Treaty Oak Park

So walked down to the Ed Dept on the river walk and then decided to find the Treaty Oak. Went to where I thought it was and yes a big oak tree but no signs or anything. Then I turned around and saw the words Treaty Oak Park across the street and there, hidden by it's own foliage, was the biggest tree I'd ever seen. Located on Prudential Drive, Treaty Oak at Jesse Ball duPont Park is the park that surrounds the Treaty Oak. A magnificent specimen of "Quercus Virginiana", or Live Oak, the Treaty Oak is more than two centuries old and its trunk is over 25 feet in circumference and more than 70 feet tall. This beautiful historic park is situated just five minutes from the St. Johns River. In March, 2011, the City of Jacksonville completed $200,000 in park improvements, including new decking under the tree, new sidewalks, relocating benches and adding landscaping.

The Great Thanksgiving Adventure

So I go over to the Brentwood Golf Course yesterday but they're kinda busy and I love to wait around to play. I did shoot a small bucket of balls on the range and asked the pro if they were open Thanksgiving Day. He said no and was sorry cuz they could probably make good money but they would be open Friday. Laughingly asked him if there was any way to sneak on the course tomorrow and he said no and that he had already tried. Aha!! a challenge. So I drove around looking for ways to sneak on the course as it is pretty completely fenced off. BUT!!..... THE RAILROAD!!! Parked at the shopping center next to the railroad. Walked about half a mile down the track to that overpass between holes 1 and 2. Saw there was an easy access at the 2 side of the overpass. Picked up about 50 balls along the fence on the 6th fairway. Tossed most of them over the fence near the 4th tee. Put the rest in my pocket and headed back the half mile to the car. I was bleeding a bit from trying to take a ball away from a thistle bush but little worse for wear. Today I managed to drive about half way to my access point which meant I only had to walk about a quarter mile. Everything went fine as I played the back 4 twice. First time I was 2 over on every hole. Second time a little better and, of course, I was the only one there. Did manage to retrieve my balls from yesterday and got back home about 11 am none the worst for wear. I had visions of hurting myself and having to call 911 for help embarrassingly but everything went fine. Henceforth this shall be The Great Thanksgiving Adventure.

Cousin Ry has come through Jax on his way to Vero Beach. Gave him a tour today consisting of a trip on the Skyway plus walking our famous River Walk. Here's a couple pics at the Merchant Maring statue. Actually, I kinda look like this guy.

Got home fine. Lots of bills to pay and things to do after 2 weeks gone. Will take a couple days. Asheville lost to the Blue Classics who won our division. Ahhh what could have been.

Played the Ashville Sox today and I was the starting pitcher. Lost 11-5 and in my 7 innings I think I gave up 10 of the runs although fewer than half were earned but such is the fates of old man baseball. Just saw that Ashville went on to win their next game so they've reached the semis. So then over the course of 2 weeks I've pitched a total of 32 innings and had a great time with the Nova Scotia Monarchs. They've invited me back next year and that's a real possibility but we'll have to see what this next year brings. Back to Jacksonville tomorrow.

So manager Gary Foran blew everybody away today. He relieved Joe with bases loaded and 2 runs in in the first inning with no outs. He got a DP and a fly ball then and went on to pitch the rest of the game for an 8-3 win. He just kinda lobbed them in but the Long Island Yankee couldn't hit him and we're ready for the single elimination part of the tournament which starts tomorrow. Here's our team pic:

And Patrick Lujan just put me on his Guam Sports Network page with just a little help from me. Thanks Patrick.

We won again today to take our record to 2-2. I pitched 2 and 2/3 as I went in for this guy. Ended up with 4 runs given up, 2 of them earned, 3 or 4 hits, a walk, no strikeouts. Sounds worse than it was as I was almost the winning pitcher. Score was 12-11. Found out one of the guys we picked up to play for us is from Chicago and in the Roy Hobbs Hall of Fame though I'm not sure what for. He's been playing down here for 26 years. Good ball player as he pitches, catches and plays the infield. Name is Joe Monari. Looks like he might have some American Indian in him but he's all Italian.

OK so today before our game with the Toledo Mud Dogs I had a nice chat with Ex Major League Star Bill Lee. Told him about Guam and Masters baseball at home and in Australia. Took a pic but I still have some competency problems with my phone so it wasn't on there when I went to get it. I'll find a pic of him somewhere. Didn't play in the game and we ended up losing 11-7. Left a bunch of people on base so we're now 1-2. The team we play tomorrow hasn't been doing well so hopefully I'll get to pitch and we'll end up with a .500 record. Found a good recent pic of Bill Lee. Won't say I took it.

Lost to the Livingston NJ Dodgers today 5-3. I pitched 3 innings and sucked. Altogether I gave up 2 runs though only one was earned, 2 hits, 4 walks, 1 strikeout. We had our chances but couldn't push the runs across. Tomorrow will be another day.

