Sunday March 9

 Bud's Boys March Musings

Two days of play to report on and another installment of my 73 journal. Looks like we have 4 good days of weather coming up so get your duties done and see you at the course. As always, Monday tee time is 11:00, bring your own drinks and snacks. Tuesday through Friday starts at 9:58.

Thursday March 6

Scott wins today's Medalist event with the help of an Eagle 3 on hole #11. He wanted it to be clear that he was further away and yet used less club than Butch did when Butch eagled #7 recently.

Butch gets the last laugh, however, when he scores 15 Back 9 points to lead his team to Back 9 and Total victories and also wins the CTP for the second consecutive match. He will try to be the first Bud's Boy to claim his 2nd Floyd tomorrow.

Friday March 7

The Front 9 today was played with a cold biting wind blowing that resulted in the worst scores of the year. The temperature warmed some on the Back 9 with the sun popping out, but the wind never abated. Though scores improved slightly on the Back 9, most players 'Give a (rip) meter' stayed near empty. One team shot -12 on the Front but did not finish last. A season low -13.5 made sure of that. The -25 Total scored by team #2 is now the score to beat for 2025.

Eight of today's players saw their handicap number reduce, but the three who didn't go down were all on the same team making for an easy FBT sweep. Butch was the only player to move up with his Medalist best +2. Raymond hit his number on the nose and Leroy maintained his number with a respectable -1.

Their team also takes the Rabbit due in part to hole #4. Raymond, Randy, and Butch were all off the green but made the most of their 2nd shots.

Randy's ball slid right at the edge. Butch's pitch missed Randy's ball but lipped out of the hole. Raymond requested we not mark our balls and proceeded to thread the 6 inches available between them and hole out for birdie. 

Today's fun with numbers comes from Raymond and Butch. Butch has won all 7 times he has played this year for a 7-0 record.

Raymond tops that with a 9-0 record. he is undefeated for 2025.

Part one of the journal is in the Sunday Feb 25 blog, part 2 in the Tues Feb 25.

                              I-SC Hoosiers Part 3

Chapter 4 The Regional

The regional was to be played in Van Buren where we would play Kelly in the 2nd game of the doubleheader. The first game would be the Hayti Indians vs the undefeated 15-0 Van Buren Bulldogs. The vibe around the tournament was that I-SC was playing to fill out the foursome.

Coach Willie told us to pack an overnight bag in case we won as we would then spend the night in Van Buren. My best recollection is whatever I took along easily fit in our trusty gym bags of that era. We were playing with house money, and we were just happy to skip Friday's classes to make the trip, not looking any further ahead than today's game.

Kelly had defeated Hayti in a pitcher's duel the previous year and Hayti wanted to flip the script in 73. Defeating Kelly was a must if Hayti was to advance to the Final Four, which led to a somewhat surprising decision. They were going to hold back Gardner, their Ace, for the expected showdown with Kelly. They wanted to win the regional so badly that they were willing to risk losing the first game just to better their chances for the expected rematch with the Hawks. 

Their plan worked to perfection. Despite falling behind by one run in the first, Hayti scored 5 times in the second and were never challenged, winning 7-1. Hayti left the field in jubilation and turned the field over to us.

The game didn't start out favorably as we went down in order in the first. Our Ace lefty walked their leadoff man in the bottom half who was then sacrificed to second. A fielder's choice moved the runner to third and he scored when Jackson hit a worm burner between third and short to plate the first run of the game.

It was still 1-0 when I came up again in the top of the third. I drew a free pass and checked Coach Willie for the expected steal sign. I took off on the first pitch and as I slid into the bag, the throw got past the shortstop and rolled into center field. I popped up and scampered to third when one of those memories happened that I will never forget. As I neared the bag, I saw the usually stoic Coach Willie's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he windmilled his left arm. " Go, Go, go!" The ball had skipped past the center fielder and I scored standing up to tie the game at one. 

The bottom of the third produced a play that the Kelly faithful dispute to this day. Urhahn, also an exceptional hitter, launched a pitch to the deep center field fence. A fence style most of us remember. The reddish temporary type of fence you see around ball fields, fairgrounds, etc., always leaning one way or another, certainly not sturdy.  Anyway, there are two versions of what happened next. 

Here is the Kelly version. Rob Killian, our center fielder, reaches the fence, pushes it down, to step over it and proceeds to catch the ball. Homerun in their eyes, you can't step over the fence to catch a ball.

The real version as witnessed by me. 

As the ball soared toward the fence, I ran to the outfield from my second base position, ready for a possible relay throw. I was as close to the play as anyone. Rob reaches up over his shoulder, catches the ball just before he hits the fence. The fence naturally gives way, and he ends up leaning over the fence.

Ball caught then fence. Batter out as the ump rightfully calls. Still tied at one.

The next six innings were as well pitched and defended as a baseball game could be. Urhahn, living up to his no-hit reputation, had completed 9 innings allowing 1 unearned run on while striking out 12 and scattering 3 hits. He was as good as advertised

Our Ace southpaw, Jim Noon, didn't get the publicity, but he was the equal to all he pitched against. At this point he had pitched 9 innings allowing only that first inning run. He gave up only 1 hit since the first and had struck out 13 Kelly batters.

Personal aside here. Three years from this game, he would, in my eyes, perform something even more impressive. He would concoct a scheme to introduce me to his sister-in-law. Most of you know his sister-in-law is Shelly. How did that turn out?

Back to the game.

High school rules of the time limited Jim to 10 innings. We needed something to happen in the top of the 10th. They had an All-State pitcher warming up if we went past ten innings. At this point of the season, we weren't even sure who our second line pitcher was. It seemed like now or never.

It was the top of the 10th, and I was leading off.