There IS joy in Mudville!

When I was at Lee College in the early 70s, I was on the very first inter-collegiate baseball team....sort of. I was on the team and practiced but got a note in my mailbox denying me my opportunity to play because I had too many chapel cuts. Yep, that's right. No extra-curricular activities for me so I had to drop off the team.

Roll the clock forward about 40 years. Lee University has had a great baseball team for many years. They have been to the NAIA World Series for several years in a row and have had many players drafted into the pros with one reaching the major leagues a couple of years ago. 

Every Lee Homecoming, there is an alumni baseball game of 5 innings and a home run derby. I told Coach Mark Brew my story and asked for some redemption and restoration by letting me play in the alumni game to which he agreed. My good friend, Denny Pritchett, helped me with a little batting practice a week earlier so I wouldn't totally humiliate myself.

When I got to the field, I discovered there were no "old" guys there. I was representing 1974 and the next oldest was 2004. All of these guys looked like they were in shape and several of them are professional. I led off the game and struck out. I was the DH so I didn't have to play defense. The game was tied 1-1 with only a few hits in the game and I was again the lead-off hitter in the top of the last inning. On a 2-2 count, I got a base hit to left field and I got some pretty cool cheers. I was in shock. I went to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a fielder's choice on the right side of the infield. The next batter hit a medium fly to center and I tagged up and scored what was to be the winning run. I was elated and bragged all weekend long. I had a blast and am so thankful to Coach Brew for giving this old guy an opportunity to have a little fun on the baseball field. It would have fun even if I had struck out the second time and even if the pitcher had a little mercy on the old guy on the field. 

There IS joy in Mudville!