The Best of the Best

This week's post was by Dan "And Another Burger for my Friend" Ozzi. —The Editors.
 

For whatever reason, the Blues have never been invited to play in The Yorkville Sports Association’s All Star Game. Perhaps it’s because there has never before been one. Or perhaps there has been and the Blues’ record was not good enough to qualify. Kind of like when you were 9 and weren't invited to that awesome birthday party at Discovery Zone that all your friends went to. (By the way, if you’re reading this, Eugene Peleshi, I still have not forgiven you!)

But 2010 being the Year of the Blues (and according to the Chinese Zodiac, the Housecat), the All Star game had Oxford representation from 3B Joe C. and 2B Michelle. Under the sage guidance of the EBGBs’ coach, Lipinski and Joe batted back to back in the lineup, going a combined 4 for 4 and touching the plate each time.

Down a few runs in the last inning, Michelle and Joe brought the Blues’ can-drink attitude to their all star team which came back to gain the lead. Not wanting to take any chances on a blown save, this prompted the manager to call in the Mariano Rivera of 3B closers, Joe C., to close out the game at 3rd. With one out to go, a grounder down the line allowed Joe to use his gator-like gatoring to gator the ball and gator it down to first base, ending the game in a win. 

Their team was largely a sea of black and yellow, with players from EBGBs and Debevoise and Plimpton. But the Blues provided a much-needed touch of blue and white. All the league’s favorites were there, including… you know… That Large Guy on EBGBs, um… First Basewoman Repino Has A Crush On, uh… Big Calf Asian Guy. Well ok, we don’t know their names, but by the end of the game they knew ours! Several players even remarked at what an amazing rookie team the Blues are. After learning that we’ve been in the league for six seasons, there were awkward silences… and then fireworks. Maybe.

All Stars: 1, Blues: 21

It almost happened too fast to appreciate. And yet, after three innings, the final score told a succinct, if somewhat implausible story: the Blues had trounced their opponents in a landslide victory on Central Park's Heckscher Field #1. Naturally, their excitement was difficult to contain, even though they themselves have been on the other end of the mercy rule this season.

The two teams seemed well-matched early on, with the All Stars only down 2-1 after the first inning. But when the Blues started swinging again at the top of the second, they took a huge lead and never looked back. Their offense was certainly helped by uneven pitching from the All Stars, but dual home runs from Ned and no less than a grand slam to right from Joe C were evidence of a strong desire to finish 2009 with some wins.

Ripping a line drive into left, Ozzi contributed to the effort as well, but the umpire was not amused by his attempt to carry Tanya the final few feet to home plate and kept Oxford from adding more than four runs in the third. The infield defense held strong however, and the athletes in blue and gray threw in the proverbial towel before the game was technically over. With daylight left and energy to spare, the Blues played a quick game of seven on seven by recruiting fans "Barefoot" Ashley Wells and Abigail "Yellow Pants" Rothberg who had braved the humidity along with Tim, Julia, and Carolyn.

An hour of free draft beer and well drinks paired quite nicely with the night's historic outcome, and Andy and Ned decided to prove that they weren't done winning by controlling one of the beer pong tables at Jake's for a solid four hour stretch. Once again, Rae documented it all in photographs, using the camera that she has avoided losing for almost the entire summer now.