Why are we doing this?

he last scheduled game of the 2006 year was Owls v Elks, high school fall league. At game time we enjoyed a balmy 50 degrees Fahrenheit in a steady drizzle. We asked ourselves: "Why are we doing this?" It was about as good as working a spring game in Wisconsin, or worse — Canada.

The players were cold, cold, cold — and miserable. That did not hinder the shenanigans. Along about the fifth inning, a leadoff batter reached first, no outs. The next batter hit a long fly to center. R1 goes halfway and retreats when the ball is caught. The batter-runner, who knows he is out, sails past first, headed for second.

The catcher calls "time" to talk to the pitcher as a player trots back to the dugout. Except: He's not the batter who just flied out!

As if by magic, smoothly and quietly, the batter/runner [a fast runner], smoothly and quietly switched places with R1 [a slower runner]. So that's R1 who is trotting back to the dugout, with the batter who flied out inching off first!

The next batter singles to right field, moving the new speedy runner to third. The next pitch is a squeeze, and our trickster slides home just ahead of the catcher's tag. "R1" is safe, "R1" scores. Then he is recognized. The defense appeals. This injustice needs to be corrected, they say.

Continued...