My first laptop and first attempt at blogging. Have patience with the old guy.....please!
Arrived at chilly Ft. Meyers, Florida from LA late Saturday night for Red Sox Fantasy Camp, a surprise 60th birthday gift from my wife last November. I begin this odyssey with visions of getting a contract for the 2009 season...NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Waited endlessly for my bags but struck up a conversation with a guy standing next to me, a bit gray and with a few extra pounds (don't we all!). "So, I said, 'hi I'm Hal Dash from LA." He extended a strong right arm and said, "Rich Gedman." Crap, did not recognize the 13 year veteran Sox catcher who caught most of Roger Clemens big games in the 80s.
He was growing impatient (as we all were) for our bags but he unzipped his carry on bag, showed me a couple of beat up catcher's mitts and said, "As long as I have these, who cares about the bags?"
The usual small talk and we're next to a young woman who is a documentary filmmaker from LA by way of Vermont and Cow Hampshire here in FL to film her 68 year old dad who is at camp that "Geddy" is one of the real cool coaches.
So I unpacked, took a few swings with my Manny bat (what can I say! Hope it has a few hits in it this week) and plan to meet up with my roomie manana. He's a 61 retired year old retired Defense Department computer dude who has been down here all week from NJ sleeping in the Crowne Plaza parking lot in his RV. He's been working out and scoping out Spring Training Heaven. Guy has had four knee surgeries so I may be faster than one guy here! Maybe.
Some guys are going to work out and maybe have a pick up game Sunday morning so we'll go over and check out the complex and maybe run some sprints and throw before we try to get into the game. Some of these guys (have to be over 30) have been here 5-6 years in a row! Crap!
Sunday afternoon we have a group intro meeting where I'll meet all these Dustin Pedroia (Sox stellar second baseman, 2008 MVP, 2007 Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger winner, etc. etc.) wanabees. Then it's a Super Bowl Party at the 40 screen sports bar here and 115 tipsy members of Sox Nation will party late, get up at 6, be at the field at 7 and try out for their one week of glory.
The whirlpools, Ben Gay and miles of tape and bandages are all set for this crew; yours included.
WWTD? What would Ted (Williams) do? No cheap cryonic jokes please.
As Donna Summers would say, "I will survive."
More each day from this sleepy little burgh in the middle of nowhere.
Hammerin' Hal
