Reminds me of a spring training bp session in Tucson. Might have been the first day pitchers were throwing to hitters. Jim Corsi, a tough veteran, got on the bump and immediately got rid of the L screen. “Don’t need this, never needed this”. Into the box steps Greg Colbrunn, for whom the fastball he couldn’t turn around has yet to be invented. Naturally, Corsi’s first pitch comes right back at him and gets him between the eyes. Over his objections, we go to the hospital to have him checked out. While he’s been hooked up, he’s trying to convince the veteran ER nurse that he’s fine and wants to back to the hotel. Finally she says, “ok, if you can stand up and take two steps maybe I’ll believe you”. Corsi stands up and promptly finds himself on the floor,from where he looks up at the nurse and says, “yeah, maybe you’re right”. P.S. he was fine after an overnight stay, but still refused to use the L screen.
OMG. Classic story. Ego can get you into a lot of trouble. :) Glad you brought up Colbrunn! So he came down on a rehab assignment when I was in A-ball. Promptly went like 8 for 9 with all seeds hit all over the place. I said to myself “I am so far from the big leagues if this is how they all hit.” What a show.
Little league, summer all stars, road to Williamsport, all that. Coach throwing us BP, also no L-screen. Pattern was three bunts, 10 full swings, run the last one out. BUT! On the last swing Coach would ALWAYS drill you in the arm/thigh to see if you would rub. If you rubbed, you got another one before your last swing. I was hitting 9th, so that was my BP spot, so I got to watch almost every other guy get drilled, some rubbed, some didn’t. One guy might’ve cried. I dig in, drop my 3 bunts, take my 9 hacks with varied results and get ready to “take my medicine” as coach called it (as I write this, he might’ve been a little abusive, but this was a long time ago). Pitch comes up and in, I take it off the shoulder. I don’t even flinch (think about Don Baylor). He hesitates before the next pitch, not to check if I was ok, but because I didn’t even step out. He’s trying to shake me up. I told him I was ready to go. He tosses the next one and I lined it back up the middle and missed his head by about an inch. Knocked him on his ass. Teammates cheer, he looks foolish. The last three hitters that afternoon did NOT get drilled.
Awesome story. When we account for the era, the old school had some crazy ways to test your resolve. I have a big brother so whatever toughness I had came from competing with him and his friends. I used to love breaking up a double play because of them. No longer legal. Sigh.
Great post. I teach children, and some of them react the same way when they accidentally hurt someone. Teaching them that it doesn't matter whether it was on purpose or not, we still need to apologize and check on people because it's the right thing to do is part of the job. Seems like nobody ever taught Smitty that.
Took me a long time to understand that it was not a signed confession to apologize. Not necessarily an admission of guilt. No handcuffs coming. Glad to hear you are helping the kids understand it is about checking in on people and how they feel.
In a recent Albuquerque Isotopes game, Braiden Ward was forced to play third base for the first time in his pro career because someone got hit by a pitch and had to leave the game, and we had no other infielders. The first batter hit the ball to Ward at third base. Of course. The Baseball Gods were testing him. It was not a routine play, but not hard. He had to charge it and throw accurately from 3B to 1B. He did. Out made. Not a single ball was hit to him the rest of the game. He needed to start the next game. Again, not a single ball was hit to him. The one play seemed to satisfy the Baseball Gods. They left him alone.
They will test you and they will find you. I was deemed the emergency infielder for the 2003 playoff Cubs. I had not played infield since 3rd grade. But accepting the role was the only way I could make the playoff roster. Mercifully there was one playoff game I was an injury away from entering the game as a shortstop en route to setting the record for most errors in an inning. :)
This is a good question. I have learned so much about these questions working closely in the editing process. Centerfield vs center field. Homerun vs home run. And so on! Is the word “sports” singular or plural? Both?
Hey Doug - per 9/11 edition of Starkville. Yogi had two 30 homer seasons right? from google: Yogi Berra's career-high for home runs in a single season was 30, which he hit twice in both 1952 and 1956.
