Ghost Man on Third: The Not Dark Yet Edition

The  Award Winning Official Newsletter of the MA Commonwealth Division

"There are games beyond this kickball game" - Russell "Stringer" Bell 

WEEK 8:"I'm drinking heartbreak motor oil and Bombay gin.I'll sleep when I'm dead. Straight from the bottle, twisted again.I'll sleep when I'm dead." - Warren Zevon

Table of Contents: 

I: Inverted Planking 101
II: Slumber Party

III: Recaps

IV: Schedule and Standings

V: Announcements

VI: Finish Your Own Damn GMOT

PART I: "Hush my darling, don't fear my darling, the lion sleeps tonight" - The Tokens

Yeah. Right now, I'd rather sleep than write, so instead of words here's a "just-like-when-a-sitcom-does-a-clip-show-or-band-releases-a-greatest-hits-album" collage of the season so far. 

PART II: "Waking up before I get to sleep. Cause I'll be rocking this party eight days a week. No sleep till Brooklyn" - The Beastie Boys

END OF SEASON PARTY

When: Saturday, August 27th

Where: Hong Kong - Harvard Square

Time: 7-10pm 

Free for Registered WAKA Members. $5 for Guests!

For more information, check here. 

PART III:" Hush little baby don't say a word. And never mind that noise you heard. It's just the beasts under your bed. In your closet and in your head. Enter Night. Take my hand! We're off to never never-land." - Metallica

6:30 PM Games

99 Problems 8 over The Boston Kreamers 6

Looking to Score 8 over Ninja Awesomenauts 4

Good news everyone! NASA defeated Looking to Score by a count of 3-1.

Oh Shit, WAKA counts the first innings of these games now? Then LTS handed NASA their space suited asses 8-4.

Ben Kramer had around 9 or 10 put outs at catcher, and later drank that many beers at Boca. A few NASA people scored and did good things, but nobody got the MVP trophy because Hadley didn't bring it this week. Oh well. Rick won the sword with the best kick of the game. Unfortunately it was from left field trying to relay the ball in during one of many long bombs.

NASA jumped on top with an early run before LTS went crazy in the bottom of the 1st. Chris and Julia got on base to start the rally. Kramer's single plated Chris. With runners on 1st and 2nd Jay P kicked a double that brought in Julia and Kramer. BDO and Mike C got hits to load the bases then Jay K's double brought Jay P and BDO in. Jay K and Mike C then came in to score on Nick's double. At the end of the inning it was 7-1.

Not content to chip away at the rally and see what happened, some members of NASA decided to take destiny in to their own hands and change the rules of the game midstream by realigning the field so that from base to base was closer to a country mile than the WAKA defined 20 paces.

But in the end the strong defense of Kramer, Kellie, and Sara J proved too much and LTS triumphed 8-4.

Jason of Looking to Score and Paul of NASA contributed to this report.


7:15 Games

Pitch Please! 3 over One Kick Wonders 0

Ballbusters 6 over WAKA Flocka Flame 5

In what could be one of the more controversial games of the season, Ball Busters and WAKA Flocka Flame set up the preview for Rivalry Week with an intense battle. Here are the two sides of the coin. You be the judge.

From WFF
Being bitter rivals since before this season even began, when captain Tom of the Ball Busters kicked a certain few members of WAKA Flocka Flame from his team by proclaiming in his best King Leonidas voice: "THIS IS SPARTAAA, REMOVE THE RANDOMSSSS" (or so one can only imagine), this game was sure to be the one to ignite the fire under Flocka Flames' ass. In the most exhilarating kickball game this season, WAKA Flocka Flame had the taste of victory on the tip of their tongues, as they overcame the Ball Busters' terrible defense and rounded the bases a total of five times. Ball Busters was shaking in their cleats so much that they sunk to the level of claiming that Flocka Flame MUST be cheating (You would think if the team strategy was to cheat, that perhaps Flocka Flames would have won a game by now. 

Someone must have been sleeping through Logic 101 in college)! After what seemed like ten minutes of them scrutinizing the team line-up and not finding any discrepancies, they slunk back to their side of the grass. In the end, WAKA Flocka Flame felt bad and let Ball Busters win by one point in order for them not to completely lose their dignity. Until next time, Ball Busters!

