One Day of Summer, Waiting for the Storms, The Delphos Jinx...

What a strange weather pattern the past 72 hours or so have shown us....

Friday the area baseball diamonds and fields for the most part were saturated...the scheduled game at Lima Central Catholic, was moved to Coldwater, where the host Cavilers took over duties as home team...they contracted me to do the plate, which I was scheduled to do at LCC.  The field, despite some wet spots, was playable...two hours later, after a 5-1 Coldwater win, I was sitting with my old buddy "Wuflie" at the South Side Inn having a couple of cold ones.  By the time I got home around 9, I was thinking to myself, "No way  is the diamond at Wayne Trace going to be playable tomorrow at Noon".  Saturday morning dawned foggy, humid and cool...no call, so I headed north to Paulding County, and as I cruised towards my old home town of Scott, I encountered the bus from Lincolnview...the visiting team....so I says to myself, "Looks like they are going to play".

Arriving at the school...the old field still in use, with the new and improved diamond a week or so away from being ready(because of the wet weather),...I encountered the WT Coaches...the field was not in good shape, but they were working on it.  Somehow, me and my young first year umpire partner managed to mud our way through 2 games.  I worked the plate in the first, a 7-1 home team victory...Jason did the second, which saw Linconview come out on top 10-6.  By the time the 2nd game was complete, we were finally seeing a bit of sun, and drying conditions.  I headed home confident that with the temperatures up to 60 and some sun, I could get some quality time outback with brews and a cigar....and I did!  A good way to finish off a long day.

Sunday it was predicted to be windy and a high in the low to mid 80s....the morning however dawned foggy.  The humidity, with saturated ground, was not prone to drying things out...but finally about 11am, the sun peaked out, and the winds picked up....daughter Anissa and I went out back, and spent the next 5 hours outside, until she left for her place across town....Patricia didn't get to join us.  The one summer like day since last September or October, and she was felled by a nasty Sinus Infection, and spent most of the day inside...a day off today from teaching hopefully will have her back to somewhat normal health.

After Anissa left, I grabbed another cigar, a couple of beers and listened to the Reds blow a 5-0 lead, before finally succumbing to the Diamond Backs 10-8 out in Arizona.  Cincinnati never seems to play well on west coast trips, which doesn't bode well for the next three nights at San Diego.  Hopefully we will get a chance to see local product, Cory Luebke,  get an opportunity to pitch for the Padres sometime this week.  The Reds meanwhile are still in first place on the young season, but have lost 3 of 4, and sit at 6-3 overall.

The 80 degree plus temps did finally get the grass growing and the flowers blooming...I worked on both mowers, and have them fired up and ready to go, whenever the grass dries off, because it's about to get another unwelcome soaking.  I also fired up the Jeep Wrangler, which has been sitting idle...as I started that up, a large plume of smoke can from under the hood....the alternator belt decided to melt...seems I know why it was idling fast...now I can take it to the shop, knowing at least some of the problems involved.  But no hurry for that....I didn't plan on driving it until summer anyway, especially given the fact that gas ia nearing $4 a gallon and the Jeep gets maybe 19 or 20 mph on the open road...less in town.

Storms and the Delphos(St. John) jinx...

As you can see by the attached Radar photo from 5pm(it's 5:45 as I type at this minute)...yesterday's Summer is going to be washed away...the huge line of storms extends from south central Texas to central Michigan....and no one east of that line is likely to escape some storms and heavy rains.  I just ran upstairs to close the windows...did I mention I've been awake since 3am?  Not from the storms, but from the sun, wind, and beer, and sitting out in it all yesterday.  I headed to bed at 7:30 or so last night....and needless to say, unless I'm under the weather, I'm not sleeping more that 7 or 8 hours...so awake I was at 3, and was out of bed and in the shower by 4.  Coffee and breakfast in hand, storms moving in and wind chimes ringing, I am wide awake.

