Kettering Royals

Tuesday night began as a beautiful night for baseball for the top two teams in the tight MVABL race. As the game began the Boys in Blue jumped out to an impressive 7-0 lead after the top half of the first inning. But for the Royals Skipper that was the last glimpse of excitement on the evening. As the bottom half began for the Sox, their first batter reached base on 4 straight pitches, and would move over to second 2 pitches later. Royals starter, Kevin Reyonlds was able to get the first out of the bottom half on a high infield fly hauled in by Griffith. The Sox's next batter roped a rug-burner between Schab and Rudegeair on the right side of the infield. As the ball entered the outfield, Scott Falkowski fielded the ball and fired a low-flying beam to the plate. As Young rounded 3rd and headed to the plate it was a foot race to beat the throw. As the ball flew closer and closer to the plate Young was also bearing down in an attempt to plate the Sox's first run of the game. No one could've predicted the events that would unfold as the dust settled at the plate, Young was punched out as the Royals Skipper fielded the ball just in time to apply the tag to record the second out of the inning. Following the punchout, Franklin called time as most assumed to dust off the collision, but as he was checked by the umpire the tables were quickly turned. As the fans watched, the Royals and Sox tended to their fallen teammate and competitor to assess the situation. No one expected the sight in front of them as the red puddle began to pool in the dirt, Royals medical staff, Skipper's wife Molly (RN), and the Sox's scorekeeper did their best to contain the 8 inch gash they were dealing with. The Sox's scorekeeper was able to apply a quick t-shirt tourniquet to apply the much needed pressure to the wound. Molly then transitioned to EMT medical transport as their Honda Ody was pulled up to the field to escort the Royals Skipper to the Valley for treatment. After a few happy pills, handful of painful lidocaine shots, 1 tetanus shot, and 22 stiches (5 internal, 17 external) Dr. Greg was able to piece the wound back together.

In his absence, the Boys in Blue worked hard to preserve the win in the game that their Skipper would not see the end of. Not sure if they got the win one for the Gipper speach, but it was bit of happy news on that sad night for thei injured Skipper.

**On a serious note, I would like to thank all for the calls, text messages, and emails from the guys on the team and around the league. The season is probably over for me. However, for me it has always been about more than the game, but rather the time at the field just hanging out with everyone and having a little fun in the sun and sharing that passion for the game we all love, and that's not going to stop... It'll take some time to recover, maybe I'll get a few at-bats before the season ends, but if not I'll return to the field in 2008. Thanks again for all your prayers and concern, I'll see you at the ballpark.