The SJC softball team played their first game today. Though I have captained the team the last two years, Adam is now running the show. It just makes sense that the captain of the SJC team should actually be living at SJC. I am, however, still part of the squad. To use a completely incorrect analogy, I’m Linden coming back to the Canucks with Nazzy as captain.
Anyways, this year’s team has a radically different look compared to last year’s. For the first time in recent memory, we have more ladies on our team than guys. Unless something drastic happens, we will probably never have to worry about a shortage of women come game time. More than 50% of the team doesn’t even live at SJC, though many of that group are ex-SJC residents.
Something that hasn’t changed is a few of our players are playing softball for the very first time. It also wouldn’t be a SJC softball team if we didn’t have at least one former cricket player with us. Those guys and their crazy, gloveless fielding.
When the other team showed up, I thought we might be in a spot of trouble today. Most of their team had gloves while several of players had none. We also only had one bat, the other team had a fine selection of bats to choose from.
As the game progressed however, my fears were allayed as we stayed quite close to the other team for the first few innings. There was a scary moment when one of the opposing players got hit with the ball trying to catch an infield fly. She took it right in the mouth and just from the sound of it, it looked awfully painful to me. She went down for like a minute but she was a trooper and trotted off to get some ice with another teammate.
Our fielding and hitting was actually quite decent for an SJC team. As Joel will tell you, however, I didn’t play shortstop too well today. I missed a few balls when diving should have been the strategy, but I hesitated. I think I only could have been charged one error today but I hope I improve the next time out.
Speaking of Joel, boy did he put on a show today. Because of his busted hand, he couldn’t play today but instead, graciously took over the role of manager, base coach, cheerleader, and statistician. When we were up to bat, he was calling out the lineups and telling our baserunners when to run. He offered encouragement to all our players when we were both hitting and fielding. He negotiated and discussed the rules of the game with the other team, at times asking for actual demonstrations of the rule in question. True to his professional conduct as a lawyer, Joel was vocal and effective.
Even before the game was over, Adam and I were wondering how we were even able to function the last two summers without Joel. All the little tasks he took care of were traditionally handled by the captain and his or her co-captain. We both thought that Joel was an indispensable tool out there. He even was entertaining to the other team, so much so that I think the girl in black with the knee high socks was checking him out.
Ok, I think I’ve inflated Joel’s ego enough now. By the way, we won the game by one run! Yay us!
With me starting work next week, it’ll be tough for me to join the team for the rest of the season, but I’m hoping to hammer some sort of deal with the company. Maybe I can start work earlier on Tuesdays and still make the games.
In any case, good job out there team!