Green Expectations by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Chapter 9
Dave got home after dark and was glad to see that Lucretia was still at her sister’s. It gave him the perfect opportunity to relax on the couch, look at the scrapbook and revel in how wonderful he used to be.
NELSON FIRES SECOND NO-HITTER
THIRTEEN YEAR OLD HURLER NEAR PERFECT IN
FIRST TWO BABE RUTH LEAGUE STARTS
The Bayonne Times 6-15-93. Dave Nelson led CJ Murphy to its third straight win, downing Electro Dynamic 5-0, allowing them no hits. It was his second such performance in his first two starts. In this, his first year of eligibility, with two more to go the only question is; “How can he top this?” He struck out 18
and walked 2 in an over-powering performance ...................
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Dave thought; “Another auspicious beginning. By this time I was already taking them for granted. I wish that I wasn’t so nonchalant about them, treating them as if they were everyday events. .......... But back then they were everyday events. I never really fully understood that this would end someday. Sure, I knew a day would come, but I’d be fossilized by then and so what? And the whole process was so effortless. Does one only appreciate the things that come through hard work? I’m not sure, but I don’t think that’s it. The one thing I am 100 percent
certain of is that I’d love to go back there and feel it again knowing what I know now. ......... Don’t we all?”
CJ MURPHY ENDS FIRST HALF UNDEFEATED
DAVE NELSON PITCHES 3-HITTER TO WRAP UP CROWN
The Bayonne Times 8-1-93. The Murphians completed their unstoppable run through the Central West with a 7-1 drubbing of second place Broadway National Bank, finishing the first half at 15-0. Young Nelson posted his eighth win in as many starts, striking out 15, allowing no walks and hitting one batter. He said; “I was a little wild today and had to just aim at the plate, .........................................................
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Oddly, as it was far from exceptional, Dave recalled this game much better than most as during warm up his fastball was moving more than usual and he was afraid that he would walk too many hitters. There were probably 300 people in attendance, quite large for a regular season Babe Ruth League game and some kids he had never previously seen were watching him and commenting about how he didn’t look so fast, saying that they had seen many better. He never exerted himself warming up, having some weird idea that your arm had a certain amount of velocity in it every day and he wanted to save it for the game, in effect making his first inning what others would do in warm
up. However, on this day he was tempted to demonstrate to the hecklers that he could throw harder than anyone.
But it was as if someone was watching out for him, when a bolt of clarity struck his brain, telling him that some people, including those currently present, have duplicitous agendas, and that were he dumb enough to try to impress the strangers, he would not have enough left to finish the game.
As he rubbed the ball in his hands for a better grip he casually referred to the better and faster throwers the hecklers spoke of and said; “So go watch the better ones. Don’t waste your time with me.” He started to pitch even slower than he had previously, just to loosen up his arm.
They continued their “insults” and Dave saw the ineffectual demons for what they were; vociferous incompetents. When the managers handed in the line-up cards he knew the game would start imminently. As he walked back toward the dugout he said;
“They let anybody in here, don’t they?”
BAYONNE TOPS DICKINSON 3-2
TAKE LEAD IN CENTRAL EAST HS DIVISION 5
The Bayonne Times 8-13-94. The Bayonne Bees toppled the Dickinson Hawks from their lofty perch thanks to a clutch two run homer in the sixth inning by “Zeke” Baxter and the solid pitching of fourteen year old Dave Nelson. The freshman hurler
mixed in a variety of breaking pitches with his heater, going the distance and allowing five hits, four of which came in a shaky first inning .............................................
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Dave recalled that as his most important victory up until then, but at the time he was unfazed and annoyed with himself that he had poor control at the outset, a situation which later years would show to be somewhat of a pattern, probably due to his reticence to warm up as much as most. He remembered a strong cross-wind which exaggerated the break of his curveball and how it took some time to adjust to it.
NELSON BOOED DURING FIFTH NO-HITTER
TOMS RIVER FANS CLAIM THAT HE IS OVERAGE
The Bayonne Times 8-11-96. Dave Nelson had his laughs yesterday, receiving what he considered a reverse compliment when a vocal minority of fans in Dover Township demanded that Bayonne produce proof of his age in the fifth inning. He was breezing to his fifth no-hitter of the year, mixing in a smorgasbord of wicked breaking pitches with his fastball when a group of Toms River players parents petitioned the home plate umpire to verify his credentials stating that; “No kid can throw like that. He’s got to be at least 25.”
