Sports stories (4)

 One of my favorite stories I like to tell my classes at work was about the first homerun I ever hit. It was in a city 18+ hardball league that only lasted 2 years until they realized softball was the better way to go. 

Because I was 18 they wanted me as catcher (young knees) but when they found out I was left handed, they made me pitcher. (young arm) 

We were the worst team in the league thanks to my arm. 

In the tournament, we played the #1 undefeated team for that year. The score was amazingly 4-0. We were winning with one inning left to go. My secret was the 60 mph high ball I'd throw at chest level but they continued to swing at. 

It led to either a pop out, strike out or base hit blooper. That strategy protected us from them ever scoring. But in the last inning my arm was tired and my pitches started to drop at a beautiful 40 mph fastball which they launched over the wall.....6 times in a row.

I was humiliated at my poor performance. But in the bottom of the 9th 4-5 we had a lead off runner at 2nd with no outs. My coach promised if it went extra innings he'd take me out of the game. I was hopeful we could pull this off. 

Then we got two back to back outs and our worst hitter came to the plate...me. 

I'd hit a few measly singles that season but overall sucked. After a long at bat I swung at a low ball and launched it into the air. Throwing my bat down in disgust, I angrily ran to first....then I heard a cheer from the crowd. 

Not knowing what happened I took off to second as fast as I could to get in scoring position but when I didn't see Secondbase lining up for a catch, I ran on to third as fast as I could.

I saw my team running out of the dugout but I still didn't know what was going on in the outfield. I was screaming at my coach to tell me where the ball was but he didn't respond. So I turned around and saw the rightfeilder just sitting out there in the field. My first thought was that he'd hurt himself and centerfield had to come over there to get the ball.

When I hit thirdbase I discovered the truth. I'd hit a homerun. 

I never knew. And I'd taken off around the bases like a moron. My run/walk to home plate was in confusion and disbelief. I kept asking my team "Did I hit it over the fence?!"

I still have that ball today. I wrote "Homerun Ball #1" as if I was going to be hitting them from here on out and needed to number them. 

I never hit a homerun ever again in city league play.