ORGANIZATION

• Photo 01:  This contest was between the Central Park Track Club and the New York Harriers, two teams better known for their running.  On this occasion, the New York Harriers had graciously offered to supply food and beverages.  So what can we offer?  Well, knowing that transporting the food and beverages would be a major headache, we offered Super Sid's Delivery Service.  See how twelve people can fit into this van, plus all the stuff, with plenty of room to spare.  However, we still didn't know how we would get inside this park.  At this point, we are on the other side of Central Park West staring at the big STOP! NO ENTRY sign at the W102nd Street entrance into Central Park.

• Photo 02:  So we decided to drive right into the park anyway, with Sid Howard giving these instructions, "If we get stopped, I will simply say that I am a delivery contractor for you guys.  I know nothing, I see nothing, I hear nothing."  These are the anxious faces as a police scooter heads straight for us, but then it goes right by without the driver even glancing at us.  Phew!

• Photo 03:  And then it is on foot to Field #7.  It would have been difficult to lug those five heavy insulated boxes (the equipment was courtesy of Merrill Lynch's Corporate Challenge race team) of ice and drinks by hand, but Super Sid's Delivery Service provided a hand truck that we could push along easily.  Do these faces look relieved and happy?  Unfortunately, Sid Howard could not stay as he had to go back to work immediately.

THE SOFTBALL GAME

• Photo 10:  A game between two highly competitive teams require the best officiating.  So our umpire today is Peter Homsher --- he is fair and unbiased because he is a member of the Central Park Track Club; he is sharp-eyed and alert with the assistance of the shiny can in his hand.

• Photo 11:  The first task is to prepare the line-up card.  Since we are an egalitarian organization, anyone who wants to play gets to play.  This does make for a rather complex process.

• Photo 12:  Tony Ruiz is the only person who is dressed like a ball player.

• Photo 13:  Kim Mannen also dons her Lintas corporate softball shirt, which marks her as Big Red.

• Photo 14:  Molly Greig bats leadoff and gets on base.

• Photo 15:  Kim Mannen tries to drive in Molly Greig from second base.

• Photo 16:  Craig Buckbee goes to bat.  A few weeks ago, Tony Ruiz had told him, "Craig, I don't care if you run the Club Championships or not.  But I want you to be in the outfield for the softball game."

• Photo 17:  Alan Ruben plays second base.  He is wearing a softball shirt from an old Thanksgiving Turkey Trot race.

• Photo 18:  Margaret Angell patrols left field.  She says, "As long as I can get home by five o'clock, I'm okay.  I've already packed to take a plane to Sienna (Italy) tonight for my family vacation.  My parents have already left last night, but I told them, 'There is no way for me not to be here on Saturday morning.'  They looked at me, smiled and said, 'Alright.'"  Thank you, Mr & Mrs Angell, for being so understanding ...

• Photo 19:  This is Audrey Kingsley taking batting practice.  For the month of August, this was an uncommonly cool and dry day that was perfect for running and playing ball.  Look at the blue sky and lush green grass around her.  We could not have asked for more.

• Photo 20:  J.R. Mojica watches the flight of the ball as he begins his swing.

• Photo 21:  Stuart Calderwood takes a swing against his former teammates.

• Photo 22:  Contentedly patrolling the deep right outfield is Steve Sipe.  The reason for his contentment lies in the shiny silvery can to his right.  He leaves that it on the ground when he fields; otherwise, he guards it carefully in his glove.

• Photo 23:  Oops, did that shiny silvery object attract the cops to bust up this scene of public disorderly conduct ... ?  Well, they really came because of a row in the game on the adjacent field.

• Photo 24:  James Siegel was quite a relevation --- he can pitch, bat, run and field.

• Photo 25:  Tony Ruiz lets his big bat do the talking.

• Photo 26:  Stuart Calderwood throws an underhanded spitter.

• Photo 27:  "Big Red" Kim Mannen at bat again.

• Photo 28:  Now fielding at second base is Audrey Kingsley.

• Photo 29:  Graeme Reid plays third base.  Yes, the third baseman position is just like the short cover in cricket and you can catch the ball with your glove instead of stopping it with your chest.

• Photo 30:  Audrey Kingsley swings and hits a ground ball.  Uh oh!  Where is that 30 meter sprint speed? 

THE AUDIENCE

• Photo 31:  Stacy Creamer holds Rupert Stuart-Smith, who is holding the wrong kind of ball.  Stacy said, "The last time I played softball, I broke my thumb.  So you're not going to find me out there today."

• Photo 32:  Jackie Cortes reads the race result listing while her son Matthew plays with a ball.

• Photo 33:  David Pullman gets some shut-eye before his turn comes.  Or is he mentally trying to find the optimal (that is, minimum risk and maximum return) allocation among the 110 portfolios that he owns?

• Photo 34:  Joey Ruben walks short but carries a big stick (*** voted the best picture of the day ***)

• Photo 35:  Mary Wittenberg plays catch with Joey Ruben.

• Photo 36:  Juana Bermo is a spectator on the grassy knoll.

• Photo 37:  Peter Allen shows us the watch that he won in a race a few days ago.  It's a ... VIAGRA watch!!!  As he began to give a translation of the Latin inscription, his wife Rhonda interjected with a smirk, "No, it's not true!"  Hmm ...

THE COACH'S CAKE

• Photo 41:  Belatedly the cake was presented to the coach in thanks.  The letters have melted away, but you can read them in the brunch photo album.  If we wrote that Tony Ruiz was at a loss for words, you would know that we are lying.  Anyway, it suffices to say that the cake made up for all the disappointment at not winning the softball game, which was especially significant given that he was probably the only person on either side interested in winning the game instead of getting the drinks.  The coach said that he is so pleased that he will cancel one workout per week from now on ... and replace it with softball practice!

• Photo 42:  Tony Ruiz presented the first slice of the cake to Toby Tanser, for finishing third overall in the morning race and leading the open men's team to a stirring third-place finish.  There is much to be admired about Toby --- see how he can use his fork, hold the plate and the beer can with just two hands!  How does he do it?  Practice, practice, practice ...

TROPHY PRESENTATION

In case you are interested, the game was won by the New York Harriers.  I am not sure what the final margin of victory was, since I can only use my fingers to count up to ten.  In other words, it was by a lot.  We don't understand how they have so many guys who can hit a ton and chase down everything in the outfield.

• Photo 71: Although we would have liked the Major League Baseball Commissoner to make the presentation, he was unavailable due to a prior commitment.  Fortunately, we were able to have someone just as authoritative and renowned --- Mary Wittenberg, the Excecutive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of the New York Road Runners Club --- as the presenter.  Never one to lack words, Mary said, "This is obviously much more important than anything else that I have ever done in the past.  These two clubs are on the right track to something, although I am not sure just what yet."

• Photo 72:  Accepting the trophy was Stephen Conroy of the New York Harriers, who was joyous enough to begin kissing it.  For the record, this runner's trophy was fished out of someone's closet and decorated with a Heineken can on top.  But we all know that the significance of a trophy lies not in the commercial value of the component materials, but in the emotional investment that the contestants made in the process (cf. "The Little Brown Jug").  So will we have a rematch next year for a chance to reclaim the trophy?  That is by no means certain at this time, since the Millrose team has already requested a booking ...