ONE AND COUNTING!

It is well documented that I have never, in all my 30 year of softball, hit a home run over the fence. Yes, I've hit some long balls in my days of no helmets and wooden bats, but they always came on 300 foot fields. And with the blazing speed of my youth I managed to circle the bases a time or two. But never ever have I got to take the glorious jog around the field celebrating the round tripper....until today!

So, here's my story. Last year we started another softball tradition. THE HOME RUN DERBY! Following a practice on spring break, we serve up FBMB's (that's Fast Ball, Meat Ball)on a silver platter for anyone who has the muscle to try and poke one out. For the record, the field dimensions at today's field were 190 down the left field line, 205 to right, 225 to center. The fence is 10 feet high so it's no easy poke.

All the players went first and despite a couple of wall bangers, and warning track flies, no one hit one out. Rilee then stepped up to the plate and hit two bombs that were no doubters off the bat. Good for you Rilee, ya still got it. Boyd took his swings and made us all field good by saving his power for another day. And then it was my turn. Rilee insisted I use "the bat". A 2006 Easton Synergy 34x26. That's a pretty big bat for an frail old soul like me, but how can you argue with someone who her senior year hit six consecutive homeruns and just hit two more bombs.

Everyone else got 5 swings, but since I'm the coach I get to make up my own rules so I declared I got 10 swings. Swings one threw six were uneventful, a bit anxious and out in front, a couple of decent fly balls, but nothing threatening. Then lucky number seven! Boyd served it up and I launched it into the left center field seats. Off the bat I thought it had a chance, but seriously I never hit one out before so I wasn't sure what it was supposed to feel like. It just kept going and going and going and pretty soon it disappeared behind the fence. Are you kidding me? The crowd (players) went crazy. I dropped the bat in disbelief, and started my long-awaited home run trot. With arms in the air I circled the bases and when I rounded third the whole team was waiting for me at home, then an emphatic stomp on home plate, hoots and hollers, high fives! What a feeling!

Oh, it counts, you bet it does. Game or no game. I once said that WHEN I finally did hit my home run I would circle the bases, walk to the bench, grab my glove and be done with softball forever. That was then. Now that I've experienced the thrill, I think I'll stick around and try and do it again next year.

Sidebar: Not 10 seconds after I crossed home plate a campus security guard walked into the dugout and asked me if I was the coach. Apparently, all the noise and commotion we were making didn't go unnoticed by the schools Athletic Director and I was warned if we didn't settle down we wouldn't be able to come back and practice....way to rain on my parade! TRUE STORY!