From Ball Busters. Captain Tom was absent, so here's the Algonquin Round Table recap from various BB members.

The other team was up to shenanigans. Come to find out the same guys kept kicking out of order so they could get up to bat more hence the fact I let up 5 runs!! I did peg out a kid at 3rd in the 6th as he was diving back to 3rd! He would have been the tying run!! - Richie

As we were walking off the field I heard a kid from the maroon team talking to the ump at third and he said, "Yeah...they would have had to notice, and appeal it and everything, but it doesn't matter now." Whether he was talking about a foul play or the line-up swap, I don't know! Shaaady. - Tom

During some inning I got WHOMPED with the ball in the arm on the way to third for I think the final of the inning? I don't know. I was too distracted by my throbbing arm ;) - Kristy



I got a run!!!!! - Amy!!!!

And I decided NOT to run and just stand on second base.... blonde moment much?? - Jordan

Since Jordan was hogging the base and wouldn't let me on I got tagged out on that one too. -Jamie

Just curious did anybody take the score sheet? We tried to keep track of who scored when...I know there was one inning, I think the third when Rich and I scored. We got 4 runs in a row in the second with Amy, and I don't remember the other 3. - Adam

well i scored, but it wasn't in kickball... hehe - Jordan

I scoredddddddd - John

These two teams seems on a collision course for the first game of the playoffs. Oh boy.

Kristy, John, Jordan, Adam, Tom, Richie of Ball Busters and Ilana from WAKA Flocka Flame contributed this report.

PART IV:"Sweet dreams are made of these. Who am I to disagree? I've travelled the world and the seven seas. Everybody's looking for something." - Eurythmics 

Standings:

Schedule Week 8: Thursday, August 4

6:30 PM

Mud Dirt:Ninja Awesomenauts v.Ball Busters

Referees: Pitch Please!

Grass:  The Boston Kreamers v. 99 Problems 

Referees: One Kick Wonders

7:15 PM

Mud  Dirt: Pitch Please! v. Looking to Score

Referees: Ball Busters 

Grass:  One Kick Wonders v.  WAKA Flocka Flame

Referees:The Boston Kreamers

Equipment: One Kick Wonders

PART V:"Sleep. Sleep tonight. And may your dreams be realized. If the thundercloud passes rain. Let it rain." - U2  

Announcements, Announcements Announcements

PLAYOFFS!: Next week the MA Commonwealth Playoffs Begin! Stay tuned to email and twitter for the low down.

SUNLIGHT: As we move deeper into July and August, the sun will start to become an issue at Lowell Playground. Teams and umpires participating in the 6:30 games please start on time or enforce the 15 minute rule (If a team doesn't have the requisite players, a forfeit will be called 15 minutes after the scheduled start.)  This is critical so the second games can be played in the best and safest lighting conditions.  

TWITTER: Follow the league twitter account for all you twatters out there. Get the latest news and information about the MA Commonwealth Division (including stuff about rivalry week) from our twitter feed. Follow us @macommonwealth

BOCA BAR: Get into the playoff spirit with some spirits at the Boca Bar.   

WEATHER: We're gonna have weather  

PART VI:  "Shadows are falling, and I've been here all day. It's too hot too sleep and time is running a way. Feels like my soul has turned into the steel. I've still got the scars that the sun didn't heal. There's not even room enough to be anywhere. It's not dark yet, but it's getting there." - Uncle Bob

With tonight's games, the regular kickball season is over. One may think it's time to sleep, perchance to dream. But now is not the time to slumber. One team is three wins away from Immortal Kickball Glory. Now is the time to wake up, smell the coffee, drink the red bull, and power through to the end. 


After a nap, of course. 

