“Well Bob, could it get any better than this.”
“Oh my Eve, I don’t know – I just don’t
know. Here we are in what may be the last inning of the season for
our Whalley Wombats. They’re down by a field goal and I just
don’t know if they have what it takes to come back. Which
team will be heading for the buffet and which is headed for the
soup kitchen. I just don’t know.”
“Whatever happens, this season has got to be considered an
unexpected success for the Wombats. Most people thought it had to
be a joke when new owner Paris Billions started signing players for
this ball team.”
“You’re right Eve: Gabe Ruth, Willie Maze, Eli Cobb,
Harry Bonds, Bo DiMaggio and pitcher Wally Fingers. Come on –
it had to be a joke. And yet here we are on the doorstep of the
championships. If our boys can pull this off it’ll be a
miracle.”
“I couldn’t agree more Bob. And what a team they
turned out to be. Gabe Ruth: home run derby winner, Willie Maze:
highest batting average ever in this league, Wally Fingers:
strikeout king and a strong bat, Cobb: stolen base
leader.”
“And yet here we are trailing, going into this inning.
Cobb up first, as we go into the power of the Wombats lineup. The
umpire signals to start play and Cobb steps up. Here we go.
It’s time to make soup or go home.”
“Whaa? Make soup or go home? Running short on anecdotes
Bob?”
“Cobb has had a run in every game this series. Tonight
he’s been silent with a pop up, a pass and a thrown out at
first. He’s due. Let’s see what happens. Here comes the
pitch….”
“Oh! He hit him! The first pitch from Maillardville
Mudhens pitcher Hank ‘the Hatchet’ Halston has taken
Cobb right in the small of the back. Cobb looks okay as he tosses
the bat and lopes out to first.”
“Probably not how he meant to get there but I’m sure
he’ll be happy to take it. This may sound corny but
Cobb’s depending on Maze to move him around the
bags.”
“Corny but true Bob. Corny but true.”
“Halston is watching Cobb pretty close, like a dog at the
bbq… he throws to first but I don’t think Eli had any
plans of stepping off the bag. He’s standing rubbing his
kidney. I think he may be in more pain than we thought. Halston
gets set again. Maze is watching Orville at third base for the
sign. He nods and steps into the box. Here comes the
pitch….. A real meatball, high and outside. Eli didn’t
attempt anything at first.”
“Right you are Bob. But I wouldn’t expect that to
last long. At this stage of the game – hurt or not – I
think Cobb’s going to pop over to second as soon as the
opportunity arises. You’ve got to expect Willie will have the
all clear to swing away. After all, he is the batting champion and
rbi leader. But watch for Halston to throw the brush back. They
don’t call him the Hatchet for nothing.”
“Here we go again, Eve. The pitch …. Maze rockets
it out to right field! Cobb rounds second, look at him fly! Here
comes the throw. Safe at third! Maze slides into second base like
he’s buttered. A pair on, tying run at the plate and we still
have all our outs! There’s still some sizzle in the Wombats!
THE CROWD GOES WILD! Soup to nuts, what a smorgasbord of
emotion!”
“And DiMaggio’s up!! He’s been perfect in the
last trio of games - a dozen straight trips to base. The crowd is
on its feet Bob! You can hardly hear in this stadium. I’ve
never seen anything like it here!”
“Halston looks rattled. He’s looking to the dugout
but it seems like they’re going to stick with him at the
moment. He’s usually a bit of a hot dog, but he’s got
spaghetti for knees right now. DiMaggio steps up to the plate.
Halston sets up…. Here’s the throw. DiMaggio’s
swinging…. It’s away – away – away way way
up. Infield fly taken by the third baseman Hansen and the Wombats
suffer their first out.”
“Half an inch higher and he had all of that Bob. Did you
see the height on that pop fly? He almost got the blimp. There goes
his fairy tale ending but I’d say he’s still got to be
a strong challenger for MVP.”
“I’d have to agree Eve. It’s hard to stand out
on a team this loaded with talent but he’s been a sack of Big
Macs this series and everybody knows it. Still it’s only the
first of our bats to go down swinging so it’s still game on!
Booth, Reed and Bonds coming up.”
“You’ve got that backwards Bob. It’s Bonds,
Reed and then Booth. Bonds, as you may recall used to play in the
majors. Many thought he was washed up and he failed to get any
offers this year. He went on a fitness regimen, lost a great deal
of weight and hired a sports psychologist. It’s really paid
off. He got picked up for his leadership with the young guys on
this team but he’s provided much, much more. Rumor has it
that he’ll be back in the majors next year. Maybe not as a
player but as a manager.”
“Yes Eve; he’s really cooking at this level but at
his age we’d be more likely to find a day old donut in a
French restaurant than him back on the big boys field. His
leadership makes him a natural in the dugout though. On any given
day the guys look to him for advice.”
“Not any given day Bob – on EVERY given day.
“He’s at the plate. Maze has got a HUGE lead at
second… Halston looks him back – the throw to the
plate. A SWING AND A MISS. Bonds just about went down there; he
swung so hard. He wants this so bad he can taste it, I hope
he’s not squeezing the pickle too hard Eve.”
“He’s a pro Bob. He’s been here before and I
don’t think that’s a worry. Bonds gives his all every
time and this is no different. He’ s all competitor, all
focused, all –“
“Excuse me Eve but here’s the pitch…. A BUNT!
Would you believe it! Would you believe it!!! BUTTER MY BUNS AND
CALL ME A BISCUIT! The Mudhens can’t make the play to first
with Cobb looking to come home! BASES LOADED!!! REED AND BOOTH
COMING UP WITH A PAIR OF OUTS LEFT!! CAN THE WOMBATS PULL THIS
OFF!?! OUR FANS THINK SO! THEY'RE ON THEIR FEET SCREAMING! WOMBATS!
WOMBATS! WOMBATS! LOOK AT THE SMILE ON BONDS! EAR TO EAR! YOU CAN
SEE HIS BICUSPIDS, CANINES, MOLARS… I SWEAR YOU CAN SEE HIS
WISDOM TEETH!”
“Did you skip lunch Bob? It looks like the Mudhens are
pulling Halston. This looks like a good time for a commercial
break.”
“Are you kidding me???”
>
“Well, we’re back. I don’t know if I’ve
ever been to a more exciting ball game Bob.”
“ I can tell you Eve that if I’ve been to a better
game I must have been drunk, cuz I DON’T REMEMBER!”
“While we were at break things really went crazy here.
Ruth is up. Ace reliever Ben “The Heat” Gay is on the
mound for the Mudhens. He has an incredible strike out average this
series with less than a half dozen earned bases and no dingers. The
count has run to full on Ruth. We’re possibly a single pitch
from the end of this game. Ruth steps into the box… he
stares down Gay – wait; he signals the Ump and backs
out…”
“OH MY GOODNESS !!! OH MY GOODNESS! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS
EVE!!! JUST LIKE BABE RUTH!!! THE IMMORTAL CALLED SHOT THAT SUNK
THE YANKEES AND WON THE WORLD SERIES!!! GABE JUST POINTED OUT OVER
CENTER FIELD!!!”
“This could be a terrible move by Gabe; Bob. Will he be
remembered as our hero like Babe Ruth or will he be the goat like
Casey at the bat. If our history books teach us anything,
it’s that moments like these live on.”
“Ruth is in the box… Here comes the pitch…..
he swings……CRACK ….. it’s
going….. GOING …… GOING ….”
Happy caching.
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Geochecker.com.