(#90)
My final team lost our last 9 games, a record setting feat which included a conference game played the afternoon after the prom, pitching a no-hitter against an opponent and still losing 1-0, extra inning and other close losses, a couple of blowouts and embarrassments, having my insubordinate assistant coach promoted to my athletic director during the season, and having to endure Jackson Prep’s ridiculous “phantom infield” on Senior Night at our field as we awaited a whipping from a team with 5 future SEC players, amongst other things, all of which led to my unceremonious, yet mutual decision not coach again after one horrid season.
The players hated that I brought a different approach to doing things and they never bought in to anything we tried to do. I only went there to bring my son Josh as a first year assistant coach after graduating from Belhaven University. All worked out well for Josh, however. He coached a year at Madison Central, 7 seasons at Belhaven University, and is now the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Hinds where I coached for almost half my life at the time when I retired from there.
Our losing season in 2013, the first in the school’s history, has been followed by a losing season every year since; a new tradition that we started.
I jotted down my observations from the experience:
- I should have stay retired. I asked God to show me a sign. Boy did He!
- We started a new concept in the batting order; everybody batted ninth.
- We installed a permanent take sign in hopes that everybody would draw a walk.
- My players wondered if reaching base on a strikeout/wild pitch would count towards their on-base percentage.
- During home games, our right fielder would lose the ball in the sun. The sun was behind right field (lots of HRs).
- The baserunners would not steal bases because it violated one of the Ten Commandments. (Christian school)
- Even the greatest heart surgeon in the world has to have some hearts to work with.
- A big pile of dog poop could catch more flies than my outfielders.
- Our shortstop made so many errors, we changed his uniform number to E-6.
- It is extremely difficult for a mom to breast feed a senior through a chain link fence.
Rick Clarke's Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach 