Baseballer's Guide to Life Almanac

This blog was designed to help out aspiring major leaguers by giving them some tips about baseball.

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Local Lore- Bud Martin


The embodiment of our booming city of Strongsville lies within one man that must display his great test of character through his actions everyday. He must express himself as having all of the qualities of our small diversifying city, because he has the all of the traits of the community making him up. Most families in Strongsville can be linked to, in some way, a person attending Strongsville High School. In that sense each of the family’s that pay homage to our growing little town have an affect on the principal of our High School. This, shall I quote; "Renaissance" man is therefore one big quilt of Strongsville. He must relate to every person in the city, and every aspect of life in Strongsville, in every way. He has to know how to deal with all situations in the correct manor, and handle everyone else’s problems with solutions that please them more than himself. He is the most selfless, helpful, and loyal individual in the community. He represents our city at social events, meetings, and by doing his job everyday. In every way shape and form this great High School principal is pure Strongsville. He bleeds green and white, and reeks of new developments. At the same time though, he knows the smell of the old farmlands with high timbers, and remembers the feeling of his original roots. The greatness of William D. Martin Junior as principal of Strongsville high school may be taken for granted in the near future just as it is now; but after his death he will be remembered as the great “Bud”. Bud who was everywhere all the time, for Strongsville, and how the community was built around his shoulders. This mans overall makeup of assorted nooks and crannies that compose Strongsville, make him a true treasure to our city.  Posted by Hello

Monday, November 15, 2004

Into the Wild


JonInto the Wild is a book that highlights the journey taken by a newly college graduated young man named Christopher McCandless. The successful man decides to desert his life and turn to the wilderness. He gives up all of his belongings and wealth, and changes his name. McCandless embarks on a trip to survive off the harsh wilderness of Alaska. Throughout the book Krakauer the author tries to make sense of this trip. He goes talks different problems McCandless went through, and by enterview explains some of the people he met on the journey and some of the letters he wrote to people. Krakauer uses stories from his life to compare to McCandlesses adventure. The conclusion can be come to that both McCandless and Krakauer had the erge to compete and defeat nature. McCandless didn't even make it out of that battle alive, and Krakauer had a very near death experience. This book represents the power that nature has over men and shows how it is a great escape from the cluttered organized world. The book also shows the insanity of humans. No sure conclusion can be come to that clearly states what drove McCandless to do what he did. A person would have to posses some traces of insanity to go about tackling the nature like he did. Posted by Hello

Works Cited

dlackey.org
http--outside.away.com-outside-disc-images-krakauerbook.jpg

A Recipe for Success

A baseball player's lunch recipe is very simple. Most moms already have the ingredients in their kitchen. A ballplayer's lunch should consist of combinations of the following items al thrown together in a brown paper bag.
-Milk
-Peanuts
-Sunflower Seeds (a definite must)
-Beef Jerky
-A Cold Cut Sandwich
-An Apple
-A treat (something sweet to get him through the day)

Book Review of Into the Wild

Into the Wild written by Jon Krakauer

Tyler Martin's Epitaph

Epitaph
The Body of T. Martin
Baseballer
Like a Floppy Old Leather Mitt,
Laces Stretched Out
And
Pocket Broken In,
Deserted Here
Preyed on by decay,
But Not Forgotten For Too Long,
For in the Near Future
Will be called for much needed use
Greased up and ready to pop again
Restored and Refurbished
By the Player

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Sorge-guistics

Josh Sorge is the head baseball coach for Strongsville High school, and he has an interesting language that he uses. There are a few words that have multiple meanings in Sorge jargon. They include such words as "Budday," and the phrase "You love it." These two terms can be used in combination with, after, before, or more than once in any sentence. The following terms are all regularly used, and common knowledge of any person affiliated with Sorge or Strongsville baseball.

Budday-Referring to a person; used instead of their name, or just thrown in random sentences for emphasis. The root word is buddy.
Example: Hey budday.

You Love It-Used as a connecting phrase between a task done, or ability to do something. Often said with pleasure toward what is being done, or sarcastically. Usually said along with budday in the same sentence.
Example: You love Cat Scratch Fever budday, you love it.

Hunny Hole-A gap in the infield between two position players where a ball can be hit for an easy basehit.
Example-You love that hunny hole budday.

Don't Be Dumb Get You Some-Used to put extra emphasis on the idea of doing a particular activity, or performing a certain action.
Example-Bosco sticks are for lunch today budday, don't be dumb get you some.

