Catch Up...

Haven't posted much in the last few weeks which might lead you to believe that things have slowed down, or the team has hit a rough patch.  Au contraire!  In reality, Sweet Tea and I have been quite busy and traveling quite a bit which has made it a little tough to get the time to sit and put thoughts down on paper.  And the team...well, after starting the season with a worrisome 2-4 record, we have rebounded to win 14 of our last 16 matches.  So let's, y'know...

Yeah, it's corny, but whatcha gonna do?

In my last post we were just getting ready to hit the road to Indianapolis.  We had about a three-hour drive before a noon-time game, so we decided to lounge around a bit Saturday morning before hitting the road, the way we do every Saturday...

Sweet Tea and me; couldn't be happier!

So, there I was, effing-off leisurely browsing through my emails looking for the directions to the field in Indy when I stumbled upon this sentence from one of the Indy Captains for the first time:

     "Remember that our friends from St. Louis have the time zone change heading this direction..."

Suddenly, instead of chilling, Sweet Tea and I went into freak out mode!!!  WE'RE LATE!!!

"fuuuuuuuuuuucccc...."

We threw all of our shit belongings in the car and drove like hell but we made it in time.  In time for what, you say?  In time to sweat my balls off playing three games in 100 degree weather.  And believe me when I tell you that wearing heavy woolen uniforms in 100 degrees is no picnic.

Me, Stoney, Moonlight, Danger, Cyclone, Turnpike, and Hammer,
sweating in the shade on a 100-degree day in Indy.

We were victorious over the Lumbermen and Hoosiers but dropped the final game 7-2 to the Indy Blues in what could only be described as an IDGAF game.  Did I mention how hot it was?

Cyclone trying to cool off

We followed up the Indianapolis tournament with double-header road victories over the Springfield Long Nine and the St. Louis Unions.  Last weekend we stayed on the road with a match in Decatur, Illinois against the Rock Springs Ground Squirrels.  The Squirrels are one of the pioneers of vintage base ball in the midwest and an organization that the Perfectos used to pattern themselves when they began play 13 years ago.  The Ground Squirrels field is cut out of prairie grass, which forms the edge of the outfield.  It's a beautiful field but outfielder must be careful to keep any flies or bounds from going into the prairie grass, or you will lose the ball quickly.

Beautiful Trough Ballfield - home of the Ground Squirrels

We won the coin flip for the first game and chose to be the home team.  I trotted out to my customary position as center scout and before the first pitch, the left scout "Pitchfork" and I were discussing playing deep flies with the prairie grass.  I opined that I thought the way the wind was blowing would keep any balls hit to left well short of the boundary.

You can see how thick the brush is behind me.

Naturally, the Ground Squirrel's first batter "Click" made a liar out of me and hit a ball deep to left.  Pitchfork tracked it back towards the prairie grass border and just as it settled into his hands, his feet hit the prairie grass and he tumbled backwards into the weeds, dislodging the ball from his hands, and sending it flying into the deep brush.

"It's right here somewhere..."

An easy trot around the bases for "Click"

Still can't find it, as Chatterbox joins me, Hammer, and Pitchfork.

All Hands On Deck!!!

How many does it take to find it? Nine, of course.

After that I thought it might be a long day for the scouts but we were able to recover and our hurlers "King" and "Danger" kept the Squirrels away from deep drives most of the day.

It really was a beautiful day...and a gorgeous ball field!

I had a good day striking myself, with six hits in nine times to the plate, including a couple of doubles.  Now striking fifth behind "Hammer" and "Chatterbox" I have more opportunities to drive in runs.

No high-fives in this gentleman's game.  Turnpike greets
me as I "tally my ace."

After the rather inauspicious debut, giving up the home run to the first batter on the first pitch, we rebounded nicely, claiming victory in the first game 17-3 and taking the second game 12-3.

Doffin my cap to the scorekeeper and "cranks" (fans) as
I ring the bell to register my ace (run).

We seem to have come together nicely as a team here during the summertime and hope to keep up those winning ways this weekend as we take on our friendly rivals from across the river, the Belleville Stags.

Dixie