Champ Called It a Strike

My life just gets weirder - and sweeter and richer - with each passing year. This week I had the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Vermont Lake Monsters game. Now, this does not even begin to compare with my late and wonderful friend Gary Beatrice who threw out the opening pitch at a Cincinnati Reds game twice, but the terminally uncool do the best we can. I was excited about it but also more than a bit nervous because I hadn't picked up a baseball, let alone thrown one, in around a decade. My friends, of course, helped out by posting videos of magnificent first pitch fails. As it turns out I threw a brilliant strike, and it seems to be getting better - and faster - with each passing day, and it's doubtless the most impressive thing I've done at a Lake Monsters game since I ate eleven hot dogs to defeat Joey Vespa in a context of excellence.

A view of beautiful and historic Centennial Field as shit was preparing to get real. My directions were essentially, go down to the first base gate and look for Ronan. Happily, I found him, and he was a great guy, and everything was sorted out pretty easily.

You know it's a real serious sporting even when Santa Claus shows up. As it turns out there are several people throwing out the first pitch at any given day, and I was there with SC, four five year olds, and Miss New Hampshire USA and Miss Vermont USA. We queued up and threw like an assembly line. It was a little worrying that the five year old girl in front of me threw all the way from the mound to the catch, which definitely ratcheted up the pressure on me.

The young lad who doled out the baseballs from a pizza box.

Just about started. I think most of my friends were running into the stadium at this moment. Thankfully they all arrived in time for the extravaganza. 

Miss Vermont USA and Miss New Hampshire USA who were throwing after me. Miss NH USA was kind enough to hold my phone and snap a couple pictures, which was awfully nice of her.

One of the pictures that Miss NH USA took. I can't thank her enough for taking the pictures, and, trutfhully, me standing there is much more impressive than the video of me lobbing the ball toward home plate.

Play ball.  My good friend Bob Craigmile asked if I threw a fastball or a slider. I told him that everyone was pretty amped up so I threw an off-speed pitch (and that is certainly true). Amazingly, the ball made it to the catcher without bouncing. I hadn't picked up a baseball in around ten years so I was a little nervous about getting there in the air.

I'm including a slightly cropped version so that you can see Champ acting as umpire. He called it a clean strike. It might have been a tad outside, but when you consistently paint the corners then you usually get the call (I think Greg Maddux had the same experience).

The day was made complete by the number of friends who showed up ti wish me well.  Here's Phil Seiler who stopped by to gab about the pitch and our shared desire to play cricket and curling.

The Three Fates, Kathy, Cyndi and Jen, the three women who tend to dominate most of my life.

And my most excellent friend Steve, who hung around to dole out advice and salted peanuts.

And even some of my students, in this case Ines and Kendra, showed up to root me on. There were a few others who were in the crowd and who I unfortunately didn't see but who later commented through social media about my sporting failures. I am very blessed to have so many friends.