Lil Lefty Provincial Qualifiers

Lil Lefty's Mississauga Tigers participated in the Ontario PWSA Squirt II Qualifier tournament in Niagra Falls. Nine teams went the tournament. Five teams completed their season and four teams moved onto the PWSA Championship tournament in August. The Mississauga Tiger came in 3rd and qualified. Lil Lefty had a great tournament. Lil Lefty batted 4th all tournament long and helped her team with timely hitting and run production.

Lil Lefty pitched all 6 innings in the first game on Saturday afternoon in a loss. The opponents only had one "chinker" hit and scored several runs on 5 dropped third strikes. After a few rain delays, what's new, Lil Lefty pitched the night game. She pitched all 8 innings in the victory clinching a birth in the PWSA championship. A classic "nail biter" going to international tiebreaker after time expired in the 7th inning. The picture to the left is Lil Lefty's team after the victory. She continues to amaze me with her ability to harness her adrenaline and manage pressure situations. She got better as the stakes were raised.

Provincials A-Mac, How do you define CHARACTER?

A-Mac had her Brampton Blazer Novice I Provincial grand championship this weekend in Stratford (about 1 1/2 hour drive from our house). The tournament had a disappointing beginning that turned to a great personal outcome. Even I learned something.

In this tournament only 9 player get to bat each game. A-Mac started Friday night at third base but was not allowed to bat. During her three games on Saturday she did not bat either. Her team was o-4 after four games and A-Mac did not get to bat.

I was with Lil Lefty, and MacDaddy, at her Provincial Qualifier in Niagra Falls (another forthcoming post). When I spoke to A-Mac she was disappointed and not getting a chance to bat... not one at bat... she even questioned whether she should go on Sunday.

A-Mac and I talked about this and came to the obvious decision that she needed to go on Sunday, support her team, and friends, and finish what she had started.

I have watched many games and seen many players. The talent difference on A-Mac's team from the "best" player to the "worst" player is not significant. I could understand the thought that 4 or 5 girls are "better" than A-Mac, but even the stats would not support anything further than that. (I saw score sheets while keeping score one game and thumbed through about 25 games) So, I suspect that the Coach went to his comfort zone and played players who have been on his team for years... this strategy got him an 0-4 start in the first 4 games. He was also ejected in a game, his daughter was ejected for swearing and the assistant coaches who took over lack any baseball/softball knowledge based on the on field coaching decisions I have seen. Nice that they are helping, but you have understand the game when things accelerate to make correct decisions.

A-Mac got her chance to play, and bat, on Sunday. She went 3 for 3 against Mississauga North and 3 for 4 against Guelph. Both teams qualified for nationals. The video above has A-Mac doubling against Mississauga North.

During our drive to the park early Sunday morning I thought of many things to say to the coaches. After discussions with A-Mac we decided I shouldn't say a thing. I didn't say a thing and enjoyed A-Mac going 6 for 7 in the two games she played.

A-Mac showed me character in a tough situation. She showed me courage, loyalty and good habits. I am very proud of her. Too bad she didn't get more chances to play. Her Blazers may have won a few games and made it to the nationals.

Aunt Rosie Tournament, A-Mac

I like the pants with the Blazer uniforms. It seems like we are missing summer and the pants provide more warmth. A-Mac is #33.

A-Mac had a good tournament at the plate and in the field. I froze my "bleep" off watching the game in my shorts and T-Shirts. Who knew it would be cold and rainy in the middle of July.

There were 28 teams in the 14U category who played at 4 fields. The Blazers were 1-2 in pool play and then lost the first game in elimination.

Couple Pics of Old Montreal

Aunt Rosie's Tournamanet Lesson, A-Mac

A few days/hours after getting into our new house A-Mac and I were off to Amherst (outside Buffalo) for the Aunt Rosie's Fastpitch Tournament. Friday was a complete washout with rain and Saturday was cold (60's) and overcast.

In the second game on Saturday A-Mac got hit in the left arm while batting. This was her first time to get hit in approximately 60 games this year and I am sure it hurt. She immediately broke down crying at home plate holding her arm. Coaches ran out, players and parents stood watching... I saw the pitch and where it hit her, at had a strong feeling she would be OK... with no choice, the coach had a player run for A-Mac and her game was over...

After 5 minutes and some ice I walked over to the dugout. Not a mark on her arm... thankfully she was OK... but, she was also out of the game...

In the car between games we talked about what to do when you get hit by a pitch. I gave her two options, and only two, 1) Pass Out at Home or 2) Run to First Base. When you get to first you can call time and access the damage, but do that from first base.

Probably, but unfortunately, during life you will loose and job, get dumped by a boyfriend or fail a test, and it is important to not let that keep you down. You have to "run to first base" because you will get up again.

