Thursday, June 2, 2016

City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

It's been a beautiful June day, and this morning I walked over to a part of Central Park that I don't think I've shown you all before.

At the foot of this curving pathway is an area that includes softball fields.  These fields are the site where various amateur softball leagues compete during the warm months.


Some games are scheduled after office hours, at twilight, for teams made up of corporate office workers.  Other teams are composed of players who work at night.  Today's scheduled games featured Broadway Show League teams.


Chain link fencing surrounds the outer boundary of the entire area, but the various individual ball fields are marked by colorful markers on the lawn or sandy surface.  There are some small bleachers for friends, family and passersby like me to sit on, but I think it is more fun to get close to the fence.


I was fortunate to watch a great game between the casts of two hit Broadway shows, An American in Paris, and Hamilton.  Hamilton is due to pick up a lot of Tony Awards at the June 12 ceremony.  Their softball team is also remarkable.


Some cast members had brought their dogs along to the game, but those pups knew that they weren't allowed on the field.


The Hamilton team wore yellow and green tee shirts.  American in Paris went for the blue and grey.  The above picture shows the record keepers for each team going over their score keeping records to make sure they agreed on who was actually on the field, due to bat next, and even what inning was just being played.  Many of the players certainly relied on these two fellows to keep it all agreeable.  There were also two umpires who made decisions about whether a pitcher's toss was a strike or a ball, or whether a runner beat a throw to first base.  This is very low tech; there is no scoreboard, only the official clipboards.

I understand just a little bit about cricket, and urge those of you who don't understand softball (a variation of baseball) to just enjoy the photographs of adults going back to childhood fun on a glorious day.


I watched some of the innings from the American in Paris bleacher  area, and then as the sun took over that shady spot, I moved over to the Hamilton side of the field.  Those Hamilton players were really good.  I was interested that each team had several female players who filled the catcher's position.  The catcher is the one who catches the pitcher's toss if the batter doesn't hit the ball out into the field.


The home plate umpire stands just behind the catcher.


Even though we were in the midst of some Broadway stars (none of whom I would recognize, having not seen either show) it was all just a very relaxed atmosphere.


 A camera man from a local television station recorded a few innings and there were also several other professional looking cameras on the scene.


Most of the team tee shirts had players' names or nicknames on their backs.  Some of the nicknames were quite funny


The little one in the following picture was pretty oblivious to it all.


I think that the fellow in the following photograph (number 1) might be a star of the show because several folks wanted to take their picture with him.  We just smiled at each other.  He was very young; many of the players were not so young.  Lin-Manuel Miranda, the big star and creator of Hamilton, is not on the team.


Hamilton won, by a score of 8 to 2.  I think that I will return to see some more of their games.  The team had a great spirit and were very good sports, too.


At the end of the game both teams ran out to the middle of the field to congratulate each other on a good game.


The rest of us strolled away, some to another part of the Park, some like myself walked home to make a sandwich for lunch


It's been quite a few years since my own work schedule allowed me to follow the drama of this particular league.  The freedom granted me by my retirement now allows me to reacquaint myself with this very enjoyable city view.  I almost forgot to mention that these games are totally free, no tickets required.

Thank you all for your visits and kind words about my recent knitting post.  I hope to see you here again.

42 comments:

  1. Though I'm not a sports fan (except for high school soccer when my son was playing, this sounds fun.

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    1. These games are good old fashioned summertime fun! xo

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  2. That sounds like an entertaining way to spend the morning. I think your new freedom will allow you to tell us about many more hidden delights of the city.

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    1. Celia, it's grand to get out and about while the weather is just as it is right now. I'll surely be sharing more of the city soon. xo

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  3. Oh strange, I cant see your pictures in this post Frances! Well, have a lovely friday now and a happy weekend...
    Love from Titti

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    1. Titti, hoping that if you return for another visit the photographs will be there for you.
      Happy weekend back to you, too! xo

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  4. Hello Very interesting your post about softball,nice photoes too!!Have happy week end!!

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    1. I thought you all would like a little change of scene and pace over here. It was a lovely morning.
      Have a great weekend! xo

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  5. Heyho Frances, now they got a new groupie ;-)
    Great that you discovered such entertaining place in the park. We often enjoyed watching lawn bowls in the UK.

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    1. Definitely, Bayou! About 16 years ago, when I also had some free time, I used to visit some of these softball league games. My favorite team then was the local ABC television station. Its HQ is also in my neighborhood so I felt local solidarity with their team.
      (There is also a lawn bowling area of the Park. I'll have to take some photographs over there for you.) xo

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  6. Greetings from sunny Shropshire! I tried playing softball a couple of times...never did get the hang of it and did my knee in as well. For some reason, I found I preferred cricket, though I believe the softball rules are a little simpler! x

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    1. Dear Gretel, delighted to hear it's sunny in Shropshire...and that you've played softball. Sorry about the knee. You were my link to learning about cricket. I'll always be grateful. xo

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  7. That looks like a fun way to spend an afternoon out in the sunshine Frances.
    Hugs from The UK-x-

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment Sheila. The game I watched began just after 11 a.m., but other teams had games throughout the afternoon. If you click on the link in the paragraph below the first picture, you'll get an idea of just how many Broadway Show League teams were playing. And...there are many other leagues using these ball fields. Fun to play and to watch. xo

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  8. What fun things go on in the park!
    This looks extra great!

