For Love of the Game

Friday 4 October 2002




This past Sunday, I was running out a grounder in a co-ed softball game and collided with a big, fat first baseman who couldn't stop his charge. I ended up with a smashed nose (bleeding from inside) as well as a big cut (bleeding from outside) and headaches, congestion, purple nose, black eyes, and so on.

Due to lack of common sense - or in my opinion, love of the game, the point of this brief article - I went out the very next night to play in the mens' game. I didn't want to miss a single game, and I haven't all year. I took some decongestant and ibuprofen, taped up the wound, and toughed it out through a good, close 7-inning loss.

In and of itself, that would have been enough, but I went 4-5 with a home run and a triple and made the out on a rundown at home plate where I backed up our catcher. Even though we lost, I felt really good when the game was over with.

A lot of people have accused me of enjoying softball too much...and they are right.