Brian and Willy back in action, and Alex's friend Michael, who is quickly becoming a True Foes friend as well!
Jason was enjoying some R&R in sunny California, so David Phillips was brave enough to be our starting pitcher last night. Then Willy stepped up and did a fantastic job, especially considering he hasn't pitched all season! Abbey had a terrific game last night, getting an out at second base and catching a scorching line drive that surely would have busted some ribs if she hadn't gotten her glove up in time! Said Lustgarten: "It was painful, but totally worth it."
There was a bright spot in the fourth inning where it looked like we might be able to turn things around: Glenn, David, and Issa all had slamming hits and chalked up some runs. Michael also hit a screaming meanie right through the infield--I swear, it must have gone past at least four Bombers' gloves. A big thank-you is owed Softball Dave who filled in as team manager, doing the lineup and the coin toss in addition to covering left field. Brian made an excellent double-play, and in general all the Foes played a better game than we did last week. Well done, team!
We did shut down the Dot Bombers in a couple of innings, but in the end they lived up to their name and knocked a bunch of bombs deep into the outfield. That plus a healthy dose of errors on our part resulted in a disgusting number of home runs for the other team, and the ump called the game shortly after seven o'clock.
The heat and haze we had earlier in the day dissolved into an absolutely gorgeous evening, and we took advantage of the early finish to get some relaxing and morale-boosting batting practice. Our numbers were small at the bar, but we very much enjoyed trying out a new watering hole: Rebar. The extensive beer list, expansive interior and eclectic soundtrack made for a great evening, which only got more interesting after Matt Lipson joined us for a round.
Unless there's another makeup game scheduled at the last minute, our final regular game will be Wednesday July 29 at 7pm at Murry Bergtraum. I say no pressure, no heroes, just put your game face on and give it the old college try! Let's bring our natural energy to the artificial turf and give the Pay Scrubs a run for their money!
GTF
Thursday, July 16, 2009
True Foes vs. Antibiotix, 7/15/09
Last night ten True Foes bravely took the field at Barry 01, which seems to be our home field this year. Our opposing team was “Antibiotix,” which sounds like a pharmaceutical company trying to move into kids’ cereal or cat food.
Unfortunately for us, their team name was the only lame thing about them. Those guys could hit! Ryan in left, Glenn in center, and Alex Mabilon in right field all made great catches, but there were plenty that escaped us. The other team got some home runs with ducks on the pond and quickly racked up a substantial lead.
We had some familiar faces in new places last night (um, that doesn’t sound quite right) and learned that Abbey is terrific on first base (and she hit really well too!), Softball Dave can become Shortstop Dave, and Ryan’s friend (the ‘other Dave’) covered third for us.
The “Most Improved” award goes to Tyson, who made great contact at bat and also played well at second. Thank you also to Caroline, of Tyson and Caroline, for ensuring we had a full lineup by playing rover. The “Best Job Soldiering on While Injured” award goes to Jason, who stopped a zinger with his side but bounced back surprisingly fast.
Though we were shut out 12-0, there were some good moments for the True Foes! We made a double and a triple-play during the game, and we shut them down in more than one inning. It was at bat, once again, where we failed to live up to our true potential. We made some good solid hits, but Antibiotix can really catch. Also, their pitcher was really lobbing them in there, and while he tossed plenty of wild throws, there were plenty of speedy strikes as well.
But at the end of the day they were a nice team and the vibe on the field was pretty decent. You could smell the defeat in the True Foes dugout, but we did our best to show some spirit on the bench and stayed alive for seven innings. There didn’t seem to be enough spirit left over for batting practice after the game, so we made a beeline for Water St. and drank a few cold ones. We were missing some regulars (Shortstop Brian, Issa, David Phillips, Michael) last night, and our numbers were the smallest they’ve been this season. Drinks felt a little subdued but were a good tonic for our softball souls nonetheless.
We only have 2 regular games left, and the next one is on Monday, July 20th, back at Barry 01 again. Let’s bring it to the Dot Bombers and end the season on a high note! A big comeback game is just what we need to start the week off right, and you won’t want to miss it!
