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baseball

Houston High School softball opening night

May 2, 2012 by robertforto 2 Comments

Nicole #20

It was a blustery, but absolutely beautiful May Day. It was the start of the softball season for my daughter, Nicole.

Nicole is a freshman at Houston High School in Alaska. A small school of just about 400 kids and home of the Hawks. A big change from where she was just last semester in Littleton, Colorado at Dakota Ridge, a school teaming with thousands of kids roaming the halls.

Nicole has played softball since she was a little girl. Getting her start in T-Ball leagues at the YMCA I can remember those games like it was yesterday.

My little girl is growing up and becoming a pretty dang good little softball player. I can only wish that it was those evenings playing catch in the park and the dad-daughter talks on the way home from practices when she played her first fast-pitch season in seventh grade with the Spartans.

Last night she made me so proud.

She is playing catcher on the J.V. squad and back-up catcher for varisty–as a Freshman!

As the game got underway at 7:45 on a very cold evening, just 34 degrees. Her mom, her brother Tyler and I, shivered in the little bleachers gearing up to cheer her on.

Smash the ball, Flea! It is a name we have called her since she was little. We are dog trainers, ya know.

She was batting sixth. Not bad. Middle of the order. She got up to bat in the first inning and hit a line drive to the pitcher. She dropped the ball and Nicole made it to first but more importantly, got an R.B.I.

The Hawks quickly accumulated two more outs leaving Nicole on third and rushing to the dugout to put on her gear.

As she walked to the plate, in gear that was way to big, I am sure you could see my smile all the way to the outfield fence. It was time for Flea to show us what she has been learning the last month or so of practices, many of them indoors at the local Lion’s Club because of all the snow on the ground.

The inning lasted forever, not the best pitching from these young high schoolers. But hey, it was the first game of the season and I am sure the butterflies migrated in droves to the Great White North.

Nicole playing catcher for Houston High School

At the top of the second the Hawks were leading by a few runs. The batting order brought Nicole up again with one out and a full count. She swung and hit a line dive past the first baseman.

She made it to first and held steady waiting for the next batter. On a wild pitch, she stole second and on the next pitch made it to third.

Moments later Nicole was running towards home and slid into the plate like a major-leaguer. It was awesome!

The bottom of the second proved to be tough work for Nicole and the pitching staff and Colony High scored several quick runs to take the lead 11-9.

It was getting late and much colder for us in the stands. With the sun still very visible in the sky, the game was called for time at 9:21 pm.

What a way to spend an Alaskan spring evening.

Way to go Flea, you smashed that ball. We are so proud of you! 

___________________

Robert Forto is mushin’ down a dream in the wilds of Alaska. He and is wife are raising two teenagers at Forto’s Fort. 

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Filed Under: Daily Post, Fortos Fort Tagged With: alaska, baseball, Houston High School, Michele Forto, nicole forto, robert forto, Softball, Sport

Opening Day 2012: Who You Rootin’ For?

April 7, 2012 by robertforto Leave a Comment

It’s opening day for Americas past time. 2430 games on tap this season.  Sure the NFL is now America’s game, at least on TV. Even with an annoying Collinsworth on NBC it is hard to beat Sunday Night in America. But there are a lot of baseball fans out there. Games are on almost every night on ESPN and a bevy of local sports networks throughout the land.

But before I get much further I must admit I am a diehard hockey fan first, a football fan second and a baseball fan a distant third, ranking somewhere close to my infatuation with the Olympics. How can you be a hard core fan of the Olympics anyway–they only come on every two years (winter and summer).

Well, except for beach volleyball…

Being up in Alaska everyone roots for the Mariners. They haven’t had a good season since Ken Griffey Jr. back in the day. But without a home team that’s what we get on the radio. That’s a story for another day.

Think about it– Is there any way better to spend a warm summer’s night than at the ballpark? Coors Field (home of the Colorado Rockies) is one of the best parks ever to watch a game in. I love sitting in the nose-bleed 300 section seats right behind home plate, watching the sunset and the mountains to the west. Drinking a beer and a brat with my sweetie on my side and my iPhone’s twitter app flowing like a mountain stream.

But wait a second. I am a Braves fan! I have been since Uncle Ted bought the Superstation and they played every night on TBS. I cut my teeth on that station in the days before multi-ESPNs and 100 dollar game packages on Direct TV. I rushed home from school to catch Leave it to Beaver and Little Rascals before the game.

I watched Chipper and Smoltz and Andruw. I watched the greatest manager the game has ever seen: Bobby Cox–as he stormed the field and cussed like Popeye to the umpires. On more occasions than I can count ole’ Bobby walked out to the mound and nonchalantly put out his hand to countless struggling pitchers as they handed him the ball…

This is Chipper’s last year. He’s had a good run. I will still be a fan. Even if it’s not always fair weather.

Who are you rootin’ for this year? Who is your team?

Who will be the The Cards without Albert, the Miami Marlins with their fish tank stadium or the old stand-by Yanks? 

Even with (near) billion dollar payrolls of the Yanks, our Prez P-BO sportin’ a White Sox cap, star spangled banners, 7th inning stretches, Boy Scouts, funky mascots, game day schwag, and fireworks–all of us grew up with with a pack of Big League Chew and fantasies of home runs.

This is why we love baseball. This is why when everything else in the world seems to be in near chaos a three hour escape at the ball park is all we need.

Robert Forto | Team Ineka | Alaska Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Dog Works Radio | Denver Dog Works | Daily Post

___________________

Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the popular radio shows, Mush! You Huskies and Dog Works Radio Shows

Written on my iPad
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Filed Under: Daily Post, Robert Forto Tagged With: alaska, baseball, Big League Chew, Bobby Cox, boys of summer, braves, Coors Field, iphone, Ken Griffey Jr, MLB, MUSH, Olympics, opening day, postaday2011, Rockies

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