Improbable Comeback

Last Sunday's game 2 was crazy enough to merit a mention. Playing in the unfriendly confines of Riverdale's MS 141 field, Patrick Harper's team rallied to a 16-15 win over Jim O'Connor's squad, overcoming deficits of 10-1 and 15-5. Harper allowed 10 runs in the first inning, capped by Fred Lang's bases-clearing ground ball triple to right center. 14 men came to bat, and the Melendez brothers each had two hits in the inning. Five more runs scored in the 3rd for O'Connor's team, and they loaded the bases with none out in the 4th. Harper retired Lang on an infield pop, struck out Marvin Cohen looking, and got Sam Melendez on a fly to center. In the 5th, Harper worked out of a jam with runners on second and third with none out. Mark Rodriguez lined out to center, and Cid Rivera's throw behind the lead runner got away just enough for an 8-5-2 double play.

Meanwhile, Harper's team had closed within 15-8, and delivered the big blow in the top of the 6th. Tony Connor led off with a walk, and Gil Schmerler laid down a sacrifice bunt. Both runners were safe when Marvin Cohen couldn't hold onto the throw. Glen Lawrence then singled to right scoring Connor, and in a comedy of throwing errors, Schmerler and Lawrence came all the way around to score. Robert Waxman got things started again by working out a walk, and Patrick Harper bunted for a base hit. O'Connor finally got an out when Ian Parfrey lined out to right, and then Cid Rivera singled in Waxman. Freddie Melendez took over on the mound, and promptly served up a 3-run bomb to Dave Rodriguez, which tied the game.

Parfrey relieved Harper for the bottom of the 6th, and escaped a bases-loaded jam when Harper made a nifty backhand stop of Sam Melendez's grounder to first. In the 7th, Glen Lawrence led off with an infield single to deep shortstop, and advanced to second on a throwing error. Robert Waxman singled to left-center scoring Lawrence, and that one run stood up. O'Connor's squad made one last threat, with back to back 2-out singles from Mark Rodriguez and Sam Magnus, but Havelock Hewes lined out to left to end the game.

Almost lost in all this insanity was the incredible batting performance from Aldys Cruz, who had 7 hits in 9 at bats over both games, scoring 5 runs, driving in 8, with 3 home runs, 2 doubles, and a triple. Batting left handed, Cruz hit three monster shots to the deepest part of the park, landing one on the lawn of the apartment building across the street.

SFL in Riverdale 9/10

From Havelock:
Dear Players, This Sunday, September 10th, Softball For The Love Of It will play at Middle School 141 in the Bronx. The field is located between 236th and 237th streets, a block off Independence. The game will start at 9:30. The number 1 subway is the closest to the field and you can transfer to a number of bus lines on 230th street which will take you to 236th street and a shorter walk to the field.

Also, stats and leaderboards are current as of September 4.

SFL Dues Policy, Winter Meeting, and Awards

Dues for the 2017 season will remain at $40 per player, which covers the cost of our permits, scorebooks, softballs, food at the winter meeting, etc. The treasury is a little low at present, in part because of non-payments. In order to ensure that this does not become a chronic problem, we would like to receive as many payments as possible by Opening Day at Heckscher, which is Sunday April 2.

RETURNING MEMBERS-- The fee of $40 can be reduced in case of financial hardship or extremely infrequent attendance. Please negotiate any reduced fees with our treasurer, Gil Schmerler. Most players who attend regularly and qualify for batting titles and awards and such, will be expected to pay in full. Please do so by April 2 or as soon as possible afterwards.

NEW PLAYERS-- We have no problem with providing a free game here and there for a member's friends or family, or for a new player to determine if they like early wakeup calls and frequent arguments. Once a player reaches a certain threshold of participation-- 20 at bats for example-- some payment should be made. A player accumulating more than 50 at bats is considered to be a member, and the preceding paragraph applies in full.

In the event of chronic non-payment, the league is within its rights to deny a player the ability to continue playing. If more than 24 players show up for a game, preference will be given to those who have paid. In some very occasional instances we may accept supplies such as new or gently used softballs, or services rendered, in lieu of cash.

Now onto the fun stuff. The 2017 winter meeting was held at the home of Anne Atkinson & Gil Schmerler tonight. Some rules changes were proposed and accepted, as follows:
1. A thrown ball leaving the field of play, defined as the dugout, the area behind the backstop fence, and the invisible line extending from the dugout fences parallel to the foul lines, is automatically a dead ball and runners are awarded one base. In the event of an overthrow occurring while a runner is between bases, as per ASA rules, they are awarded both the base they are heading towards, and the one after that. There is no distinction between infield and outfield overthrows. A runner continuing past first base down the foul line is awarded second, not third.
2. In the interest of completing two games on our Heckscher permit, we agreed that the 1-1 count in a second game starting after 10:00am has been helpful. The 1-1 count will also be used in the first game when it cannot be started earlier than 8:50am. Havelock has agreed to start the games as soon as 14 players have arrived.
A theme game where all players must bat from their non-natural side was proposed and accepted. It will be played at Havelock's discretion, probably during the off-peak part of our season.

Awards for the 2017 season: Cid Rivera was named MVP in a landslide vote, after leading the league in runs, home runs, and RBI, while posting the second-best won-loss record. Freddie Melendez won best pitcher. David Rodriguez was Rookie of the year. Gil Schmerler won the pennant.

Gold gloves were given to Freddie Melendez (pitcher); Robert Rodriguez Jr. (catcher); Gil Schmerler (1b); Nel Yomtov (2b); Sam Magnus (3b); Zach Nilva (ss); Cid Rivera, Tom Haskin, Sam Melendez, Eric Schulman, and Dimitri Patsalos (outfield).

Annual Party/Meeting March 12

  Gil Schmerler and Anne Atkinson will be hosting the annual Softball For The Love Of It Awards voting and ceremony.  All players, active or inactive, are invited.  At the meeting we will discuss and vote on any proposed rules or procedural changes for 2017.  If you are an active player, please bring cash to pay your 2017 dues.  The party is on March 12, from 4-6 pm at 22 West 96th Street (apt. 2).