GTF
Unfortunately for us, their team name was the only lame thing about them. Those guys could hit! Ryan in left, Glenn in center, and Alex Mabilon in right field all made great catches, but there were plenty that escaped us. The other team got some home runs with ducks on the pond and quickly racked up a substantial lead.
We had some familiar faces in new places last night (um, that doesn’t sound quite right) and learned that Abbey is terrific on first base (and she hit really well too!), Softball Dave can become Shortstop Dave, and Ryan’s friend (the ‘other Dave’) covered third for us.
The “Most Improved” award goes to Tyson, who made great contact at bat and also played well at second. Thank you also to Caroline, of Tyson and Caroline, for ensuring we had a full lineup by playing rover. The “Best Job Soldiering on While Injured” award goes to Jason, who stopped a zinger with his side but bounced back surprisingly fast.
Though we were shut out 12-0, there were some good moments for the True Foes! We made a double and a triple-play during the game, and we shut them down in more than one inning. It was at bat, once again, where we failed to live up to our true potential. We made some good solid hits, but Antibiotix can really catch. Also, their pitcher was really lobbing them in there, and while he tossed plenty of wild throws, there were plenty of speedy strikes as well.
But at the end of the day they were a nice team and the vibe on the field was pretty decent. You could smell the defeat in the True Foes dugout, but we did our best to show some spirit on the bench and stayed alive for seven innings. There didn’t seem to be enough spirit left over for batting practice after the game, so we made a beeline for Water St. and drank a few cold ones. We were missing some regulars (Shortstop Brian, Issa, David Phillips, Michael) last night, and our numbers were the smallest they’ve been this season. Drinks felt a little subdued but were a good tonic for our softball souls nonetheless.
We only have 2 regular games left, and the next one is on Monday, July 20th, back at Barry 01 again. Let’s bring it to the Dot Bombers and end the season on a high note! A big comeback game is just what we need to start the week off right, and you won’t want to miss it!
GTF
Friday, July 10, 2009
True Foes vs. Halcyon Asset Management, 7/9/09
So the plan last night was to "bring the love back." We'd been getting pretty tense and stressed out before and during our last few games, and we felt it was important to take a deep breath, drink some beers, and chill the heck out before the next one.
Since we had a 9pm game at the East River Fields, East Village resident Softball Dave was kind enough to host us on his AMAZING back patio (I should have taken a picture!) and we enjoyed beers, pizza, and non-softball-related conversation for a good hour and a half before game time. I remember Jason saying, "I think we should all drink as much as possible," and wondering how that would turn out.
Well, it turned out to be a great idea! There was definitely less tension overall, and though we didn't even warm up for the game really, we were off to a great start! True Foes were the 'visiting' team, so we were up to bat first and Shortstop Brian quickly got us on the board. Then Halcyon was up, and they scored too. Even Steven.
Our fielding was definitely stronger than last time. Not watertight--there were a few errors here and there--but overall we made better plays and shut them down on more than one occasion. David had confidently declared before the game, "Their Halcyon days are over!" Oh, how I wish that were true. Unfortunately they got three runs in one inning and we never quite caught up to them after that.
Now, these guys were not a fun team to play against. They were super intense. The kind of guys who shout things like: "Keep the aggression!!"
It's 9pm on a beautiful summer night down by the river, and half the people present are slightly drunk. Is it really necessary to 'keep the aggression'? Oh, and their first baseman was driving me nuts the way he'd cheer for his own pitcher. After every pitch, he'd bellow something like: "Nice pitch! NICE PITCH!!"
It's not like there was really that much at stake--the only people besides us who were watching were random people walking by with their dogs. The exception to the Halcyon vein-popping attitude was their lone female player, who basically only put down her cell phone long enough to strike out. And she wasn't the only one! There were a lot of strikeouts on both sides last night, which I attribute to starting with a 1-1 count. It kind of throws everything off. But it did keep the game moving, and it was all over by 10pm: we lost 8-4. Not bad!
We were trailing 8-1 at the top of the sixth, and then Jason made an Inspirational Speech about relaxing, taking it easy, and getting some f--king runs already. Laviola added "No heroes!" and then proceeded to eat turf diving for a foul ball. But the speech worked, because right after that we scored more runs! Shortstop Brian, David Phillips, and Softball Dave all had great hits! We definitely had more opportunities to score throughout the game--there were True Foes on bases--but the aforementioned penchant for striking out meant that we couldn't live up to our scoring potential.
