(#28)
Playing high school baseball for the great Bill “Moose” Perry in the early 1970s is something that most modern day kids, and their parents, just could not survive. This is just one of the many, many stories.
It has been said that “Moose” left his mark on the game. I know he left his mark on me and I’ve got the scars to prove it. (said like Groucho Marx) 🙂
I must confess, I was not a very good hitter in high school. Most coaches were not great players. So who could I blame for the following sequence? I’ve got to blame someone. I certainly couldn’t blame myself!
I looked to get the sign from Coach. He gave me a take sign. The pitch was ball one. One ball and no strikes.
I looked for the next sign. Take. Ball two. Two balls and no strikes
Another take sign. Ball three. Three balls and no strikes.
Take sign….again. Strike one. Three balls and one strike.
Take sign. Strike two. Three balls and two strikes.
I was used to it. I was Moose’s version of the Pavlovian dog; (the Mooselovian dog). Give me the take sign and I salivate. Many times he gave me the take sign with and 0-2 count to see if I could get lucky and walk. This is just one reason my parents never came to any of my games.
I looked again for the sign. After five take signs, he now clapped and and cheerfully encouraged me to “hit away.”
I took a fastball right down the middle for strike three. I had been trained to “not swing the bat.” I just could not do it.
He screamed, “Swing the d@#& bat, Clarke! Say it like the coach would have said it. 🙂
And he told me I was pitiful and took me out of the game. Again.
I went home whining to my dad. like all wounded puppies would do, and was looking for a little sympathy and I told him what happened.
Guess what my dad said?
“You should have swung the d@#& bat!” Say it like my dad would have said it. 🙂
And after all these years of therapy and reflection, guess what?
They were both right.
I should have swung the d@#& bat! 🙂
D@#&!
Life Lesson: Sometimes in life, especially if you are a “Mooser!,” you only get one opportunity to “swing the bat.” Swang it!
These tests were performed on the FH baseball field from 1970-76.
Rick Clarke's Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach 