A 3-Run Jack
Every year the lineup for the first game of the Jeff Fazzolari Thunder Road Memorial Tournament is fairly steady.
Jim Fuzzy, John Fuzzy, Cliff Fuzzy were the first three batters this year.
Truth be told I led off the previous two years and it's a little troublesome because everyone is watching the first batter. I had made outs both years...so I switched it up.
Jim grounded out.
John popped out.
"Gotta' leave it up to me," I said.
I doubled.
But I only bring up our first at-bats because I wanted to tell you that I doubled.
What happened later in the game was more exciting.
Let's flash back.
When John was 9 years old he played in a little league game. He was always really fast and he could always catch the ball.
In his first little league game he caught a ball in center and threw it in to 2nd for a double play and from there it went to first for a triple play in little league.
I remember my Dad going nuts.
We were all celebrating.
Through the years we all had our moments. John remains fleet of foot despite knee problems and even busting his leg. He still covers a lot of ground in left and for the 3rd year in a row he fell over the fence trying to catch a home run ball.
But it was the 3-run homer that nearly made me fall over.
As luck might have it I was standing right behind home plate, talking to the ump as the pitch came in.
In 48 years I'd never seen my big brother hit a ball that far.
I thought of watching him play as a 9-year old and as he crossed home plate he gave me a high-five.
So much for my double.
That was one of about 3,000 moments of the tourney for me.
Jim Fuzzy, John Fuzzy, Cliff Fuzzy were the first three batters this year.
Truth be told I led off the previous two years and it's a little troublesome because everyone is watching the first batter. I had made outs both years...so I switched it up.
Jim grounded out.
John popped out.
"Gotta' leave it up to me," I said.
I doubled.
But I only bring up our first at-bats because I wanted to tell you that I doubled.
What happened later in the game was more exciting.
Let's flash back.
When John was 9 years old he played in a little league game. He was always really fast and he could always catch the ball.
In his first little league game he caught a ball in center and threw it in to 2nd for a double play and from there it went to first for a triple play in little league.
I remember my Dad going nuts.
We were all celebrating.
Through the years we all had our moments. John remains fleet of foot despite knee problems and even busting his leg. He still covers a lot of ground in left and for the 3rd year in a row he fell over the fence trying to catch a home run ball.
But it was the 3-run homer that nearly made me fall over.
As luck might have it I was standing right behind home plate, talking to the ump as the pitch came in.
In 48 years I'd never seen my big brother hit a ball that far.
I thought of watching him play as a 9-year old and as he crossed home plate he gave me a high-five.
So much for my double.
That was one of about 3,000 moments of the tourney for me.
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