Willy was on first base, and there were plenty of great plays there--plus he went deep and made an exciting catch in almost-right-field. Glenn and Laviola were dependable as always in the outfield, and Softball Dave made a great catch too while he covered third, and Shortstop Brian stopped their hits short whenever possible. I don't like tooting my own horn, but I have to say it felt pretty good to finally catch a foul ball, and I hope to make a habit of it! Jason not only encouraged us to drink and relax, he also pitched great (there was a no-swing strikeout, and plenty of the regular kind!) and played through the pain when he got a nasty leg cramp.
Thank-yous and props are also due Michael on second, Mabs and Tyson as our rovers, David Phillips over in right field, Caroline for cheering, and Abbey for keeping score (always harder than it looks!). The game was over by 10pm, and after the requisite "good game" hand slaps with the snarky Halcyons we stayed on the field and practiced until they shut the lights off at 10:30.
Holy cow, did you see the moon last night? It was huge and orange, hovering over Brooklyn. Really amazing. Ironically, during batting practice we were hitting and fielding like champs--which means that we're on the right track with this whole "take it easy" idea! Next game, let's just pretend we're having some batting practice--no pressure--and I think we'll really shine! And if we need to take a little nip from a bottle now and then to facilitate the necessary relaxation, then so be it.
I don't even remember the name of the bar we ended up at, but it was on Avenue C at around tenth street I think. We had plenty of space to push some tables together and create a True Foes section, which was a welcome change from the crowds in the Dumbo bars. I've gotta say, the way we stick together and wring every last drop of pleasure from the night is truly wonderful. I'd rather lose with the True Foes than win with any other team--no contest! What good is winning if you have to hang out with a bunch of douchebags all night?
It was technically Friday morning when yours truly took off, and some of the Foes who stayed in the bar looked like they had the potential to really make a night of it. Any stories, Jason? Alex? Don't hold out on us, man!
Our next game is less than a week away: Wednesday, July 15, at 6pm vs. "ANTIBIOTIX". And yes, we're back in the navy yard again. Please come out to play or cheer, and (win or lose) good times will be had by all!
GTF
Since we had a 9pm game at the East River Fields, East Village resident Softball Dave was kind enough to host us on his AMAZING back patio (I should have taken a picture!) and we enjoyed beers, pizza, and non-softball-related conversation for a good hour and a half before game time. I remember Jason saying, "I think we should all drink as much as possible," and wondering how that would turn out.
Well, it turned out to be a great idea! There was definitely less tension overall, and though we didn't even warm up for the game really, we were off to a great start! True Foes were the 'visiting' team, so we were up to bat first and Shortstop Brian quickly got us on the board. Then Halcyon was up, and they scored too. Even Steven.
Our fielding was definitely stronger than last time. Not watertight--there were a few errors here and there--but overall we made better plays and shut them down on more than one occasion. David had confidently declared before the game, "Their Halcyon days are over!" Oh, how I wish that were true. Unfortunately they got three runs in one inning and we never quite caught up to them after that.
Now, these guys were not a fun team to play against. They were super intense. The kind of guys who shout things like: "Keep the aggression!!"
It's 9pm on a beautiful summer night down by the river, and half the people present are slightly drunk. Is it really necessary to 'keep the aggression'? Oh, and their first baseman was driving me nuts the way he'd cheer for his own pitcher. After every pitch, he'd bellow something like: "Nice pitch! NICE PITCH!!"
It's not like there was really that much at stake--the only people besides us who were watching were random people walking by with their dogs. The exception to the Halcyon vein-popping attitude was their lone female player, who basically only put down her cell phone long enough to strike out. And she wasn't the only one! There were a lot of strikeouts on both sides last night, which I attribute to starting with a 1-1 count. It kind of throws everything off. But it did keep the game moving, and it was all over by 10pm: we lost 8-4. Not bad!