Good luck and Happy Kicking.
- David, GMOT Editor

Ghost Man on Third: The Paint it Black Edition

The  Award Winning Official Newsletter of the MA Commonwealth Division

"I'm just a kickball player, I suppose" - Avon Barksdale 

WEEK 7: Starry, starry night. Paint your palette blue and gray. Look out on a summer's day. With eyes that know the darkness in my soul. - Don McLean

Table of Contents: 

I: The colors children. The colors!
II: Paint the Town Red

III: Recaps

IV: Schedule and Standings

V: Announcements

VI: Color me bad

PART I: "We expected something, something better than before. We expected something more. Do you really think you can just put it in a safe behind a painting lock it up and leave? Do you really think you can just put it in a safe behind a painting lock it up and leave? Walk away now and you're gonna start a war." - The National

RIVALRY CHALLENGE WEEK DRAWING TWO TONIGHT (edit: FAIL)

After tonight's games, the drawing for rivalry challenge week will occur. This weighted lottery will determine the week 8 schedule. Be at the Boca Bar tonight to witness the greatest lottery ever (in the history of the MA Commonwealth division, that is). 

This is how it will work. In a weighted lottery, teams will have the number of beans in a jar that corresponds with their position in the standings (standings after tonight's games). 8th place team will have 8, 7th place team, 7 etc. A bean will be picked and that team will get to pick their opponent for week 8. The captain of the challenged team will select the time and field. We'll continue until all the match ups are filled. Umpires will be selected based on how the lottery works out. Then we will drink and the trash talking (and hopefully bean eating) will begin.  

PART II: I just got my paycheck.I'm gonna paint the whole town grey. Whether it's a night in Paris or a Fresno matinee." - Warren Zevon


END OF SEASON PARTY

When: Saturday, August 27th

Where: Hong Kong - Harvard Square

Time: 7-10pm 

Free for Registered WAKA Members. $5 for Guests!

For more information, check here. 

PART III:" Ya know I'd like to shave your head, and all my friends could paint it red. 'Cause love to me is a two way street, and all I really want is peace." - Guns N Roses

6:30 PM Games

Looking to Score 7 over WAKA Flocka Flame 2

LTS, no doubt inspired by their new Puma kicks, got off to a strong start versus WFF. Chris led off the game with a single and came around to score the first run on a Kramer triple. Kramer came in on a Jay P single to make it 2-0 after one inning. Jay K kicked a solo shot in the 2nd to make it 3-0.

The game’s biggest rally started in the 3rd due to Game MVP Leland and her one out triple. Chris singled her in and then Kramer brought him in on a double. Jay P’s second hit and second RBI of the day brought in Kramer to make it 6-0 after 3. Christian’s sac fly scored Mike C and made it 7-0. Lauren and Richard also had good days, both going 2 for 2 at the dish. 

BDO’s bid for a shutout was spoiled by a fourth inning moonshot by WFF. One more run in the last frame made the final 7-2. 

In the biggest turn around in kickball player history (there's gotta be a source for this somewhere), WAKA Flocka Flames' lovable player Clark, who has unfortunately been benched for most of the season due to an injury, scored a game-changing home run. Okay, perhaps it wasn't game changing, but it was pretty excellent to watch him circle all of the bases as fast as he possibly could given his injury, while Looking To Score continued to fumble with the ball. Because of this act of awesomeness, this weeks MVP goes to Clark. Another home run was scored by our MVP of last week - Johnny!
Jason of Last Team Standing and Ilana of Waka Flocka Flame contributed this report.

 

Ball Busters 4 over 99 Problems 3


In the battle of unbeatens, this was expected to be a defensive battle. Well, that thought went out the window when both teams scored three runs in the first. On our side it was Richie first. Tom scored on a sac fly next. Max plated the third run of the first by giving up the body and dry grass head first sliding into home. Let me tell you, from experience, that hurts!...so well done Maximus!

Patrick scored the Ball Busters fourth run (incidentally the winning run) in the third or fourth inning on Dan's sacrifice fly. In that same inning in the bottle half there was a strange play at third. It appears that Josh slide SO HARD into third that he was temporarily stuck on the base even though he was called out. It was truly strange. The umpire repeatedly told him that he was out, but he was just stuck, he couldn't get up, no matter how he tried, he just sat there. Finally, he was able to pry himself up and rejoin his team on the sidelines.

