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We're talking softball...
Though the day dawned humid and blowy, and threatening rain, the second Annual dB Magazine Softball Match & BBQ proved to be another fine days entertainment. Especially for the winning side, which - sadly - for the second year in a row - wasn't my team. 'We' were a mixed bag comprising dB Magazine writers, staffers, clients, friends and supporters sporting the unlikely name of 'The Southern Baptist Ladies Drinking Squad'. Perhaps I should give up captaining such a team of losers and concentrate on the drinking.
Our opponents: The Von Trapp Family Swingers, captained by lawyer, writer and Fringe show raconteur Anthony Jucha. Is there anything scarier than a lawyer swinging a baseball bat, I ponder?
A Sunday afternoon is by tradition a time of quiet thought and reflection following a big Saturday night, and one of the few times of the week to unwind a little before going back to work or study... and there are few better settings than River Park along the Torrens to have an outing. We descended upon our host with eskies, salads and the other accoutrements of a BBQ at midmorning and set up, casting many a wary eye towards the windswept treetops and the threat of rain.
It did come - eventually - but it was the mild sort of rain that was warm enough not to be too much of a bother. The many good citizens of St Peters and suburbs further afield seemed to feel the same way, for many of them were jogging, walking or cycling to and fro upon the ribbon of asphalt which threads through the trees. A note to serious power walkers; you look ridiculous any time, all the time. Even duck-waddling in a park.
With a good contingent of over thirty prospective softballers assembled, we set to the time honoured tradition of picking the teams and sorting out 'who goes first'.
And then the game began. The grass of the oval was long and lush and certainly looked inviting. In the midst of all this 'running about pretending you're even vaguely fit' action came quite a bit of tumbling and sitting around waiting for the ball to come anywhere within striking distance. It was noted part way through the game that music writer Jeremy Reglar did an excellent job of looking lost in the outfield, his sense of anticipation being so keenly honed that he managed to run the wrong way any time the ball seemed to be heading in his direction. Softball, it seems, is a game where a lot of waiting around is just part of the charm.
Not so for the umpire (errr referee, a role ably performed by
Arna Eyers-White) who must keep a gimlet eye open and is to
be called upon at any moment to adjudicate between strikes and
balls and fouls and many other things of which we had but the
merest idea.
And so to the real reason we were there: the sociable and social aspect of gathering around the BBQ waiting for the announcement "It's ready!!" Everybody knows what that cry means, and we were no exception, heading under the trees for the snags and chicken shaslicks and the like, lovingly prepared by those who'd avoided the call up for softball. Among them, BDO and Catalyst supremo Di Joy, who turns a mean BBQ. Thanks go out incidentally, to dB Magazine General Manager Sid Eyers-White for organising the whole day.
After lunch, and with bad weather ever closer, the softball match was resumed, but the damage had already been done. The Southern Baptist Ladies were already on the ropes, and a belly full of good grub didn't do anything to stem the tide.
What can I offer as defence? The Von Trapp Family Swingers were
simply too good, belting out about twelve runs in the first
innings (to our nil) and despite our best endeavours to win
by stealth and cheating (packing the field, having extra batters,
bowling like Muralitharan... that sort of thing) we were always
playing catch up.
And I? Well, I was crap. I did manage to hang on to one catch,
and I did hit one run, but I also got out more than once, fouled
up a couple of important plays and generally futzed around.
Because they were on my team and I'm writing this report, I
think it's only fair to mention the indefatigable Adele Liebelt
for her skills, and the shortstop fielding to first base action
(dB's Andrew P Street and 5DN's Wade Howland respectively) which
lead to a run of outs late in the game. Ah, but it was all too
little too late. We, the Baptist Ladies did narrow the gap,
sort of, but the final score after three mammoth innings was
a whopping 19 runs to 14 in their favour. Or thereabouts.
Afterward came the usual post-match analysis and the awards for the day: best home run (Blake Lewis), best catch in the outfield (Andrew Bunney), best argument with the referee (Mark Liebelt two years in succession) and best 'running around like a chicken with the head cut off' award (a shoe-in for Steve 'can't run and throw at the same time' Jones). Well done to all, see ya next year.
Alex Wheaton
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Top: Wade Howland (5DN)
Centre: Anthony Jucha (captain) discusses the finer points
with referee Arna Eyers-White
Bottom: Mark Liebelt wisely dons a ball proof vest . |
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