Latest from the Janitors, Asps, Other Books, and More Books - Ancient Rookie (Other Books) - Chet meets the media after his first spring training game appearance.

Today’s excerpt is from Ancient Rookie, a standalone sports fantasy book with an action/adventure sub-story.  After throwing the ball faster than anyone should be able to with his partially bionic arm, Chet tries to keep the lid on the real facts of how he can throw the ball so hard.  Enjoy and have a great day.

m.j.

 

The next day, Chet just sat in the dugout and watched, as it was his scheduled day off.  This was after a pre-game hoard of media types tried to corner him, intent on firing questions his way.  He held up his hand.  “Guys…uh, and gals—I’ve pitched exactly one spring training inning.  Go talk to the pros around here.”

Not mollified in the least, most got the message…those who didn’t decided to leave him alone after he repeated the same line about ten times.

The next game he pitched in was a road game.  Chet pitched the fourth inning.  He retired all three men he faced—all three on strikeouts.  This time the media was not to be denied.  He held up his hand at the numerous questions fired his way at once.  “Okay, here’s the deal.  I’m seventy-three.  I have no business throwing the ball as hard as I do,” then repeated the history of his workouts started due to Helen’s illness.  Done, he added, “Then—as some of you know—I was in a serious auto accident.  It took my Helen from me, and left me with one messed up right arm.  After I was put back together again, I started rehabbing.  Part of the rehab process—as requested by my doctor—was to start playin’ catch…which I did with one of my grandsons, and others. 

“I live in St. Louis, but have a house down here…always come down to spring training.  I know some of the people in the Cardinals’ organization.  I asked if I could come down here early, before spring training, to work out as part of my rehab.  I was granted permission to do so.  Along the way I found I could throw the ball rather hard.  End of story.  Now, any strictly baseball questions, I’ll be happy to answer.  But I’m not gonna rehash what I just said with eight thousand questions all askin’ the same thing, only with a different slant.”

Of course what followed was a torrent of questions about what Chet had just said.  He ignored them all as he walked away, knowing full well he would get a reputation as being surly to the press…a fact that bothered him not at all.

The next day was another home game.  He pitched the fourth inning again…three strikeouts.  After another torrent of what he thought were stupid questions, he told Thor Applewhite, the team’s public relations director, to tell the press he was through answering questions.  He would have nothing further to say.

The press vilified him.  Chet shrugged.  Jeep, a Catholic, went to the nearest Catholic Church and lit a candle.

 

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