Once more.......With Feeling!

So, this morning is Opening Convocation.  All the employees will be in the HS Auditorium, the band will play, the choir will sing, the NJROTC cadets will present Colors, the Ath-A-Letes will stand around looking cool.  All the teachers will ooh and aah about all the pagentry.  This year, instead of paying somebody 5 Grand to give a boring keynote speech, one of the HS teachers was dragooned into giving a boring keynote speech.  The President of the school board will say how glad she is that everyone is well rested and ready to be back at work after a well earned vacation.

All happy, happy, glad, glad.

The five members of my team will be installing computers, rearranging furniture and connecting up projectors, printers, document cameras thankfully missing all that folderol with permission from the Superintendent, because "why aren't you ready yet?"  "Those sure are pretty waxed floors aren't they?"

In any case.....

This reminds me (of course) of events at the start of another school year.  That school year took place late in the term of Reagan's VP.  I'd just completed my tour at Kadena and been selected to attend ARRRMEEE Training Sir! at Ft Leavenworth KS.

 Once more with Feeling!

We were supposed to report to the Air Force Det at 0800 Monday morning in June (about 6 weeks before Uncle Saddam decided to take a vacay in Kuwait).  Coming from Kadena, and not having time to find housing or such, I arrived the Friday before.

Besides the Prison, Ft Leavenworth also houses Field Grade Officer Professional Education.  There were times I think I'd have preferred to be in prison. Source

Walked into the Det and presented my paperwork to the Sergeant and noticed one of my upperclassmen from ROTC there.  Walked over and said hello, chatted with him about the school and what to expect, where to look for housing, what to do or not do over the weekend (stay away from the bars downtown, with 5 prisons in town, let's just say the opportunity for bad things to occur was high).  The usual stuff.  He then introduced me to the Colonel in charge of the Air Force Cadre who took me into his office and chatted with me about flying the Eagle (he had also) and who I knew, the usual stuff.

He then said, "juvat, I've got something I want you to do for me."

.....Oh, no!....

"You see, we've had a bit of a tradition here at CGSC between the three "guest" services here.  Since we all have our students arrive in June for Army Kindergarten, we've traditionally organized a picnic and softball tournament towards the end of July to celebrate the completion thereof."

"So, the Air Force, Navy and Marines organize a team and we play a tournament for bragging rights.  The Navy doesn't send many folks here, so they're not really contenders.  The Marines.......They've won virtually every time.  There's some behind the scenes betting between the Detachment Commanders and I don't want to buy the Marines any more beer."

"So....I want you to field a team and beat the Marines this year.  You can have all the practice time you want, after duty hours.  Any questions?"

No pressure there.

"No sir."

Monday arrives, me having spent the weekend reading "Coaching Softball to save your career....For Dummies".  I get up in front of the class of, I think, 50 Air Force people, primarily guys, but a few women.  After introducing my self and explaining that the Honor of the USAF was at stake, I passed around a sign up sheet asking them if they were interested in playing, any experience they had at playing and which position they liked to play.

The meeting continues as the paper circulates around the room arriving back at my seat after a bit.

I scan through the list fearing the worst.  I mean we're playing softball, not golf! (I wanted to get that in, before any of you hecklers started.)

Every once in a while, and just once in a while, you can fall into a bucket of you know what and come out smelling like a rose.

I had one guy who'd played semi-pro ball between College and joining the AF,  3 guys who'd played college ball.  One guy who was played HS softball as a pitcher, and a few others that had played on organizational teams.  

I also had a bunch of folks who just wanted to play, for the fun of it.

Feeling very relieved, I realized that with Honor at stake, there would be some devilry afoot.  

Sure enough, as I went to reserve practice time on the softball field, I noticed the Marines had reserved the first available time every day.  

So, they'd be there as we showed up and could watch us. Finding our strengths and weaknesses.

I scheduled  the field right after them and showed up with the guys who "just wanted to play".  Organized them into two teams and we had a "Practice".  Had some beers, cooked some burgers and dogs, played a little softball and had some fun.  After a short while, the Marines left laughing and High Fiving.

Shortly thereafter the "team" arrived, the "just players" settled into the bleachers and watched.  I, being the astute Coach that I am, asked the semipro what he thought we needed to practice today.  

"Batting"

"Ok Guys, today we're going to take batting practice."

This went on for a couple of weeks.

Finally it's the big day.  

The Navy couldn't field a team (I think they only had 5 or 6 students.), so the "tournament" consists of a single, "winner take all" game between the Marines and the flyboys.

The Colonel reminds me what's at stake as we arrive at the field and the Marines are out in their gold t-shirts with red gym shorts, doing PT to warm up.

I bring out the "just want to play" squad and do a little fielding practice and such.

It's time.

The Marines are up first.

We send in the "team".  Puzzlement appears on the faces of the folks in Red and Gold, but the catcalling is still going on.

First pitch.

Line drive to second base, snagged, thrown to first.  Not even close. 1 down.

Second pitch, swing and a miss. Third, same. Fourth, two down.

Fifth pitch, a long fly ball to center field. Diving catch, and we're at bat.

7 runs later,  we're back in the field

3 up, 3 down.

The Marine Colonel looks like he's going to blow a gasket. His face is as red as his shorts.

It's now 15-0 at the bottom of the 4th and the Marines have put only one person on base and he was caught in a double play.

At the end of the 7th, it's 21-0 and I ask my Colonel if he wants to put in the "just players"

"Heck no, juvat!  He's run up the score both times we've played.  I'm loving this!"

The game ends 28-0.  The Marine Colonel pays the AF Colonel the case of beer that was the bet and stomps off the field.

Best Miller Light I've ever tasted!

Many of my best brain cells were spent in this building.  Sometimes, I hear them in the night calling too me! Source

Off Topic, Sarge had asked me (well... my wife) for a little help for a friend.  In so doing, we ran across this video.

Laughed til I cried.