2009@myrtlebeach.com

Typical trip…some good, some bad. Made good time on the trip up, listening to the Maddux ceremony. He later joined Sutton in the booth, and was non-committal on his HOF cap. Several of the Braves games weren’t picked up by SC networks, and the wi-fi was slow and spotty.

Did eat a bunch…Bonefish Grill (a group of 18), Wild Wing Café (38!), Chick-fil-A several times, PB&Js, sandwiches, hot dogs, burritos, spaghetti, and home-made peach ice cream. Ceil’s relatives from Valdosta also came, swelling the ranks. For the first time ever we took a group picture…my count was at least 64, a record.

Matthew decided he liked the big waves, so I spent most of my beach time with him in the surf. Eventually I lost my cheap sunglasses in the water, though I had scratched them earlier in the week. Took Matthew to the Dollar Tree and I got three pair that should last me a while. M wanted to know how much sunglasses were next door at Wal-Mart, so we looked. He found a pair he liked that were ten bucks. Went back to Dollar Tree, and found the exact same pair for a buck…M wore them to the ball games.

One day I accidentally went in condo 101 instead of 201. With the bright beach filling the big windows, it was hard to see the couple staring at me until I was well into the condo. Only ran once, mostly due to the 9 AM high tide.

Monday I threw Will some BP, at NMBHS. There was a 13-year old team from South Jersey practicing, and an older Michigan team playing a game. Will spent Tuesday night with his team, and Ceil and I took Matthew on his annual trip to Bass Pro Shop. As usual, it was Mustang Week at the beach. Ford had a big event at the Hooters outside the Bass Pro.

I got invited to be the dugout coach, to keep the team book and help position players. In game 2 we moved the second-baseman to his left…that’s where the ball was hit on the next pitch. They won the first game, then dropped three close ones that could’ve gone either way. Won on Thursday morning, though Will didn’t reach base. He did make all the plays in the field. On the way home we ate at a local joint in Loris.

Friday AM he went 2-2 with a BB & HBP. His clutch single to left drove in two. The throw home was cut, then the immediate throw to second was off the mark. The second-baseman reached for the ball and Will ran right into him. The ball sailed into right-center and Will took third, later to score. The Connecticut team protested, but the umps had made the right call…defensive interference. On his next time up Will was hit, probably intentionally. It did put the tying run on second, and go-ahead run on first. Poor Jared, a beast in CF and at the plate, went 0-14 batting second behind Will…who reached base a team-high 7 times.

Between games we ate at the Litchfield Beach Fish House, which was pretty good. Ceil’s parents attended all 4 games, as did Ceil and Matthew. Anna hung out with cousins. Ceil’s Uncle Lennie & Aunt Corrine saw the first three, and Corrine’s brother Bob (a sports nut) got to see the Friday games, not far from his Pawley’s Island condo. Will made 2 errors in the Friday PM game, one on a roller he had to charge, another a dropped fly in the wind. Had he made those plays, they would’ve won. The offense was sluggish and the Cincinnati Patriots quelled a late inning rally with their 4th pickoff of the game.

Didn’t find out until 12:30 am that they had made the winner’s bracket, and would play at nearby MBHS at 9 AM. We had to check out, so packing took up the rest of Friday night and early Saturday AM. Will led off with a single, continued to second on the LF’s misplay, and took third on Jared’s groundout, and scored on Tyler’s single. The lead was short-lived, as Long Island moved ahead, but the Prowlers later tied the game on Michael’s double off the CF fence. The Whalers SS made several great plays, but Will and Mitch made a couple as well. Will walked with one out in the last inning, but Jared hit into a game-ending DP…bring tears to his mother’s eyes.

Will stayed with the team and returned Sunday, after an evening of putt-putt and Johnny Rockets. We left from the game and headed back, hitting the bumper-to-bumper exodus out of town. Spent too long in a Florence Borders on our lunch stop, and got home around 8 pm. Heard Uecker join the Braves radio team for an inning. I fell asleep on the couch at 9:30.

Sunday after NP we got my car from work. Ceil went to Costco, and shopped all afternoon. I napped more, and watch Newhart and MASH, since our cable is out. Got a headache last night, still have it today.