This part of this series doesn’t really have anything to do with poker. But it will help you to understand how The Whale could – and did – affect those around him.
As I said, in my youth as a frustrated baseball player, I had joined a travel slow-pitch softball team. We were not the top tier, but we played against the top tier often. What I liked about our Sponsor-GM-Coach was that he was a softball junkie. Actually, he was a medium sized bookie and sports betting and action junkie too - But a winner! We were called the Trailblazers because he had bet $10,000 at 12 to 1 odds that Portland would beat the Celtics in an NBA final.
Anyway, during the summer he hunted for softball tournaments to get our team into every weekend. That was perfect for me, because I wanted to play every weekend. Now the problem with our team finding tournaments in which to play in was not because there were not several going on every weekend (softball was in a boom at this time). It was because of our Class A and Class B status - and the reputation that our team had. Most tournaments were closed to us - unless they were sactioned Class A or B tournaments.
Our GM – let’s call him Frank – got us in a Detroit Recreation Tournament right in the inner city, with a fake team name. This normally would be no problem for us -blend-in wise - as easily 1/3th of our team was made up of black athletes. However, in order to not get throw out of this tourney, we were going to have to leave most of our big home run hitters off of the line up. This was no problem as most wanted the 4th of July weekend off - except for us softball junkies.
We went to this tournament with only four starters (me – 2nd base, our pitcher, shortstop and our left-center fielder - all lily white). We filled out the rest of our team with our minor-league Friday night team and our usual bench players (only one non- starting black player). This means the Whale was starting! Trust me when I say, we still had more than enough talent to win this tournament easily.
We are in the final game naturally and the only team left for us is the team in first place in the big league at this Detroit park. We had beaten them by 3 runs earlier with a last two inning rally to do it. They had to beat us twice to win the tournament. We had not lost a final game of a tournament in the 14 years I played for the team, and this was only year 3 of the streak, so you know who won it.
In that first game, our opponents had jumped on us for eight runs in the first inning – helped greatly by a grand slam hit over the head of the Whale – who had been playing right field at the time. Frank had told him repeatedly to back up – as had I from second base. But the Whale yelled in that the ‘girl’ couldn’t hit it that far.
Nice way to get the tension going in the house early. Of course the guy smoking the Whale with a blast, them taunting the Whale - and the Whale just smiling and shrugging in the outfield - quieted the agitation that had started. But the crowd and the other team gave it to the Whale when he came up to bat unmercifully. But, he deserved it.
So here we are in the finals, and most of the other teams had come to watch their complex champs beat this ‘white’ team from the East Side of the suburbs. Let me tell you, it looked like a NAACP rally – only louder and more emotional!
Frank has moved the Whale to first base. Our shortstop had a family outing to go to, and since this was not a big tourney, he took off. I had moved to shortstop. We are up by 6 runs in the top of the 6th inning, but the bases are loaded with two out. Our team bench was on the third base side and is now completely empty except for our coach, our coaches brother with his arm is in a cast and his wife, who is pregnant and keeping score. Our five big pig home run hitters and six-foot four inch shortstop are not in attendance.
As their big hitter comes to the plate, the crowd goes wild. As he steps in and the noise dins a little, Frank motions for our right fielder to shade the line a little more. Frank then yells to the Whale, “Is this the guy who burned you earlier?”
The Whale replies equally loud and in a pissed off voice, “I don’t know. They all look alike to me!”
I was much too big to hide under second base and even then - much too slow to make it to my car in time.
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8 comments:
Back in the late 80's I was on a softball team with Boother and some other guys you have met including Bonar and Bo (all high school buddies). We were a pretty good team, no thanks to me as I have always been a little "athletically challenged". Probably why I gravitated toward jogging, but that is another story.
Anyway after a few years I dropped off the team because I never really was qualified to be on it in the first place. I got a call that they were short players and needed "The Beer Can" (my nickname derived from Oil Can Boyd) back on the mound that night. I accepted and was there to pitch the first inning.
A batter hit a line drive right back at me that I can still see coming right at me in slow motion it seemed, only my glove missed it and it hit me right in the clockweights at around 40 mph. I collapsed on the mound, and since my girlfriend and many of my best friends and their significant others and parents were in the stands or in the game I was very embarrassed and in a great deal of pain. My first reaction was to run off the field and hide behind a shed, and I did not want to come out....ever. But the team would have forfeited the game without me so the other guys begged me to come back out, which I did to a very embarassing standing ovation.
