SHORTFALL
By Fred C. Klein
This entry is a followup to last week’s Friday With Fred blog “Preparation” (for my First Pitch at the Coney Island Cyclones game last Sunday).
Well, the journey is over and the truth is that the (pictured) Coney Island Cyclones ball was on line, but fell (just) short of its intended target 🙁
Shortfall yes, but not for want of trying or preparation!
I threw the ball, with all my might, in an overhand motion, but it fell just short of Home Plate at the Cyclones home field. In Baseball speak, I “short hopped” the Cyclones catcher.
In my dreams, Angel Hernandez, the Major League Baseball Umpire notorious for rediculous poor Ball and Strike calls, was the Home Plate Ump and it was a Strike 🙂
It happened so fast, and now that I have had the time to analyze my effort I believe 2 elements led to the ball’s downfall.
First, my mind was full of (Don King) trickeration and I, therefore, initially set up half way between Home Plate and the pitcher’s mound. Throwing from that close was sure to engender derision from certain alpha males and they can be heard snickering so on the video at that point.
Then, I shook my finger at them, turned and mounted the mound. At that point I should have given the task at hand my total concentration and left trickeration for another day…
Once on the pitching mound, while toeing the rubber, I experienced a moment of altitude sickness. Kidding aside, I couldn’t believe how high up I was elevated.
In the end, I think gravity did me in, as I should’ve accounted for the height of the mound and thrown my ball higher.
Whatever the reason, it was a disappointing shortfall!
In the eternal words of the Brooklyn Dodger fans of the early 1950s, “Wait ’til next year”!
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Victory is in the effort! And if you never “fall short,” as it were, it means you are not challenging yourself enough. Well done, Fred.
On b-ball highlights, a baserunner scored from first on a steal because the catcher threw the ball into center field, and then the center fielder short-hopped the third baseman, pitcher backing him up threw late to the plate. And these are professionals!
On the inspirational side, a shortstop receiving a throw from the center fielder stopped an inside-the-park home run by throwing a perfect bullet from off the infield to the catcher, right in radar gun range, which recorded it as 99.7 mph. Why isn’t he pitching??
You know your stuff. Thanks