Cow Pies & Bases

Sample Chapters

1: COW PIES AND BASES

 

     In my youth, we played baseball in a pasture.  Bases were usually well-dried cow pies.  Well-dried was more important than size.  One afternoon, Jimmy Boscoe showed up with real bases.  His dad had put sand in four flour bags.  They looked better than cow pies, but were dangerous when we slid in fast and hard.

     In the fourth, Jimmy hit a long drive toward me in right field.  Being the greedy guy he was, he tried to stretch a sure double into an uncertain triple.  My arm was stronger than his legs, if not his brain.  He was out by at least two big feet.  Jimmy complained.  He cussed.  He bawled.  "They're my bases," he hollered. "I was safe!"

     "The hell you say.  You're out!"  Both teams agreed with the ump.  Boscoe grabbed the bases and ran home.  The search was on for four cow pies.  Well-dried was more important than size.