"Katz's Deli Back In The Championship Game"

Katz's Deli & Restaurant softball team was back in the championship game. Last years loss was tough to deal with. This years squad was determined not to let it happen again. We stumbled early in the season, losing to TBS for the first time in JCC league history.. But it just gave us more incentive to win it all in 2009.

If you remember last year, we got to the final game, and we were poised to win. But, rain drowned out our scheduled game, you can check back in the archives for what really happened.. (August 2008).

So this year I was determined to be better. I joined the gym, and was gonna get to the batting cages on a regular basis to improve my skills. As I am approaching 50 years old, I know I wasn't gonna get THAT much better, but if I could slow the decline that all ballplayers go thru, I would be alright.

In January, there was some talk of bringing in some new, young blood. Of course, they had plans to upgrade different positions. I was the first baseman, but Scott Boras (who is Jamie's agent), was floating a young slugger who played first. I was determined not to lose my position. Apparently team Captain, Mark Albert liked the looks of the new kid. Yeah the kid, was faster than me, in better shape, and the kid told me SHE wanted to send me to the bench. Oh... did I mention she was a girl??

Fortunately, she messed up her toe in a farming accident and I got to keep first base.

Our season started a little slow, but we righted the ship and set sail for our goal. Early in the season, we were beating a team pretty good. Mark Albert asked us not to "show up" the other team, so when we got on base, be conservative and take it base to base, instead of trying to round the bases at will. Good sportsmanship by the captain, (he's always the first one to praise the umpires for good calls too). I'm at the plate and I hit a shot, over the left centerfielders head and I'm flying around the bases. Okay maybe not flying, but for me I'm moving like I'm being chased by a hungry pitbull. As I round second base, Mark is our third base coach and is telling me to hold up. I am determined to score, I haven't hit a homerun since the early '70's at Robert Handford's house in a whiffle ball game. I'm going for it... I'm digging with the cleats, snorting air, and getting tears in my my eyes from the speed, (okay, it was windy and maybe the tears was from that). But I scored!! We won the game and I made as few plays in the field, but I miss one foul ball behind me. The grass was wet from the night before's rain. I almost had it but I slipped on the turf, outstretched and just barely missed making the play. Being a little cocky I contacted THAT ringer first baseman that almost took my job and pointed out that I had hit a homerun, and because I'm a little humble, I told her about the play at first too.. Her response... "I wouldn't have fallen"...

It was a good year, we beat the Big Boys in the playoffs and we're ready to play for the Championship. They told me the game was at 10:30am, or so I thought... Sometime on Saturday nite I got a text from Mark stating batting practice was gonna be at 8am. I was working at a restaurant as a celebrity bartender that night, they hire star athletes on occasion but I looked at the message and said, I am not getting up that early for BP. I would get to the game an hour in advance, more than enough time to stretch, and loosen up for the game. As I pull into the field parking lot, I see both teams playing, and I check my watch. It's 9:30am, I get my cleats, glove and DD coffee, head to the bench. Apparently the game was scheduled for 9:00am. Oops, my bad... So I was regulated to cheering. It was the third inning and we were down by three runs. By the looks of my teammates the looked demoralized, (the same look the Red Sox had this weekend), I come to find out, they are depressed I showed up, now they have to let me bat... I just thought they were down because we were losing. Lo and behold, we clawed back and were poised to win, tied at the bottom of the 8th, Matt leading off, rips a liner to center for a solid base hit. Shannon got him to third with a shot to the outfield. Up comes Jamie, they walk him. Mike "Bear" is up with the bases loaded, and a little miffed they walked Jamie to get to him. All we need is a sac fly to win the game.... ,"Bear" is ready to go... his pitch comes in, and his eyes widen, like Yogi & Booboo after they spot an unattended pic-ca-nic basket... He drills it out to left center. Matt tags from third, and as he crosses the plate... we WIN!!!! How did I do?? Oh.. I hit a scorcher to short, that Jeter would have had a tough time handling, but I was thrown out by a step.... a step of a circus elephant, but a step nonetheless... My second at bat to lead off the final inning, I hit a towering fly ball, that may have hit the astrodome roof if we were in houston, but the pitcher took three steps in and caught it..

Celebration followed, we were all happy except for our mercurial owner Steve Katz. We all piled into Katz's deli, it was 30 minutes before they opened, so Steve tried to get us to go somewhere else... We gathered behind the plate for a team photo, Mike, Jamie and I discussed the Championship jackets we want to Steve, as he flicks a cigarette at me and storms off to his Navigator..

It was another great year, and I'm looking forward to playing again next year. But already there is a lefty swinging goat that covers the bag at first pretty good in the Bethany Animal Softball League, just another challenge for me... By the way... don't believe what the sheep say in that league they LIE!!...