Because there was no catcher for summer ball his sophomore year in high school, Denis volunteered to catch, to be the backstop. Green though he was, he was a good enough athlete to please the pitchers, befriend the umps, and control the tempo of the game. He loved the mental game–the mood of his pitcher, calling the pitches, deciphering the signs of the opposing team. It was a full time job.
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Having a good relationship with the umpires was important–close pitches often went his way–but if he knew the ump too well, sometimes the calls would go the other way. If the batter intimidated the ump, the man in blue would side with him, but would talk to Denis knowing he’d be cool.
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Collisions at home plate were rough–no matter how tough Denis thought he was, a base runner rushing home plate was no match. Denis hated foul tips to the thigh, groin, toes and shoulders. He had one concussion; five stitches. Once, he blocked a ball in the dirt; it hit his neck–he woke up in the clubhouse. Bumps, bruises, (badges)–he liked being in the game.
Lorene Delany-Ullman’s book of prose poems, Camouflage for the Neighborhood, is forthcoming from Firewheel Editions in August 2012. She lives in Orange County and teaches composition at UC Irvine.
*Photo courtesy of Prov3:5.