Wasn’t Any Maybe So
Wasn’t Any Maybe So
By Loren Broaddus
I.
We were young and strong
and fast and fearless
back in October of ’24,
me hitting lead off
and playing 2nd base for Game 8,
in the first ever World Series
between our rival leagues,
best of nine games,
tying game 3 due to darkness,
series tied three games all
between my Monarchs
and the Hilldales,
Rube Currie mowing us down
from the mound through
eight innings, the Hilldales
scratching out two runs
off our mighty Bullet Rogan.
II.
Schorling Park fans scream
as we enter the bottom of the 9th,
Dink flying out to left, Rogan
singling, advancing to 2nd
on a slow roller to 1st, two outs,
then Dobie Moore singles, as well as
Hurley McNair, scoring Rogan, next
Heavy Johnson gets hit by a pitch,
bases loaded, down one run.
III.
Up strides big Frank Duncan
to the plate, hitting a cloud-kissing
foul ball straight up, Louis Santop,
Hilldales’ Texan catcher circles
under it, waiting, waiting, waiting,
dead silence, as the ball
hurdles earthward through October
air, game over, until a thunk echoes
through the park, the ball
hitting the heel of his mitt,
bouncing off to the ground,
a moment frozen, one more chance
for Frank, who next pitch hits a single
through Biz Mackey at 3rd base,
bringing Dobie and Hurley home,
Monarchs win, feeling sorry
for Santop, but not too sorry,
a game for the ages few know about.
IV.
We were as good as anyone
and better than most—
wasn’t any maybe so.
Loren Broaddus‘ book of poems, Joe DiMaggio Moves Like Liquid Light, was published in 2019 (Andrews-McMeel Press). He has also published two chapbooks. A US History teacher, as well as a lifelong Kansas City Royals fan, he lives in Springfield, MO with his wife and two children.
Mark Mosley is a public school 7th grade math teacher. He draws baseball cards when he is not driving his son to baseball or his daughter to gymnastics. His cards can be seen on Twitter @mosley_mark, on Instagram @idrawbaseballcards, and can be purchased at https://idrawbaseballcards.bigcartel.com/
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