Catch it!

June 5, 2008

Have you ever made a remarkable diving catch? A stretched-out, full-extension, sliding through the grass web gem? And when you stood up to throw the ball back to the infield, did you realize that you also slid through a pile of dog crap? Yep, it happened here. It happened to me.

It was a few years before Major League Wiffleball officially formed, so let’s say it was minor league wiffleball. Our robbing home run rule was different then. A player could catch a ball past the home run line, as long as they had both feet in fair territory when the ball was pitched.

Matt Ceccucci was pitching to Quentin Jensen. I was the fielder. The pitch came in and Quentin crushed the ball. It was a high line drive to left field power alley. It was heading out of the park. I was already playing on the warning track, and I took off running for the ball. I only had a couple of seconds to react, but I knew I had a chance to catch it, since I had robbed Quentin of a couple of home runs earlier. This one was traveling faster though, and it was hit over my head, so I knew I had to dive for this one.

I leaped in the air, stretched-out, full-extension, caught the ball, saving a run, and slid a few feet afterwards. It was a true web gem. It was like a Jim Edmunds highlight… with dog crap.

I threw the ball back in, and noticed an odd smell. I looked down at my blue New York Rangers Stanley Cup championship T-shirt, and noticed a big brown smear that wasn’t there before. I guess the neighbors didn’t go on Poop Patrol that day.

Luckily, my house was only a few steps away from the field, so a quick change of clothes was possible, and the game resumed. I don’t remember the outcome of the game. I just remember the catch.

If you’re ever in this situation, make sure you catch the ball and hang on to it. Otherwise, it’s just crappy fielding.

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