by Rick Kronqvist
As my soul prospers from seeing the sun set in the mountainous horizon of the view looking north west from Shark Park, I recall the past year at hand. Then, in the year 2016, closing in on the play-offs of the Major League of the honourable contest of bats, balls, and gloves, realizing that it could give me the opportunity to live what many men in history never had the chance to experience, the World Series victory of the team from the north side of Chicago.
It was a tough night to sit through on the European continent on November 2nd, 2016, but the lack of sleep could not bother me. Since the age of six, I was chosen to be a follower of the Chicago Cubs, and now the time had come. The rest, as they say, is history.
As it turned out, history had just commenced.
Little did I recall, that I had made a promise in the year 1999, then retiring from baseball after being a part of national champion team of the Marsa Mustangs of Malta. I claimed this was my peak, and I thoroughly was convinced that I did not want to retire on a bad note like Alexander Karelin or, like earlier this present year, Usain Bolt. I wanted to retire a winner. My conviction had me state a promise that I would make my comeback when the impossible occurred, the Cubs winning the World Series.
On New Year’s Day present year, I sent a message to the local organization executing this type of athletisism, and the following day I received a reply. A former elite club, in one of the largest cities in the nation. Entering spring training two weeks later, I encountered a group of fine gentlemen of various backgrounds, with the ambition to enjoy the comradeship and improve their execution of handling bats, balls, gloves and bases.
Now, the autumn raindrops shatter when landing hard on the home plate that is surrounded by a muddy field in the outskirts of Gothenburg and the season is coming to a conclusion. Some eighteen months ago, I booked a trip to Piemonte, Italy on the very weekend of the playoffs this year. My playtime had come to an unfortunate end earlier than expected, but this fine group of individuals of various ages and backgrounds, will execute in a proper matter.
To my fellow gentlemen for the playoffs 2017;
– The only stat that counts this weekend is team runs scored
– Listen to the coach and pay attention to signs
– Play smiling, and you will end up winners
Nolan Ryan retired at the age of 46, Bill ”Spaceman” Lee pitched a professional game this past year at the respectable age of 65, so how long can such a career flourish? Although, it is hard to determine the age of marine creatures, but from my experience of this past annual term, we know that a carcharadon can still come up with a miraculous double and an occasional stolen base to win a duel on the diamond at ages where both Spaceman and a retiring Ryan would be considered youngsters.
The response is not yet given to the question of how history will end, or will it ever…
#14 KRONQVIST