Mass Fungo-Period of time before games when the home team takes the field in order to practice their defensive skills and get warmed up. Fungo bats are the special bats used to hit fly balls and grounders. It can be used as a means of intimidation so that when the other team gets to the field they see that you are ready to play.
Example-Mass Fungo twenty minutes before game time budday, so make sure those spikes are laced up.

Watch Your Lips-Has the same meaning as heads up or duck. Used to tell a person to get out of the way; often said during Mass Fungo.
Example-Hey! We got balls coming budday, watch your lips.

In the Cup-Coach Sorge wants the pitchers to try to throw to the area aiming for the catchers cup. He calls it throwing in the cup.
Example-Hey, throw to the cup budday.

Work From the Ground Up-Phrase used to remind position players to make sure that they keep their gloves down when fielding a ball so that the ball cannot get under their glove.
Example-Work from the ground up budday.

Hamburger-When an infielder is fielding a groundball he should put his meat hand, or freehand on top of the ball in the glove, creating a hamburger.
Example-Hamburger that ball budday.

6-Pack It-Certain pitches a catcher has to receive put him in a position to catch the ball in the same motion as picking up a 6-pack of soda.
Example-6-pack that ball budday, the first five letters of Catcher are Catch.


Calf Stretch


It's easy for calves to cramp up so it's great to give them a good strectch. Posted by Hello

Lower Back and Butt Stretch


Stretching the lower back and butt muscles is vital to flexibility and good posture. Posted by Hello

Hamstring Stretch


Having flexible hamstrings is essential for speed and strength. You can do this simple stretch almost anywhere. Posted by Hello

The Drive Stretch


The drive stretch is great when you wake up in the morning and u have your PJs on still. It helps to loosen up your whole body. Posted by Hello

Copy Change Poem-Where Im From

I am from shoe strings,
from Heinz 57 and petroleum jelly.

I am from the fresh cut grass.
(Comfortable, acrobatic, burned like a hot pan.)

I am from the Japanese Maple,
the Weeping Willow that showered its shadow of protection over me like a mother’s arms in danger.

I’m from Dulce de Leche and stubby fingers,
from Carter and Harrison.

I’m from the lets talk it outs
and the you can do anything you put your mind to its,

From come down here and get up there.

I’m from we have to go to church this Sunday
and sleeping in every weekend.

I’m from Buenos Aires and Sandston, grits and Milanese.

From the pictures on my dad’s camera phone that he doesn’t know how to delete
the camera my mom bobbled out the car window on the freeway.
Forty-six years of memories cram old packaging boxes in the linen closet,

two full albums of me that my Great deceased Nanny Nelson kept since my conception.

I am from tasseled leather-
tight on the ankle loose on the toe-
the perfect side tuck.
-With thanks to Georgia Ella Lyon

Life Map

won a coloring contest

spilled paint down the carpeted stairs

Found $20

Moved to Strongsville

Made a new baseball team

Broke my finger

Failed a math test

Scared my dad

Personal Narrative Incident-Scared My Dad


I could hear him in the kitchen popping the aluminum cap off of his frosty bottled brew. He was saying my name in an imitative way, “Tyyyler.” His voice reminded me of the old woman that I shared games of bingo with in the nursing home for community service. Knowing my dad and how dim-witted he acts, I exited the den of our one-story ranch house and crept down our wooded hall to the kitchen doorway. As I approached, my dad was still teasingly spitting out the letters that make up my first name. I couldn’t help but to giggle hysterically in my head while I stayed low to the ground anticipating his steps. Little did he know the irony of his situation. While he was getting a rise out of his silly voice with my name in it, I would soon get a rise out of him. His footsteps were growing in sound as he began a stride toward the hall. I was like a kid in a candy store trying to pick out instead of the perfect flavor, the perfect time. There were so many instances to make my move that it was kind of funny to ponder the power I contained over my dad’s lackadaisical weekend attitude. His brief time of amusement and my awaited action were soon following a meeting of confliction. I released from my crouched position as a butterfly does from a cocoon but at the rat of a missile from a 9mm handgun. The priceless look on his face when I exploded en route of his inattentive body will forever be embedded in my mind. I went above and beyond the requirements of my mission. My dad jumped totally out of his skin when he saw me. It was just how I would imagine a persons reaction to just seeing a ghost. Making his flinched response even better was the chemical reaction of the drink he was holding. The quick rapid movement he made caused his brewed concoction to foam and spill all over the place. This was one of the funniest most unforgettable moments of my life. I still cry with laughter and get a runny nose when I think about it.