FSo this week it's 60+ and still playing with the Nova Scotia Monarchs. The Monarchs have a new bunch down from the cold and there are some good players here. Today we beat the St Louis Dodgers 19-3. Monarchs scored 7 runs in the third and then 8 more in the 7th so you can say we kinda bunch the runs. The game before ours at this, the Minnesota Twins spring training park, was the 70+ South Dakota Rushmores vs a San Diego team. I think the score was 5-3 and the Rushmores looked good. I talked with Doug Stormo from my hometown of Watertown SD and the great Lee Goldhammer pitched------------- Canova High School. One of the finest amateur baseball pitchers South Dakota has ever produced. A right-hander, Goldammer won 312 games and struck out 4,292 batters in a career spanning more than 35 years. He played on six state championship teams and set a state record of 13 consecutive wins (1963-69) in state tourney play. Three times he pitched and won two games on the same day in the state tourney. Was named the state's independent athlete of the year in 1971, when he was MVP of the state tourney. Also was MVP in 1967. Started playing Legion baseball at age 14 and started playing amateur (town team) baseball at age 18. Played for Canova until 1980, then moved to Mitchell and played for Mitchell Moonlite Bar until retiring in 1986. Helped South Dakota to five Men's Senior World Series titles in Phoenix. He retired in 1986. Came out of retirement in 1989 and remains an active pitcher. In 1989 he was selected by the Argus Leader as the starting pitcher on the state's all-time amateur baseball team. During high school, participated in football, baseball and track. Held school discus record.

So 2 games today as we worked ourselves into the finals of the lower division. First game was against the Houston Colt 65s. Ended up beating them 15-9 but it was tight for awhile. I pitched the 3rd through the 7th inning with me losing my no runs given up streak in the sixth. I gave up 5 runs but only one was earned. The 7th was great--only 5 pitches but I walked the first two guys of the 8th and Gary got me out of there. He finished up nicely and I was the winning pitcher and ended up the tournament with 1 earned run in 19 innings pitched. --------------------------------- Second game I didn't pitch as our junk pitcher Gary Stevens (finally learned his name) had a great-and complete game. We lost 6-5 as the New England Red Sox scored two in the bottom of the 9th. Former Major Leaguer and "Spaceman" Bill Lee beat us as he pitched from the 4th to the end of the game. So we got the Silver for the lower division. Here's my trophy. 60+ starts tomorrow.

So we played the Baltimore Baseball Club today, the team that beat us 4-1. We beat them 12-2 in 8 innings. I think we scored a run in every inning. I pitched the last 3 innings, gave up no runs on 1 hit, I think, 1 walk and no strikeouts. A run did score while I was pitching but it was charged to Gary (forgot his last name). Play the Houston Colt 65s tomorrow morning at 10:00 in the semifinals of this tournament. If we win we play for the championship at 1:30. Could be a long day. Anyway that makes for 14 scoreless innings. Longest streak I ever had.

Played the Washington Nationals today. They call this the seeding game and we were picked to play each other because our records were similar. We beat them 13-5 and I pitched 2 innings and it was 6 up and 6 down which sounds impressive until you realize everybody on their team is over 65. :-)) Supposed to play a double header tomorrow but we don't know yet who or where or when. Another Pic

Well what do you know? We won 12-2 in 7 innings. Guys looked like a different ball club. I pitched 2 innings and had 7 up and 6 down with my only blemish an error by our first baseman. Did have 1 strikeout. That does give me 9 innings without giving up a run. I'd say not bad for an old man but I was playing against old men so ..... Here's a pic.

I took the day off today as our mgr said I wouldn't pitch. We lost 15-3 to a team from Wilmington, NC. No pics to put up but here's a YouTube video of all the places we play here in Ft Myers.

Finally got some stuff from Reed as to a concert he went to last week. -------Here are a couple pictures. The group was called the Underachievers and they're a hip hop duo from Brooklyn. We leave to Orlando to watch the Lakers play this Wednesday so I'll send you some pictures from that too.

Played a team from Baltimore today and lost 4-1. I pitched 4 innings and did alright. No runs, a hit, a K, 3(ouch)walks but that does give me 7 IP and no runs, earned or otherwise. The baseball gods have been very nice to me. Also Bob Misko showed up at the end of our game. He's running a baseball nonprofit in Orlando (not Atlanta like I wrote earlier) and suggested I come down from Jacksonville and play to get some innings in when this tournament is over. Caught him up on some news from Guam and he invited me over to a spread they're having at some place called Famous Dave's tonight. He looks pretty good for an old guy.

OK so we played the Chicago Spirit today at 10AM and lost 12-0. I pitched innings 3 4 5. I gave up no runs, 2 hits, 2 walks 1K. So I did OK. Here's our Team pic.

OK so I'm in Ft Myers Getting ready to start an old guy (65+) baseball tournament. I'm staying with Perry Babineau from Halifax Nova Scotia and playing with the Nova Scotia Monarchs. We had practice today and I got to take batting practice which went ok and throw to the team catcher which could have gone better. I'm supposed to be the second pitcher tomorrow for up to 3 innings. We're playing at the City of Palms Park which used to be the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. Here's a pic.