Sandlot Baseball – The “Go-To” Guy, Part 2

As noted in yesterday’s blog post, Phil Rando was the go-to guy when it came to delivering timely, conversational base hits in most of our classes at Archbishop Williams High School from the mid-to-late 60s. As you will see, he not only was adept at taking classroom arguments apart, he could do the same with old cars and go karts. His baseball memories:

“I have very few memories of actually playing baseball. I was always tinkering with mechanical devices like bicycles, lawn mowers, go karts and old cars. I was a real gear head. I loved taking things apart to see how they worked.”

“I do remember my parents making me join the baseball Farm League team when I attended the B.B. Russell Elementary School in Brockton. I remember reluctantly going (dragged, kicking and screaming, is more descript) to practices and games. Needless to say, I was not very good at baseball because I was never taught how to play by my parents or my older brother. Just the fact that I was there was painful for me.”

“I distinctly remember standing in right field during an inter-squad game praying that nobody would hit the ball in my direction. I had an uncontrollable response to run in on every fly ball hit in my direction whether or not they would drop in front of me or go sailing over my head.  Well, wouldn’t you know on this particular day there was a fly ball hit toward me in right field and didn’t I go running like hell toward the infield as the ball sailed well over my head?”

“Along with that embarrassment was the loud and obnoxious voice of my older brother yelling, ‘Hey coach – take him out – he sucks.’ From that day forward I refused to attend or be part of any organized sports activity. I stuck to swinging wrenches amidst the pungent aromas of gasoline and motor oil with the ever-present grease stains under my finger nails. That was my sport and is where I excelled as a youth.”

“I think I was always a Boston Red Sox fan and to a lesser degree a baseball fan. I really enjoyed sitting on the screen porch in the summer time and watching the games on an old black and white set that had about a 10” screen.  In my opinion, there is no better feeling than putting a good hit on a baseball. I think that anybody who has ever connected on a fastball and felt the bat hit the ball becomes a fan of the game.”

Every now and then, Phil and I like to talk about old friends and Kentucky nuns. We like to go back in time to homerooms and double dates. But mostly, we like to argue Red Sox baseball…