Well, the next game A-Mac got hit in the same arm again, and she dropped the bat and ran to first base. She called time after getting to first, flexed her arm and determined she could stay in the game. It may seem simple, but to me she learned a valuable lesson. By the way, several (3 other) girls got hurt during Saturday and were taken out of the game. Only my kids get the value of my lessons and counseling :-)

Really Busy Summar Schedule - Let's Move Too!!!

If our summer wasn't busy enough, let's squeeze in a move too!!! We picked up the keys to our new house tonight and stopped by to drop off two car loads of breakable and important softball/baseball "stuff". The moving van comes on Tuesday.

The house is in a very nice, older part of Mississauga. Our driveway is bigger, our yard is bigger, the backyard is private and beautifuly landscaped, and the interior is done with quality in mind.

Oh, did I mention the house has a heated pool. Our kids absolutely love to swim so we should get a lot of use out of the short summer months in the pool.

Hopefully MacMom and I will survive the move :-)

2009 Teddy Bear Tournament - Lil Lefty - Sunday Final

How do you determine a true winner? Lil Lefty's team made it to the 4 team elimination round in the 2009 Teddy Bear Tournament. The entire team was up late last night...swimming and eating pizza. At her age, I believe these activities are important. We got home around 11:30pm, woke up at 7:30am and return to the field about 8:45am. After spending the day under a tree yesterday with the team and parents, the nickname "Mad Man" is gaining some momentum.

Lil' Lefty started the first game against Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls is older, and a good team. We were hoping to not get "mercied". Lil' Lefty pitched 4 innings. She pitched well, but did not have her best "stuff". Don't tell her, but I have seen her pitch better. She was pulled after 4 innings and did not like it. We lost 12-7 in a well played game. With a few less errors we could have won (bases loaded and a ground ball to second that went through the wickets and allowed three runs to score).

Lil' Lefty started the next game against the Oakville Angels, who had beaten our Tigers in the Saturday pool play. Lil' Lefty pitched all seven innings in an 8 - 3 victory to earn a Bronze medal. Congrats Lil' Lefty!!! She also hit well all tournament and most importantly against the good pitching in the elimination round. She pitched 11 good innings on Sunday.

Oh, a "True Winner" is someone who is able to do just enough to get the "win" when they may not have their best skills.

2009 Teddy Bear Tournament - Lil Lefty (MacDaddy in Brantford)

Lil' Lefty's team is playing in the Niagara Falls Teddy Bear Tournament. There are 12 teams in her age classification. Lil' Lefty pitched Friday night and beat Vaughn 7-3.

The Mississauga Tigers had recently been eliminated by Vaughn in a previous tournament. The majority of Vaughn players are older and it is disappointing they, and other teams, are playing in our age group. However, it is nice when David beats Goliath.

Lil' Lefty struck out the last batter on a called third strike change-up that floated right over the middle of the plate. Thanks for the "ring-up" Mr. Umpire.

The Tigers won one and lost one on Saturday and earned the wildcard birth in the elimination round of 4 teams that play today.

As it seems with all weekends in Canada, we had a 2 hour rain delay on Saturday that pushed the start of our last game back 3 1/2 hours. Go figure!

Top Trip Memories

We spent a week in 3 different hotels driving through the northeast seeing the sights. We traveled 1,226+ miles...

The difference between a trip and a vacation, as I am often reminded by MacMom, is that you need a vacation after a trip. We, unfortunately, have jumped right back into ball tournaments and the added luxury of a home move... more on this to come....







Memorable Stuff from Our Trip

• Beginning our trip Sunday at 5pm after a weekend tournaments for all three kids
• Cooperstown - can you say "classic small town USA"
• Fire alarm at 5am in Boston and the walk back up the stairs
• Overcast most of the trip
• Way to step on a French Guy
• Montreal traffic
• Club music between innings at the softball games
• Beer sales by the team at the softball games
• Traffic on the way home from Montreal
• Finding the softball parks with French names and our English speaking GPS
• A-Mac on the All Star Team
• Cobblestone streets in Old Montreal
• Knock Fenway Park off the list of ballparks
• One red seat
• The Green Monster
• Lil Lefty asking in French if she could use the bathroom
• MacMom beating me into New Hampshire (funny moment)

Montreal Challenge 2009 A-Mac

A-Mac's team, the Brampton Blazers, played in the 14U Montreal Challenge this last weekend. Surprisingly, the tournament was held in Montreal... and was the main reason for our travels through Cooperstown, Boston, Vermont, and into Montreal. We were in Montreal for a softball tournament.

A-Mac's team played in 8 games over 4 days. She got about 25 at-bats and hit OK. She had 4 really good hits and only one strike out (after about 6 foul balls) She played third base and left field.

