A Salute to ... Dads

Father-Son Day at the Wiffle park produced some Oedipal Drama

Ten players in all showed up for Memorial Day holiday wiffle ball. Among these were Isaac and his two sons Lane and Finn, Commish Peter and son Walker Berwald. Later Zach's awfully cute son Adrian arrived with mom Lindsay (awesome name) in tow.

Top of the first Andy beaned Isaac with a fastball to the head, eliciting audible cheers from Lane and Finn. Not to be thrown off, however, Isaac did collect his first base knock of the young season. He would spend the rest of the game taunting his sons from the outfield or the dugout during their at-bats.

Not to be outdone, Walker beaned his old man from the mound. But Pete got his revenge - going 2-for-2 off the (much) younger Berwald.

But dad of the day honors go to Zach, who over the audible objections of Lindsay said it was fine for his son Adrian to play in the field while Zach batted. He then promptly stung an opposite field hard grounder right at his son, who was spared the plastic sting by the (much) older and wiser Adrian Z.

Underscoring all the family drama was a true pitchers' duel which went in to the last two innings as a 1-0 game. Total strikeouts for all batters in this game was 35 - a season high. 

Finn then had a rough inning and allowed three runs to give the Visitors a 3-1 advantage going into the bottom of the last inning. 

The storyline WOULD have been Matt's solo homer and subsequent bases loaded single to tie the game, except that drama dad himself, Peter, went ahead and hit a walkoff grand slam to end the game with a final score of 7-3. Peter's 5-for-8 day, 2 doubles, GS homerun and 5 RBI were easily the line of the day.

Happy early fathers day, y'all.

Isaac, Lane, Mason, Zach, Walker - 3 runs | 11 hits

Adrian, Andy, Finn, Matt, Peter - 7 runs  | 15 hits

HR - Mason (1st), Matt (2nd), Peter (2nd)

Today's Improbables

The puddle broom was out Saturday morning at NBF, but so was the Sun, and aside from a short porch in Left-Center to accommodate Lake Homer, the water thankfully wasn't too much of a factor.  (Things to buy:  glitter chalk, waterproof chalk, more balls)  The game turned out to be a rare one-sided rout with the Vans vaulting past the Hapless Hans pretty much the whole game.  Team selections are usually really competitive but you knew something was amiss when Zamonski started off 4-4, was leading his team in RBIs, and then HOMERED fer chrissakes.  Whatever got into that guy don't worry, it won't last.  They certainly didn't hire him for his bat.  

This week's game was asterisked in a more procedural way as well.  Multiple members of The Halens had to boogie early so the Vans traded Zack to the opposing team for the final innings.  Which makes the scoresheet look odd by hey, the show went and wiffleball continued which is what counts.   

The league simultaneously welcomed, and wished happy trails to, cuppa coffee A J "Plankton".  A J was visiting from the OK state and padded his playing stats with that week's winning trivia answer on Wednesday night, which definitely counts as Ale points.  Breviti, versatili, triviali.

Reminder to anybody reading:  BUY MORE WIFFLE BALLS!  Tis the season for those wintered-over inventory wiffleballs to crack, and windy days bring hungrier rooftops.  

Reminder #2:  Next week is Oakwood's That Day In May Parade which occupies Shafor Blvd all morning and closes it off to all cross-traffic.  So if your normal route to NBF is by coming off Shroyer, as mine is, you will have to reroute and get to the field from Far Hills Ave.   

Adrian, Eric, Matt, Pete, Walker, Zack  -  19

Brad, J D, Mark, A J, Rob [Zack]  -  3?

Home Runs  -  Eric (!), Matt, Pete, Walker, Zack, Brad

Catalepsy on a Hot Thin Spoof

It turned into a glorious morning for Wiffleball, not warm, but sunny and nice and the mild breeze coming in towards the batter made the fielding interesting.  Lots of uncatchable diving doubles resulted which likely boosted the overall ribeye count for the day.  Scoringwise it was a good ol' seesaw affair with multiple lead changes, and nip and tuck until the very last out of the game.  Mound defense was a big factor, possibly also due to the wind.  But it led to some ferociously feline forays, with Matt The Cat catapulting to cataclysm, much to the caterwalling of the hapless hitters.  Zack had the only swing hard enough to overcome the weird wind, and even that one died just barely beyond the line.  Oddly though nobody ever popped one back to the roof, which you'd think would've happened alot today.  Today wasn't the *official* opening day game of the season but it sure had that feeling.  Great to be back and see everybody!  

Adrian, Eric, JD, Zack  -  9

Mason, Matt, Pete, Rob  -  6

HR  -  Zack