A Llama at the Bat

It was a bright sunny day and Ryan decided to take his family to the Lake County Captains game. It seemed as if it would be just a nice day at the ballpark but turned into so much more. Shortly after entering the ballpark I was approached by someone who worked with the Captains and he asked if I would like to take part in a promotion at the end of the 2nd inning, he said I would have 3 tries to hit a tennis ball off a tee for a home run. I said sure, although I was immediately nervous because it has probably been 20 plus years since I hit off a tee. So at the end of the first inning I went to my designated area and this is where the story gets good.

Grover, the on-field host of the Captains, says "Hey aren't you on the Llama Chasers?" I said yes and he said he was going to announce that when we get on the field. Once we got on the field he basically said "I would like to introduce you to Ryan, I am actually in a bowling league with him. He is on the Llama Chasers and we all know 4 strikes in a row is a Llama." Just like that the legend of the Llama Chasers grows. The Llama Chasers would like to thank Grover for the awesome recognition, check Grover out at http://grover.mlblogs.com/ and follow the Captains in the playoffs. I can already see Llama Chaser night at Captains stadium next year, each fan in attendance will get a Super Llama as they walk in the gates.



You may be wondering how Ryan did in the tennis ball on a tee home run challenge, so I borrowed a few lines from "Casey at the Bat" and I proudly present:



A Llama at the Bat

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt.
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the tee ball tee was adjusted to his hip,
Defiance flashed in Ryan's eye, a sneer curled Ryan's lip.

And now the tennis ball sat upon that tee,
And Ryan stood a-watching it and wondered what would be.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball on the tee lay dead—
"Hope I don't screw this up," said Ryan. "Strike one!" the umpire said.

With a smile of Christian charity great Ryan's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to Grover, he re-teed the ball on cue;
But Ryan swung and missed, and the umpire said "Strike two!"

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered "Fraud!"
But one scornful look from Ryan and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Ryan wouldn't miss that ball again.


Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and little girls shout;
Children there IS joy in LlamaLand — mighty Ryan hit one out.




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