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Opening Day

I can watch them again, grown men at a children's game, the glory of the Show on the TV screen. For a while I couldn’t watch, knowing I’d been close. A phenom Double A at 18 90+ fastball, but it didn’t move. And in Triple A and spring training for the Show they ate it up. When I tried harder my arm blew up rotator cuff - tendinitis epicondylar fasciatus Tommy John physio, drugs, steroids. Hope springs eternal but nothing helped enough. Now I sit in this bar, mush for brains just like my arm. Don’t care that drugs and alcohol don’t mix as I watch them knowing almost is worse than never.

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Deborah Burch

Date: 3/2/2017 5:42:00 PM

Congratulations Dave! Well done! Hugggs deb.

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/3/2017 10:43:00 AM

Thanks Deb

Kai Michael Neumann

Date: 3/2/2017 5:00:00 AM

Very painful. Drugs and alcohol do not mix, but then baseball and injuries do not either. Speedy recovery and congratulations, Kai

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/2/2017 7:43:00 AM

Thanks Kai, it's not my story but I hope there is some truth behind it. Sorry for misclick on previous reply.

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/2/2017 7:28:00 AM

Thanks Doug.

Doug Vinson

Date: 3/1/2017 4:16:00 PM

Whew... Dave, what a fine poem - the reality.

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/1/2017 6:53:00 PM

Thanks Doug.

Darren White

Date: 3/1/2017 3:26:00 PM

Ow, I am so sorry about this.... This is such a painful poem. I hope you are okay now...

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/1/2017 6:52:00 PM

Darren, Thanks, it's not my story but I hope there is some truth behind it.

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 3/1/2017 6:52:00 AM

The agony of defeated limbs! Running the bases of life is "diamond" difficult! You captured this, aspect of the game, aptly! Congrats! A wrestler, my son broke his jaw (minor thankfully!) just before he was to compete in the finals of the Olympic trials. In an unrelated tournament.

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/1/2017 1:56:00 PM

Kim, sorry to hear of your son's trials I'm sure the broken jaw almost broke his heart, These elements and pressures are common to all sports but especially those where they are seen as a way out of a difficult life situation. I have yet to read it but am keen to read Aravind Adiga’s "Selection Day" which is about cricket of which I know almost nothing and the same pressures in contemporary India.

Phillip Garcia

Date: 3/1/2017 5:45:00 AM

This is a gut-wrenching poem told in a beautiful manner. Moonlight Graham minus the September call-up. I hope it's not a true story. Either way, congratulations on a fine write

D.W. Rodgers
Date: 3/1/2017 6:42:00 PM

Phillip, Thanks for your contest. It's not my story but I hope there is some truth behind it. Will Carroll's book "Saving the Pitcher: Preventing Pitcher Injuries in Modern Baseball" details some of the elements and how they might be prevented.