Sports I have Played

In an earlier post, I mentioned my love of tennis. That is not the only sport I have played and loved over the years. After the Navy, while working at NY Telco, I joined the company sponsored softball league. 

SOFTBALL

Guys’ softball is played differently than girls’ softball. Girls usually play fast pitch, and guys generally play lob pitch. Lob pitch requires that the ball must be higher than 6 feet off the ground. Fast pitch for girls can be as flat and fast as they can windmill the ball. The bats for both are aluminum and make a resounding “ting” when the ball hits the bat.

The company league was made of teams, usually, one team from one building. I think we had team names also, but I can't remember mine. Maybe, Richmond Hill Wrecking Crew? That will work for now.

The games were usually in the late afternoon at local fields. I don't think they had lights, so we had to be done by sunset. 

Oh, and there was always beer involved. I remember one time a guy from one of the opposing teams had a few too many and started to get loud and, in my book, dangerous. He did this close to where Joyce was sitting. She was visibly pregnant with Danielle at the time. I tried to talk the guy down nicely, but he was not in the mood to listen. When he kept getting louder and more belligerent, I started to escalate also. One of my teammates Mike Tantillo had to hold me back from knocking the guy's block off. Closest I ever came to getting physical with someone.

Later on in life, I helped coach my own daughters in Texas. But that's another story.

TENNIS AGAIN

After I met Steven, he and I played tennis. We were pretty evenly matched at that time, and would fight for each point and set. He was the more athletic of us, and could chase down balls to make a play, but I was the better shot maker. I would put my shots in places he couldn't get to. We would play until we were just physically spent. It was so much fun. I would come home and look like I had taken a shower with my clothes on. Everything was wet, right down to my socks.

Golf

Again it was Steven's fault. I don't remember how, but he got us started on playing golf. Maybe his dad played? On Long Island there were lots of public golf courses along with the uber-exclusive Country Club courses. We made the rounds of the public courses. At this sport, Steven was definitely better than me. When I hit the ball, it would go 250 and more yards, just way to the right or left. The fairway had nothing to fear from ole Santa. I was bosom buddies with every rough on every course we played. Steven would hit the ball 150 to 175 down the middle, while I zigged and zagged back and forth from rough to rough. I also lost so many balls, I started buying them from guys in the parking lots of the public courses. Those guys went out on the course at night and collected the balls from the water hazards on the course. A dozen new balls could run you $15. The used balls you could get for $3 per dozen. Steven and I played golf until I left to go to Dallas. Steven still plays today, and lives on a golf course.

Bowling for Joyce

One summer Joyce and I joined a “summer” league at Mid Island Bowl in Hicksville. We got to love the night out and the bowl provided babysitting for the kids. I think by joining the league, you got a free ball, bag, and shoes. All we had to pay was the lineage each night. It was a good deal for us, because money was tight now that the girls started showing up. Before we knew it we had 4. I never did figure out where they came from. I guess that darned stork just liked flying over our house.

At the end of the summer league, the bowl had a big BBQ for all the league members, beer included. 

We joined the same league the next year, and at the end of the summer, the whole league went to the Play Boy Resort in the Poconos mountains.

Joyce and I continued to bowl after we moved to Texas. Again, we liked the Summer leagues because there was less of a commitment. We joined one league that the prize at the end of league was a trip to the Bahamas. Loved the trip, hated the Bahamas. When we got off the plane in the Bahamas, we were introduced to the Bahamian way. The Bahamian way consists of doing the absolute least you can do for the guest. Plus, every service check had a guaranteed 15% tip added. It was not negotiable. If you wanted a bucket of ice, you had to order it through room service and there was a charge, and a guaranteed 15% tip.  I think we were only there 3 or 4 days, and that was enough for both of us. We have been back to the Bahamas, but only on cruise ships.

Skiing with Steven and Cathy

There is a whole post about Steven and Cathy that deals with our skiing adventures. Joyce was never interested in skiing, and only went with us once, and spent the whole day in the lodge. Steven, Cathy and I went several times and had great fun. Steven of course was doing the Black trails (the most dangerous) and Cathy and I were doing the Bunny trails (the easiest trails, for beginners). Once Joyce and I left for Texas, that ended my skiing career.

Racquet Ball

I just remembered. At some point I started playing Racquet Ball. I don’t remember who I was playing with, but I do know it was just about as hard as Tennis.

Ping Pong

Or Table Tennis if you like. I was very good at Ping Pong. I played it at recreation centers in Mesquite and Garland. I even joined a couple of singles leagues. I had a wicked backhand spin shot, and a devastating forward slam. I was not as fast on my feet as some of the guys I played against, but I made up for it with accuracy.