Softball

Pablo and I attended the Creston Panthers softball game last night. Did I tell you about how I got the girls' team names changed from Pantherettes to Panthers? It was around 15 years ago - and I was fed up with the whole "ettes" thing.

So I wrote letters to the local media and school board, basically saying there is no such thing as a pantherette - a female panther is a panther. The radio sports guy Gary Bucklin had been refusing to call them the "ettes" for a while, so there was some solidarity there. Shortly after that - the school board voted and the name was changed. Yeeha! I got a lot of comments on that letter!

Anyway it was my first chance to see this year's young softball team. They won the conference - undefeated! The pitcher is the wrestling coach's daughter - she goes to Omaha during winters to practice so the level of commitment is there. Only a sophomore with classmates and frosh helping tossing in a couple upper classmen. Only 3 losses all year - they play Winterset Monday night, one of those losses. We watched them win last night against Glenwood 4-1.

I enjoy watching softball - always takes me back to my years playing the game. Atlantic got softball before basketball, so I was playing by my frosh year. I remember the excitement of being awarded that gold JV uniform by coach Jay (okay Mona tells me it's Joel Simms - I didn't consult my Javelin prior to writing this and I'm old) Simms. Plus unlike basketball, in softball we were good right away and competed in our conference - the Hawkeye 8. We even came here to Creston and played at VFW Field where ironically, Amy and Jud played Little League years later.

We had some great players - and our defense was awesome. Very few errors, thanks to the constant drilling by coach. Susan Patterson (they called her parellel cuz she ran parellel to the ground to catch fly balls in center field), Denise Larsen, Tonja something was the catcher - she was a good hitter. Those were the players on the early teams.

Later Marci Merrick (center) - who went on to play at ISU, Sandy Larsen (infield) - who played at Waldorf, Sue Tyler (infield)- not sure if she played elsewhere, Becky Nelson - great stretch at first, Nancy Hoffman, Joan Troll. And others I'm forgetting. Sally Rodgers and Toni Robinson alternated at pitcher - while neither dazzled anyone with speed, both were consistent allowing our defense to do its thing. Plus the players were good hitters.

Notice my name isn't inserted in there. I was a great teammate! And by my senior year I gave it up - to drink beer I'm afraid. I had my big chance - against Harlan at home - the regular center fielder got hurt and in I went. A big pop fly came at me...and I choked. Booting it over the top of my glove.

I'm afraid I never recovered. I still think of that every time I watch softball - the big choke. Plus I was never a strong hitter. I spose in today's era they would have had me pumping iron, but back then I didn't get much help. That assistant coach - don't remember his name - he tried to help. For naught. I was always relieved to walk. I was a pretty good base stealer for a slow white chick though.

Mona Jones, Kristi Davis and I always had a great time on the bus and after games - cruising town with Kristi in her 48 Chevy. Trying to irritate that guy who had flames painted on his Cougar. Stopping at A&W and Lally's or Pizza Hut. It wasn't a bad way for a teenaged gal to spend a summer - kept us out of trouble (mostly!).