We were trailing 8-1 at the top of the sixth, and then Jason made an Inspirational Speech about relaxing, taking it easy, and getting some f--king runs already. Laviola added "No heroes!" and then proceeded to eat turf diving for a foul ball. But the speech worked, because right after that we scored more runs! Shortstop Brian, David Phillips, and Softball Dave all had great hits! We definitely had more opportunities to score throughout the game--there were True Foes on bases--but the aforementioned penchant for striking out meant that we couldn't live up to our scoring potential.
Willy was on first base, and there were plenty of great plays there--plus he went deep and made an exciting catch in almost-right-field. Glenn and Laviola were dependable as always in the outfield, and Softball Dave made a great catch too while he covered third, and Shortstop Brian stopped their hits short whenever possible. I don't like tooting my own horn, but I have to say it felt pretty good to finally catch a foul ball, and I hope to make a habit of it! Jason not only encouraged us to drink and relax, he also pitched great (there was a no-swing strikeout, and plenty of the regular kind!) and played through the pain when he got a nasty leg cramp.
Thank-yous and props are also due Michael on second, Mabs and Tyson as our rovers, David Phillips over in right field, Caroline for cheering, and Abbey for keeping score (always harder than it looks!). The game was over by 10pm, and after the requisite "good game" hand slaps with the snarky Halcyons we stayed on the field and practiced until they shut the lights off at 10:30.
Holy cow, did you see the moon last night? It was huge and orange, hovering over Brooklyn. Really amazing. Ironically, during batting practice we were hitting and fielding like champs--which means that we're on the right track with this whole "take it easy" idea! Next game, let's just pretend we're having some batting practice--no pressure--and I think we'll really shine! And if we need to take a little nip from a bottle now and then to facilitate the necessary relaxation, then so be it.
I don't even remember the name of the bar we ended up at, but it was on Avenue C at around tenth street I think. We had plenty of space to push some tables together and create a True Foes section, which was a welcome change from the crowds in the Dumbo bars. I've gotta say, the way we stick together and wring every last drop of pleasure from the night is truly wonderful. I'd rather lose with the True Foes than win with any other team--no contest! What good is winning if you have to hang out with a bunch of douchebags all night?
It was technically Friday morning when yours truly took off, and some of the Foes who stayed in the bar looked like they had the potential to really make a night of it. Any stories, Jason? Alex? Don't hold out on us, man!
Our next game is less than a week away: Wednesday, July 15, at 6pm vs. "ANTIBIOTIX". And yes, we're back in the navy yard again. Please come out to play or cheer, and (win or lose) good times will be had by all!
GTF
Saturday, June 27, 2009
True Foes vs. El D, 6/26/09
Looking outside today at the beautiful blue skies and radiant sunshine, you never would have guessed that we were playing under a dome of doom and gloom last night!
Seriously, it was like “The Softball Game at the End of the World.” It looked like we were finally going to luck out, weather-wise, since thunderstorms (and even hail!) had been predicted, but conditions were still dry when we got to the field.
But sure enough, come six o’clock, these immense dark cloud formations started swirling and piling up just like in Ghostbusters 2 when Vigo gathers those supernatural storm clouds around Dana’s upper-west-side high rise.
The ump called for us to start the game right quick, in hopes that we’d be able to squeeze in enough innings for it to count as a ‘real game’. At first the frenzied pace seemed to be working for us, as the True Foes started out batting and quickly scored three runs. Then El D took the plate and scored four. At this point I was thinking two things:
1) “Wow, we seem to be pretty evenly matched. This is going to be a great game!”
2) “I am concerned that the ump has struggled to remember the score and we’re only in the first inning!”
Well, I needn’t have bothered worrying about his scorekeeping ability, since from that point on El D kept scoring runs and we kept on not scoring runs, so…
In the second inning the winds picked up, and this massive dust cloud blew in (I think it was from a construction site somewhere under the BQE) and we had to call a brief time-out until people could see again. The wind continued to gather strength, and then awesome forks of lightning started cracking sideways across the sky. The umpire hurried both teams along at every step, and tension mounted.
It got dark, and rain began to fall, but we kept on playing. We were losing by a lot now. Things were looking and feeling very grim. It seriously felt like the world was going to come to an end, and we’d never get to see our loved ones or eat pizza or listen to “Thriller” EVER AGAIN. All we could do was FINISH THIS GAME and then hold on for dear life when things inevitably started crashing down around us. The ump tried to call the game at one point, drawing protests from both teams: “Look, it’s letting up!”
