When I played softball in High School, most of our team had around a .600 batting average, so the old adage “you hit (or throw) like a girl” was actually a big compliment! We were good… and we had a lot of fun. Our coach was one of the player’s Dads, Mr McEvoy and would chuckle to himself as we danced around in the outfield to the tunes playing out of the dorm windows. That was a long time ago. Tonight I met up with the S.O.M.E. Mudhens, a local co-ed team that has lasted over the last few decades. I started playing with them just before their 10th year anniversary – a fun group with lots of good energy. Grad school took me away to NYC and when I moved back it took me a while to meet up with them again – this time for the 20th anniversary. Tom Taylor, the coach, used to joke with me that I only came back for the 10 year patch. Well, here I am again after having moved to the islands and come back and been rearing my child and ran into them again only to be recruited just before, you guessed it, the 30th anniversary! The team still has the same good energy, just a little less of it with age, but the same good spirit anyway. My glove was a bit moldy and my legs even rustier, but it was fun to be out in the field again as my 3 year old cheered me on from behind home plate. I even managed a few hits. My legs screamed in shock as I rounded the bases. I used to be frustrated when they stuck me in Right field (because I really could play and catching was my specialty), but tonight I was pretty comfortable there especially since the short fielder was pretty close at hand. He fielded a few as I watched on. But all in all, it was great to be back in the game – even though now I really do hit “like a girl” and as for throwing… I didn’t even get a chance to! But the adrenaline was flowing and the sounds of the bat hitting ball and the thrill of the plays was enough to make me go back for more. Thanks, You MudHens!
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