Seems everybody that could field a baseball team would come challenge us to a game. Churches, city leagues, & even some public schools would just drop by to test their team. We were not given a choice to play, we were forced, & as much as I loved to play there were times I didn't want to. The area towns knew if they could beat us they had a good team. We lost very few games.
Each summer the Ranch held an all sports invitational tournament. There would be from 8 to 12 teams show up to compete. We were split into 2 teams, an A squad & a B squad. The A squad consisted of what was supposed to be our best players, & I was placed on the B squad. I was upset & that is putting it mildly. I never displayed my disappointment; I proved their error of judgment on the playing field.
Both the A & B squad won every game against other opponents in the basketball & baseball events, we would play each other for the crown. I have played in many tournaments in my life sense, but none meant more than this.
We had a new boy & sense little was known about him he was placed on the B squad. His name was Edwin M. & he was not handsome, in fact he was damn near pure ugly to look at. He didn't have a likable personality, & I shamefully found myself avoiding him, but it turns out he could shoot the basketball. He may have been ugly, but on this day he would shine like a new penny. His red hair, freckles, & bad teeth were diminished by his beautiful shots from the side. We knew going into the game we had a weapon they knew nothing about, but in this game he surprised everyone including us all the more.
From the tip off I was hounded like they thought I was the only player to worry about, they were on me like a blanket. I decided I would only shoot when I had a good shot & pass it to Edwin or Charles A. When more than 1 was on me it left someone open, & that someone seemed to be Edwin about 70% of the time. I worked it hard & would pass it to Edwin who responded with a swish shot all net. The game was hard fought on both sides of the ball, and we responded basket for basket all game. When I was smothered the sight of that red head was like the sight of land to someone ship wreaked & left adrift at sea. Edwin made it look so easy, & he kept us in the game swish after swish.
Time running out & they had just gone ahead by 1 point. The ball was passed to me & I drove it down the court. Just as I crossed center court I hear our coach yelling shoot it (Our coach was a woman PE teacher at school & theirs was a high school basketball coach), I turned, raised the ball & threw it more than shot it. The shot is a long shot for a 12 year old, & I had practiced it very rarely. I watched as it arched its way toward the target & couldn't believe what I was seeing. The ball slipped through so silent I didn't realize it until I see my team leaping for joy. The chances of me making that shot in that situation would probably not be much better than 1%, but today it was 100%. We won 33 to 32; I had 10 points in the game, Edwin M 16, Charles A 5, & Mike K 2. Now it's time for some baseball.
1st inning they were out 1, 2, 3, & it was our bat. I was 5th in the line up this day & as I was entering the batters box I heard Timothy yelling "He can't hit" & then he says He's just a tally whacker & that tally whacker can't hit. I'm not sure why some things happen when they happen, & I'm not sure why I chose this time to put an end to Timothy's harassment. Timothy was playing 2nd, & I was thinking he better not get in my way or I'll run over him. The base line belongs to the runner. The ball was pitched, I swung & connected for what should have been a stand up single, only thing is, I had no intention of stopping at 1st. I had an appointment at 2nd base & I didn't want to be late. I ignored the 1st base coaches signal to hold up, & rounded 1st. I started a sprint to 2nd, & I see Timothy looking & could tell the ball was being thrown for him to tag me. He took his eye off the ball for a glimpse of me & he could see I wasn't going to slide. He bobbled the ball just as I did my best to run through him. I took him down like a linebacker blitzing a quarterback. I wrestled his arms beneath my knees, & I drew back my fist to pound him, but the houseparent grabbed my fist before I could get in 1 lick.
I knew this probably meant a flogging as I was ushered off the field. We were both taken aside & read the riot act, but to my surprise we were sent back in to play, & I was awarded a double & placed back on 2nd. We went on to win by a large margin, but the real victory was fought at 2nd base. Timothy never again tried to bully me & I also put a stop to his bullying the younger boys. Nothing else was ever mentioned about the incident, & for days I aguishly anticipated the fall of the hammer that never came.
Each summer the Ranch held an all sports invitational tournament. There would be from 8 to 12 teams show up to compete. We were split into 2 teams, an A squad & a B squad. The A squad consisted of what was supposed to be our best players, & I was placed on the B squad. I was upset & that is putting it mildly. I never displayed my disappointment; I proved their error of judgment on the playing field.
Both the A & B squad won every game against other opponents in the basketball & baseball events, we would play each other for the crown. I have played in many tournaments in my life sense, but none meant more than this.
We had a new boy & sense little was known about him he was placed on the B squad. His name was Edwin M. & he was not handsome, in fact he was damn near pure ugly to look at. He didn't have a likable personality, & I shamefully found myself avoiding him, but it turns out he could shoot the basketball. He may have been ugly, but on this day he would shine like a new penny. His red hair, freckles, & bad teeth were diminished by his beautiful shots from the side. We knew going into the game we had a weapon they knew nothing about, but in this game he surprised everyone including us all the more.
From the tip off I was hounded like they thought I was the only player to worry about, they were on me like a blanket. I decided I would only shoot when I had a good shot & pass it to Edwin or Charles A. When more than 1 was on me it left someone open, & that someone seemed to be Edwin about 70% of the time. I worked it hard & would pass it to Edwin who responded with a swish shot all net. The game was hard fought on both sides of the ball, and we responded basket for basket all game. When I was smothered the sight of that red head was like the sight of land to someone ship wreaked & left adrift at sea. Edwin made it look so easy, & he kept us in the game swish after swish.
Time running out & they had just gone ahead by 1 point. The ball was passed to me & I drove it down the court. Just as I crossed center court I hear our coach yelling shoot it (Our coach was a woman PE teacher at school & theirs was a high school basketball coach), I turned, raised the ball & threw it more than shot it. The shot is a long shot for a 12 year old, & I had practiced it very rarely. I watched as it arched its way toward the target & couldn't believe what I was seeing. The ball slipped through so silent I didn't realize it until I see my team leaping for joy. The chances of me making that shot in that situation would probably not be much better than 1%, but today it was 100%. We won 33 to 32; I had 10 points in the game, Edwin M 16, Charles A 5, & Mike K 2. Now it's time for some baseball.
1st inning they were out 1, 2, 3, & it was our bat. I was 5th in the line up this day & as I was entering the batters box I heard Timothy yelling "He can't hit" & then he says He's just a tally whacker & that tally whacker can't hit. I'm not sure why some things happen when they happen, & I'm not sure why I chose this time to put an end to Timothy's harassment. Timothy was playing 2nd, & I was thinking he better not get in my way or I'll run over him. The base line belongs to the runner. The ball was pitched, I swung & connected for what should have been a stand up single, only thing is, I had no intention of stopping at 1st. I had an appointment at 2nd base & I didn't want to be late. I ignored the 1st base coaches signal to hold up, & rounded 1st. I started a sprint to 2nd, & I see Timothy looking & could tell the ball was being thrown for him to tag me. He took his eye off the ball for a glimpse of me & he could see I wasn't going to slide. He bobbled the ball just as I did my best to run through him. I took him down like a linebacker blitzing a quarterback. I wrestled his arms beneath my knees, & I drew back my fist to pound him, but the houseparent grabbed my fist before I could get in 1 lick.
I knew this probably meant a flogging as I was ushered off the field. We were both taken aside & read the riot act, but to my surprise we were sent back in to play, & I was awarded a double & placed back on 2nd. We went on to win by a large margin, but the real victory was fought at 2nd base. Timothy never again tried to bully me & I also put a stop to his bullying the younger boys. Nothing else was ever mentioned about the incident, & for days I aguishly anticipated the fall of the hammer that never came.
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