I had the chance Saturday afternoon to catch the first game of Greenville High School’s baseball season as the Wave’s young squad handled Milton-Union 10-5. What made the game memorable is that it was the first played on the new artificial infield, which was just completed late in the week. A sharp-looking field with the Mean Green emblem behind home plate and Greenville Green Wave down the baselines, even the “dirt” portion of the field is synthetic turf, including the pitcher’s mound. Add in the update to the lighting system, and you have another site that makes Wave athletic facilities among the finest for a school of its size in West Central Ohio.
Thanks in large part to Mike Jones and family, the vision became a reality for players and fans alike. The Jones family continues to improve the quality of life for the Greenville community in various ways. I’ll give them a hearty endorsement of the recent addition to the Wayne Theater’s schedule, showings of classic movies on weekdays. For three bucks, you see a great show in comfortable seats and get free popcorn to boot! The latest show was one of my all-time favorites, the widely praised “Casablanca” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
That gives us the first of today’s two trivia questions—the legendary misquote from the 1942 film is the phrase “Play it again, Sam”. What song did first Ilsa and then later Rick request the pianist Sam to play? Answer to follow!
How about the Reds taking two of three games from the Red Sox this weekend? After being shut out in Thursday’s opener, Terry Francona’s team won two one-run nailbiters that set the team up for the next three-game series at home with the Pirates. If the pitching staff can stay healthy, something which has already come into play with the injuries to Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, and timely hitting continues, just maybe Cincinnati can overtake the Cubs and Brewers in the NL Central standings by season’s end.
I’m not sure if any of you had trouble finding the Reds telecasts the past few days but we finally were able to connect through the residents’ system here at our house in the Brethren Retirement Community. There would have been a lot of teeth gnashing and hair pulling (and I don’t have much to spare anymore!) if the games wouldn’t have been available for viewing without having to go to “streaming” and other media in which I’m not technologically well-versed! Thanks to the staff at the BRC for making the entire community happy campers!
How are your NCAA brackets looking heading into the Final Four this coming weekend in Indianapolis? Mine has been shredded, with only Michigan remaining of my evidently flawed picks, while my wife, Kathy, has taken over first place in the fourteen-entry field in which we participate. Her secret? She’s a longtime basketball fan who’s pretty knowledgeable, way more so than her husband!
There were some great games in the regional “Sweet Sixteen,” weren’t there? Purdue over Texas, Duke beating St. John’s, UConn ousting Michigan State, and Iowa knocking off Nebraska were all titanic struggles down to the wire. But the most unbelievable game was UConn’s buzzer-beating win over the Blue Devils in the regional final. After trailing by nineteen points in the first half and fifteen at halftime, the Huskies overcame Duke on a last-second 35-foot three-point shot by last year’s Indiana Mr. Basketball, Braylon Mullins, to pull off a comeback for the ages!
It was reminiscent of last year’s collapse by the Dukies in the national semifinals in losing to Houston. It was also eerily similar to the 2010 Duke-Butler championship game, only that time Duke survived a last-second half-court shot by the Bulldogs’ Gordon Hayward, another Indiana native, to win the title. Seems like things always have a way of leveling out don’t they! Who do I like to claim that “one shining moment” next Monday night? I think the winner of Michigan-Arizona takes it all and I’m going with Arizona’s Wildcats to return to the Sonoran Desert with the trophy.
Two events which occurred on March 29th in the past—in 1973, the last US combat troops left South Vietnam, ending America’s direct involvement in the Vietnam War. The immediate and later lasting impact continues to impact the American psyche in many ways, from government mistrust to foreign policy decisions, among others. The brave men and women who served in Southeast Asia certainly still deserve the Country’s thanks and gratitude for their sacrifices!
The other happening on that date is forever etched in the minds of the fans of the former Baltimore Colts. In 1984, under cover of early morning darkness, the Colts football team left its home city of three decades, sending the team’s equipment to Indianapolis in moving trucks without informing Baltimore city or Maryland state officials. What was Baltimore’s loss became Indianapolis’ gain as the Colts became an important part of the Indiana athletic scene. Here’s the second trivia question—when did Baltimore reclaim an NFL franchise?
I just finished reading the latest novel “The Crossroads” by one of my favorite authors CJ Box. I have a list of novelists that I keep so that I can stay aware of their latest efforts and be among the first to check out the book at the Greenville Public Library! Do you keep a similar list of your favorites?
Finally, in “Casablanca,” Ilsa actually says, “Play it once, Sam. For old times’ sake”, and later, “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’”. Even later, Rick says, “You played it for her, you can play it for me…If she can stand it, I can! Play it!”
And Baltimore was without professional football until 1996 when the never-to-be-forgiven Art Modell moved the Browns from Cleveland, leaving northeast Ohio without an NFL team until 1999 when the “new” Browns re-emerged. Who’s had more success since, the Ravens or the Browns? I think we all know the answer to that!!
