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| Stamford (in red) and Vermont line up for the anthem. |
I shouldn't be sitting here typing, but I am. If you're around the area, then you know the weather is awful.
Saturday, frankly, was a day for the ages. It was 105 in the air and I can't even imagine how hot it was in our booth at Boyle Stadium.
Yet we didn't flinch (much). We just went about doing what we needed to do.
We got the job done.
Things were still pretty hot yesterday as we began the morning in Trumbull with Fairfield American. FALL saw their season end at the hands of Darien, who grabbed a 7-4 victory.
Shawn Sailer, David Goldshore and I wrapped up the broadcast and I went about packing the equipment. I had already made up my mind that I wouldn't hustle to Stamford for the 12:30 Babe Ruth game since the heat would again be oppressive. So we'd have some time to kill.
Shawn and I walked out to say goodbye to the FALL fans, parents, coaches, and players beyond the centerfield fence. As we got out there, a slow smattering of applause began and reached a crescendo.
Baffled, I looked at Shawn.
"Um. What's going on?," I said.
"That's for you," came a reply.
Truly, I don't deserve that, but it was humbling and touching.
I owe them the thank you, for welcoming me into their FALL family and for all of their kind words. I owe them for their trust and friendship. I owe them for the honor of broadcasting their kids' games. I'm now hopeful this is a solid relationship that can continue.
The farewells said, we spent some time in Darien before heading to Cubeta Stadium for the last two games of the day.
The less I say about the 5 p.m. game, the better. It was over three hours of just...no. Just no.
Walks. Errors. Trips to the mound.
The nightcap felt a little more like baseball broadcasting again.
AJ Szymanowski left us after that and he drove home to Massachusetts today, while Shawn and I returned to Cubeta to call the Babe Ruth quarterfinals.
Games that shouldn't have been played, but they tried.
In the booth, any sign of trouble was quickly resolved by ingenuity and preparation. Mixr won't open on the computer? No worries, I'll use my iPad.
Just doing whatever was needed to get on the air.
But I kept watching the sky as I called the action.
The first lightning strike was observed at 5:00. After a delay, the teams resumed before more lightning and rain ended everything.
We packed up and left a little after 6:30.
And now I'm home. Exhausted and ready for more baseball tomorrow.
The suspended game will start in the fifth inning at 4 p.m., with the second quarterfinal to follow. The semifinals have been moved to Wednesday, and there's now only the question of when the championship will be played.
As always, stay tuned.
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