And indeed it was. The rain petered out, the winds died down, and the lightning continued to flicker until at last it was finished too. And so were we. Mercy rule after a mere five innings.
How did it happen? Well, I could tell you about some bad calls behind the plate (Glen and Ryan were ROBBED, that’s for sure!) and the wind interfering with things, but the plain truth is that they just played better than we did. Too many of El D’s hits touched turf instead of a glove. Too many of our hits were scooped up instead of scrambled after. These things happen.
But in True Foes form, we decided to make the best of things and so we stayed behind on the field for some fun batting practice after the game. The storm was completely over by then, and a golden sunset beamed from beneath the high cloud cover, making the field and the trees and the buildings glow as if lit from within by magical rosy candlelight.
Add a wagon full of beer (thanks, Glenn!), some funky cotton-ball cloud formations, and friends shagging balls in a field of newly-mown grass, and you’ve got yourself a paradise.
Next time, we’re going to come together as a team before the game (which is at 9pm on the East River fields, Thursday July 9) and recreate that calm, glowing vibe before we storm things up on the field. It's a brilliant plan, and you won't want to miss it!
GTF
Seriously, it was like “The Softball Game at the End of the World.” It looked like we were finally going to luck out, weather-wise, since thunderstorms (and even hail!) had been predicted, but conditions were still dry when we got to the field.
But sure enough, come six o’clock, these immense dark cloud formations started swirling and piling up just like in Ghostbusters 2 when Vigo gathers those supernatural storm clouds around Dana’s upper-west-side high rise.
The ump called for us to start the game right quick, in hopes that we’d be able to squeeze in enough innings for it to count as a ‘real game’. At first the frenzied pace seemed to be working for us, as the True Foes started out batting and quickly scored three runs. Then El D took the plate and scored four. At this point I was thinking two things:
1) “Wow, we seem to be pretty evenly matched. This is going to be a great game!”
2) “I am concerned that the ump has struggled to remember the score and we’re only in the first inning!”
Well, I needn’t have bothered worrying about his scorekeeping ability, since from that point on El D kept scoring runs and we kept on not scoring runs, so…
In the second inning the winds picked up, and this massive dust cloud blew in (I think it was from a construction site somewhere under the BQE) and we had to call a brief time-out until people could see again. The wind continued to gather strength, and then awesome forks of lightning started cracking sideways across the sky. The umpire hurried both teams along at every step, and tension mounted.
It got dark, and rain began to fall, but we kept on playing. We were losing by a lot now. Things were looking and feeling very grim. It seriously felt like the world was going to come to an end, and we’d never get to see our loved ones or eat pizza or listen to “Thriller” EVER AGAIN. All we could do was FINISH THIS GAME and then hold on for dear life when things inevitably started crashing down around us. The ump tried to call the game at one point, drawing protests from both teams: “Look, it’s letting up!”
And indeed it was. The rain petered out, the winds died down, and the lightning continued to flicker until at last it was finished too. And so were we. Mercy rule after a mere five innings.
How did it happen? Well, I could tell you about some bad calls behind the plate (Glen and Ryan were ROBBED, that’s for sure!) and the wind interfering with things, but the plain truth is that they just played better than we did. Too many of El D’s hits touched turf instead of a glove. Too many of our hits were scooped up instead of scrambled after. These things happen.
But in True Foes form, we decided to make the best of things and so we stayed behind on the field for some fun batting practice after the game. The storm was completely over by then, and a golden sunset beamed from beneath the high cloud cover, making the field and the trees and the buildings glow as if lit from within by magical rosy candlelight.
Add a wagon full of beer (thanks, Glenn!), some funky cotton-ball cloud formations, and friends shagging balls in a field of newly-mown grass, and you’ve got yourself a paradise.
Next time, we’re going to come together as a team before the game (which is at 9pm on the East River fields, Thursday July 9) and recreate that calm, glowing vibe before we storm things up on the field. It's a brilliant plan, and you won't want to miss it!
GTF
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