 Bringing me finally to the Delphos Jinx.  Despite the cold and rainy spring, I have gotten 12 of 14 regular season games in thus far....the only 2 canceled?  Both involved Delphos St. Johns.  So, with the storms moving in, you can pretty well guess where I am slated to be tonight?  Yep, at Delphos as the Blue Jays are scheduled to host  Kalida...that's probably not going to happen.  It must be a Delphos St. Johns thing, in addition to the 2, soon to be 3 regular season cancellations, I had two scrimmages washed out as well, both involving DSJ.  I say it must be a Delphos St. Johns thing because tomorrow and Wednesday I am back at Delphos, but with the other Delphos school, Jefferson.  Two non-league contests, with Ottoville and Lima Perry on the agenda, and the weather looks pretty good at this point in time for those.

As I finish this up, I can hear the rain hitting the windows...guess it's time to close those downstairs as well...

back later>>>>

Photos-The Flowers around the fence have finally started to bloom...about a week or so later than normal, as is the grass growing season...Global Warming ey?  The Radar as it looked at 5am this morning, "Rainy Days and Mondays"....again....and my usual breakfast fare these days...English Muffin, with homemade preserves, Coffee, and toss in a Banana in there somewhere.

Government Shutdown Looming? I Say...."Shut Er' Down"!

Garry and I headed off to Defiance College to work a high school game between the host Ayresville Pilots and visiting Hicksville Aces yesterday afternoon.  They were calling for highs in the upper 50s...what we got was a damn cold, northeast wind, and a temperature in the low 40s....seems that front hanging over Ohio decided not to move north, the expected warm up won't happen until at least tomorrow...and I'll believe that when I see it.  It was the coldest I have been working a game so far this young season.  The Pilots starting pitcher tossed a complete game no hitter, given up just one unearned run on two walks and a like number of errors in a 5-1 win.  The game lasted 1 hour 40 minutes, and we were back in Celina by 8pm.  So despite the cold conditions...at least we had a quick game.

Tonight I am scheduled to work good one at LCC in Lima against perennial power Coldwater, 2 well coached teams if we would get it in...but at this hour that doesn't look good.  It's been raining, albeit, lightly since last evening, and the spotted showers are expected to remain until Noon.  I'm guessing area diamonds are not draining well, especially with the thick cloud cover, and continued light sprinkles...so I'm expecting a cancellation call if things don't change in a hurry.  Tomorrow a double header is on the agenda up north at Wayne Trace, in Paulding's Blue Creek Township, the home of my family from the 1860s through the death of Aunt Eva back in 1998....just some cousins living there these days.

Shut It Down!

Our Congressman, House Speaker John Boehner, is working with Obammy the wonder Kenyan and Senate leader Harry "Dick Weed" on a continuing resolution to stop the massive Federal Government from shutting down tonight at Midnight....My question is "Why"?   I say "Shut the son of a bitch down..."  Who Cares?

No body except the Federal Bureacrats really care...life will go on, essential services will continue, wars will be fought, freeloading illegals will continue to be served.  So John count me in on saying "Shut It Down"!!!!!  If the GOP blinks this time, the jig is up...we as a country will never get a hold on the run away spending coming out of DC...so John, once again I say..."Shut It Down"!


I suspect however, the GOP will get The Kenyan to sign on for another week, while the shrill voice of the lame stream media, the freeloaders, union thug leaders,  and the elites, will gain more time to lie and brow beat the GOP into caving.  How dare we cut $62 million from a multi-trillion dollar budget?  {Insert that eye roll you see to the right}

So, I'm hoping they shut it down...I guessing they won't.  Regardless  I going to enjoy the expected 70+ degree temperatures this weekend...and damn the Government, open or closed.

enjoy your weekend...
back later>>>>

Photos-Who will blink first...Speaker John Boener, or Obammy the Wonder Kenyan?  Stay tuned this weekend...if the Government shuts down, life will go on, and we will all be better for it...except union leaders, illegals, freeloaders, and BureauRats! 

Off to College...Defiance College that is!

