Game v Hudson, Part 5

Well, here it is. The last post before this blog goes into its reverse hibernation, waiting for the first pee wee try-outs in October. Maybe it'll be back next year, and maybe it won't. We're in increasingly strange times. Anything could happen.

Nope, not going to take up baseball blogging in the spring. I did photograph a few baseball games last year.







It's a lot easier than hockey. The game moved s-l-o-w-l-y under the bright, bright sun. Of course, the level of play was such that the only thing worth photographing was pitching and hitting. Fielding and throwing were not consistent enough to photograph, at least by me with my limited attention span. I may take my camera out to a few games, but little league baseball doesn't have the stories or the drama of youth hockey, in my view. Besides, there's too much to do on summer evenings to sit up late editing photos and writing blog entries.

But we're not quite done, yet. Here are the last few photos.

Max K and Willy decided to let this shot through to see if Jackson was paying attention. He was, and you can see the puck on the blade of his stick.

Later, Jackson fell over (it was the end of the season) and players from both teams joined in, using their sticks as pry bars to try to tip him upright.

The game was pretty much over by then. Only thing left was the celebration.

Wings of Spring tournament director Paul Larson hands out medals to the Hudson Raiders, the Squirt A consolation champs, while the first place Richfield Spartans look on.

And here's the team, enjoying a happy end to the 2008-2009 hockey season.

This is the scene in the locker room as the boys continued to celebrate under Coach McCoy's watchful eye. You saw the giant trophy the team won in the last photo. Someone had the great idea that the players should pass it around and each give it a kiss. And that's what they did, every last one of them. I have the photos, but decided not to post them. Coach McCoy shook his head and said, "Huh. I've never seen that before. Maybe it's a new tradition."

So here's to new traditions, winning hockey teams and all good things coming to an end. See you at the rink!