 Two sides
to all stories; How dad (in red) sees it and how the pitcher (in
blue) sees it.
“Bases loaded, bottom of the seventh” she thought as
she prepared to deliver the most important pitch series of her young career. “If only
I had my old coach here to guide me through this mess” I enjoyed playing for her, but
dad said she couldn’t get me a scholarship. I was only 12 at that time, I didn’t
even know what a scholarship was. I miss that team. Well, how about a fastball to begin
with?
BALL ONE! Blue barks aloud.
“That Blue never calls my daughter's curve ball. She
learned that pitch this past summer
at a college camp she went to” dad explains to the crowd as he eats away at a ball
park
frank.
OK! Let’s try another fastball on the inside corner, after all,
that's where my favorite
pitching coach told me to pitch it, since I am right handed. I miss her, especially during
times like this.
STRIKE ONE!
Nice pitch honey, my daughters curve ball always busts hard to
the outside corner. This batter doesn’t stand a chance with a curve like that. Great
job dear!
Well, lets see, one and one with bases loaded, Must keep it
low so it stays in the infield.
I wish I had my curve ball that I was learning years ago. OK, I think it is best to go
with a
drop ball, NO! I mean an off speed, NO!, Oh what do I do here, I miss the old team, they
were so supportive of me in situations like this. But that was three teams ago, or was
two? Our family moves from team to team like a carnival circus moves from town to town. I
think I will try an off-speed down low.
CRACK! as the ball goes belly high two feet outside first
base line.
Beth playing first base, dives into foul territory and barely
misses the ball.
Nice try Beth! man, she is great player, I better lay off
that off-speed.
This coach doesn’t understand her pitches. He should
know that a drop ball won’t work
against that girl. I think he is trying to make my daughter look bad. That was one of the
reason why we made her leave her old high school and move here. Her old coach was an
idiot and didn’t understand her pitching.
OK, stay calm here. Remember what my old coach told me about
hits like that. No
matter how hard the hit, how far the hit, or how impressive the hit, if it goes foul, it
is
still a strike.
One and two, just where I want to be. I have the advantage on
her now. I will have to
stay away from her by keeping it out of the strike zone, but just enough to get her to
bite on
a bad pitch. My old high school coach taught me that. This calls for a high outside
fastball.
BALL TWO!
Nice rise ball honey! She also learned that this past summer.
Two and two here. Can’t go full on the batter, must keep
it low. I think I will go with a
outside fastball. After all, if it gets hit, it could go to second for an easy out.
CRACK! Second base Anne dives for the ball to her left. The well
hit ball lines past
Beth and Anne into right center.
THAT’s THE GAME, Blue yells.
Nice try Beth, she is a good hitter, I used to play with her, in
fact, I used to play with all
those girls last year. They are good and they have good coach. They should do well in
the State playoffs tomorrow.
“Nice hit, I was hoping you would keep it on the ground.”
“It wasn’t easy, you pitched it perfectly
outside, I had to really wait on it before I hit it.”
“Good Luck in the State playoffs tomorrow, I wish I
was still with you all.”
Excuse me, is that your daughter who just pitched?
Yes, but she pitches better than that, I just don’t
know why this team doesn’t support her
more.
I am going to be the new softball coach at the new high school opening up next year,
I hope we can find a pitcher just as good as your daughter.
What did you say your name was, and where is the school going to
be located......... |
