Thursday nights with my fellow HFTP teammates...and their teams.

The weather in San Francisco was beautiful yesterday in every neighborhood.  Whether you’re in Visitacion Valley (where I live) or the Presidio, it was picture-perfect weather.  A few of my HFTP teammates run other teams at Fort Scott in the Presidio on Thursday nights.  I play on one of their teams and coach on the other.  The games were played in the earlier evenings, and the weather started to take a downturn around 7:45 PM.  It’s a typical San Francisco fall evening.  And both teams didn’t lose:  Andy’s team, HFTP starting pitcher on Tuesday, won a thriller, 13-12.  Carly’s team, HFTP starting outfielder, hung on for a tie, 17-17.  So after my games, I hung around to observe the officiating of both games and to give a ride home to both of the umpires, because there is no way for them to get home from the Golden Gate Bridge area where the fields are located.  Joe, whom I have known for more than 15 years, missed a few calls, but overall, he keeps the game going fine.  Shawn, however, is still learning the craft after less than a dozen games on his chart.  He even did a “do over” which is unconscionable in softball and even baseball.  He’s passionate and enthusiastic, but beats himself up all the time.  I remember my first game vividly for co-ed softball in 2003, when I was schooled by a former collegiate softball player (I won’t name her team because she was THAT good), about rules and proper etiquette.  I learned a lot from that player, who happened to be an accountant like me, years ago, and continue to use her words of wisdom less the F-bombs in my work ethic behind home plate.  And on the ride home, Joe and I shared our wisdom with Sean sans the F-bombs.