Christian Park Softball
Saturday's big double-header takes a dive. I show up at the diamond about 7:30. The last time I was out here I noticed, and so did our pitchers, that the mound was not lined up with home base. I decided I would fix it before our two games. When I arrived the field, it has not been cut. IPS was going to cut it once a week, so much for that. I knew I didn't have enough time to cut it, so I when ahead and began fixing the home plate. Two deep holes where the girls dug in their cleats in made the ground very un-level. With a rake and shovel I dug deep into the gray brick dust field and managed to level out the area. Pulling up the dust covered plate and it's five spikes, I aligned it with second base and the mound. Now for the first time in the park's history, I am sure the mount is 40ft, correctly measured, from the plate. With a few finishing touches, I make an adjustment on the pitching mound and fill in the pitcher's foot hole. Ah, it looks good.
Our manager shows up about 8:00 and informs me that Lowell called and canceled this morning’s game. "Sorry, we don't have enough girls to play", she says. I hate hearing that, but luck-fully, it's not me saying this time. Actually, that might be a good thing; maybe I can pull two girls from here team to help us cover next week. If I don't, we'll be making that dreaded phone call.
So, now we have 3 hours before our afternoon game. The sun is out and the sky is blue and the grass is six inches high. Diana and I head over to the main park about 6 blocks away. She grabs the mower and the steal spiked grader and begins to take the 20-minute ride to our field. That's 20 minutes in "rabbit" speed on the mower. Anyone could walk the distance in about 10 minutes. This poor John Deer sure won't be winning any speed races.
Around 10:00 several cars begin to show up as we are cutting grass, weeding and dragging the field. It's the Firebirds from Carnine. Their schedule says we play at 10:00, of course, mine says 12:15. Their schedule says they play Lowell at 12:15. Oh, great. We talk and their coaches are frustrated and from the sounds of it, it's not the first time they have had problems with scheduling. Anyway, they agree to come back about 11:30 and play us. Good, we haven't wasted all morning cutting and cleaning for nothing.