Worked behind the plate at Lima Central Catholic last night as they topped Delphos St. Johns 4-2....temperatures started out near 70, but had dropped to the mid 50s by games end...they have not recovered.  41 degrees at the noon hour as I type.

Clouds after some morning fog in the forecast..with rain arriving tonight, and some storms later...tomorrow looks "iffy" with temps in the 50s, then warmer but storm chances for the weekend...it may reach near 80 for Sunday...cooler, but dryer, they say for next week.

So far, despite the cold and wet spring, I have worked 8 of 10 scheduled contests, which is as good as any umpire can expect with March and early April weather being what they are in this part of Ohio.  This afternoon, Garry and I head north to Defiance College to work a game....not a college game, but a Green Meadows Conference opener between Ayresville and Hicksville.  Ayresville's diamond has some grub worm problems...and they have moved much of their early season to DC.  A nice diamond to work in...Garry has the plate for tonight, I'll work the bases for only the 3 time in 4 time in 11 contests.  Tomorrow schedule to be back at LCC working the plate in a non-league game with powerful Coldwater...if in fact we don't get rained out...Saturday a double header at Wayne Trace, as it's varsity hooks up with Lincolnview for a double header.

Frankly I'm looking forward to some spring like conditions and warm weather this weekend...just hoping that the rains are light and gentle.  The forecast is fuzzy, and some sever weather could be heading out way....

On a non related baseball note...The Cincinnati Reds moved to 5 wins with no loses on the young season, and end their home stand this afternoon, as they try to complete a sweep of the Astros and the home stand at 6-0, before moving on to Arizona tomorrow night.

That's the quick one for today....

back later>>>>

Wednesday....a couple of baseball points and some "I know Jack" tunes...

Damn, I gotta say things are pretty boring these days....

The weather, albeit early spring, sucks....after a day of much clouds, wind, and cold yesterday{we even had some flurry activity}...I headed north to southern Putnam County to umpire a Putnam League game between homestanding Fort Jennings and county rival Pandora-Gilboa.  Like many of the games reported yesterday, this one too, would be a pitchers duel.

With limited scoring opportunities the game remained scoreless after the regulation 7 innings...I was, like the last time I umpire a Jennings game, behind the plate.  The low scoring tie game got me to thinking about the Sectional final at Crestview last May...In that one the Muskies trailed Antwerp 1-0 with 2 out in the bottom of the 7th, when with a runner on 3rd base, the Fort Jennings coach decided to lay down a suicide squeeze...with 2 outs no less!  It worked, and we ended up going 14 innings, before Jennings plated a lone run to win the Sectional 2-1.  Last night it would not last that long...

P-G got a two run blast of a home run to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the 8th....Jennings, who like Pandora could do nothing for 7 innings, battled back and scored 3 runs of their own in the bottom of the 8th to come away with the 3-2 PCL win.  Meanwhile my umpire cohort Garry was down south at Fort Loramie and text me that they had been no hit by Marion Local...but the defending D4 State Champs still came away with a 1-0 win, despite going hitless.  In another area contest Parkway defeated Crestview by the same 1-0 score, this one went 8 innings.  Elsewhere Celina suffered a loss in their first league game, dropping a 5-1 count to Lima Bath.  Not a lot of offense in some of those games...and I suspect the cold, windy, weather had much to do with some of that.

Meanwhile on the national scene down in Cincinnati, the Reds moved to 4 wins and no losses on the season, with a 8-2 pounding of the Houston Astros...how long can this run last?  The home stand continues tonight and ends with a day game at Great American Park tomorrow afternoon.  Tonight, if the rains hold off or don't drop to much moister(the fields and ball diamonds can't handle much more), I am at Lima Central Catholic, as they take on the team I have been getting canceled out on a regular basis...Delphos St. Johns.  Four tries, four rain/cold outs trying to umpire DSJ...I scheduled to be at their field again next Monday, and guess what?  Rain in the forecast....

Who Says I Don't Know "Jack"______?

