by O.B.

BEAT TRIUMPHS! The Chameleons, April 30, 1994

The BEAT won its biggest game in years today, beating the Chameleons 8-6 at a breezy Rossi Field. The game was marked by timely hitting, solid defense and a team effort reminiscent of championship play. By winning, the team took sole possession of first place in San Francisco City League Softball Division D-8.

"The team was scrappy; it was a makeshift effort. We were hungry." said manager Wilfred Spoon. " We wanted it more than they did," agreed catcher Frank Green, one of the many heroes in a close-fought game. From the beginning, players and fans alike knew it was a game for the ages.

Injuries and absences forced the team to field a first-ever defensive line-up. Donnell Moody started at third, Mike Laffey at short, Mark St.Georges and Peter Wenner at their usual second and first. With Palmer on Alaska time, the outfield had Ricketts, Young, Spoon and Wright. O.B. and Frank anchored the battery.

First Round to the BEAT

The visiting BEAT scored two in the first. With MSG and Wenner (batting third) on board, Green and Moody each singled, driving in runs. The Chameleons answered with two in the home half, but The BEAT defense stopped the bleeding, getting the final two batters and leaving runners on second and third.

The team followed with two more in the second. Danny Carroll, in the most courageous play of the game, scored a home run on a deep drive that almost wasn't deep enough. As he slowed approaching third, fighting a bone spur, Spoon relentlessly waived him home and The Danster gritted out the last sixty feet to give The BEAT a lead they would not relinquish. TC Wright later scored on the second of Wilfred's coaching gems, rounding third on a Chris Young fielder's choice and streaking home on an overthrow at first. Though the Chameleons scored one in the bottom half, The BEAT had won the early battle.

Defense Takes Over

Defenses dominated from then on, each team having already scored half their runs, Moody and Ricketts denied the Slime-Bellied Color Changers the left field line, combining for seven putouts while refusing runners the extra base. In the outfield, Young directed a wall that denied any game breaking hits.

After a scoreless third, The BEAT scratched out a run in the fourth. Spoon, in his first start of the year, singled with one out, advanced to third on a Carroll single and scored on a Laffey double. Along with seven straight Chameleon outs, the Grey and Black led 5-3.

Offenses Return

The BEAT almost closed it out in the fifth, thanks to aggressive base running and timely hitting. MSG doubled with one out, scoring on Peter Wenner's single. A fielder's choice left Green on first, until Moody's single moved him to third. Donnell moved to second on the play, setting up the game's pivotal at bat.

Jeff Ricketts had hit the ball hard in his two previous at bats but had nothing to show for his efforts. This time, on a 1-0 pitch, he laced a high inside pitch down the third base line, scoring Frank and Donnell to make the score 8-3. The BEAT anticipated victory.

But the Chameleons would not die, mounting their own rally while silencing BEAT bats. They scored once in the sixth on two singles and a double. In the seventh, with OB tiring, the Chameleons threatened with a triple, sacrifice, two singles and a walk. The second out, a grounder, moved the tying runs to second and third, with the Chameleons #4 hitter coming to the plate.

Illustration by Wilf

Crawl to the Ball

On the first pitch the mighty hitter swung. The ball was hit deep to left centerfield and seemed to scream trouble as it left the bat. Then John Palmer, recently arrived from his inter-galactic tour, appeared to have a bead on the ball. But the wind was taking the ball toward right and as Palmer tried to cut back he fell.

Exactly how John responded is a matter of some debate. But as The BEAT gasped and the Chameleons began to taste victory, the wind continued to work on the ball, holding it up just enough and dropping it straight down into the crawling Palmer's outstretched glove. The BEAT wins, 8-6.

View The BEAT's 1994 Batting Statistics

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