Grey Blitz

The Blues Brothers were the punching bag for the DANA League early in the season, and as of September 9th had a dismal record of 0 - 6 - 1. In week 8 the team engineered an invitation for their manager to go to the mountaintop, and edged out Tapia’s Dodgers by a run while “JAKE” (aka Dennis Atchley) was communing with John Belushi.

Amazingly, the team then won 6 straight games, vaulting from the depths of 7th place to 1st. Saturday, it was all on the line against the Cleveland Maroon Squirrels, and a loss would have dropped the team into a two way tie for 3rd place.

Indeed, it looked as though this was exactly what would happen, as the Squirrels twice led by 8 runs, and led by 4 at the beginning of the last frame. There, Dave Larson tripled, followed by hits by Frank Polese, Lowell Waxman and Jeff Berman, leaving the winning run at third.

Roger Pederson strode to the plate exuding confidence acquired over decades of playing softball. He promptly slashed a single and the winning run scored, leading to the usual bedlam on the field.

Beleaguered manager Dennis “JOLIET JAKE” Atchley said “These guys never stopped believing in themselves, and earned the league title as a result.” Often criticized for loading up with ringers in the draft, Atchley deftly obtained the services of Randy Hagan in this game, who went 3 for 4 with a home run.

The Blues Brothers look forward to the playoffs and another trophy to go with their league championship trophy. The championship also reversed Atchley’s initial decision to resign from managing, which none of his teammates resisted. Nothing succeeds like success.

Rarely has a Dana Sr. Softball team been so dominate as the X-MEN were this season. From the very start of the season all the way through, they proved to be the preeminent team on the field. Winning both the league title as well as the season ending Tourney, has secured the X-MEN as one of the truly elite in Dana Senior Softball. While scoring 293 runs was assuredly remarkable, their defense only allowing 13 runs per game is unequaled in Dana Softball history (fact check pending). They only had to bat 3 times to win most games.

Little is known as to why the X-MEN perform so well. Is it the superior coaching and managing by Joe Mackey and Norm Young? Such leadership is truly lacking in our era. Or is it the wizardry of the Cardinal jersey that transforms these seemingly mediocre players, at draft time, into a team of super heroes on the softball field?

Coach Mackey (who obviously penned this article) is self-quoted as saying,” first CIF Champs, now Dana Champs, is this the Year of Joe or what? I ‘m going to Disneyland.

Purple Haze won its second-in-a-row season ending playoff champiosnhip, defeating the Red Diehards in a close game.  Final score was 18-15 with Red scoring five in the last inning to close the gap.  In the semi-final games, Purple outlasted the Royal Blue Dodgers 17-13 and Red held on against Gray, winning by one run.  The final out was recorded as Gray had the tying run on 3rd.  In the earlier game, which was extremely close, Purple and Royal Blue were tied after the 4th, 6th, and 7th innings.  Purple scored four in the 8th while the Dodgers got but one.   Purple got two more in the open inning but the Dodgers could only add one more to close out the game.   This makes three seasons in a row where the team that finished 3rd in the regular season ended up winning the playoffs!