I've been sitting here this morning listening to XM Channel 6.  That's the Sirus/XM radio station that plays 1960s and only 1960s music..Neil Diamond is singing in the background as I type.  I heard a couple of tunes from those days that have a "Jack" connection, and I like them both....

JJ "Jack"son and It's Alright....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RRx7UPbkNs&feature=related 

And Jumpin "Jack" Flash...by the Rolling Uglies...a great video from way back in 1968...damn I was 19 when this came out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxpfBWMOlOk 

And while on the subject of "Jack"....let me toss one from my favorite country artists...Alan "Jack"son:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mKkTm38w3E 

One of Jackson's early songs, with some great old time Cowboy and Western Video clips enclosed....

That does it for today....go out and enjoy

back later>>>> 

Bow WoW....What a Dog of a Championship Game!

Yesterday was one miserable day weather wise...and it appears things will not get much better for the extended forecast.  It started out near 70 in the early morning, with heavy rains and thunderstorms coming into the west central Ohio region.  By the time I headed for Indian Lake and my final rules meeting of the baseball season, the temperatures had dropped into the mid 40s, and the heavy rain had turned to a cold drizzle.  This morning it is cold, and windy, but with, at least for now, some sunshine.

Needless to say the games throughout the area were canceled.  Tonight, who knows?  I am guessing the game I am scheduled to do will be hard pressed to be played.  Depending how much rain fell at the sand field in Fort Jennings....regardless today is one of the few dry days that is predicted for the next 10...the 15 and 30 day forecast calls for wetter with below normal temperatures...not something that sets the mind up for a pleasant Spring outlook.

What a dog-----Butler's Bulldogs vs UConn's Huskies

I headed the 45 miles south and east to Indian Lake High School for the final rules meeting...sure I had already had 7 credits in, and only needed 4, but with the rain out, I figured it couldn't hurt to grab a bite to eat at the final meeting, and see how the others season was going.   This was my second trip to the Top of Ohio, the rest were at my Van Wert Association meeting.   I knew, given the drive time coming back, I would miss at least the first half of the NCAA Championship game...I listened to it on radio, and as it turned out....I didn't miss much.

Butler led by 3 at the half, and took a quick 6 point lead to start the 2nd half...I grabbed a beer and hit the shower, by the time I came back upstairs, Butler was down by 8, and never recovered...shooting a pathetic 18.8% for the game.  "You Cons" wasn't much better, but good enough to come away with a 53-41 win...in a game that would have been low scoring in the non-shot clock era.   I turned on the Versus Network NHL Game midway through the second stanza, the basketball game was just too poorly played to watch.  I guess my only question is..."How long will it take the NCAA to 'vacate' the title from UConn and their corrupt coach and program?  He's already sitting out 3 games to start next season....more penalties are likely on the way.

Although I was rooting for Butler, because they are in Wright State's Horizon League....frankly I lost interest when Duke, then Ohio State got ousted from the tourney.....I'm ready for the Stanley Cup in Hockey{Go Flyers!}, and baseball, and to really enjoy that, we need some sunshine and dry weather.

Back Later>>>>>

Down to the Final 2....Water Ball Today?

Butler pulled away late in the first game Saturday to move on to it's second straight championship game in the Men's NCAA Basketball Championships...unlike last year, when, being a big time Duke fan, I was rooting against the Bulldogs, this year I'm hoping they come out and win it all.  Playing the corrupt coach and program at UConn makes it all that easier to root for the Indianapolis based Butler squad.  "You Cons" for their part, held off Kentucky by 1 point in the second game Saturday night.

A Wet Season Continues____

Despite cold and sometimes wet weather last week, I still managed to umpire 6 of my 7 scheduled games....this week I might not be so lucky...starting with today's contest at Delphos.

Friday night when I left Celina about 4:10pm for a varsity game at Fort Recovery, it was partly sunny and about 53 degrees...not great, but not bad for a baseball day.  By the time I arrived at the Fort diamond, some 22 miles south and west of Celina, the temp had dropped to 47 on the inside digital in the Intrepid...and a few sprinkles dotted the windshield.  Things would go downhill from there.

