As my senior year of college comes to a close, I realize that even though I continued to play sports I have no real athletic accomplishments. In grade school, I was on a championship soccer team (actually I believe my younger brother Adam scored 2 goals to my 1 in the championship game, and like 20 to my 3 all season but whatever), a championship and runner-up little league baseball team, and even a runner-up basketball team. In high school I was a freshman when the baseball team went to state, won two district titles playing Big League baseball, and played in the state tournament twice for the district team. Not to mention the intramural basketball team of "Team 4.0" beating the likes of 3 former varsity basketball players (and a couple of other guys we didn't care too much for) in a game where I sprained my ankle in the first 10 minutes. By the way, "Team 4.0" referred to the fact the everyone on the team had a 4.0 GPA. This also doesn't include having friends play in the Little League World Series, State Baseball Championships, and cheering on my brothers success (Adam in travel soccer and basketball tourneys, Jacob in State rugby championships and travel baseball). And those of you who consider competitive marching band as a sport like I do, we went to State my freshman year and came within one out of step clarinet player away from State my senior year. Overall, I was highly involved in athletics, WINNING athletics! Oh, and none of that includes the dynasty of ping pong known as the BPPL (there will be a post about this soon).
But in college, I have had no real connections with any players on any significant teams. So I turn to intramural sports, and I have NO intramural championships. Four years of basketball and football have only produced one quarterfinal football appearance. I have tried table tennis and racquetball but neither remotely panned out. I reluctantly tried co-ed softball last year with a group of girls that had previously won the Women's division, but evidently mixing with some guys produced a team who went 0-4. But maybe...just maybe...I can see a return to the promise land. Tonight, my Men's softball team played in the final four and was just two games away from that elusive intramural championship. And this is not some B-league or dorm league...it's the Men's Open league with literally only one rule-"You must go to Purdue." My team, Taco Tuesdays, was 6-0 and has outscored our opponents 67-19. And our pitcher has the nastiest knuckleball, IN SLOWPITCH SOFTBALL!
Now, me even thinking about posting this entry jinxed it as we lost 8-7. We actually rallied in the top half of the last inning to score 5 runs and go up 7-6. However, the other team hit a walk-off 2 run HR. Oh so close! But I see the potential. This same team of pretty athletic guys has only one senior that I know of, ME! And with me returning in the fall for graduate school we will have at least one more run at the softball (and football) titles. Granted I play 2nd base and hit anywhere from 6th to last in the line-up, but I could care less. If you didn't know already, I hate to lose...at anything. Mariokart, basketball, Trivial Pursuit, paper football, Chuzzle Deluxe, Bananagrams, you name I want to win it. Now, I understand that as I get further and further into the realm of science my athletic career will continue to diminish (except for maybe table tennis which again will be another post). So here's to hoping for one final return to the podium and to winning that elusive intramural championship!
Oh here is a funny clip I found of a baseball rain delay...I do miss hanging out on a baseball field, so a sandy intramural softball field will have to do!
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