Wiffle Ball

For the last 3 years, my high school friend, Mike Braun, has been holding a wiffleball game at his parent's house every summer. I look forward to this day every year. It is a day when you feel and act like a kid again. The day begins by going to the baseball cemetery. When they were kids, after Thurman Munson died, they buried his baseball card in the woods behind the house. We go back to the cemetery to pay tribute to those plays who have died. Each year it gets a bit more elaborate. This year they placed a head stone for Mark Fidrych, who died this past year.
Here is the view around Kluessendorf Memorial Stadium from left field around to right. It is 97 feet down the left field line.100 feet to straight away to center. Any ball hitting the pine trees is an automatic home run.The short porch is 88 feet to right field.Some how I got appointed to be captain. Based on past players performance, I was able to assemble a rather formidable team. Here is Paul Braun at the plate. Here is Jon Gehred at the plate.Here is Mike Braun in the field. Mike and I had horrible days at the plate. I was 1 for 10 to start out the day. Here is Bill Braun at the plate. After three games, Bill was the top home run hitter. My team rode a 10 run 1st inning scoring spree to winning the first game. We also took the second game 17-15. My first home run of the day ended up being the game winner, we were up 15-8 before I stepped to the plate.Here is Bob Gehred on base. Mike Mankowski pitching.I pitched game 3 for our team. We managed to hold the other team to only 3 runs going into the final inning. It is amazing how if you groove a pitch right down the middle of the plate, it is in the trees. Low and away or high and inside is the only way you can survive as a pitcher. I think we were up 13-3 in the last inning and I told Mike Braun, who was on the other team, every pitch will be right down the middle until they the score was 13-10. They didn't get to 10 runs, but they did hit 5 home runs. And my team finished the three game sweep winning the final game 13-8.