Dave told this reporter that the whole situation was amusing and that the protests obviously arose from the frustration felt as southern based Toms River was knocked from its throne. Ranked number one in the state they were undefeated until yesterday.
Some say that the northern teams are penalized in the polling system as that’s where the best baseball is played. They play each other a few times a year and beat each other up while the weaker south provides smooth sailing for any decent team; hence
Toms River’s unblemished record, until yesterday’s 11-0
drubbing. Bayonne hitters jumped all over Al Feathers left handed slider as each of the starting nine got at least two hits. ..........................................................
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Dave had no particular memory of this game. To him it was an old predictable story of what happens when a big fish from a large pond meets a big fish from a small one.
NELSON DRAFTED BY TORONTO
LUMBERJACKS FIRST ROUND PICK REPORTEDLY SIGNED?
The Bayonne Times 6-15-97. Though he is not speaking Dave Nelson was drafted by the Toronto Lumberjacks. Of all places! What is wrong with the New Jersey Crows? No wonder they are perennial non-contenders.
However he is also said to be playing college ball next year at Arizona State. What gives? .....................................
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Dave got the beginnings of his education in law and business when his high school buddy, “Shortshit,” found a bit of a loophole in baseball’s draft laws. Dave could sign a contract now, which he did for $2.5 million and change, defer playing for the Lumberjacks and go to college. He would then be again eligible for another draft after his junior year, and have two teams competing for his services, the value of which could be
enhanced by college performance. “Shortshit,” who would subsequently be known as Peter Jaffe, sometimes Esquire, became his hero and agent. They chose to keep the information to themselves as it was difficult to explain, sounded a bit shady and they didn’t want to close off hopes that fans would insist that the Crows draft him the next time around. The clean local hero is the strongest position. Dave and Peter were becoming well-versed in pragmatism and on their way to the big bank.
NELSON CARRIED FROM FIELD
STANDING OVATION IN FAREWELL APPEARANCE
The Bayonne Times 8-25-97. Dave Nelson waved goodbye to his hometown fans after completing a two-hit shutout against nearby rival Newark Tech. He was carried off the field by his team-mates after the 3-0 victory. It may be the last time we see him in Bayonne, as he is now off to Morristown for the state playoffs and then it is on to Arizona State. Bayonne has reached the state tournament each of his four years, and now will have to search ......................................................
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Dave noticed that in all the wonderful sounding clippings, there were none concerning the winning of a championship game.
He was on loads of second place teams, but always managed to mess up in the biggest matches. He was sure that it wasn’t due to nerves as he was very blasé about the whole thing. Yet there
was a consistent, unending, undeniable pattern, starting at age twelve of something going wrong at the last minute. In the 8-25-97 clipping while he was on everyone’s back waving and smiling he was indeed very happy and proud. Proud to be regularly receiving solicitation letters from Merrill Execution, Morgan the Buccaneer Investments, Bank of the Entire Nation and Then Some (BENTS) and countless lesser lights. Only eighteen years of age, no hard work and the American dream was delivered to his door. He was thinking; “LIFE IS VERY VERY GOOD WITH SKILLFUL
REPRESENTATION. ” Now he was getting rumblings that something had always been wrong and he was getting an idea of what that was.
DAVE NELSON PITCHES SHUTOUT
UPS RECORD TO 3-2 AS ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY KO’S USC
The Bayonne Times 6-1-98. Taken from the Phoenix Daily Furnace.
Freshman Dave Nelson showed some of what was expected of him in his fifth start, collaring the University of Southern California’s hard hitting nine with a dazzling array of breaking pitches. He had the USC hitters frustrated and off-balance all game, striking out three, walking none and surrendering five scratch singles. ...............................................
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Dave recalled that as the day he learned out of necessity that he could effectively pitch while going with breaking pitches eighty percent of the time. In his first four starts he ran out of gas early in the 110 degree heat. The off speed stuff took virtually nothing out of him and rather than looking for strikeouts with a debilitating number one, he found the wisdom of the great Warren Spahn who said; “I only needed two pitches; the one he’s looking for and the one I throw.” Dave had nine variations on the curveball. If he threw it straight overhand it would primarily sink. If he threw it three-quarters it would sink to a lesser degree and go across. If he threw it sidearm it would go across; a pitch he only felt comfortable using in certain situations, despite his father’s recommendation to use it more often. He could throw each variation hard, in-between and slow. In time the hard three-quarters curve became the pitch he could best control. He would come to use it regularly when behind in the count; a big advantage when almost every hitter is looking for the fastball at that point.
