Ghost Man on Third: The History of the World Part I Edition

The  Award Winning Official Newsletter of the MA Commonwealth Division

"We are not makers of kickball. We are made by kickball"  

CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK: " I never wanted this to end. Good with transmission but too lazy to send. Not going down no in no history. You're going down because of me " - The Hives

Table of Contents: 

I: Going Down In

II: The King is Dead. Long Live The King

III: It's Good to Be the King

IV: A People's 

V: Standings and Schedule 

VI: Announcements

VII: Written by the Vyktor

PART I: " Do you want me to tell it like it's boy meets girl and the rest is history, or do you want it like a murder mystery? I'm gonna tell it like a comeback story." - The Hold Steady

Before this season becomes history, remember we have two final events.  

DATE: FRIDAY AUGUST 17th

TIME: 7:00 PM until the Drinks Run Out

LOCATION: The Hong Kong at Fanuiel Hall 

WHO: Registered League Members and Guests

WHY: You earned it. You are drinking on WAKA! DRINK RESPONSIBLY

View the Facebook Invite with all the Details Here. 

This is followed by the MA Commonwealth All-Star Game on Thursday August 23rd! 

After tonight we have one more game. Why it's the All-Star Game. Come cheer on your Kickball All-Stars as they work their way through the gauntlet that is born forth from the twisted mustache'd mind of  league rep Paul. Watch as a team consisting of the All-Stars from Ninjapocalypse Now, Dirty Mike and The Boys, Looking to Bust Balls and Kickin Nuggets lead by Ninja captain and your not-so-humble GMOT Editor, me, takes on the team of Pumped Up Kicks, Don't Come on My Base!, We've Got the Runs, and Teleballin' lead by the also not-so-humble, yet not GMOT Editor, Pumped Up Kicks Captain, Vickie Baker.

PART II: " We drove to Memphis the sky was hard and black. Up over the ridge came a white Cadillac. They drawed out all his money and they laid him in the back. A woman cried from the roadside "Oh he's gone, he's gone". They found him slumped up against the drain. With a whole lotta trouble running through his veins. Bye bye Johnny. Johnny bye Bye. You didn't have to die " - Bruce Springsteen

On August 16th, thirty five years ago, Elvis Aron Presley was found dead in his bathroom in his Graceland Mansion in Memphis Tennessee. The King was dead. Long Live The King. 

Now I am on vacation this week from my day job of manually masturbating rare and exotic animals for  industrial uses. (If you only knew the importance of the rock hyrax to commercial coffee production.) So I have stepped away from the "squirting floor" as we call it at work, and am elbows deep in rock n roll history as I navigate through three nights with Bruce Springsteen and his history making, booty shaking, curfew breaking, love making, viagra taking, legendary E-Street Band. On Tuesday night's show he both honored the venue, Fenway Park for its 100th Anniversary, and during an encore performance of Dirty Water (a song that itself is a time capsule of Boston in the days of the Strangler) pictures of Johnny Pesky graced the Jumbotron, honor a man who was living history for the Red Sox. (And who's death prompted my quip, "You know it's a bad season when the embodiment of Red Sox baseball checks out before the season is over." Too soon?) 

Anyway, this week for me is heavy with rock n roll history. Bruce's career of course spans since his debut in 1973, but his influences reach back all the way into the dark past of American rhythm, soul, gospel and blues. And the man who brought these influences together and made them into the phenomena that has defined modern American culture is of course Elvis. Elvis wasn't the best singer or guitar player. He wasn't much of a song writer, and he had his virtues and vices like everyone. I'm not one of those who clings to idea that for the past 35 years he's been living as a guy incognito, to escape the worship cult that will be descended upon Memphis this week. (I could go for some BBQ). But he was ground zero of the art form that has captured my imagine and soul since I was a small child who, when visiting family in the rural south, visited a small shotgun shack in Tupelo. 

As I listened to Bruce's song "Bye Bye Johnny" (which of course is a play on the name of Chuck Berry song, you know Chuck Berry, the cousin of the guy who played for the band for the 1955 Mill Valley Prom "Enchantment Under the Sea") one of his rarest live tracks today on bootleg, a song written about the moment the world found out The King was dead, a memory came rushing back from a few years ago. Michael Jackson, another King of Pop, died on a Thursday in the summer. I was on my way to kickball when my cell phone blew up with texts alerting me that another flawed King who so changed popular culture had become history. 

And since I am on vacation, there will be no bit this week. Just reflection. (And while I'm reflecting you may want to reflect on another Elvis fan's contribution to this league. Here's Tim's photos from last week. Love the series capturing the tip between two members of Dirty Mike and the Boys)

History they say is written by the victors. But really it is written by each one of you. We make our own history. 

PART III:  " If I had rubies and riches and crowns. I’d buy the whole world and change things around. I’d throw all the guns and the tanks in the sea. For they are mistakes of a past history. Let me die in my footsteps. Before I go down under the ground " - Bob Dylan

#3 Dirty Mike and The Boys 12 over #6 We've Got the Runs

We've Got the Runs knew they would be in for a tough match against Dirty Mike and the Boys as they had beaten us pretty badly the first time we played. We started off well playing solid defense and even scoring a run in the first inning. Unfortunately that would be our only run and our defense slowly collapsed as we lost 12-1.

So with the season over, special thanks to the members of We've Got the Runs, Captain Sam, Brad, Mike, liz, Katie, David, Kerry, Mike, Kaytie, Natalie, Joe, David, Becky, Matthew, Laura, Frank, Joanna, Andrew, Vivek, Kevin, Tracy, Jodi, Amanda.

