King Mitchell (AKA Mitch)
That’s right fellow softballers, your intrepid reporter is BACK after bouts of pneumonia and the “little c” (covid) back-to-back! Whew. Well all that caused me to miss our Veterans Day Tournament on Nov. 12. But I’m told the games were humdingers and some 200 or so fans showed up to enjoy the softball action, and scarf down a few dogs and brats. Thanks again to our overall tournament sponsors, Arizona Indoor Air and the Community Church of SaddleBrooke with, naturally, Window Wizards and crew grillin’ up the tube steaks.
Three games were played—the Competitive League, the Sidewinder/Recreational Leagues, and the Community/Coyote Leagues. Thanks guys. To start it off, the competitive players put together a barn-burner with Your CBD Store takin’ the hit from Andy’s Irrigation, 17 to 16. Yowza! Then in the Sidewinder/Rec game Shiffren Physical Therapy massaged Brittni Guttman-Allstate Insurance into submission 21 to 13. And finally, in the Community/Coyote game, another thrillah, Barron Electric outlasted Absolutely Art, 23 to 22. Meanwhile we had about 30 veterans, both players and not, show up for a “thank you” ceremony on the field. Again, thanks to all our vets, whether you had a chance to get down to the field or not.
I couldn’t make it into the booth for the first time in years, but thanks to silver-throated Rick Ervin (no gum-flappin’ slouch himself) for stepping in. And oh yeah, thanks to tournament director Jessica Passoni and all the volunteers for putting the action/entertainment together.
Meanwhile, League action! The softballers have some barn-burner races going on with six weeks down and four weeks to go! In Monday Rec, the battlers are doing the blue-red boxer game thing with SB Pet Rescue-Bill Wescoe and Shiffren Physical Therapy slapping each other back-and-forth for 3-3 records respectively. In Monday Community, the Charles Company and the Longo Firm are tied at the top with 3-2-1 records, but Stone Canyon ain’t far behind at 3-3. Splendido is in the cellar for now at 2-4. Tuesday Community has The Moore Advantage Real Estate on top with a 5-3 record and the UPS store just back at 4-4 and Titan Power Sports and Rentals trailing at 3-5. In the Tuesday Competitive League, Robson Communities has a solid (but not overcome able) lead at 6-2 with both Ranchero Market and Ridgeview Physical Therapy tied at 3-5. Another neck-n-neck battle in Wednesday Community with Tri-Community Lock and Tucson Orthopaedic tied at 3-3.
Moving to Wednesday Sidewinder, Lexus of Tucson has a solid lead at 4-2 over Mend Massage at 2-4. Thursday Coyote has a battle going between the three teams, with X-Pert Automotive out front at 5-3, followed by Your CBD Store at 4-4, and trailed by Window Wizards at 3-5. Friday Competitive has Players Pub at 4-2, trailed by Pride Mechanical at 2-4. Finally, in Friday Community, the cream has risen to the top with BOTH Waste Management (my former team!) and Western Exterminator on top with 4-1 records, trailed by Twin Lakes Air at 2-4 and (my now team) Wanda Fudge-Long Realty suckin’ it at 1-5. Well, yours truly hasn’t played in four weeks, so no doubt that’s why the Fudgesters are reeling (although they were already 0-3 when my trade papers came through). Well, no one gets a “no-trade” clause in this world.
MEANWHILE, as I mentioned above, just four weeks to go in this fall season. Our last games are on Friday, Dec. 16. Then there’s a three week break over the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays. Action in our winter season should start up again around Jan. 9. For more information, come on down to the field. Someone will be glad to yak at ya. Or surf us at saddlebrookesoftball.com.