9/20/06: With Apologies to Anatole France

9/20/06

Softball: With Apologies to Anatole France

Dear People,

Alex’s debut as captain was marred by his own unsightly errors and ghastly strikeouts, and yet he still led his team to a sublime won-on-the-last-hit 22-21 triumph of stark see-sawing pulchritude. Of course there were no real losers (except my team), since as a community, we once again showed that we could adapt to, and thrive on, any terrain on the face of this earth. And yes, that includes Berkeley’s own Grove Field, with its craggy grasses, parched inner clays, and most annoyingly, the dubious geometry of power denied.

Yes, left field ends just 250 tiny little feet from the plate, where a tall fence topped by an even taller net marks the shallow border. Alas, ‘tall’ is a relative concept, and because the homeowners across the street tend to get somewhat twittered when flying balls smash through their living room windows, there is a brutal long standing rule that any hits over that fence are automatic outs! For most of us, of course, it’s all just abstract theory, but when Steve Seskin, Nanci and Jessie come to bat at Grove, it’s all about raw, focused restraint.

“The aerobic law, in its majestic equality,” the Seskinator bitterly reminded me, “forbids both Raul and ME from hitting a homerun over that fence.” I felt his raging sense of ironic injustice, especially whenever he followed Jessie’s lead by slamming yet another line drive a full two and half feet down the first base line. Yeah, it’s hard to calibrate the needle when your thread can never be taut, and while I realize that sounds lurid, I think you see my point. And therefore there will be another game at GROVE this SATURDAY at 11AM, IF I get enough commits by this Friday morning….Raymond

9/22/06

Softball: Your Official Rosh Hashanah Sport

Dear People,

There will be a game at GROVE park TOMORROW (Saturday) at 11AM, and as of now there are still five slots left.

Please bring $3 for the field, which is a small price to pay for such an impeccable melding of grass, form and function…Ray 845-7552

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