I think we might have packed the winter weather from Oregon and flown it over with us. Maybe that is why our bags were so overweight. It has been raining here. We have had 3 practices 2 of which were shortened or canceled due to weather. The first was interesting watching all the guys scramble around to impress the coach. Then the requests for me to throw a bullpen started coming in. They also wanted to see me hit, but having not done that really for about 10 years I thought a bullpen would be more fun for them to watch. The president of the teams son was eager to catch the first one. These Aussie's seem to have a toughness about them. Adam is 17 and when I arrived he had been having a pretty shit week. He had just lost his job about 3 days earlier. "I got sacked from me job," he had told me, "and I rolled me car last night also." "Its a total loss."
A lot of these kids here don't go to school past about age 16. They start apprentice work and quit school. He was making 36 dollars an hour attaching beds to trucks. Can't blame them I guess for that being an option. Anyway, Adam threw his gear on and I tossed a couple 4 seams his way on the fiberglass mound they brought out. The rest of the team were behind me watching and I asked him if he was ready to start. The guys behind me laughed thinking that I was going full on with the pitches before. Now I really do not throw that hard in the scheme of things. I mean I don't come anywhere near the velocity of guys I have played with so this had me feeling pretty good. Big fish in a very small pond. Ha! So I let a few go and the 4th pitch snuck up on Adam and he caught it very funny and off to the side. I knew right away it was not good. He took his mask off and his face went white. I ran up and looked at his thumb. It was shaking and so was he. I think I scared him more than hurt him, and his mom drove him down the street to the hospital (free of charge...no need for insurance here...) where the put it in a cast saying it was probably broken. Wow. Not exactly how I wanted to start the season. All his mates just laughed and said things like "No worries, things come in threes and thats his third this week," and "That will teach him to catch it right!" Then another kid Joel threw the gear on and I finished. They all had a good time watching, and I think they will have a good time this season. They only won 3 games last year out of 16. I told them we would win at least 10 this year.
Two days later Adam had cut off his cast and was back on the kangaroo dookie littered oval working into the defensive drills. Tough bastard.
A lot of these kids here don't go to school past about age 16. They start apprentice work and quit school. He was making 36 dollars an hour attaching beds to trucks. Can't blame them I guess for that being an option. Anyway, Adam threw his gear on and I tossed a couple 4 seams his way on the fiberglass mound they brought out. The rest of the team were behind me watching and I asked him if he was ready to start. The guys behind me laughed thinking that I was going full on with the pitches before. Now I really do not throw that hard in the scheme of things. I mean I don't come anywhere near the velocity of guys I have played with so this had me feeling pretty good. Big fish in a very small pond. Ha! So I let a few go and the 4th pitch snuck up on Adam and he caught it very funny and off to the side. I knew right away it was not good. He took his mask off and his face went white. I ran up and looked at his thumb. It was shaking and so was he. I think I scared him more than hurt him, and his mom drove him down the street to the hospital (free of charge...no need for insurance here...) where the put it in a cast saying it was probably broken. Wow. Not exactly how I wanted to start the season. All his mates just laughed and said things like "No worries, things come in threes and thats his third this week," and "That will teach him to catch it right!" Then another kid Joel threw the gear on and I finished. They all had a good time watching, and I think they will have a good time this season. They only won 3 games last year out of 16. I told them we would win at least 10 this year.
Two days later Adam had cut off his cast and was back on the kangaroo dookie littered oval working into the defensive drills. Tough bastard.
2 comments:
great to hear how it is going down under. It sounds like Liz will not have a problem getting work, she is very sociable everyone will love her. I am soo glad this is working out thus far. All is great here. Craig is away in Montana fishing for a week and i am getting ready to start my nursing career on Monday!!! woo who ok more later i will stay posted take care...... hick
How's it going Hickory? Hope you are doing great and school is going good so far. We miss hanging out you guys but will have lots of stories when we get back for sure. Keep us updated on whats up with you k. Liz
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