It has been a tradition for the Central Park Track
Club to hold a softball game each year on the afternoon of the Club
Championship Race. It goes without say that the game is held
inside Central Park. For this year, the club has to thank
Mary Rosado especially, among others, for the organizational
aspects.
PRE-GAME JITTERS
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1: This photo of Joey Ruben captures all the excitement
and glamour associated with this all-star event.
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2: First things first, and that would mean ice cream for
Sarah Gross.
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3: Alan Ruben and Gordon Bakoulis came to
take care of business. For this occasion, Alan went through
his wardrobe and came up with a 1987 (and pre-CPTC) Turkey Trot
baseball shirt.
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4: Now here is a serious ballplayer, Tony Ruiz,
dressed in the black baseball uniform.
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5: Stacy Creamer preferred the classical team uniform.
What was she doing here anyway? Wasn't she doing the Central
Park Triathlon the next day?
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6: Peter Allen & sons
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7: Eve Kaplan, Sarah Gross, Stacy Creamer,
Sylvie Kimche and Jud Santos --- "Pretty Maids
In A Row"? Well, almost ...
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8: Joey Ruben doing his running workout, with assistance.
Maybe he should learn to walk first?
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9: Maybe Joey should take up soccer instead? There
is definitely more money to be made in the English Premier League.
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10: Unidentified individuals appeared to be violating
a city ordinance.
BATTING PRACTICE
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11: Stuart Calderwood pitches batting practice.
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12: Peter Allen swings the lumber.
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13: Mary Rosado takes a few cuts.
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14: Bola Awofeso indicates that the next ball will
land in the second deck, no question about it --- except there
are no stands in the park.
THE GAME
Tony Ruiz and Craig
Buckee went ahead to pick their teams from among those present.
The teams were somewhat handicapped by a number of things.
First of all, there were not enough gloves to go around. Moreover,
some people were not dressed for the occasion (e.g. thongs).
In the following, we show as many pictures of the team members as
we have. We apologise for any omissions.
TONY RUIZ'S TEAM
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21: Tony Ruiz gave an emotional pep talk to this
team before the start. "My teams have won the annual
softball game for the last 5 years, and I have no intention of
losing today!"
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22: Sylvie Kimche ("It's just like golf.")
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23: Stuart Calderwood
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24: Michael Garland
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25: Tony Ruiz
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26: Alan Ruben (for the record, the guy can play!)
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27: Jud Santos
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82: Jud Santos actually received batting tips from
members of the opposing team.
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28: Sarah Gross ("What do I do?")
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29: Nicholas (friend of Sylvie)
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30: Gordon Bakoulis (pinch hitter)
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31: Alan Ruben (relief pitcher)
CRAIG BUCKBEE'S TEAM
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41: Team captain Craig Buckbee set his team up
with an all-business, no nonsense approach.
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42: Tim Robinson
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43: Mette Strandlod (note: barefeet in a skirt!)
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44: Kevin Arlyck
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45: Steve Zirinsky (our friend from Warren Street;
he skipped their downtown party to join us instead)
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46: Audrey Kingsley
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47: Carsten Strandlod
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48: Jenny (Richard Kixmiller's sister-in-law;
a ringer from the Prospect Park League)
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49: Craig Buckbee
POST-GAME ACTIVITIES
For the record, Tony Ruiz's team took a quick
4-0 lead in the first inning. But Craig Buckbee's team
came back strong and won the game by a final score of 7-5.
The Most Valuable Player was Jenny, an innocent-looking ringer who
could field, hit and run.
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61: Post-mortem analyses by (l. to r.) Tim Robinson,
Stacy Creamer, Mette Strandlod, Stuart Calderwood, Kevin Arlyck,
Alan Ruben, Michael Garland, Sylvie Kimche).
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62: As Stacy Creamer and Gordon Bakoulis
watch Theo Evans and Alayne Adams, Joey Ruben
is getting away.
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63: This was after all just a game and life must go on.
More importantly, there are deals to be made. Here is Audrey
Kingsley on the cellular phone, instructing
her stockbroker on how to re-balance her stock portofolio in view
of the pending meltdown of the Russian economy ...
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91: Gordon Bakoulis, Joe Ruben and Alan
Ruben head into the sunset afterwards ...
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