Reminds me of a spring training bp session in Tucson. Might have been the first day pitchers were throwing to hitters. Jim Corsi, a tough veteran, got on the bump and immediately got rid of the L screen. “Don’t need this, never needed this”. Into the box steps Greg Colbrunn, for whom the fastball he couldn’t turn around has yet to be invented. Naturally, Corsi’s first pitch comes right back at him and gets him between the eyes. Over his objections, we go to the hospital to have him checked out. While he’s been hooked up, he’s trying to convince the veteran ER nurse that he’s fine and wants to back to the hotel. Finally she says, “ok, if you can stand up and take two steps maybe I’ll believe you”. Corsi stands up and promptly finds himself on the floor,from where he looks up at the nurse and says, “yeah, maybe you’re right”. P.S. he was fine after an overnight stay, but still refused to use the L screen.
OMG. Classic story. Ego can get you into a lot of trouble. :) Glad you brought up Colbrunn! So he came down on a rehab assignment when I was in A-ball. Promptly went like 8 for 9 with all seeds hit all over the place. I said to myself “I am so far from the big leagues if this is how they all hit.” What a show.
Killer callback on that punchline! Revenge is a dish best (accidently) served with a line drive up the middle.
Get behind that L screen!! :)
Hahahaaha
Ok- why didn't I see that ending coming? Great piece.
Thanks, Keith. I was amazed that it all happened within a day. Baseball can have a quick reply.:) Did you ever experience anything like that?
A one day turnaround is pretty quick. Usually it seems karma takes a little longer to work its magic, when it does.
Little league, summer all stars, road to Williamsport, all that. Coach throwing us BP, also no L-screen. Pattern was three bunts, 10 full swings, run the last one out. BUT! On the last swing Coach would ALWAYS drill you in the arm/thigh to see if you would rub. If you rubbed, you got another one before your last swing. I was hitting 9th, so that was my BP spot, so I got to watch almost every other guy get drilled, some rubbed, some didn’t. One guy might’ve cried. I dig in, drop my 3 bunts, take my 9 hacks with varied results and get ready to “take my medicine” as coach called it (as I write this, he might’ve been a little abusive, but this was a long time ago). Pitch comes up and in, I take it off the shoulder. I don’t even flinch (think about Don Baylor). He hesitates before the next pitch, not to check if I was ok, but because I didn’t even step out. He’s trying to shake me up. I told him I was ready to go. He tosses the next one and I lined it back up the middle and missed his head by about an inch. Knocked him on his ass. Teammates cheer, he looks foolish. The last three hitters that afternoon did NOT get drilled.
Awesome story. When we account for the era, the old school had some crazy ways to test your resolve. I have a big brother so whatever toughness I had came from competing with him and his friends. I used to love breaking up a double play because of them. No longer legal. Sigh.
Great post. I teach children, and some of them react the same way when they accidentally hurt someone. Teaching them that it doesn't matter whether it was on purpose or not, we still need to apologize and check on people because it's the right thing to do is part of the job. Seems like nobody ever taught Smitty that.
Took me a long time to understand that it was not a signed confession to apologize. Not necessarily an admission of guilt. No handcuffs coming. Glad to hear you are helping the kids understand it is about checking in on people and how they feel.
In a recent Albuquerque Isotopes game, Braiden Ward was forced to play third base for the first time in his pro career because someone got hit by a pitch and had to leave the game, and we had no other infielders. The first batter hit the ball to Ward at third base. Of course. The Baseball Gods were testing him. It was not a routine play, but not hard. He had to charge it and throw accurately from 3B to 1B. He did. Out made. Not a single ball was hit to him the rest of the game. He needed to start the next game. Again, not a single ball was hit to him. The one play seemed to satisfy the Baseball Gods. They left him alone.
They will test you and they will find you. I was deemed the emergency infielder for the 2003 playoff Cubs. I had not played infield since 3rd grade. But accepting the role was the only way I could make the playoff roster. Mercifully there was one playoff game I was an injury away from entering the game as a shortstop en route to setting the record for most errors in an inning. :)
I read everything you write. Thank you. From way back; as a subject in a sentence is " Major Leagues" singular or plural? Ha, ha, ha.
This is a good question. I have learned so much about these questions working closely in the editing process. Centerfield vs center field. Homerun vs home run. And so on! Is the word “sports” singular or plural? Both?
Thx Doug. I wait for every new post. Each one is as interesting as the last.
Hey Doug - per 9/11 edition of Starkville. Yogi had two 30 homer seasons right? from google: Yogi Berra's career-high for home runs in a single season was 30, which he hit twice in both 1952 and 1956.
Interesting. Will pass it on to the team!
Never miss a show 😊! (oops I guess tues was 9/9)
Great story I am so happy you are documenting your experience in retrospect your Dad loves it 🤗