Take me out to the ball game

A few years ago Alli and I were having spicy chicken tenders 
and a beer at Litchfields Bar.

 Here in Wells, Maine Lichfields is a little reminiscent of T.V.s' cheers.

The conversation with the bar manager led to one about Allis' softball games.

Soon he was asking me to play on the bars' men's team.

Of course Alli was definitely reinforcing that notion...lol

And so it was to be........ I was playing softball for the first time in 20 years.

Of course I approach every endeavour 'like a beast'.

I found muscles I didn't know I had ......

The whole time everyone is concerned because of my repeated surgeries.

I imagine they thought if I fell wrong I would split in half.

Well they were in for a treat.....

 The first or second game Alli was on the third base line and I was rounding second,

not known for my grace in running I sprinted toward third.

A crazy idea since if I had to slide it would be on a gravelly surface

 (is that a word ?)

Needless too say the play was close, REAL close.

I'm not gonna get thrown out in front of my daughter ....

NO WAY !

Sooo I slide, yup on gravel, like a damn cheese grater ....SAFE  !

Ok she's proud but my shin was wrapped in gauze,

leaking nasty stuff for six months...Damn, the things we do to impress our kids !

My team made it to the finals my leg was wrapped in gauze

but WE NEVER NEVER NEVER QUIT !

 I played anyway... by the second inning I had two pulled quadricepts.

Now my teamates were telling me, 'Bro we've got this, sit it out it's not worth it'.

I taped two ice packs to my quads and continued until I couldn't run at all.  

  

I draw from the love of my children to motivate me .

When you have a never quit attitude success is right around the corner.

People do give up though,

 in more cases than not it's just before success is realized.

Every time I hear the phrase never give up I think of Napoleon Hill's

'Think and Grow Rich'

He tells a tale of miners who dug and dug and dug

they found no gold and gave up. 

 It was found later they were 3 feet from a major vein of gold.

If they had the NEVER, NEVER, NEVER QUIT ATTITUDE 

THEY WOULD HAVE REALIZED THEIR DREAM  !!!