Ball in creek disrupts Game at the Corners; Blake hits for the cycle

Ball in creek disrupts Game at the Corners; Blake hits for the cycle

saving ball

(l-r) Mike R., Joe, myself, and BG [Photo: Aaron Carter, 5/29/16]

Just like last week another picture perfect day for the Game at the Corners and the Brighton Farmer’s Market. And history was in the making.

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Aaron tracking down Blake’s mound shot. In the interest of fairness, as Aaron played one year of club baseball at SUNY Courtland, he self-imposed a handicap. Aaron played with sandals. 5/29/16

Hitting for the cycle — a single, double, triple and home run — is a rare feat in baseball, occurring in MLB only 306 times since Curry Foley’s first cycle in 1882. But in the last inning of the Sunday pick up softball game at the Brighton Twelve Corners Middle School, there stood Blake at the plate, a home run away from number 307.

True, Blake’s quest for the cycle was aided by a dubious interpretation of the game’s Mound Rules. Earlier, Blake had smoked one into the greenery. But the feckless fielder’s claimed the mound had impeded them, and Blake was awarded a grounds rule double.

So I delivered one to Blake right where he likes it, a touch high and inside. With no technicality to save the outfielders, Blake launched the ball over their fleeing behinds. Number 307. And our team B had rallied to victory.

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Kid Hansen scoring; catcher Jeff Feldman from The Boys of Summer are back at The Corners

As for the rest of the game, alas, we were without Kid Hansen, having been called up by the Red Wings and playing tonight at Frontier Field.

Energized by his base running exploit the week before, Raff traipsed into third four times on triples. Mike claims they were all “pure,” that is, without fielder errors. Although his base coaches were of little help;  “in some cases I was pleading with my teammates to give me a clue as whether to run or stay.”

last year ballSTRIP TEASE: next week Michael “A-Gal” Raff is planning a softball fashion statement you won’t want to miss.

Also, Aaron Carter, who was back after a week off, updated us on that 2004 ALCS game:

I was at the infamous ARod-Arroyo ball slap game. Shortly thereafter riot police lined the stadium. It was rocking!

Somewhat sheepishly, Brad layed low today. AWOL. At the game still lingered whispers about Brad’s kidnapping plot the week before.

Before you think the featured pic was “staged,” the ball did go into the crick, here retrieved by Joe and Mike after the game. Keeping a close eye, fortunately Aaron is a certified life guard — just in case, 5/29/16

There was a moment of crisis. Just like last year, a foul ball splashed down into the creek, too far out to sea to be retrieved by hand. Always a band of brothers, three team players rescued the misbegotten softball. The game was resumed.

You may recall last year when BG arrived at the game only to discover it was rained out. Then BG was trapped under the bridge but rescued. To return the favor, BG aided the human trio.

Also, today is my mother’s birthday. Happy Birthday Mom!

As seen in the video, I hit that first inning home run for you.

feldman catcher

In this footage, much like Ruth in ’32, I call my shot before the home run (Jeff Feldman, catcher)

gift

Don’t give away the surprise

And what a thoughtful gift: a Good Earth grass scented soy candle from Artful Gardener for your Sunday porch dinner. Don’t tell Mom about this article and ruin the surprise. And BG gives Happy Birthday wishes too.

And, of course, music at the Brighton Farmer’s Market. This week’s gig was performed by RIT professors Babak Elahi and Grant Cos, a.k.a the Tree Shakers.

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(l-r) Babak Elahi, David Kramer, Grant Cos at the Brighton Farmer’s Market 5/29/16

AND, a double header this week: games Sunday and Monday. See you Memorial Day at the Corners!

SEE ALSO

Umpire added to Game at the Corners. Players subtracted

Celebrating the Fourth of July at the Game at the Corners. And much more.

The Boys of Summer are back at The Corners

Pick up softball games still exist

250 years of calling you out

Iconic America at the Brighton Little League Parade

About The Author

dkramer3@naz.edu

Welcome to Talker of the Town! My name is David Kramer. I have a Ph.D in English and teach at Keuka College. I am a former and still active Fellow at the Nazareth College Center for Public History and a Storyteller in Residence at the SmallMatters Institute. Over the years, I have taught at Monroe Community College, the Rochester Institute of Technology and St. John Fisher College. I have published numerous Guest Essays, Letters, Book Reviews and Opinion pieces in The New York Times, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, the Buffalo News, the Rochester Patriot, the Providence Journal, the Providence Business News, the Brown Alumni Magazine, the New London Day, the Boston Herald, the Messenger Post Newspapers, the Wedge, the Empty Closet, the CITY, Lake Affect Magazine and Brighton Connections. My poetry appears in The Criterion: An International Journal in English and Rundenalia and my academic writing in War, Literature and the Arts and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Starting in February 2013, I wrote for three Democratic and Chronicle  blogs, "Make City Schools Better," "Unite Rochester," and the "Editorial Board." When my tenure at the D & C  ended, I wanted to continue conversations first begun there. And start new ones.  So we created this new space, Talker of the Town, where all are invited to join. I don’t like to say these posts are “mine.” Very few of them are the sole product of my sometimes overheated imagination. Instead, I call them partnerships and collaborations. Or as they say in education, “peer group work.” Talker of the Town might better be Talkers of the Town. The blog won’t thrive without your leads, text, pictures, ideas, facebook shares, tweets, comments and criticisms.

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