A-Mac played in the Opening Ceremony All Star Game representing her Blazers. I suspect there were a couple thousand people watching the game. The day before the game MacMom and I were watching the "best" pitcher we had seen pitch on a contiguous field to our game. As it turns out, A-Mac faced this 16 year old in the All Star game.

"Good Job Stepping On the French Dude!"

Big D was picked by a street performer in Old Monteal to help him out with his act. Way to go for stepping on a french guy on a bed of nails! Big D tried to pursuade the performer to have MacDaddy stand on him instead.

When heading back to our car, Big D stopped and asked for street name we parked on to see how much father we had to walk to get to the car. The weather was starting to feel like January instead of July and our hot cocoa's were empty. The 2 guys replied that they just passed it on there walk towards us and added , "Good Job stepping on the french dude!" Needless, to say the audience of the street performer was quite a large crowd.

You Gotta Eat!

While in Montreal, MacDaddy took his baseball coaches wife's advice and enjoyed a Steamie (hotdog) at La Belle Province. In fact, he probably enjoyed a few of them-ketchup only! The Mac family also ate dinner at another restaurant at her suggestion-Bar B Barn. There we ate some yummy barbeque ribs and chicken before heading down to Old Montreal. MacDaddy was going to go "HULK" on us. He didn't want to eat here. He would agree with Lil' Lefty now after giving the Bar B Barn a try that the ribs were Finger Lickin' Good!

We also went to Schwartz's for some Montreal smoked meat sandwiches. There was quite the line up to sample this Montreal delicacy. I believe they are corned beef. Big D favored these.

Unicycle

The Montreal Challenge theme was circus. On Thursday night before the All Star game, there were various circus skills stations set up. Among the stations was the uncicyle. Of course, Big D had to show both MacDaddy and Lil' Lefty that he still had it--the ability to ride one of his favorite toys of his childhood --the uncycle. Mac Daddy and Lil' Lefty gave it a spin. Mac Daddy ran back to the diabolo and sticks that he favored. Lil' Lefty spent a good 20 minutes or so with Big D learning to get on and balance on the unicycle. Dotted with fresh new bruises on both her shins, Lil' Lefty was able to ride the unicycle while holding onto the fence. She was quite determined to master the unicycle and now wants Big D to buy her a unicycle.

The Italian Section of Boston

Our last night in Boston, we ate at an Italian restaurant called La Francesca, and then got dessert at Mike's Pastries down the street. Both were very tasty.

Back from the Dead

We saw the flavor grave yard at Ben and Jerry's in Vermont. We stopped at a Ben & Jerry's in Old Montreal and unknowingly I ordered a dead flavor. Coffee, Coffee BuzzBuzzBuzz died in 1999, according to the corporate headquarters, but I was eating it in Old Montreal in 2009. What is the shelf life of ice cream?

The Drive Between Boston and Montreal

We drove from Boston to Montreal. Between end points stopped at Ben & Jerry's corporate headquarters in Vermont. The wait for a tour was too long, so we just had an ice cream.

A picture of commercial New Hampshire.

We stopped in Burlington, Vermont and saw Lake Champlain. A news anchor stopped us while walking down the main street to take a Lake Champlain quiz. When we explained we were from Texas, and living in Canada, he decided to let us pass.

New Hampshire

HMMM... En route from Boston to Montreal, we encountered this set up at a New Hampshire rest stop. The pic says it all.
Rest Area + Liquor= SAFETY

Oldest Restaurant in America

For lunch on Tuesday, we stumbled onto ye olde Union Oyster House restaurant, around the corner from Faneuil Hall (also known as the Quincy Market Place).

Ye olde Union Oyster House is the oldest restaurant in America, open for dinner since 1826. The building in a National Historic Landmark.

The maps and history displayed on the walls throughout the restuarant are worth the price of a bowl of "chowda".

A Monster in the Park - Fenway Park

Wait!!! is that a monster peering over the wall?

No, the "Green Monster" is the modern nickname for the 37 foot 2 inch tall
"wall" in the left field of Fenway Park.

One Red Seat - Fenway Park

There is one seat painted RED in the right field bleachers to mark the longest home run hit inside Fenway Park. The home run was hit by Hall of Famer and Sox immortal, Ted Williams in 1946. Manny hit a home run over the monster in 2001 that landed on the Mass Pike. It is officially listed at 501 feet, one foot short of Ted Williams. Manny is now playing for the Dodgers. Is there any doubt who is the Red Sox legend?

Fenway Park

We walked from our hotel, the Hilton Back Bay, to Fenway Park.









We bought tickets for the tour from the Fenway Park ticket booth. The chart above the windows showed the tickets available for future games. The Red Sox have a record over 500 home game sellouts in a row.


A guided tour allowed us to walk around and through the grounds Fenway Park.







More pictures and stories to come...