Sam contributed this report. 

#4 Don't Come on My Base! 6 over #5 Looking to Bust Balls 1

Just like Team USA and Argentina, the two gender-distinctive colors faced off for the third time. It was truly a fight to the finish, which is a good place to end. Sneaky captaining placed the true power of the lineup in the third inning, as DCOMB was able to overcome an early one run deficit with a 2 RBI double by Jon S and a deep sacrifice fly to right field by Jon C. With the momentum behind us, it turned into a game reminiscent of the Sandlot 2, with Ilana L stealing home a la Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez. After winning six of the last seven games, only time (and the referees) will tell who will win the rematch of week 2 versus the Ninjas. But this time, we're leaving the muu muu's at home. 

With their defeat, the season ends for Looking to Bust Balls. So a special thanks goes out to  Captain Jason, Sara, Andrew, Michael, Julia, Max, Jamie, Lindsay, Tara, Valerie, Jordan, Andrea, Ben, Yasmin, Patrick, Nick, Anthony, Jonathan, Jay, Justin, Adam, Amy, Steve, Abbey, and Richard.


Erik contributed this report.

PART IV: " From the Hundred Year War to the Crimea. With the lance and the musket and the Roman spear. To all of the men who have stood with no fear. In the service of the King  " - The Clash

#2 Pumped Up Kicks 3 over #7 Kickin Nuggets

The Nuggets put up a good fight this season! Our skilled pitcher Pedro and talented fielders kept up with most kicks and we didn't end up in last place! We count that as a victory. We'll be spending the rest of the year working out, taking steroids, and practicing our moves, so other teams should be prepared next season. It's ON. 

And with that congrats to Kickin Nuggets, Captain Jess, Olivia, Martha, Matthew, Adam, Aubrey, Christopher, Pedro, Sabrina, Amy, Elisha, Jennifer, Nathan, Tom, Julie, Adam, Patrick, Laurie, Topher, Erin, Justin, Rebekah, Diane, Randi.

Jess contributed this report.

#1 Ninjapocalypse Now 9 over #8 Teleballin' 0

It is often said familiarity breeds contempt. Except in kickball, where while the third game between the Ninjas and Teleballin' resulted the same (with the Ninjas scoring nine runs in each contest) the third battle left the Ninjas with a deep respect. Despite jumping to an early lead and being defensively smothered like grits at a Waffle House, Teleballin' kept battling. It's that honorable effort that instead of breeding contempt fostered a sense of respect and honor in the finest Ninja tradition. Salut! 

Congratulations to Captain Meghan, Anthony, Carl, Holly, Bill, Inda, Mike, Dan, Stefan, Richard, Anton, Jillian, Maureen, Ziphorah, Barbara, Jennifer, Steve, Ramiro, Nikoleta, Melissa, Megan, Scott, Matthew, and Richard for a great season. 

PART V: "Please allow me to introduce myselfI'm a man of wealth and taste. I've been around for a long, long year. Stole many a man's soul and faith." - The Rolling Stones

Schedule:

6:30PM

Dirt: 

#2 Pumped Up Kicks v. #3 Dirty Mike and the Boys

Referee: To Be Determined

Grass:

#1 Ninjapocalypse Now v. #4 Don't Come on My Base!

Referee: To Be Determined

7:15pm 

Championship Game

Winner of

#2 Pumped Up Kicks v. #3 Dirty Mike and the Boys

vs.

Winner of

#1 Ninjapocalypse Now v. #4 Don't Come on My Base!

Referee To Be Determined
Field to be Chosen by Highest Remaining Seed.

PART VI: " You're on the never never. You think it can't go on forever. But the papers say it's better. I don't care 'cos I'm not all there. No Elvis Beatles or the Rolling Stones.- Bruce Springsteen

Announcements, Announcements Announcements

BOCA BAR:It's almost Last Call at Boca. Come on by and celebrate with the winner and commiserate with the valiant defeated at our home away from home. 

PHOTOS: Special thanks again to Tim for his photography of this season. It's been a real pleasure. 

TWITTER: If you can't make the final, and are dying to know,  @Macommonealth is the first place to find out the results from Thursday. Give them a follow!

PART VII: Listen to the country, the night jar and the bell. Listen to the the night streamliner sounding like the wolves of hell. Head for the water – the waters of the cleansing spell. it was always our destination on the express of the ner do wells.
And we rock through Madison city,man we didn’t even know she was there, ‘til we hit the baffles in Memphis and Beale Street didn’t have no prayer.
I hear punks talk of anarchy – I hear hobos on the railroads. I hear mutterings on the chain gangs
It’s those men who build the roads. And if you put it all together, You didn’t even once relent. You cast a long shadow, And that is your testament.

Somewhere in my soul, there’s always Rock ‘n’ Roll."
- Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

Tonight this league becomes part of history as a Champion is crowned. But what is more important, once that moment of triumph or defeat wears off and the life's grind re-establishes it's grip upon us, is that this season will now be part of our permanent history. It has been wonderful to meet and write for all of you this season, and that I hope that this recreational engagement in a child's sport has been good for your spirit and your souls, and that you will remember these games and these moments fondly. And we've been doubly blessed this season with the work of Tim, whose skills as a photographer have provided a rich visual history of our league this season. Make sure you check out this week's album here.  Thanks to Tim. Thanks to league Rep Paul for all of his work.

But most importantly, thanks to you. For you are the ones who've made this season one for the ages. Tonight a new Champion is crowned. The king will be dead. Long live the king as history marches on. 

Good Luck and Happy Kicking,

- David, GMOT Editor