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I spent the weekend at a tournament near Pittsburgh with a ton of teams spread out over 13 fields. That's close to where I grew up & still have family, so I thought I'd get some visiting time and get it paid for by doing some games. I drove nonstop until a mile or so from my folks place where I got gas. When I went to drive on, I found I now had no forward gears. That close, I'm too stuborn to leave the vehicle, so I backed up the rest of the way. I got some really strange looks driving backwards up several roads in my van. Turns out that I needed to get it rebuilt or replaced - that was 2 grand I hadn't planned on spending, but it worked out (just won't pay the taxes in the discount period). So I'm with a borrowed van for 2 weeks until vacation when I'll swap to get mine back from my brother. Some of the strange happenings included two different batters who swung at a pitch & got hit by the pitch. Lots of bangers on the bases. Had a centerfielder - smallest kid in the place (18U level) who threw a runner out at the plate in two different games - both times it was the tying run in an extra inning game. We had somewhere in the neighborthood of 30 college coaches there and, I hear, some signed letters. Good pitching, good defense, and some good hitting - but ya kinda expect that with A & Gold ball. I had a coach in my last game - plate - say something like "OK, you've been to school. You work my catcher and have a pitcher's zone." That was good to hear. I mentored a guy who wants to come into our college group - if he adds some polish to his mechanics he'll make it. I also worked with a guy who had the 'most unusual" plate mechnics I have ever seen - guess he thought he had to show he was cool - and he had an attitude that petty much said "Try me, I want to eject somebody." And I got to work with some who gave me some pointers. Just got off the phone with the uic - he called to make sure I got home OK - and I'm invited back any & every time they have one of these. I ended up with the plate for the undefeated game and was asked to do the loser's bracket final and the IF game - since I had to drive several hours I had to decline.
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Steve M
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