Steve will never learn

For some reason, I just can't seem to get it through my thick skull that me and sports no longer mix. I first discovered this about 5 years ago when I was playing softball on a company team. I was playing rover in the outfield and having a great game. I had caught the first 2 outs when the third batter also hit a line drive my direction. I sprinted for the ball when all of a sudden my hamstring tightened up and left me in great pain. Ever since that day, EVERY TIME I play softball, I seem to injure my hamstring. So I told myself, that I just had to give up playing and stick to golf.

Well, last night, my brother Mike called me to see if I could fill in for someone who was going to be out on his SOFTBALL team. At first I instantly said no. (I should have stuck to that answer). But then after thinking about how since January, I had been going to the gym regularly and I have even run a 5k race this year with a 10k coming up in June, I figured I would be O.K. this time, so I said yes. I was really excited to get out their and play. I got to the park, got my shoes all laced up, and Mike and I went out to warm up.

Silly me. I am not even sure I should really go into all the embarrassing details of this. Mike and I were just playing catch to loosen up. He was throwing me these nice knuckle balls that had really good movement. It was like they were dancing in the air. Fun to see and play catch with....until....one of the knuckle balls did a hi jump to the left right at the last second. Apparently, my glove failed to make the same jump up and to the left. The result was the ball smacked me directly on the left eye brow. It made a nice gash that started to bleed right away. After only a couple of seconds, the bleeding was more like dripping and I knew that I just set a record for myself. I had not even been out on the field for 4 minutes when I hurt myself. For crying out loud, this happened during WARM UPS!!! I was not even in the game yet!! The eye instantly swelled up and started to turn purple.

Here, take a look:


However, They still needed me to play in order to not forfeit, so Mike taped up the gash, and they put my in as catcher. (in my defense, I actually went 2 for 3 at bat with solid hits and caught a foul ball for an out while playing. Not bad considering I was wounded) However, while running the bases in the 3rd inning...you guessed it, I pulled the hamstring. Actually, it is really the inner thigh muscle this time, but same issue...I am just not able to play softball anymore. In fact, I have decided to give up all sports where you throw or hit balls away from you and then they come back at you. I am sticking to Golf where you hit balls away from you and then you walk down and find them instead of having someone hit them back at you!

When will I ever learn!

Steve

p.s. here is what the eye looks like the next morning:




Here I am now at day 4. The welling is gone and the purple is starting to turn to yellow. Another week of having to explain this to everyone I meet and I will be good to go!