I have a question for the loyal readers here.
Yesterday was hot. There is a public swimming pool adjacent to a ball field in town. There is a very small parking lot (about 20 spaces worth) between the ball field and the pool. During a game, no one would ever dream of using those spaces.
I was hosting a practice on the field and of course we started taking batting practice. Inevitably, balls started to find their way into the parking area down the first base line.
Swimmers started to flow from the pool area to move their vehicles, but not without giving some very miffed and put-out expressions and casting some nasty glances in our direction.
There was no damage done to any of the vehicles, but had a ball seen fit to blemish one of the cars, where do you all believe the blame would rest?
I’m finding it hard to believe that using a ball field for its intended use could lead to any consequences for the inevitable foul balls. What say ye?
Kind-a between a rock and hard place there Coach, to say the least. You’re darned if you do - darned if you don’t.
There seems to be a live-n-let-live kind of atmosphere with space availability scenarios, like you described. On the one hand, the customary scene would be to leave cars out of said area because of the action - BUT - that “customary” scene was not there that day. No schedule was common place, like during game day, nor were the swimmers expecting anything but parking spaces for said swim.
On the other hand - if it were my car and I saw a baseball game, practice, pick-up-game in process, the last thing I’d do would be to park my car in the drop zone of the little round windshield cracker.
Any who, you seem to have the gift-of-gab and the personality to go with it. I’m sure with a little smile, “oh, I see your point of view” kind of demeanor, you’ll get all the space you need next time.
While I’m at it … your comments remind me of similar situation that I had.
A long time ago I played senior ball - not very good at it, but heck, I was out of work and this kept me in shape and in the “game” mindset if you will.
Our club had a game with a team out of Oneida, N.Y. We were the visiting club. The field that we where scheduled to play on was out of the question because of problems, so we all moved to another field across town. That field was next to a Catholic Church, with a lot of Irish persuasions to it. The only problem was the close proximity to a large stained glass window with all kinds of Celtic impressions.
Well, it had to happen sooner or later - a rocket of hit went straight toward Saint Patrick himself, and maybe one or two of the wee people.
The ball hit with a resounding … DUMMMMMBBBING. Like a big kettle drum.
One of the local kids ran over and got the ball.
As we were finished with the game (we lost -of course), an alter boy walking side-by-side with a priest comes out of the back of the church and heads directly over to the other bench. Everybody starts laughing and patting all around on the back, you know like hearing the punch line to a good joke.
We all line up for the handshake, all of us dying to know what the priest had to say about the ball hitting that beautiful window. Here’s what went down – The priest was giving his sermon, along with asking the parishioners to give generously for renovations. The priest then asked everyone to bow their heads and ask the Good Lord to bless them all and pray for generosity. Then …DUMMMMMBBBING… an echo of such magnitude, rang through out the church’s rafters. The priest knew exactly what happened … but didn’t waste the opportunity … OH THANK YOU DEAR LORD… was his next response. Collections were very good that morning … very good.
Remember back when cars were parked near Ebbets Field and other such stadia? Especially during the World Series? Someone would hit a home run, and the ball would leave the stadium and head for the parking lot and, more often than not, zero in on the windshield of one car or another—SMASH!!! Glass all over the place, and when the spectators left the ballpark and went out to the parking lot, the air would turn various shades of blue with expressions of, to put it mildly, @#$%^&*()!
Good thing this problem was long since corrected. :x