BICYCLE BOBBY GETS TWO DINGERS...

BEER BROS. VS. THE HURTIN' UNITS.

Game # 11- June 24, 2013

Hurtin' Units win 25-8

Team Record- 5-6-0

I had originally had this blog titled " The Fireman Always Dings Twice", but because this was the first time Ricky Bobby has hit 2 homeruns out, in a game, I thought a better title would be "Bicycle Bobby Gets Two Dingers."


Keogh Park- The Beer Bros. are one of the teams the Units only played once last season. And that one game was probably the lowest point in the entire 2012 season for the Hurtin' Units. It was August 15, 2012, the Units record was sitting at 7-13-1. The blog for the game was titled "The Hurtin' Units bats are Jinxed." We were having a difficult time scoring runs, the wheels were falling off and it was at this point when I had our bats smudged. 

The Beer Bros. were playing some solid baseball and the night we played them, they could do no wrong. The final score was 13-1 for the Bros. and the only run, for the Units, came in the last inning, when I hit a double to bring in Jerry M. who was subbing for us. A single run over 7 innings... unbelievable! I finally had our bats smudged, following the game, and we did go on to play some good ball after this point in the season. The Beer Bros. went on to win the 2012 championship.



Beer Bros.vs Hurtin' Units Aug. 15, 2012

  











Now this season has not gotten to the point where I will do something crazy like bat smudging or tapping chicken bones on the bats, but if we continue to play this inconsistent brand of ball, I might have to look in this direction. When are we having a wing night, might need the bones.  

We are going to have to piece this team together for a little bit. Some injuries, shift work and holidays are going to require some subs to come in and pick up the slack. In this game we were missing Brian, Mike and Ricky L. We picked up Craig Escott (Dude) for this game.

The weather was very hot and humid for this game. At 4:30pm the temperature was sitting at 32 degrees Celsius and with the humidity it felt like 40 degrees.

I had a feeling that Ricky Bobby was feeling better and that he was probably going to have a good night when I saw him riding his bicycle across the infield of the diamond. The same bike he almost forgot at the park following the game. A man and his bike, he reminded me of Pee Wee Herman.

When I envisioned the Units playing this 9 game Keogh Park stand, this was the team I was seeing. Ricky Bobby, Phil, Mike and Woody all pounding the baseball to the right field fence and even into the tennis courts on occasion. Last night the team I envisioned made an appearance. Mike was not in the lineup, but Ricky Bobby hit 2 homeruns in to the tennis courts and Phil had 1 of his own. Dan was hitting the ball hard down the right field line, into the Keogh's back yard, off the Keogh house, into the trees, off the metal shed and a couple of times on the playing surface of the diamond. I don't know what it is, but every time Dan is batting the ball is like a magnet to Vince; I think it's time to get the little fella a helmet... Vince not Dan.

This was a full team effort with contributions from everyone.


I think this was the best all round game the 2013 Hurtin Units have played. The defense was stellar, the bats were spraying the ball all over the diamond and my pitching approach was keeping the Beer Bros. off balance. I've been watching a bit of Blue Jays baseball recently and I'm applying some new stuff, I've picked up, to my pitching game.

 After last Thursday's loss to the Rusty Rebels, I was unsure of whether or not this team was able to compete with every team in this league, I have a different opinion after this game. I'm not going to get too high about this win, but I am going to savour the victory and hopefully this is the start of an extended Units run. 

We definitely have the offense to blow away the competition, but our defense still needs to be a little more polished. This game has the Hurtin' Units riding in the right direction. Let's keep the wheels turning Units. 






There were several other things about this night I should mention:
 
 
1. I had Coxy pencilled in to play an inning at catch and because he was sore, he asked me to stay back at catch, he played the rest of the game at catch and made 2 excellent catches for important outs...Who knew he could catch... and catch.

2. Our sponsor, Neighbour's Country Depot and it's owner Rob Mc. bought the Units some icy cold beverages, at the Legion, after the game. Thanks Rob we're proud to have you as our sponsor.

3. The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup defeating the Boston Bruins in 6 games. This is the second time I can remember the Units playing on a night that the Cup has been presented. The Boston Bruins won the cup in 2011 on a night the Units were playing.