Ok, so a lot has changed since I last updated.  Previous to now, the latest post concerned a double header of makeup games against Team Beinveste (which we won) and Head First (which we almost won). I had been very excited for these games, as it seemed we were playing our best softball at just the right time, gearing up for the playoffs and making a run for the elusive summer league championship the following week.

Of course, things don’t always go as planned. As it turns out, I (miles) suffered a rather demoralizing (for myself, not the team) leg injury during the first half of the double header and was too frustrated to update the page with a post game breakdown or to upload the pics/video from those games or from the first round loss to Jerry’s Nuggets.  It’s a shame because I took many good pictures during those games and I will try to sort through the footage I have and post them in the appropriate places.

On to the present though, as tonight is the scheduled start of the Fall 2008 Skokie League. After much discussion about abandoning Skokie for a city league, we find ourselves once again back on the North Shore to defend our Fall 2007 championship victory (as Spawn of Belvedere).  The whole gang is pretty much back, although Don (who injured his shoulder late in the summer season) and I are still on the mend from softball pains and Paul is trying to shake off the effects of a recent car accident (thanks again to the drunken illegal who u-turned into Erin’s car on Labor Day!).

Shawn McGivern will suit up for us tonight in a rematch against Jerry’s Nuggets, who eliminated the 3 Seashells just a little over a month ago. That is, of course, if the threatening rainstorm doesn’t postpone it.

Regarding our team name, we have officially decided on Balki’s Ballers for this fall in an homage to the perfectly hilarious, Chicago based 80s sitcom, Perfect Strangers.

In other news, Balki’s Ballers will be sponsored by Paddy Mac’s, which is where we tried to get sponsored in the summer but it fell through.

Game time tonight is 6:30, and the lineup is as follows.

Lee (LCF)
Eve (1B)
Matt (RCF)
Elisabeth (LF)
Sean (SS)
Emilie (C)
Gary (P)
Christine (RF)
Miles (3B)
Lancy (2B)

Sitting: Paul (car accident related) and Don (shoulder)

Ahhh, that’s more like it..

After an ugly performance against the Swinging Shillelaghs, the Seashells bounce back for their second win of the season, 11-5 versus TopCo.

Hitting stars of the day include CF Lee Greenberg, 3B/SS Matt Stankiewicz (who Lee admitted is “hitting the cover off of the ball”) and a strong one hit, one walk performance from 2B Lancy Norris who becomes more dependable at the plate with every game.

Pictures are already up (I went a little overboard with the Telephoto lens) and video will follow shortly.

Also, for the website, I updated the standings, the statistics (thanks Lee!) and will add a new roster spot for Elisabeth Collins, who made a strong debut in the infield and hit several hard line drives to Left.

Since we managed a 6 and 6 lineup, no one had to share a batting order spot, which felt like heaven. Everyone got a breather from fielding for an inning and even regular CF Don Shea played his first (and possibly last) infield innings of the year.

Don’t know if everybody caught it, but the picture viewer has not been working for the last few days.

In an effort to improve the site, I’ve been trying out various plug-ins to increase features and fun for the site but, apparently, something I added conflicted with the gallery plug-in so I’ve slowly scaled back some things. Everything seems to work again now but don’t be afraid to comment if something isn’t working for you.

thanks,

This is the first post on the new softballing!

Very soon, this will be formatted to look like the rest of the site! until then, enjoy the unfamiliar surroundings!