OT: Iowa High School baseball is back!

[HawkGold]

Do the baseball owners and players actually realize how much they are on thin ice with fans. To me, they have to do everything they can to work out something as a stoppage would be very detrimental to them. Fans are losing interest and patience and it's getting more difficult to watching it on TV. I think more that people's attention spans have lessened over the years.

Meanwhile in my little town parents put on a mini prom with 40 kids. 19 positives do far of those in attendance. I know I know they aren't likely to die.

 

[HawkGold]

I was a catcher for 15 yrs, umpired for 7, NEVER a game without a cup lol

But did you wear a helmet?

 

[proudhawkfan21]

But did you wear a helmet?

Helmet? Lol Probably should have worn the mask at least. I caught plenty of people who hit mid 80's, a couple upper 80's, but when it cracks the 90's...it just goes to a whole new level. The ball just dances, hops, jumps. Sebastian "Dusty" Rogers was the best I ever caught. Played in the majors for the Reds (top pick in supplemental draft one year), i caught him in semi pro old man ball and he still made every other pitcher look like every other pitcher compared to him. Mask was necessary because the fastball alone moved dangerously lol

 

[99topdawg]

No but I did a couple with Dekkers last year. That kid's terrifying because he bumps into the 90s without total control of it. I don't get nervous very often but I did with him. I could tell his catcher was pretty stressed.

From what I've heard of Harpenau he's got stuff though, whereas Dekkers just has a fastball that 99.99% of high school kids can't get around on and that's about it. Harpenau sounds like a guy that can actually work good batters. He's not very big either, is he?

He's listed at 6'1" 170 on Prep Baseball Report, but he grew 3 inches and added 25 pounds from the year before.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Meanwhile in my little town parents put on a mini prom with 40 kids. 19 positives do far of those in attendance. I know I know they aren't likely to die.

Holy shit!

 

[Northside Hawk]

They used to be really good like a lot of the private Catholic schools in Iowa, but they’ve fallen off.

In NW Iowa you had Spaulding Catholic, Remsen St. Mary’s, and Gehlen Catholic who were always good, Spaulding especially.

Now Spaulding doesn’t exist, RSM is just a little above average, and Gehlen sucks. Kind of a shame too because Spaulding had a long baseball history (it was their only sport) and the nicest field in NW Iowa. They used to be feared and now the field just sits there.

They used to be really good like a lot of the private Catholic schools in Iowa, but they’ve fallen off.

In NW Iowa you had Spaulding Catholic, Remsen St. Mary’s, and Gehlen Catholic who were always good, Spaulding especially.

Now Spaulding doesn’t exist, RSM is just a little above average, and Gehlen sucks. Kind of a shame too because Spaulding had a long baseball history (it was their only sport) and the nicest field in NW Iowa. They used to be feared and now the field just sits there.

I can remember when Bancroft St. John's was a powerhouse as well. At least one of their players made the major leagues. Denis Menke, who played for the Astros and Reds.

 

[HawkGold]

Holy shit!

The area was the one of the first to have cases and deaths. The metro area was a lesser on shutting down. Then the distancing just quit and it erupted last week a healthy 40 yo died and a 36 yo with conditions died. The don't do deaths but once a week. My HS student has life threatening med issues already. What is amazing we are in peak But D time.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

For the Wapsie Valley folks here, your baseball coach Tom Joecken was one of the best baseball players in Iowa in the ...lacked speed but nothing else.

I’ve taken shots that actually tore holes in my wool dress pants. Had one a couple years ago that smashed my zipper and I had to shimmy out of the pants after the game.

For any of you dudes out there who might be considering getting into umpiring or who have kids who will be catchers, Nutty Buddy is the only one on the market I’d trust. Dead serious. I trust my son with it and I definitely want grandkids someday.

Do not, I repeat...do not, buy your kid a bargain cup at Scheels or Walmart. Or an MMA cup. Nutty Buddy is the only one out there right now that I have 100% confidence in and have battle tested. This video below is kinda funny but it’s definitely no f’ing joke.

I just used the old traditional deep dish nut cup. My love for cups goes back to 6th grade. Town team. High school seniors coached us. Best part of their day was smashing balls at us at the end of practice, all dirt field, rocks and all...took a heat seeking missile on the last ball hit....laid on the ground rolling around in agony while the whole team and coaches went to the stands to laugh and watch and get out of the sun. Lol Memories. Oh, no cup, last time ever

 

[ssckelley]

For the Wapsie Valley folks here, your baseball coach Tom Joecken was one of the best baseball players in Iowa in the ...lacked speed but nothing else.

He's a good coach, you can tell that he loves teaching the game. These past few seasons have been the best we've seen at Wapsie for a long time. We were gut wrenching loss to South Winn last year from making state.

To you baseball historians, we played in New Albin last night and it has a interesting ballpark. Is there any history behind it? The ballpark had a fairly big bleacher seating for a small school/town and the steel beams in the back that suggest it may have had an overhang at one time. No bathrooms (porta potties) but other than that it was an interesting ballpark.

Scratch that, I should have used google before posting. It does have an interesting history. See this article and it has a picture of the stadium.

https://www.hometownsource.com/cale...cle_4a7c4507-156f-5308-8f34-6391f5932e52.html

 

[RobHowe]

Was out at Iowa City Liberty for its game against Iowa City West last night and then headed over to West for its game with Liberty softball. People wearing masks and social distancing at both places. Bleachers were closed to fans.

 

[RobHowe]

 

[MelroseHawkins]

The area was the one of the first to have cases and deaths. The metro area was a lesser on shutting down. Then the distancing just quit and it erupted last week a healthy 40 yo died and a 36 yo with conditions died. The don't do deaths but once a week. My HS student has life threatening med issues already. What is amazing we are in peak But D time.

This is what is so weird and disconcerting about this disease. Why some do worse than others for no apparent reason. I wish you the best keeping your child healthy. I know you've mentioned before the health issues.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

He's a good coach, you can tell that he loves teaching the game. These past few seasons have been the best we've seen at Wapsie for a long time. We were gut wrenching loss to South Winn last year from making state.

To you baseball historians, we played in New Albin last night and it has a interesting ballpark. Is there any history behind it? The ballpark had a fairly big bleacher seating for a small school/town and the steel beams in the back that suggest it may have had an overhang at one time. No bathrooms (porta potties) but other than that it was an interesting ballpark.

Scratch that, I should have used google before posting. It does have an interesting history. See this article and it has a picture of the stadium.

https://www.hometownsource.com/cale...cle_4a7c4507-156f-5308-8f34-6391f5932e52.html

I grew up in NE Iowa but 90 min from the Lansing/New Albin area. Never played Kee High but we all knew of their success and this terrific coach they had that groomed the young kids from the beginning.

An awesome old video!!

 

[Robowe]

 

[ssckelley]

It's tough for kids to understand the severity of this. At Wapsie we had a little section of bleachers that were situation by the dugout, the first game all kids sat on them together even with coaches yelling at them to distance themselves. The next game those bleachers had been removed so the kids brought a bunch of chairs and blankets and sat together instead.

My kids sat with me the entire time. Although I admit that we could sit 3 feet apart from others let alone 6, and this is because Wapsie closed all of their bleacher seating. But we all sat closely together and tried to put a little distance between us and other people. But I will say that I'm less worried about COVID being outside, they say its tough to catch COVID while being outside, it's being in poorly ventilated areas that worry me.