saturday night lights

I was a little late getting out to Grayson for the game tonight.
I have to blame Paul.
Well, maybe I don't have to, but I'm certainly going to.
I'm also going to graciously thank him for that hour-plus delay.
If I had left home when I'd intended, I might well have been part of the terrible wreck on Truman Parkway that still had traffic tied up - and seven police cars - when I did drive onto that road.
So, thanks, Paul, for being on a hike out there in Oakland and giving me a call to keep you company.
(smile!)

I arrived in time for the bottom of the third inning.
Unbeknownst to me heretofore, that's when the Banana Nanas gather in the first-base concourse to practice their moves.
And see those enormous yellow plastic bats they're wielding?
That means the song they'll be dancing to will be "Swing Batter" -
I love that country song!
Hooray!

I gathered my chicken sandwiches, hotdogs, potato chips, cookies, and Diet Coke - yeah, yeah, silly I know - and headed into the stands to check out seating for my party of five.
(Don't forget my 4 'gators!)
How about that!
4th row, just to the left of home plate, under those cooling fans!
4th inning was underway, and the bases were full of Blowfish.
That's when the Bananas' pitcher struck the batter and walked in their first run of the game.

The Bananas had four runs in the 2nd, so maybe they figured Eli Ellington could go a little longer.
That worked out okay, though.
Jose Gonzalez, Jr., tapped his second home run of the season, bringing in two of the three runs in the 5th.
That's him, running from second to third on his way around the bases.
Bill Knight, who scored an RBI with his own at-bat, is waiting for him there at home.
Good work, Savannah Bananas!

The Lexington County team tried to make a comeback in the 6th, even managing to steal home at one point!
But, in the end, they couldn't get the runs needed.
Why no photo of that steal?
Well, Split was distracting me.
First, he was to my right, bustin' a move and nearly bustin' his butt.
Then, he was to my left, muggin' for the camera with a bevy of PYTs, then with a pair of first-graders.
I'm glad I was in the stands for that bit of fun!
I'm glad the Bananas won, too.
They'd lost both games of the doubleheader on Blowfish turf under Friday night lights.
I guess that gave our team the incentive they needed to win for us tonight!
I'll have to let Mister Willie know.
He'd called earlier to tell me that Dakota had spoken to him and would be looking for me at the game.
I never did run into her, but I asked another staffer to pass along my thanks to her.
That call had really boosted Willie's spirits!
Now, I'm settling in with the very first episode of "Saturday Night Live" ever aired.
That was back in October of 1975, with George Carlin hosting.
It'll also have two musical guests, Billy Preston as well as Janis Ian.
I wonder how else it will differ from the modern SNL version?
Let's see, shall we?
(smile!)