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    1. Elizabeth, it is a sample of traditional small town summer fun transplanted to our big city. All the same pleasures! xo

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  9. Thank you for explaining softball, Frances. I didn't know what it was. They certainly looked as though they were having fun!

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    1. The atmosphere around this game was delightful on a perfect day in June. xo

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  10. What I love about Central Park is that it seems to encompass all the leisure activities you could possibly wish for in the centre of such a large city. Thanks for the interesting pictures Frances.

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    1. What you say is so true, Weaver. The Park offers pleasures to locals and tourists. I hope to show you all more of its possibilities in future posts. I must remember to keep my camera's battery charged! xo

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  11. looks like you had a great time.Isn't retirement wonderful?

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  12. I love this post Frances. I can feel like I am there watching too. It is a very interesting subject to have chosen to show us. I remember basketball in Manhattan with four or five young people playing together on street corner sites and softball in Central Park on a Sunday afternoon. Thank you.x

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    1. Rachel, I wish I could have recorded some of the sound effects...the crack of the bat, the team mates urging their buddies on. The constant questions like, who's at bat next, what inning is it, how many outs do we have. And even a couple of American in Paris coaching types letting a male who was going into the batter's box know that...remember, a girl's batting after you. Some those girls got pretty good hits! (The Hamilton team didn't talk about girls in that way.)
      I think you would have loved the scene. xo

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  13. Those 'amateurs' take their ball seriously. I bet it is quite good for people watching. Have a wonderful weekend Frances.

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    1. It was not easy to figure out which team members were actors or dancers, and which were tech folks. That was part of the charm of the event.
      Hoping your weekend is very fine. xo

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  14. Leave it to you, Frances, to write about something I never even thought about happening in NYC. How fun to have seen that ball game between the theater people. Baseball seems so much a summer thing. When I hear the first sounds of a baseball game on the radio, I remember my mother and my grandfather sitting on a summer day listening to the Dodgers or the Yankees or the Red Sox gathering in the summer sun for a glorious game of baseball. It makes all the world seem in its right place. And I am late in complimenting you on your beautiful knitting. Colors are so unusual, and your patterns superb!

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    1. Thank you so much Carol! Perhaps you know of Roger Kahn's book, The Boys of Summer? I also remember listening to baseball games on the radio with my father. Sweet memories. xo

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  15. Thank you for sharing your newly-acquired gift of Time, Frances. I think it would be lovely to wander over to watch a game. Now I must go backwards to read your post that I missed!

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    1. I appreciate your comment, Pondside. Yes, right now I do feel that "time is on my side" and am thoroughly enjoying this newly acquired gift. xo

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  16. It is sunny here again today so could quite imagine the pleasure in your post. So many friends and relatives go there for the shopping and the buzz, it is lovely to read of another side of the city. Xx

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    1. Dear Procrastinator, thank you for your comment, letting me know that you appreciate that I do try to show folks some city views that are more about actually living here. I figure the shopping and buzzy bits get lots of play elsewhere! xo

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  17. Dear Frances, I've been away from home for various reasons (all good so far!) so forgive me for being a little slow to catch up. Today I've learned a bit about softball which is/was a complete mystery to me, so thank you! Good to see you enjoying your well-deserved 'leisure' time - I can see how busy you're keeping from that wonderful knitting post too - and lucky us to be able to enjoy it with you. Cxx

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    1. Chris, I am really having a grand time. I'm glad that I began this entry into retirement as spring began. Every day really does present grand opportunities. I just came home from a delightful tea party with friends. xo

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  18. Nice to read and see your post about Central Park and its users. What a great way to enjoy the good weather!

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    1. Jolanda, there are so many ways to enjoy Central Park. I am going to try to show you all many of them during these lovely spring into summer days. xo

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  19. I always enjoy your pictures from this lovely park where EVERYTHINGS seems to happen! So different from my calm countryside :)
    Have a beautiful friday Frances, take care!
    Titti

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    1. Thank you so much, Titti. Yes, there are many pleasures to be found in Central Park.
      Happy Weekend to you. xo

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  20. I really love the idea of the Broadway shows fielding teams like this! How fantastic. It sounds as if you are really ennjoying your retirement Frances. How good to have the time to wander like this!

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    1. This is real down to earth softball. I'm about do post a blog with some photographs of the preparations for tonight's Tony awards to be staged at a theatre in this neighborhood. xo

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  21. It is lovely to see you enjoying your retirement, and deservedly so my friend. As always the picture speak a thousand words and each one fabulous.

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    1. Thank you, my dear friend. I've just posted a new blog about tonight's Tony Awards...happening just around the corner. xo

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