Loan Wolves 5 - Private Is- 33

For our fourth game of the season the Loan Wolves took their first 'professional' trip south of the river to Earlsfield and the Battersea Ironside sports ground. Despite the almost continual rain up until Thursday lunchtime the evening was warm and bright and the pitch looked good.

Contrary to what the scoreline may suggest I think we all came away from this encounter will lots of positives. We warmed up thoroughly and it showed with an uncharacteristically strong start - several bases hits in a row resulting in 1 whole run which I think raised everyone's confidence.

I've not played catcher before, and it's a strange position. You are active in nearly every play, but you're not out there with the team, you are the only one with a full on view of the whole field and you are privy to the umpire's mumblings and the other team's discussion whilst waiting to bat. Very interesting!

Our first innings fielding went pretty well. Some sterling pitching by Ben got the game moving and we got the outs in a reasonable time. There was a great moment later on in the game when Jane C took a big catch and was straight away looking around for the next out. If we'd had anyone on base I feel sure that would been our first double play!

It was great to have Darren there shouting tips and encouragement, and the support from Ben's family and Vic's sister all added to the atmosphere.

After game drinks were slightly surreal, as we were sharing the club house with a group of dog trainers and their untrained muts - but that's the thing with the Loan Wolves - expect the unexpected!

Softball on Broadway

Hi All,

Bought a size 12 and a half glove in Paragon Sports on Broadway. It was $50 which was the cheapest I could find. It seems to be ok. I am very pleased to have my own at last

FAB evening

I was the sole representative of the Loan Wolves to take up the invitation to play with the Finance department's side "FAB" at Regent's Park this evening.
Played in a friendly six-a-side game with a pleasantly relaxed attitude to the letter of the rules. My side won 16-15 (having slipped from our 16-2 lead before the last inning). I made four runs (it's a bit easier than usual with only one outfielder), didn't get out, and took a couple of outs at First (and if I was fielding at First Base, you know the side was short of players). Then had a couple of beers with the others, at the Edinboro Castle. Bit busy, bit trendy, but OK pub. Enjoyed usual rambling post-game conversation.
Looking forward to playing a proper friendly vs these guys with the rest of the Wolves in June.

Loan Wolves 4 - 28 Italian Suede

[X-posted from my LJ]
Third match of the season. Third time we lost by the "mercy rule". One day, one of our games will go the whole distance. One day.
We were at the pitch in good time, and got a lot of practice in. The opposition didn't turn up till 7.15, having been held up coming from South London.
The ground was soft and it had showered heavily about half an hour before the game started, which didn't help our fielding. Manjiv did a good job as pitcher, and Peter got a game, taking several outs at First. I came on after the second innings, got muddy and scored a run, legging it from Second to Home. Earlier, while scoring, I noticed an immaculately dressed figure approaching, somehow making a crutch look like a fashion statement. It was Alison, turning out to support the team. Great to see her back. Sharon and Jane A both played again, and seemed to enjoy the game. Alex arrived late from work, and took over the scoring. We played out a last inning for practice after the game ended, then headed for the pub. Unlike last time, none of the Arsenal fan regulars at the Finsbury took against our Wolves colours. Sat outside till we started to go numb with cold, then went in. Conversation ranged in that random way from softball to indexing for image libraries to the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon series.

Loan Wolves 4 - 28 Meteors

Loan Wolves were playing at home, at Finsbury Park (not that that counts for much, with most teams having the same two or threee grounds as their "home" pitches).
Lovely balmy evening, with London looking beautiful in the sunshine.
The Wolves lost, despite playing well. First time players Sharon and "New" Jane bravely stepped up to bat and took their place in the field. Their heads must have been swimming with all the advice and tuition we were trying to cram into them, but they both took to the game well.
Harsh umpiring calls did our brave and hardworking pitchers no favours, but I saw at least three strike-outs reward their determination. Some great fielding, particularly in terms of players backing each other up and working well together.
I enjoyed batting, getting my first run of the season on the board, and fielded at Centre Right Field, then took over as catcher. Being catcher really takes it out of your knees, ankles and back, but it's an interesting position to play. I tried to shout encouragement to Manjiv, in the manner of a wicket keeper to a bowler. Managed to field a short-hit ball and throw it to Ben for an out.
Then drinks at the Finsbury. Richard's wife turned up later on. They're expecting their first little wolf cub in July.
And no hospitalised players this week. Bonus.

First Match of Season

The Loan Wolves struggled bravely against the more experienced Finsbury Dazzlers. Ben managed to get round for our solitary run.

The team improved during the course of the evening. There was some fine batting from Alex. Ben made a good catch. Kate did some good pitches. I quite enjoyed being the catcher.

I think it was helpful for us to play a good team.

The team shirt looked impressive.

A great shame that brave Alison was injured - I hope she'll be playing again soon.

Wounded Wolf

First game of the season, away to Finsbury Dazzlers. We all had our spiffing new team shirts - no logo or anything, but in the team colours (black, and a nice bright orange). And we lost. Didn't play badly, but the other side's experience told. The "run-ahead rule" (aka the Mercy Rule, or, less kindly, the Slaughter Rule) meant that the game was stopped after the third innings, as the bad guys were so far ahead (25-1), but the teams elected to play on for practice. We ended up wishing we hadn't. Running between second and third, Alison fell suddenly. She had dislocated her knee. One of those situations where all first aiders can do is call an ambulance and try to stop people doing more harm than good (a woman on the other team who reckoned she was a first aider herself was offering her painkillers - that's a bit of a no-no). The ambulance didn't arrive within the first half-hour. Still not one available. I regretted not laying it on a bit more heavily, and claiming it was more serious than it was - then I thought that if I'd claimed she was going into shock or unconsciousness, they might have diverted an ambulance that could have been going to someone with life-threatening problems, so it was probably as well I hadn't.
Alison's knee fell back into position, and she wanted to go home, and it was getting dark, and the ambulance still hadn't turned up. Alex and David carried her off the park, and we tried to find a cab. Eventually, the ambulance arrived before we could find a taxi, which was perhaps as well. Brave soldier that she is, Alison wanted to go home rather than to A&E, but her knee still wasn't right. Jane, a first aider, was trying to persuade her to go to hospital just as the ambulance turned up. The paramedics turned on their bedside manner, reassuring her (as Alex said, they seem to be trained in babytalk, but in a good way), and looked her over. they saw the swollen knee, and took her straight off to hospital. At any rate, she'll have got proper treatment for her knee straight away, and that's a good thing. Rotten luck for her, though.