The team bus from Waynesfield, a nearly 60 mile drive, would have a hard time finding the field...which is located away from the school, and about a stone's throw from the Indiana State Line.  They arrived at 5:05 for the scheduled 5pm start.  Allowing them time to warm up and practice on the field, we finally got started sometime after 5:30.  A cloudy sky and a strong breeze prevailed throughout the game, until the top of the 6th, when, with the visitors up 9-3, a sheet of combined rain, small hail, sleet, and some wet snow, came roaring over the outfield fence.  I shut down the game for about 15 minutes, until the moister moved on...then after putting "stay dry" on the mound and plate area, we began again....that lasted one pitch!  The first ball sailed over the batter's head, and the rain began again...being behind the plate and the umpire-in-charge, I immediately signaled that we would play no more....the game was considered a complete contest, and soaked to the bone, we all headed to our cars and buses.

On Saturday morning, the skies dawned cloudy, with a continued strong wing accompanying cooler temperatures.  Sam was schedule to work with Garry back at Fort Recovery for a double header...so he had to make the 100 mile each way trip.  Meanwhile I had taken a rare JV date in Celina....at least my games would be played on the artificial infield....both games, I did the plate in game #1, while my partner Dave, donned the gear for the second contest.  It was comfortable behind the plate with the gear on, or if the sun was shinning without the equipment on...the second game I had neither.  Greenville defeated the JV Bulldogs in both games, meanwhile south some 30 miles in Darke County, Celina's varsity were paying the Greeville Green Wave team in kind, taking both ends of the double header to move to 5-1 on the young season.

Today I was slated to be at Delphos St. Johns for a contest with Lima Shawnee....what is interesting is, counting scrimmages, this was to be my 4th St. John contest of the year...and despite getting almost all games in thus far, if we get canceled tonight, I will be 0 of 4 in Blue Jay games.  I'm scheduled to have them again Wednesday and next Monday, and both those days look like they might have more rains...but then again, so does much of the next two weeks.

If we do get washed out, as expected, tonight...guess I will head for our final rules meeting at Indian Lake High School...what the heck?  I have more than enough of the required meetings in...but my southwest association always puts on a good feed for the final meeting, so away we will go...why not?

Then back in time to watch the 2nd half of the Butler/UConn game...Go Bulldogs!!  And on a side note...How about those Cincinnati Reds?  3 games in, 3 games won, all over the team that was picked to challenge them in the NL Central, Milwaukee's Brewers....Cincy is off today, with Houston coming in tomorrow.

back later>>>>

Photos-Butler's Bulldogs try to end up Champions tonight, after coming in 2nd last year....Sam Houseworth working the plate, and all to often High School Baseball is confronted with fields looking like the one shown here...April is a wet month most years.  And the Reds start the season with 3 straight wins....

Where were you in 72?~a musical look back...

Congrats to Butler for another shot at the NCAA Basketball Crown coming tomorrow night...not so much for "You Cons", and their corrupt coach...Go Butler, bring a title home for the small schools.....

Despite the lousy Spring thus far, I still managed to get 6 of 7 scheduled games in on my umpire calender this week...snow, hail, rain, and sleet, at Fort Recovery Friday afternoon, but we got into the 6th inning before I "killed' the game with Waynesfield up 9-3, the conditions had became to miserable to continue safely.  Then yesterday here in Celina on the turf diamond at Montgomery Field in Eastview Park...the local Bulldog JVs dropped both ends of a double header to visiting Greenville.  It was windy, and pretty uncomfortable...but we completed both contests, in about 4 hours total. 

The games this week look "iffy" to say the least, with strong storms tomorrow, and cold and windy conditions for Tuesday, after that it's a Crap Shoot, but so was this week, and most games were played...we will see what shakes out.

1972_____

One of those milestone years in my life...for better and worse. 

