Ahh! The smell of fresh cut grass, dirt, hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, the sound of the click-clack from the metal cleats and the ping sound of when the bat hits the ball and the cracking of sunflower seeds and bubble gum. Couple that with the sound of tennis balls coming off the courts and rackets and the sound of starter guns at the track meets.
This folks is what you get with spring sports.
No offense to basketball, but gone are the days of being trapped in the gym since November. After being in the gym for four months, it was great to get out.
Again, no offense to basketball, but the sport is down in this area.
Of the three sets of teams for W.S. Neal and T.R. Miller, minus the Lady Tigers who just ended their season in the South Regional and went 21-6, the B-teams, varsity, and Lady Eagles were a combined 21-82. Add JDCC’s current record of 12-12 and teams are 33-94. Even with the Lady Tigers 21 wins, that brings the combine win total to 42 and makes the losses 88.
It is time to get outside and dirty and enjoy the weather like a dormant flower from the wintertime blooming in the spring.
Spring sports are here!
It was so nice to get out on the baseball diamond Tuesday and enjoy a Jefferson Davis Community College baseball game. Although, I had to leave in the fourth inning to cover another event, it was an enjoyable time.
I will admit, baseball is my passion. I played it from kindergarten all the way until my senior year in high school.
This is the time of the year I look forward to. Although it is a busy time, I still love it. When I took this job, I was told the fall season was busy, but spring sports were even busier. At that time, I could not imagine how I could get any busier, but believe me, it does.
“Like drinking water from a fire hose” I was told of how busy this job can be in the spring and oh how true it is. A lot of things coming at you and you can only get a few sips.
I was writing a few days down on my calendar into the month of March the other day. As I wrote all my dates down, I was typing them for the sports calendar and I could only get to Friday, March 11 as I was already tired from typing. March is going to be a busy month. I am already going to say sorry to my wife and daughter for being so busy and to the players, coaches, and fans…I will try to make as many of your games as I can, but please understand, there are a lot of games and teams playing during this time and there is only one of me.
This spring brings JDCC baseball and softball, T.R. Miller and W.S. Neal baseball, softball, track, tennis and golf. Soon Cal Ripken baseball (formerly Little League) for our area will begin along with girls softball then Babe Ruth.
While yet busy, it is fun. Can you hear it? A one, a two, a three….
“Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
I don’t care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don’t win it’s a shame.
For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out,
At the old ball game.”
This Friday and Saturday, the W.S. Neal baseball team will host a four-team baseball tournament this Friday and Saturday in East Brewton at Blue Eagle Field.
Northview, Flomaton, and Jay will join the Eagles in the tournament that will begin Friday at 4 p.m.
Northview and Flomaton will begin the tournament at 4 p.m. followed by Jay and W.S. Neal playing at 6:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Flomaton and W.S. Neal will kick the morning off with a 10 a.m. game followed by Flomaton and Jay at noon.
Northview and Jay will follow in the third game of the day at 3 p.m. with Northview and W.S. Neal playing the final game of the day and tournament at 5:30 p.m.
Next Friday and Saturday, we will have T.R. Miller softball hosting a tournament that will also include W.S. Neal softball and then both our high school baseball teams will be playing in the Escambia County Tournament in Atmore.
All I can say is as I borrow a line from the great baseball hit song from John Fogerty’s Centerfield is “Put me in coach, I am ready to play!”
Until we meet again here or out in the world of sports, God bless!