DAVE NELSON SIGNS WITH TORONTO AGAIN
DRAFTED BY CLEVELAND IN 2000 BUT SNUBS CAYUHOGA’S FIRE
The Bayonne Times 6-15-00. In a confusing situation Dave Nelson was in the draft for a second time and this time was taken by Cleveland. It was formerly reported that he had signed with the Toronto Lumberjacks after having been drafted by them in 1997.
This reporter could well understand why Nelson chose to stay out
of Cleveland, whose surname is that of a river that periodically goes up in flames, and having only one other choice; Canada, where baseball is somewhere around the eleventh favorite sport
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Dave thought; “Another tribute to Peter Jaffe. With another suitor on the line after two and one-half seasons of college ball with a 42-20 record and a 2.28 ERA he negotiated a $4,000,000 signing bonus and I insisted on and got no time in the minor leagues. Who could ask for more?”
DAVE NELSON SHUTS OUT UCLA
HOMETOWN HERO PITCHES FINAL COLLEGE GAME
The Bayonne Times 8-25-01. Bayonne’s beauty, Dave Nelson continued the unstoppable momentum which will next year be displayed in the American League East for the Toronto Lumberjacks. Though the last seven words sound totally absurd one must remember that we’re at the beginning of a new century replete with limitless cyberspace where location has become substantially irrelevant. Personally, I’ll wait for him to pitch in New Jersey and root against the hometown also-rans who ignored him twice.
Using a wide array of pitches Dave had UCLA’s hitters looking as if they had some muscular affliction, lunging after pitches and often swinging the bat as one might broom sweep their garage. He allowed only two hits while recording three strikeouts. He didn’t walk anyone, which has become a trademark for the hiller who makes you earn it. He ended his spectacular college career with a 70-26 won-loss record and a 2.09 ERA ....................
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Now financially “secure” Dave recalled actually enjoying this final college season, perhaps because he was very popular on campus. It was something new for him as in high school everyone revered the members of the football and basketball teams, but had no interest in knowing the baseball players. It was a fleeting and joyful feeling which returned to its hiding place when February cut the school year in half and brought spring training; the last sentence not only absurd and oxymoronic, but nonetheless real.
Dave thought of some of the people he knew that last year.
He went his way and they went theirs. He hadn’t thought of them in years. He wondered why people didn’t keep in touch. Dave thought of cyberspace, work, family and airplanes; but dismissed them all as symptomatic. The roots were deeper. He thought of his own four year hiatus from his mother and father caused by Mom’s dislike of Lucretia. Maybe people just plain old didn’t like each other. Maybe old acquaintances were intimidated by his laughable status as a rich athlete, much like the girl who people consider so perfect that no one dares ask her for a date while she sits at home and wonders what’s wrong with her.
He knew no answers; only questions and more questions. To clear his useless head he went outside and threw cut splitters into a very beaten mattress.
TWIN TOWERS DESTROYED
BIN-LADEN AND AL QAEDA SAID TO BE RESPONSIBLE,
2,000 DEAD, WAR ON AMERICA DECLARED?
THE NEW YORK CLOCK 9-12-01. Shock pervaded the country yesterday when two planes hijacked by suicide ............................
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In Bayonne Dad said; “Holy shit.”
In Tewksbury Dave said; “Holy shit.”
In NYC Joel said; “Conspiracy.”
In Boston Kenneth said; “Annihilate Al Qaeda.”
In Taos Aldous said; “They’re perceptibly anarchic. Every imbecile grasps that ‘Q’ is always shadowed by ‘U.’”
In Newport Gavin said; “We must protect ourselves.”
In Selma Lemuel said; “Got dam darkies. We got to make ‘em pay.”
In Skokie Buddy said; “We better get ‘em before they get us.”
In Dallas Brunson said; “Buy oil futures and wave the flag high.”
In Minneapolis Mary said; “Oh my God. Things will never be the same.”
In Los Angeles Jane said; “I’m so sorry for our brothers and sisters in New York. But, they should have lightened up and spread out like us.”
At Republican Headquarters Vance, Dick and Mitch said; “We can capitalize on this one!”