Tradition

Baseball has many holiday traditions: green caps in March, pink and blue bats in May and June, Fourth of July caps, Disco Demolition just to name a few. Because, as we know, OW&AC is just like baseball we have traditions, too.

For instance, the Commissioner uses a different color of chalk each week. Festive!!

And in those special years in which the Saturday before Easter falls during Passover, wifflers (and their fans!) get a special treat. 

WE GET TO DYE THE WIFFLE BALLS!!!!!

So today the Commish (did you know? He also teaches ART) set up a wiffle ball craft table in the visitor dugout (right behind the hand-operated scoreboard). There were lots of pretty colors and glitter glue.

When in a safe space like Nance Bradds Field, and given the time and care, wifflers can really show their empathic and introspective selves through their art. To wit...

So pretty!!

And note how skillfully they made those wiffle holes appear round. The Commish can teach anything. Actually, the photo really doesn't do them justice.

It was really a lot of fun, and a nice diversion from the rigors of what has been a long wiffle season. There was only one fight, when Andy didn't want to share the purple dye. 

Well, anyway, when all the arts and crafts were cleaned up, everyone's hands were dyed and sticky and no one wanted to play wiffle. People were heading back to their cars and honeydo lists. 

But the the Commish took off his Artsy Beret and put on his Commissioner Helmet and insisted we play wiffle. So we did.

Adrian, Hansoo, Jeff, Matt - 0 runs, 7 hits

Andy, Isaac, Peter, Walker - 8 runs, 15 hits

HR: Evans (1), Bokros (1)

The wind giveth, and the wind taketh away

Opening Day is an all-around feel good day. Everyone is in the best shape of their lives. A whole season of possibilities (all of them good) lay ahead. The wiffle balls are shiny and new.

No less than 12 wifflers answered the irresistible siren call of the season opener. And as Zach let fly the first pitch in anger under a sunny, breezy sky, all the elements of nature were in perfect balance and all was seen to be good.

Except there were no donuts. How the #^@% are we supposed to have OPENING FRICKIN' DAY without donuts?!?!? Pageantry and nostalgia.. for naught.

Until J.D. solved this problem by running to Ashley's in the top of the second and got a box of carb-o-liscious pastry. Today's MVP: J.D.

Oh, there was a game, too. Home-standers took this one 4-1. Wind-blown blast of the day came off the childish red bat as swung by Walker, making the most of a pitch by Matt. That three-run blast was the margin of victory.

There were other wind aided hits as the ball danced away from the outfielders' hands. Also, dibbled foul balls were blown back fair for outs.

The stats page got a great start to the season as 12 gentlemen posted ABs. Check them out all season for the link here at the blog.

Adrian, Andy, Isaac, Hansoo, Matt, Peter - 1 run, 12 hits

Eric, JD, Jeff, Tom, Walker, Zach - 4 runs, 16 hits

HR: Berwald the Younger (1)