Because I left my scorebook in the team's equipment bag, and because that bag is now miles from my desk, I am
forced to rely on memory and imagination to reconstruct what I can of the over-62's Americans' 14-1 victory over
the Peppers on a very pleasant, blue sky Tuesday evening, May 23rd, at the A-Diamond.

I wrote an earlier version, which some of you may have read, that was far too long with too much reconstruction.

So, here's the short of things, from a septuagenarian's (70-something) memory that works on the short side of things anyway.

Both teams scored a run each in the first inning. I'm not sure how we scored but the Peppers' speedy catcher
Charlie Freer does what he almost always does: he got on base early, scooted around the paths and stepped on home.

Then we scored 13 more runs over the next six innings. Some good at-bats in that group.

That was pretty much it, except for this: We had a pretty good pre-game workout. And instructive one, too.

Americans' third baseman and pitcher Mike Kane walloped some long fly balls to waiting outfielders, the effect
of which was to teach us about what could be called the A Diamond's "trampoline effect" on its artificial turf. Miss a fly ball
and the sphere ricochets two or three times higher and farther than you'd expect. You're off running, chasing it.

As an aside, Dan Durbak, a fine pitcher for the Peppers, observed two Sundays past, as he and I stood in the outfield at New Scotland, taking
fly balls during a Capital Division practice, "You can never get enough fly-ball practice, you know?" I thought he was dead on.

In the game, Mike then proceeded to hit a similar ball, high and very far, between the Peppers' center and right fielders
for his second triple in his first two games with the Americans. Mike hit an earlier triple a few weeks back against
the Yankees. I've been playing in the old boys' ball league for at least ten years now, and I don't recall ever seeing
back-to-back triples by the same player. Actually, it's been years between seeing even one triple.

The sight was a delight. And memorable.

Getting back to those high-bouncing pre-game fungoes, word is, coming from somewhere, that the esteemed
review, "The Princeton Physics Review & Tattler"'is studying the unusually high bounces at the A Diamond.

Word also is that the study, which may come out this winter, may have tips on how old guys can hit back-to-back triples.
Or it may not.

Speaking of Princeton, two facts: When he was alive, Einstein taught in the university's physics department.

He doesn't anymore.

-Mike



-- Edited by mikehart on Saturday 3rd of June 2023 09:34:13 AM