A picture perfect day, weather wise, yesterday...I got both lawns mowed in a couple of hours....then headed to Coldwater to meet up with Wulfie, Captain Kent, and some of the other old gang from our workout and Wallyball days at the Lakefront Racquet Club. Kent looked good...he has been undergoing treatment for the past 5 years for prostate cancer and next week will begin to make bi-weekly travels to James Cancer Center at Ohio State in Columbus to begin experimental treatments. The Captain has the attitude and health options to battle this disease and my prayers are with him in his fight. We grabbed a bite to eat, had a couple of beers and parted, sober and while it was still daylight....times and we have certainly changed in the past decade since the demise of the Racquet Club.
The 3 Man Crew_____
In High School and small college baseball, for that matter even most Minor League Baseball, umpires usually work a two man crew....there are exceptions, like last Friday when by mistake we had three umps for a freshman baseball double header...but up until you get selected for a District or Regional assignment, you work the two man on most occasions in high school baseball. I have worked perhaps three dozen games in the 3 man crew mostly in District and Regional game{they work a 4 man in state finals}....tonight and Friday in the Division 4 District at Coldwater, I will work three games with the 3 man.
Garry, who I work with often, and Ed, who I work with in the Summer months, will rotate from first to home to third base over the next few games, starting tonight. In the semi finals, which begin at 4:30 with the Minster vs Spencerville game, Garry will take the plate, I will work first base, and Ed will take third. In the 6:45 St Henry and Crestview game, I will work the dish, Ed at first base, and Garry will have third. For the Championship Game on Friday Night, Ed, with his 40 years experience, will have the plate, I will move to 3rd and Garry will take first base.
The opening game tonight, Minster and Spencerville, are two teams I had early in the season against each other....I was still "wearing" my metal "stitches" in my neck, and the defending Division 4 state champs, Minster, won 10-0 in five innings. I think this game will be closer, but the Wildcats, with plenty of pitching are a team that can make it back to Columbus again this year. However there are no guarantees that they will make it out of this District to the Regional at Springfield...so Columbus and a second straight state crown are a long way off.
In the second game where I will work the plate...St Henry will battle Crestview, two teams long in tradition, St Henry with multiple state crowns and Crestview's Knights with plenty of NWC Championships and Regional slots. The Redskins are the only team of the four I didn't work this year...I was scheduled to work two of their games, but the first was knocked out by my March surgery, and the second, just last week at Spencerville, was finally cancelled because of lightning and rain, before we could get it underway. The game is a toss up and should be a good one.
Tonight's winners will be back Friday night at 7 to see which will move on to the Regional....I will take a break after working a Junior High double with Sam this Sunday, and take 10 days off...including a couple of nights at the mini-reunion at Kokomo.
No Mushrooms for Me______
Rick and the boys will drive to Mesick, Michigan, this week and attempt to Mushroom Hunt again this year, I will be absent....baseball tournament action comes first and the timing just isn't going to make it.....so we will see how they do. Last year we found as many snakes as Morel Mushrooms...hopefully better luck will ensue this time around.
Rick told me this morning that they plan on camping without a tent this year....and eat fast food, the former would have caused me to cancel on that front, the second, doesn't sound that appealing either....not sure my body or heart could take either.....one of these days we will go the motel route, and make it worth the trip...age wise you gotta no your limits.
Speaking of that....Friday will mark 9 weeks since surgery on the Carotid Artery....and it is time to get back in the weight room...slowly at first, starting Friday...but back at it I will be...I can feel my body getting way to soft for my liking, time to get off my ass, and back to getting in shape....as least shape for a 63 year old body.
Tomorrow probably no blog....with the day off, I am heading to Centerville to see Hal, Lisa, and "The K-man" and visit with the grandson who turns six months next week.
back later>>>>
photos-Baseball is down to the nitty gritty...District action starts tonight with us working the 3 man umpire crew. I will work the plate in tonight's second game at Coldwater...hopefully without to many arguments like last week's sectional at Shawnee....but I don't mind those too much at all. Back in 2008 at Mesick...I will miss this year for the 3rd time in five years....not sure if I will ever be able to pump iron and get back into the shape I was just before the Carotid Surgery, buy will begin Friday to try....and tomorrow another chance to visit with the grandson Kasyn....
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