On Friday, the first of two "Big Softball Showdown" games occurred between The Graham Ad Monkeys and The B52s. Before I get to the game recap, though, I should give you some history behind the rivalry...

I will admit, I WAS a "founding member" of the Ad Monkey softball team. I was instrumental in rigging the voting process to choose the name and some members of the team still have, and wear, the original jerseys that sport the logo that I designed. With all this in mind, It's been a good long time since I've been a player on the Monkey team. I lost interest, for various reasons, after the first season and refused to play after that. There was a second season for the Monkeys after that first one, but the rest of the players soon lost interest and the Monkeys, as they say, lay dormant. That is, until I caught on with another softball team.

My wife, who happens to be a school teacher, was invited to join a co-ed softball team made up (mostly) of teachers and their spouses. I was also invited to play and I readily accepted the offer. In our first season together, the B52s (named after a brand of softball bat, for lack of anything better) enjoyed success. We've placed in the top 3 in every season so far and really have had fun playing together. After our first season, which happened to be a Spring softball season, I was regaling the other Monkeys at work with tales of softball glory (and fun). It was quickly decided that the Ad Monkey team should be resurrected. I was asked if I'd abandon the B52s to play, once again, as a Monkey. I refused, seeing as I was completely committed to playing (and having fun) with my new team.

Long story short, the Ad Monkeys made it in to the league for the Summer Softball session and, lo and behold, were in the same division as the B52s. When word of this leaked out to the other players at the agency, the "smack-talk" began. I was told, leading up to the first big matchup, that my team was going to "run into a buzzsaw..." The Monkeys were back and they were "bad ass." I replied by saying that my team wasn't too shabby and that we'd see what happened when the game was played.

Well, the game was played.

The B52s handed the Ad Monkeys a sound thrashing, defeating them 19-0. This was to be the only time that the two teams would meet that season, so there was nothing more for the Monkeys to do but wait, their shame boiling underneath their calm Monkey exteriors...The big chance for Monkey redemption came this past Friday, June 4, 2004...

Leading up to the big game, there was even more "smack-talk" than before. I was well aware that the Monkeys had acquired some very good players and that they should be much improved over the last season...I only reminded them of the score from the last time and said that if they scored just one run, they should feel vindicated. I also said that we (the B52s) would try very hard to get that elusive 20th run...This declaration was met with more "smack."

The day of the game, I was hit at work from all sides with prank phone calls, post-it style notes and even "the stink-eye." All of these were Monkey ways to inform me that I, and my team as a whole, would be "going down." "You're goin' down, Knight! You're goin' down to China Town!" the phone calls told me. I was, in fact, prepared to go down to China Town, but only for a celebratory dinner following what would surely be another sound Monkey thrashing. I laughed off the attacks, it WAS all in good fun. Finally, the workday ended and game time was nigh. I went home to prepare myself (and make sure my wife was ready as well.)

The game itself was a lot of fun...The B52s hit well, ran well and played some fine defense. The Monkeys, while they had some brilliant performances from a few individual players, ended up being the ones to "go down." The B52s ultimately prevailed with a final score of 18-6. The six runs seemed to be little consolation to the Monkeys, but the rum punch that Scott brought for them seemed to take some of the pain out of the final result. I also enjoyed some punch. It was chock full of rummy goodness...

It's been painfully obvious today that all of the "smack" has suddenly ceased. No "stink-eyes" today, no little notes either. In fact there's been very little eye contact from the Monkeys at all. The next big "Softball Showdown" is set for July 23, so stay tuned! I shall certainly post the results of that game, and the requisite "smack" as well...

Labels: lame stories, me roots, sports, tales of triumph