For the better, I was discharged honorably from the Air Force...a surprise to say the least...especially given the fact that I made every effort to be the "Turd in the Punch Bowl" of every superior I dealt with.  In early May I was shown the door, with honors, as long as I never tried to re-enlist.  In fact I couldn't re-enlist...seems their was a little "incident" with a short, sad, First Lt, that reminded me of a guy named Adolph...that got me out some 7 weeks early.   Later that year, on Christmas eve, dad, Stan Houseworth, passed away at the age of 55 of a sudden heart attack....and life moved on for the rest of us.  It took awhile to get over that...but life did eventually move on...

The early 70s had good music, the crap known as Disco wasn't in vogue, and the "Bubble Gum" stuff was fading out....

On facebook this morning one of my "friends" posted a song from 72 that I had forgotten about...this from the Motown Sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXGa__ECvnM

A real sound of soul....and a damn good song from The Main Ingredient"

Then this afternoon the 1972 Classic Movie, Deliverence is being shown on AMC....the Banjo Riff in the early part of that movie, is in itself "classic"....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5IpFQn18WM 

Of course the amazing thing about this Banjo playing backwoods kid was...he was the real deal, just a backwoods non actor, who they slotted into the story line....you can "Google" that...

That's it for a rare Sunday "Rant"...back later>>>>

Just Another Opening Day in Cincinnati Reds Country......{not}

A haze covered the sun as I walked out to the car yesterday afternoon for my assigned game.  When I headed north to the Putnam County berg of Ottoville ...the clock on the Intrepid read 3:25 and the inside digital thermometer said 44 degrees.   Not a terrible day for baseball, but hardly near the "normal" high temperature of 56 for the last day of March.  I had been watching the Cincinnati Reds opening day game with their Central Division rivals from Milwaukee.

Opening Day is a celebration of the oldest franchise in baseball in Cincy...The Red Stockings came into being way back in 1869 as the current day Reds became the first "professional" team to play baseball.  Tradition for many years always had the Reds, along with a team situated in Washington DC as the opening day games...everybody else would begin the next day.  Of course that all changed a few years ago when MLB sold it's soul to television, especially ESPN.  The ABC owned outfit wanted to broadcast the opener on Sunday nights, while the Reds always opened on Monday afternoon at home.  Yesterday, Detroit at New York to face the Yankees kicked off first, Atlanta and Washington next, and then the Reds, who started their game with the Brewers at 2:10pm eastern time.

So the Monday opener is now Thursday, and the Reds no longer kick things off first, or even second.  However, they still get their opener at home....wonder when and if the head morons of the MLB will change that?  So baseball, opening day baseball, in Cincinnati is still something special, despite the best efforts of MLB and ESPN to pee in our teams oatmeal.

Yesterday, things didn't start off well for the hometown crew.  Edison Volquez the opening day starter gave up home runs to the first 2 Brewers he faced, and the Reds quickly fell behind by a 4-1 count as the game moved into the 5th inning.  Volquez is a sore spot for me as a Reds fan....Dusty Baker and the management traded the crown jewel of the organization, Josh Hamilton, for Volquez a few years ago.  In my opinion it was the worst deal the Reds had made since they traded Frank Robinson for Matt Pappas back in 1965.  I thought so when the trade was made, yesterday just solidified my opinion.

Volquez did settled down, but Cincinnati still trailed 5-2 when I left for Ottoville, having to listen to Marty and the Cowboy on radio...when I arrived 45 minutes later and began to don the plate gear for my game, the score was 6-3 at Great American Ballpark, and the Reds looked like they were destined to lose their forth straight opening day game.  So when my partner Jim and I headed towards the field....things did not look good in Cincinnati.

By the time our game ended, at around 7:10, the temperature at dropped to about 40, and the clouds had moved in, making it feel that much colder....I was glad I had the plate, the gear kept me fairly comfortable, even as the temperature dropped.  As I headed out from the parking lot, I turned on the Reds Flagship station, WLW out of Cincinnati, to see what had shaken out in the final innings of the Reds/Brewers game.