We went on to win the game and I have never lived that one down yet!
One of the best lines that night came from the NPP's own Duder who was in the stands, he said "Mike wants something to take the pain out...but keep the swelling in!"
I got picked up to play on my brother-in-law's team on a Sunday night league that I made when my main team got knocked out on Saturday.
Anyway, I hit a line drive back up the middle and hit the guy there.
His hands did the cross-over to try and block - but he missed.
It hit him square and it sounded like a cannow went off! He fell like a ton of bricks.
He finally was able to stand up and walk to the bench. As he did he pulled his cup out - in three different pieces.
Hey hows this, yesterday after I worked at church all day volunteering for my sons Pinewood Derby, I got home and my cigars I ordered on-line had just arrived. So I decided to head-up to the bowling alley for a couple brews and a cigar. As I was driving by South Lyon Hotel I saw a box truck with a pokertable on it and it hit me a friend of mines Private school was having a fund-raising tourney there. I quickly turned around and went in to see my friend, he was a dealer.Obviously it was to late to enter tourney I just wanted to check on the action. They were at the final table but my friend was dealing a cash game. I really wanted to sit down but I only had 35 bucks on me and I needed money for beer so I went and had a couple pints. I proceeded to go watch him deal and there were a few open seat. The woman running the show asked me if I wanted to sit down and I asked what the limits were, she said 1-2 NL, I told her I only have like 20 bucksand she said you only need 5 to sit down. So I watched for a min and decided to sit down at the seat where the BB was next. I plopped my 20 down got my chips and put in my 2$BB, first hand I am looking at 10s 6s,I was hoping no one rsd. It got to me and then I almost rsd but decided to check. there were 5players in hand. Flop comes Js 8s 2s, I flopped a flush, small blind bets out 5 bucks I have 18 and I say what the hell all in everyone folds to the small blind and he calls me. He has pr of Js adn the 9s, he needs rnr rnr for a boat and doesn't get there, so now I have 40 something,
a couple hands later I have 99 flop comes 223, sm b bet 5 bucks and there was 2 callers me and another guy, turns an 8 sm B checks the other guy checks and I say to myself I do not believe she has a 2, so I say ALL IN, SHE IMMEDIATELY CALLS ME, the other guy folds I looked at my dealer buddy and said ahh shit she has a 2 and he shook his head like YEAH PROBABLY. for some reason we didn't flip our cards over and the river came a 7, I flip my cards over show my 9s and she mucks hers and says I had a str draw A4, WHEW HOO SHE CALLED 30 SOME DOLLARS WITH A4, got to luv it but if she hit we all know what would've happened. I proceeded to lose 25 of it and ended up tripling my buy in, not to bad for 30 mins..
anyways I will not be playing Tuesday as I am going to watch my nephew in the Quarterfinals of the state HS basketball playoffs, good luck in all your endeavors and when are you opening up Niks Poker Palace fo a reunion game Mike
AQUA
Good job Aqua. I played in that cash game at the Hotel last summer. I was all in w/ pocket Q's and blanks on flop when a lady rivered an Ace to take all my money. Just my luck.
Oh yeah, I did not have a cup on when my balls were busted.
My wife and I sampled the beer and hold 'em at BWW last night, it is a good place to knock back a few brews. Then we saw the chick flick Juno, I took one for the team last night seeing that one. Actually it was ok and at least I had a little buzz from those giant beers.
Now how about NPP Nik, I am available this Sat!
Sparty Tojo is supposed to be hosting this weekend.
I sent a reminder to him.
No one even curious as to what happened after the Whale's stupid comment?
I am curious, I will guess there was no fight. I could see this whale character talking his way out of the comment and everyone walking away smiling.
Keep these stories coming Mike. I am guilty of enjoying them but not commenting on them, they are good.
Also Hoggg how about an update on White Lake if you went???
didnt make it matchy. i pulled a late one friday night and had my saturday pass revoked by the old lady.
beerhog
p.s. im in for a game this saturday though.
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