It really wasn't long ago ...a meeting or so at most
That our club was treated to a poem by a very special host
it was Jim Young who treated us by emoting some old hat
about the Mudville baseball team and Casey at the bat.

Now... the parody I give this day is based on that old poem
The difference is, my reading friends, hits- more close- to home.
For you see ... it's a poem about our club and our annual game of ball.
It's not too highly accurate, but what the hell ... it's the way ... that I recall!

Yes ... this reading will mean more to us, you can surly bet on that!
For ... it's about our rotary softball team and Jeff Hutchison at the bat!

It looked extremely rocky for our Fullerton softball nine,
the score stood two to four ... and our pride was on the line.
So when Bill Hite died at second and Bill Mathy did the same,
Fullerton South began to chant, "we're gonna win this softball game".

Our Fullerton fans got up to go, leaving only a few "die-hards".
It looked like our clubs victory just wasn't in the cards.
The only thing that kept some there was not to shout and cheer,
it was simply a desire to finish that keg of ice cold beer.

If only Jeff Hutchison could get up to bat, he'd show them who was best.
We could always count on Hutchison, if not - on all the rest.
But Tom Meyer preceded Hutchison and likewise did Chris Hunt.
The former an easy out? And the latter ... could she even bunt?
So on the fans of our rotary team a death like silence sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Hutchison getting to the bat.

But Meyer pulled a single, to the wonderment of all,
And the much maligned Hunt ... why ... she smacked the cover off the ball.
And when the dust had lifted and they saw what had occurred,
There was Chris, safe at second and Tom a-hugging third.

From Fullerton Rotary fans there arose a mighty shout,
it rumbled though the canyon and echoed all about.
It struck upon the oil wells from the derricks to the pump.
It rolled along the landfill and scared the birds out of the dump.
For Fullerton there was hope..and coming none to late,
For there was Jeff ... our hero ... advancing to the plate.

There was ease in Jeff's swagger for he new he was the best.
Pride too in "Shook Building Systems " on the t-shirt across his chest!
And when responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
He stubbed his toe upon the plate and fell upon his bat.

The spectators eyes were on him as he got up from the dirt.
All cheered for our man Jeff, and all hoped he wasn't hurt.
Then fullerton south's pitcher ground the ball into his hip.
A sneer crossed Hutchison's face and he shouted "let'er rip!"

And now the leather covered sphere came looping toward the bag,
and Hutchison's muscles rippled as his knees began to sag.
The ball took a bounce or two right to the catcher's mitt,
Jeff said "that's not my style at all!"... the catcher said "ah...ssshucks!"

The umpire set his beer can down and swallowed his mouth of brew,
he said "that was a strike, I think ... I'm not sure if one or two!
From the stands now filled with people who came back to see the fun,
came cries of "grab that umpire..and I'll go get a gun!"
"Burn him at the stake" they yelled ... I'll go light the fire"
they shouted out in unison like the Tabernacle Choir.

It's likely they'd have killed him had not Jeff acted fast,
"Don't worry about the next pitch", he said "I'll never let it pass!"
Jeff signaled to the pitcher and once more the spheroid flew,
But Hutchison just ignored it ... and the umpire slurred "strike two"
the crowd was really steaming. They nearly came unglued.
They shouted and they hooted, they whistled and they booed!
Once again Jeff calmed the group. He put their hearts at rest,
by placing in the umpires hand a copy of the 4-Way Test.
Again he faced the pitcher and tried to stare him down.

He wouldn't let our club be the losing club in town.
Now the pitcher holds the ball and now he lets it go,
and now the air is shattered by the force of Jeffery's blow!

Oh, somewhere in the district the sun is shinning bright.
Rotary clubs are meeting and that's were hearts are light.
Guests are being introduced and fellowship is there,
there's gayety and laughter and singing fills the air.

But there is no joy at coyotes hills, where South and Sunrise meet.
All that South and Sunrise have are memories of defeat
No, there is no boisterous bragging, nor tales of player fame,

For, the way ... that I recall it ... Jeff and our rotary softball nine ...
why... they won that baseball game.

The 3 Fullerton Rotary clubs met for their annual All City Rotary Baseball series this Wednesday. After 3 games, there was a 3-way tie, by virtue of each team scoring 23 runs. There seemed to be a bit of discussion as to who the winner was. The Host claimed winnership, by virtue of setting the rules. Fullerton South claimed winnership by claiming to have won 2 games. Fullerton main claimed winnership because of having the best looking players (we had the girls playing!). We also claimed to have more lawyers to solve the problem, but was quickly reminded by Fullerton South that they also have 7 lawyers.

The spirits were high - until 6:00 pm, when the beer keg was shut off. The food was very good - barbecued chicken, hamburgers, and sausage - with 3 types of salad, and watermelon.

Fellowship with the other clubs was warm & welcome.

Photos by Bob Simon D.D.S., Fullerton South