After the first inning, the Ball Busters clamped down and showed why they've been winning all season and started making defensive plays. Richie caught a fly out to right and then pegged one of 99s players in the dome as he was trying to dive back into first. Sliding means you can hit in the head and Richie could smell blood in the water.
In the bottom of the fifth Max threw in a relay to Tom and they were able to get one of 99s players out on a very close play at home plate to preserve the lead. Marty caught the final play of the game and now finally 99 Problems (Carescout) knows the agony of defeat!


Tom of Ball Busters contributed to this report.


7:15 Games

Ninja Awesomenauts 6 over Pitch Please! 3

NASA took to the skies in their beachwear with a galactic 6-3 victory over the gangsta'ed out Pitch Please squad. Nearly all of the Ninjanauts reached base, but it was Kenny Powers stunt double Rick who lead the charge with not one but two home runs. Andrew won our hearts with an amazing sliding catch, which lead his wife Kyla to say "Yeah, he does that all the time, you know, around the house." Hadley came off a one week hiatus with two big kicks and a run scored to earn the coveted spacesuit MVP award, which she proudly wore, despite the weather being hotter than the surface of Mercury. Also, as a special side note, this marked the first time in her kickball career that Jen did not slide or get injured. Huzzah!

Paul of NASA wrote this report


One Kick Wonders 5 over The Boston Kreamers 0 (Forfeit)

Unfortunately the Kreamers had a sad turn out. We only had 8 players. Props to the 2 girls that showed, Lauren D and Meghan S. We ultimately had to forfeit but played anyways. Even though the Kreamers were lacking in numbers, they were still boasting with talent. The Kreamers overcame the green team 7-0.

Meghan of The Boston Kreamers contributed this report.

PART IV:"I'll subtract pain by ounces.Yeah, I will start painting houses.If things come alive" - Interpol

Standings:

Schedule Week 7: Thursday, July 28

6:30 PM

Mud Dirt:The Boston Kreamers v. 99 Problems

Referees: Pitch Please!

Grass:  Ninja Awesomenauts v.Looking to Score 

Referees: WAKA Flocka Flame

7:15 PM

Mud  Dirt: Pitch Please! v. One Kick Wonders

Referees: 99 Problems 

Grass:  Ball Busters v.  WAKA Flocka Flame

Referees:Ninja Awesomenauts

Equipment:Ball Busters

PART V:"Brick Squad Waka Flocka Flame its fuckin on! I go hard in the muhfuckin paint " - Waka Flocka Flame (The Real One)  

Announcements, Announcements Announcements

SUNLIGHT: As we move deeper into July and August, the sun will start to become an issue at Lowell Playground. Teams and umpires participating in the 6:30 games please start on time or enforce the 15 minute rule (If a team doesn't have the requisite players, a forfeit will be called 15 minutes after the scheduled start.)  This is critical so the second games can be played in the best and safest lighting conditions.  


PHOTOS:  If you have anything to contribute to the GMOT, storys, poems, crude drawnings (emphasis on crude) pictures, please send them along to this address. We are always looking for any ideas. Sadly, no  Victorian softcore pornography allowed, even under the guise of vampire fiction.

TWITTER: Follow the league twitter account for all you twatters out there. Get the latest news and information about the MA Commonwealth Division (including stuff about rivalry week) from our twitter feed. Follow us @macommonwealth

BOCA BAR: With only a few more weeks left in our season, lets blow out the BOCA as thanks for their support throughout the year.  

WEATHER: Aw crap. I don't know.  

PART VI: "I see a red door and I want it painted black. No colors anymore I want them to turn black. I see the girls go by dressed in their summer clothes. I have to turn my head until my darkness goes" - The Rolling Stones

Despite the resplendent colors of summer, the darkness of fall is coming. With that means many things. Kids go back to school. Football and eventually hockey. Old people return to Florida and young people return from vacation. 


For us, the gloaming of the playoffs are upon us. After tonight and next week's Rivalry Challenge week, the playoffs are upon us. The road to Immortal Kickball Glory is about to begin. For one team it will be painted gold. For the rest it will be stained with the tears of bitter defeat. One team will walk through the red door, for the rest it will be painted black.  

Good luck and Happy Kicking.
- David, GMOT Editor