It turned out the Reds had entered the 9th, still down 6-3....but that's when the fun began:  Here are a couple different views of that fun...one .48 second clip that gives just the quick video details:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4hXGu0OScs&feature=related

and then this one from a Fan's Eye view out in deep left center field:  It takes about 2 minutes, but shows the celebration in the stands, at game's end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF5ZQHfjQek&feature=related

So the Reds begin the season, where it(the regular season) ended last year...with a walk off home run.  Last season Jay Bruce did the work, yesterday, after Bruce stuck out, Catcher Ramon Hernandez was the game day hero, with a 2 out, 3 run homer to end it at 7-6 Cincinnati..

Above/Left-Ramon Hernandez is greeted by teammates after his game winning, "walk off" Home Run defeated the Milwaukee Brewers on opening day.

Today, if the rains hold off long enough, I head for Fort Recovery for a game between the young Indians and visiting Waynesfield-Goshen...my partner will be Chuck Etzler, a veteran umpire, who worked a state tournament game last year.  Chuck is entering his final year of umpire work...rain and snow is in the forecast for late this afternoon, and a snow/rain mix for overnight.  Tomorrow I stick around Celina for a JV double header with Greenville.  That one, unless it is raining hard should be played, as it is scheduled for the artificial turf at Montgomery Field in Eastview Park.

Enjoy the Weekend...back later>>>>

Out Like A Lamb? Baseball, Snow, and Opening Day...

Soon after getting done posting yesterday's short entry on "The Rant", I walked outside, and says to myself "Sheet, it's colder than heck out"...and here I was with a varsity baseball game scheduled at Convoy, between Crestview and Delphos St. Johns.  The forecast was for breaking clouds...not good baseball weather by any means, but not so bad that the game wouldn't get played.  It appeared however that the Weather Channel gerbils had missed that 40 degree and sunny thing.  About an hour later more proof positive, large snow flakes started to blow by, and looking back at the weather on the Internet, we had a "Special Weather Alert" posted.  That forecast said highs near 32, but the heavy at times snow wouldn't stick much because of the warmer ground...this time they got it right, just a dusting, but with temps in the low 30s, the game was canceled.  Given the fact that I don't tend to warm up as quick as I used to...I wasn't really put out when I got the e-mail saying the game was off.

So I am now 2 games in 1 game off out of the first 3....we will try it again tonight, this time up in Putnam County, where the Ottoville Big Green will host Ayresville.  My old buddy Jim from Rockford will be my umpiring partner tonight...we usually have interesting games, besides our attitude and ages match up pretty well.  Tomorrow the rain may be back, and frankly 7 out of the next 10 days have some kind of precipitation in the forecast....it's always a crap shoot the first couple of weeks of the season.  This looks like one of those we may roll "snake eyes" in both temperatures and rain.  March came in like a lion...45 or so and sunshine today, hardly Lamb like, but maybe a toothless lion instead.

That is the frustrating thing about early Spring in Ohio and the Midwest in general...you want winter to end, but when it does, you sometimes get stuck with 2 months(April and May) of "in between" type weather conditions.  Wind, Snow, Cold, Tornadoes, Heavy Rains, etc.

Major League Baseball opens today, they are calling for 47 and cloudy in Cincinnati.

For many years I attended opening day in Cincy....and over those years, I saw it as warm as 80 degrees for the opener, but I've have also seen the opposite.  I remember 15 years or so ago, Bill Clem and I went down to old Riverfront for the opener.  We had upper seats...I mean upper.  I think we were just 3 rows from the top, so far up that the beer vendors wouldn't even climb that high to sell us their goods.  You could look out across the Ohio River to the Kentucky side and watch the snow flakes drift across the time and temperature sign, which read 35 for most of the afternoon.  I think that was the year I finally gave up the ghost of going to every opening day....just too damn unpredictable was the weather conditions.  Better to sit at home, or in a bar, where you knew it would be 70 and the beer would be cheaper.

