Thursday, June 19, 2008

Baseball Hazards and Summer Shots




















Worked down at the Honda affiliate in Greenville this morning...some changes going on down there, and my usual 1 hour inventory time has increased twofold....so I got my walk in doing that, and now with the lawn due to be mowed....a bonus in my effort to "get fit"....or so I tell myself. It was a cool, clear morning, so I took the West Bank Road along Grand Lake, and the photos are above the post..... meanwhile outback a few new flowers, some kind of Red Tulip that Patricia planted, have sprang up in the back yard flower area as well.


Sam at Delphos, and me in St. Marys, got our respective games in last night....which brings me to another subject....the Hazards involved in being an umpire...especially from Varsity High School to American Legion baseball and above...the higher the level, the more verbal and physical abuse you receive....the verbal is from coaches and fans...the physical is usually from being just unlucky behind the plate. But there are exceptions, once in awhile some punk may let you have it:

{make sure you watch the You Tube video link as well as the story}



Not sure what I would have done...however, if I knew it was on purpose, the catcher and the pitcher(whether innocent or not) would have been ejected.....probably the coach as well(If I had any proof the coach was involved, I probably would have kicked his ass in the parking lot)....I would have gotten my "pay back" somehow. But I would not have picked up a lawyer or sued....just not in my nature.
























Now having seen the video, take a gander at the picture of my chest(ugly a shot I know)....that purple thing is the shot I took this past Sunday(here it is 4 days later) off a foul tip. Now remember, we have chest "protectors" on...and I have a good one....but this is the second time in a week, a foul ball has hit a crease in the gear....and I paid the price. Some spring and summers I take few direct hits...this spring and thus far the summer games, I have not been as lucky...I have taken a beating on this 59 year old body...bruises and headaches are slower to heal.

So anytime you see some umpire take one in the ________________(name your favorite pain place), remember...sometimes it isn't pretty doing these games, but it is a hazard of the profession. Some punk letting a fast ball hit the ump on purpose is not part of the game.....and it appears both the school and this kid have paid a price.
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Back Later>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Photos---The Blue Herons waiting for breakfast at the West Bank Spillway as this morning's sun was rising....The Red "Morning Tulips" in the back yard were in bloom this morning, and my chest "bruise" in all it's glory, after taking a foul tip last Sunday at the American Legion Tournament in Columbus Grove....I expect that one to stay around awhile...4 days and the bruise is in full bloom, just like the flowers.

2 comments:

FHB said...

Jesus, that's a friggin' bruise from hell! At first, watching the video, I thought the catcher slipped down in his knees accidentally, but looking at it a few times I'd bet it was on perpose. Asshole. Why the hell would they do that? Don't like the calls the umps makin'?

PRH said...

FHB...guess they(his team) struck out 9 times in the first few innings, and were getting their asses handed to them(lost 13-1)...so he decided to get cute(cost him his college baseball career before he got started). I've heard players talk about it, but never saw one follow through....crazy world. Lucky for him it wasn't some old ass kicker like me....

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