Coach's Corner

Q: I heard that baseball is the, "sport of freedom." Will you address this claim in your next blog post?

Thanks


Guest Editor Stephen Colbert said...

I've heard this as well. I'm quite sure it was in the bible and in President Reagan's first inaugural address, just after all the stuff about Communism. But if you want an answer, just ask God. Any God will do, as thanks to the World Baseball Classic, baseball is now an international sport.

Q:What is the origing of the word, "bullpen."

Coach said...

There are several answers to this question, but nothing definitive. Some the word derives from the early days of the game, when the pitchers often sat behind the outfield wall and the advertisements adorning that wall. In one particular case, the pitchers sat behind an ad for "Bull Durham" tobacco.

Yet another theory is that this phrase comes from the egrarian origins of the game, when fields often abutted local farms, and nearby pastures. In one instance, the outfield fence also happened to be the fence of pen full of bulls.

There are obviously many other theories from cattle-like herding of cheap ticket holders into outfield bleachers, and the "bull-like" nature of idle pitchers' conversation.

When it's all said and done, though, the bull pen is merely the place where relief pitchers, closers and those not starting sit during the game.

HECKLE OF THE DAY

HECKLE OF THE DAY: "Skillet!"

A rarely used but extremely effective heckle, best used when opposing players make errors, or "boot" ground balls hit directly into their gloves.

The etymology of the heckle goes back to the days when U.S. Army soldiers played baseball without the use of appropriate gloves, instead using a frying pan, or "skillet" as a substitute fielding device.*

As fielding in this manner was virtually impossible - balls, or rolled up socks tended to bounce out of the skillet with tremendous force and a loud, cacophonous racket - the use of the skillet was soon relegated to history and thus, heckle lore

"Skillet!" is best delivered by placing the emphasis on the first two letters of the word and then prolonging the pronunciation of the letters "i and l" in the middle of the word. Subsequently, the delivery should sound like, "SSKKiiillllet!"

When practicing, be sure to experiment with various levels of volume and pitch.

*the above etymology of skillet is complete and utter bollox and is not intended for republication or use to impress unsuspecting junior staffers.*

WORD OF THE DAY

"HAMMY," otherwise known as "Ham Bone," "Ham Dog" or, in severe cases, "The Hammer."

A painful, and sometimes debilitating injury resulting from not stretching before attempting to "launch bombs" or "hit lasers" on the softball diamond. Injuries usually occur when bombs fail to launch or lasers fail to fire, resulting in a mad, "cold-legged" dash for first base on the dribbler hit to the second baseman, or, er, second base..person.

Hammys can strike at any moment so please help your teammates keep a close eye on their impending advance.

Thanks to a generous donation from Corporate, we will award the above prize to the 2006 team MVP!!!

Practice This Thursday!!!

A few stretches to get you started...

Directions to Fields

1) North on Connecticut Avenue. Around Chevy Chase Circle. Continue on Connecticut for about 1.5 miles. Right onto East West Highway. Right onto Beech Drive. Pass the soccer fields and playground. Softball fields will be on your left.

2) North on 16th Street into Maryland. Left onto East West Highway. Left onto Beech. Pass the soccer fields and playground. Softball fields will be on your left.

PLEASE NOTE: FOR THOSE SENIOR-LEVEL EXECUTIVES WHO MAY "PARACHUTE IN" FOR GAMES, LOOK FOR THE ABOVE SHAPES WHEN PROVIDING PILOT WITH DROP-ZONE DIRECTIONS!