Summers Meant Softball

And that meant this crew! Circa late 1960's. Many of us started playing together in the first grade---and continued on for eleven years. I'm the third from the right in front. My sister, Janice is on the far right in front. 

By year three, we were the City/County Champions EVERY year! That's what happens when you start a team from a young age and play together consistently. I played 3rd base for ten of those years. This is what I remember most:

1. We practiced at Mr. Beckman's farm and drank Kool Aid from a big pot with a ladle (quite unsanitary by today's standards---but we were kids and didn't know any better).
2. It was so hot during the summer that sweat dripped in to my eyes and burned, causing me to pray that the ball would not be hit to me.
3. My best friend, Reenie---far left on the front row---broke her ankle sliding in to home plate. I can still hear the crack!
4. The eight grade boys challenged us to a game. I didn't get to go, because I "lied" by omission. I just told my parents that we were having a softball party at Karen's and didn't mention the boys. Back then, you had to have graduated eighth grade to go to boy/girl parties.
5. My mom was one of the coaches---that's her 4th from the right on the back row.
6. Our coach entered us in to a pre-season league. We came up against a team that was so "bad" that they didn't even have any equipment. We had to loan them our gloves and bats. Turns out, they thought they had joined a volleyball league. (We played that too, but softball was our passion).
7. We had our banquet at Romines---known for the best fried chicken.
8. I was not a good batter, but I was a really good bunter.
9. We quit after our junior year. By then we were interested in boys and most of us had jobs!
10. If you notice the picture above I always wore crew socks. I never could stand the feel of feet in shoes without socks. Still can't. Apparently, my sister felt the same way. We didn't seem to care if that set us apart from our friends! I was always confident in my sock/no sock choice!

And that's my "throwback" for Thursday!