Here is an ode to Opening Day____

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70I4xRbsT4Q 

Never liked Fogerty's politics, but always loved his CCR and other music....some great old baseball video on that youtube version. 


So, that wraps it up for this morning....The Reds get underway at 2pm or so, I'll watch a bit of that, then climb into the car and head the 45 miles north with cold weather gear in tow, and get ready for my own game.

back later>>>>


Photos-Sometimes in March, the Lamb never makes it out....I have umpired many times in snowy conditions, trust me, it's never fun....and yes Virginia, the snow season is not done just yet...it actually looks like the East Coast could get a dozy of a storm this weekend...the track it takes may decide whether it's a snow or heavy rain event.

Wednesday Wanderings....

Really not much to write about these days....

Baseball has gotten off to a cold start, but at least so far the games have gotten played.   Last night a Varsity game at St. Marys with league rival, Van Wert(although not counted in league standings, those start in about 10 days)...I did the bases again, and watched as the home standing Roughriders put 8 across the plate in the bottom of the 5th, and held on for a 11-8 win.  Temperatures hovered around 40 as the 2 1/2 game ran rather long.  Tonight, no warm up, in fact, some snow showers in the area, as I head north to work another game...in fact it appears that, despite the cold conditions, most, if not all games will be played this week.  A rare occurrence indeed for the first week of the season, especially when it begins in March.

On the other fronts, politics stay status quo...Obammy continues to lie like a sleeping dog about the situation in Libya...the Republicans and my Congressman, Speaker John Boehner, continue to cave to the Democrats on Obammy Care and budget spending.. "Just shut the gawd damn Government down, and be done with it".  We put you in to cut spending....not compromise with that Kenyan S.O.B.  Follow the Tea Party Freshman, or get the Hell out of the way....

The Major League Baseball season begins tomorrow...

For many years the Cincinnati Reds did the traditional opener for MLB...but since ESPN got their fingers in the pie, MLB has prostituted the opening day ceremony.  Sure the Reds still get to open at home, but no longer are they the first and only team to get an early start, and it's not even on Monday anymore.   One more thing professional sports has flushed down the crapper.  So tomorrow the Reds open against their division rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers at the Great American Ballpark at 2:10pm.  Glad the season is kicking off...now if the weather would just cooperate.

That's about it in my world....things are moving slowly but steady....come on 70 degree weather, I'm ready to get the Hell out of the house for more than just baseball....cigars and a few good beers in the sunshine do wonders for one's mental and physical outlook.

back later>>>>

Baseball, Day #1 out of the way....

Cloudy and continued cool today...the rest of the week looks to be the same...40 something for highs with a rain or snow shower in the region.  Warm Spring days are going to be slow getting here I fear....

Yesterday I traveled 40 miles or so north to Paulding to work my first regular season game of the year....albeit a JV game, it was still good to get the rust off.  After working scrimmages behind the plate, I did the bases yesterday, and will again tonight in a Varsity contest between Van Wert and St. Marys...two WBL teams, playing in a non league contest.  They will meet again in April, and today's partner Terry and I will have that game as well...I'll take the plate for that one.

Depending on rain, cold, or snow, I have 7 games, 4 Varsity, the JV game from yesterday, and a JV double header here in Celina on Saturday....after that, my schedule calls for 36 Varsity and just one more JV contest, before kicking off the Tournament Season on May 7th....I'm just hoping to get most in, and with some sunny warm days to work with.  Spring weather drives me crazy....you know it's eventually going to warm up, but how quick and how consistent it will be, is always a mystery.

That's about it for this post....I would talk about the Kenyan and his speech about what the Hell we are doing in Libya that he gave in prime time last night...but, damn!  I forgot to watch.....too busy watching women's basketball tournament action.  I'd rather have root canal than listen to the sorry Commander and Thief spew BS and lies...so I won't comment.

back later>>>>