Well, it is October. It's time for the yearly softball summary for 2010...Onward...

The Boys from the Beach did themselves proud this year. It was the first time in history that the two men's teams were champions of their divisions. The Young Guns, who finished with a 12-5 record, tied the Dugout Bar for first place in the west division. And the Ramblers team, who also finished with a 12-5 record, won the east division.

The Young Guns were the dormat of their division just a few years ago. But, with the addision of a couple of players and a "Worst to First" mentality, they changed things around big time! One of their players,that MOOSE guy, actually caught fly balls hit in his direction. No longer did the title "DR STRANGE GLOVE" fit. And if the glove don't fit, you must acquit! Their offense, lead by KIMBO THOMPSON, improved dramatically. Their average score increased from 7 runs a game to 13.

The Ramblers team was even more impressive. In one of their games they had the comeback rally of all time! Being down by 20 runs to the Dugout Bar stinks. But; somehow, someway, they came back to win 42-41!!! Holy Hand Granades Batman, what a sandstorm the beach dudes put on those guys. Last I heard they were still in therapy for P.T.S.D.!

The Ramblers defense was spectacular, with SAM,"RANDY MOSS" THOMPSON at short. Even,RED "til I'M DEAD "HARRINTON played admirably. Perhaps the most improved defensive player was "I don't take the blame" DANE. It's amazing what a pair of spikes can do for an outfielder. Before he was out-standing in his field, if you know what I mean.

Offensively, the team was lead by JOE and his BIG MAC attack. He lead the team in home runs and batted .826. "Still Blazing Fast" BART lead the team in runs with LOVERBOY LINDY finishing a close second. The team had 6 players batting over .600.

So long,... at least til next season.
 

Ramblers Softball Review 2009

Well, it’s November. That means the scary Halloween season has passed. It is also time to review another scary season – softball. Watching the neighborhood softball squad over the last three years has put many a chill up the spine for beach friendly fans. When Joe Dirt played for us, he struck out on three pitches (SWINGING!). When he played for the short-handed opposition, he got the game-winning hit…that’s cold. When a ball is hit deep to the right center and everybody is yelling, "BACK", the fielder moves like he is running in a foot of snow…that’s colder. When a catcher has the game winning play in his hand (all he has to do is catch the ball and tag the runner)...and freezes, doing his best impersonation of the statue liberty...that’s FREEZING TO DEATH!!!

But, this years team had something the others lacked...the BIG MAC ATTACK. Joe Mac came back. That changed the "Bad News Bears" (or would that be Beach News Bears) overnight. It warmed them up. They weren’t scary at all. The team won more games this year than the last three years combined!! Swinging SAM H. was snatching would be doubles up the gap. Not-too-tall TUMBLES was tagging out runners at home plate at a record pace. Not-ready-for-retirement BART was stretching singles into doubles. Ramblers classic softball team had risen from the grave…And Dracula was jealous!!

Instead of making an error a game, RED was making plays like an all-star. Instead of hitting the ball to the warning track, BIG DON was putting them over. Instead of missing the ball completely on throws in the dirt, BIG DAN was scooping them up routinely. Instead of losing, the Ramblers team was winning!! FEELING A LITTLE DOWN, DRACULA?

Congrats to this years team. They came in second. Losing only to some team with a bunch of screwballs with bats on steroids. I can’t remember their name.. it is kind of scary how the memory fades with age...DRINK UP, DRACULA.

 YOUNG GUNS 2009

The Beach has another team, the YOUNG GUNS. I hated the name when I first heard it. When you’re forty-one and still having fun, you’re not invited to anything young. (I got fired.)

The name fits though, it if wasn’t WHERE-IS-YOUR-SOUL SAMMY T. snatching grounders from his shortstop "sniper’s nest", it was KIMBO T. stretching out to snag a would-be triple. If it wasn’t PISS ANT making a miraculous stab, it was "SOULMAN" SOLOMAN gunning out an unfriendly base runner. If it wasn’t GET-ME-A-BIGGER-PISTOL BRIAN pitching, it was his brother, DAM-THE-TORPEDOES, FULL-SPEED-AHEAD DAN rifling out another unfriendly.

This years YOUNG GUNS, in the first season, did not win that many games, but time will tell if they can recoup and reload. Will MOOSE get LOOSE? Will someone LET THE DOGS OUT?

OR WILL IT BE SCARY???