June 26, 2024: Games Recap

“Rain makes corn, corn makes whiskey
Whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky” is a great line from Rain is a Good Thing by Luke Bryan, and I guess it also made the bats a little frisky as well last night. The ball was flying out of the park on all fields. 

On Field 1 we had Team Harris vs. Team Wolf

TEAM HARRIS started the game on fire by scoring three runs in the bottom of the opening frame and shut down TEAM WOLF in order in the first two innings, but couldn’t sustain it and lost the game……

The lack of hitting and one bad defensive inning spelled doom for TEAM HARRIS.

“We started so well. I don’t know what happened. I’ll have to check the video later tonight to see where things went wrong and try to fix it for our next game,” captain GRIFF HARRIS said after the game.

Part of the problem for the team has been hard hit balls are not finding the green and are being caught.

Not a lot to give kudos to, however catcher EVAN WEISSER did make another web gem on a pop up. RYAN MARCUS continued his hitting ways, but the rest of the team just never got it going.

“We’ll be fine. I like my team and we’ll figure it out. The boys are trying and that’s all you can expect, “HARRIS added.

TIDBITS……

*JCC softball league mascot, JACOB BRAFMAN, was wearing a HARVARD t-shirt at the games, when an unnamed player went up to him and said, “that’s as close to Harvard as you’ll ever get.”……wonder who that was?????

**The hockey season is over (I know not many care), but it was a Game 7 in the Finals and if you’re a “sports fan”, you should have been watching at least part of the game. 

I asked veteran STEVE EPPSTEIN that day if he was going to watch and he said, “No. The Reds have an important series with the Pirates and I’ll be watching them.”……..REALLY??????????????

I have no problem with being a Reds fan, but if you call yourself a sports fan and can’t watch at least some of a Game 7 in the Finals……?????

***MARC BRAFMAN was subbing on his team’s bye week for TEAM KAMRASS and it would have been funny if they had won and that was the only game he won all year…….I guess it wouldn’t have been so funny as I’ve been on teams like that too…..my own!

Finally, 

****I wish I would have taken a picture of this…….STU SOLOMON was visiting with BRAD WAGNER in WAGNER’S car before the game when STU found a stuffed animal (bear) in the car that belonged to BRAD’S daughter and started playing with it……he seemed to like it!……now you know what to give him for his next birthday……lol

On Field two it was Team Tenenholtz vs. Team Kamrass

Rick for the winners:

On Field 2, Team Tenenholtz was on the road tonight against a retrofitted Team Kamrass who was missing De La Cruz, Friedl and Fairchild.  Benji Kotzin, Harry Meisner and Marc Brafman filled in nicely for them, though, as the home team went up 4-2 in the first inning. The visitors scratched out runs in the third and fourth to tie the game before scoring 5 in the fourth while the Hall of Famer, Howard Schwartz, pitched a nice game to hold the home team down for most of the game. Team Kamrass did most of their damage with the long ball as Kotzin (2) and Meisner (1) combined for three home runs, but it was not enough to hold off Team Tenenholtz, who won 15-8, or something like that.

Defensive highlights came from:

  • Jeremy Dock, who made several nice plays at 3B and LF
  • Jack Cohen who patrolled RCF and got to everything
  • Brian Goldberg, who continues his all-star season 
  • Mike Rothstein, who caught the 7th inning without his glove…or maybe it just seemed that way when he got thumped twice in the inning

Team Tenenholtz will be back home to face Team Harris on Field 2 next week while Team Kamrass goes on the road to face first-half champs, Team Grefer.  

PS on this game. It was fun to watch The Special One, Mike Rothstein go Billy Martin on Benji Kotzin bat after his second homer. Not since the famous Pine Tar game in the mid-80’s has a player waited till after a big homer to ask the ump to check the bat. Now keep in mind, Todd “The Mayor” Wasserman has used the same bat for the past 2+ years and no one asked to check it. But after the second homer of the game the bat was checked to make sure it was softball approved. After some debate and the home run being disallowed Lee MacPhail stepped in once again and, just like he did in 1983, said in the spirit of the game the homer will be permitted. Lucky for us Capt. Kamrass didn’t go all George Brett on the ump. George Brett and the pine tar incident (youtube.com) As Handsome Sam Castellini said post game, “Benji could have hit that homer with a tooth pick.”

On Field 3 Team Wagner vs. Grefer

Brad for the winners:

Team Wagner took down Team Grefer 17-4 on Wednesday in front of a standing-room-only crowd on Field 3.  The rain held off for the most part, but the bats didn’t get that message as the victors hit five home runs, including four that cleared the fence.  Anton Loon, Matt Leader, Landon Hawkins, and Daniel Hiudt each gave Yitz’s kids something to do by fetching the flying balls.  Michael Askin added on with an inside-the-park homerun and played a great LCF.  A majority of Team Wagner had multiple hits.  Matt Leader also had a great running catch in LF.

Special shoutout to Ryan Silverman and Kyle Grefer, who made outstanding catches in the outfield for Team Grefer.

Team Wagner takes on Team Fogel next week on Field 1, with Steve Urkel and Kimmy Gibbler providing you the play-by-play.

Team Grefer takes on Team Kamrass next week on Field 4, with Junior Felix and Junior Felix Jr providing you the play-by-play.

Finally on field 4 it was Team Solomon vs. Team Fogel

Stu for the winners:

Do I have a Story to Tell…..

There seems to be something in the dirt on Field 4 for Team Solomon.

Team Solomon defeated Team Fogel 10-8 in a defensive struggle. 

The first big hit came in the first inning off the bat of Ryan “Biggie” Small(s) as he kicked in the door waving the 4-4 with a 3-run homer to cap off a 7-run first. The second big hit came from Stuart “I Love it when you call Big Poppa” Solomon as he waved his hands in the air cuz he’s a true playa, crushing a triple to score Dave “Hypnotize” Wertheim as his words must have hypnotized the pitcher, walking twice. Ben “ Gimmie the Loot” Charlton took extra bases without remorse. After the game Ben had this to say “What’s mines is mines and what’s yours is mine”. For Team Fogel there was “Life After Death” inching their way back to make it a 1-run game into the 5th. Team Solomon, which earlier in the year was “Notorious” for giving up a big lead, persevered. Up 2 in the top of the 7th, they got Team Fogels 3-4-5 to go 1-2-3 (4-5-6-7-8-9-10, it’s the Ten Crack Commandments).

Team Solomon told Team Fogel to Take Flight 504 Kennedy to LAX and go back to Cali with their great defense. Ken “Juicy” Groh is now having lunches, brunches, interviews by the pool after a great pitching performance. 

Team Solomon looks to gain more “Respect” as they have won 3 in a row.

League notes:

I talk about how special our league is all the time but that was once again driven home with the sad news about Jimmy and Rick’s dad passing away. It goes to show how much we all care about each other (off the field) when at least 25 guys showed up for the funeral to show their support for the Lefton’s. We are still thinking about you guys.

Wasting my time at the Reds game on Tuesday I’m glad that they make plays just like us. Bad/lazy throws from the outfield, missed balls in the gap, terrible baserunning, etc. Was it Tuesday at GABP or Wednesday at Triple Creek? 

Roger talking hockey is like the people who like soccer trying to tell everyone how great it is. (I like game 7’s in any sport and USA national team soccer) 

Yesterday some poor kid pooped in the pool at Camp Wildbrook. In my mind it went just like this: Classic “Caddy Shack” doodie in pool- Hilarious! (youtube.com)

Short and sweet this week guys. 

See everyone on July 3.

Marc