Jon was broke so the Lasher's payed for his lunch. This became a conspiracy as we asked his to sabotage Steve as a joke but Steve became paranoid. Jon became the dark apprentice of Brandon. The famous Ironman Croquet group "The Sith Lords" was born consisting of Brandon and Jon. Then the sabotage idea came to practice in the next round.
The leader, Brandon, was messed up by the Deck Shot and Chair Shot and only through nailing Amy's croquet ball to kingdom come did he finish fifth. Steve was cruising to victory when Canales slowed him down. This allowed Jon to reach Steve and repeatedly knock Steve's ball in the wrong direction. After making Steve's ball land in a nasty flower area, Steve snapped. He accused Ben and Brandon of bribing Jon. Steve smashed some flowers and received a penalty. Then still upset, knocked his ball into the street. This allowed Jon to win and Ben take second. Steve composed himself and rushed to beat in Mike for third. Jon stood alone in first at the tournament. Only Ben, Brandon, Steve, and Jon had a shot for the Orange Shirt.
But Mike didn't care he easily won the final round. Brandon suffering from the heat slowly passed Jon and Amy as they approached Canales. Ben and Steve were have problems with the shot allowing Jon and Brandon to catch up. A successful attempt of Canales allowed Brandon to race Ben to the finish. Steve and Jon messed up finishing fifth and sixth. Amy passed them by for fourth. So the major was up to Brandon and Ben.
Ben and Brandon were both right next to the cherry tree stick. But Ben missed a chip shot which cost him the major. Brandon ran around as a lunatic as the first ever major champion and won the Orange Shirt he dreamed of winning since he was a little kid growing up in Oregon. Ben won second prize a cup holder with a orange pop in it. Steve and Jon went to a playoff to determine third and the winner of the orange tissue paper wrapped Pokemon tape. They had a sudden death hole on the deck shot, and Jon accidently knocked Steve into winning position. Many pictures were taken, winner celebrated, and food was eaten. Ironman Croquet was here to stay. Steve was also busy creating one of the finest croquet webpages it history...
We figured there might be a letdown in the next event, The Spam Classic, as Mike attempted to win the second leg of the Spam Triple Crown. But Jon, despite having knee surgery two weeks earlier, came and proved his worth winning the event. He cruised thru Blocks while his close pursers Brandon and Mike stumbled thru Blocks. Brandon took second and finally dethroned Steve as number one in the world. Mike took third as Steve struggled to fourth after a nasty tire experience. Ben was so busy complaining about Shed Happens he barely beat out league newcomer Alan for fifth. The Croquet Ninja nearly killed Brandon and Jon with his flying croquet mallet as he threw in frustration of his play.
On July 10, we had our first ever official event off the Lasher course at we drove to Eugene to compete in Mike's Marvel Open Invitational. This was the first time seven players attended with the regular five, Alan, and coming out of retirement Nathan. The street became the star of the day.
After the Pool Table Shot, most of the field fell in the street. But Mike, Brandon, Nathan, and Jon broke from the pack to The Brick Hut. Ben and Alan struggled on the second hole and Steve chased after his ball Nathan knocked into the street. Brandon, Jon, and Mike all breezed through the next two holes distancing themselves from the field. Nathan got stuck on the third hole and allowing a vengeful Steve to catch him and show Nathan the street. Alan was still stuck on the second hole.
Meanwhile, the Sith Lords showed their dominance. Brandon and Jon using each other for extra shots almost lapped the field as their raced to the finish. Ben, Nathan, and Steve were knocking each other around near the fifth hole, a more patient Alan was gaining, and Mike was stuck on the sixth hole.
Brandon and Jon were neck and neck for the title but a lucky chip shot gave Brandon the title and the first place prize, a Spiderman action figure. Jon grudgingly took second. But the league was upset at the both of them!
Ben broke from the pack and had many shots at third but kept missing the end stick. This allowed Steve to pass him for third. Ben took fourth and Nathan gave up knocking people into the street to take fifth. Alan could have taken sixth place but decided to let Mike have it so Alan could win the last place prize a Aquaman action figure.
The league took a three week break to rest. Many participated in charity events and pro-ams. But they all prepared for the next event, The Scott Balthrop Memorial Tournament. The second major came August 6! But it seemed the league forgot it........
Only five league members showed up for the second major! But Mike, Brandon, Jon, Ben, and a surprise Nathan showed to claim the second major. The action got off to a fast start with Nathan launching the ball over The Lasher's fence and to the back of our neighbor's backyard. Nathan took a penalty and his game never recovered in the first round. As usual, the Sith Lords were racing to the finish. Ben was struggling again and Mike was fighting through the saboteurs.
Brandon and Jon both got stuck on The Wood, The Bad, and The Ugly allowing Mike and Nathan to catch up. Then it got really ugly as the four players starting knocking each other's croquet balls around the yard. But Jon and Brandon broke from the pack, and raced to the end stick. Jon won the first round, Brandon a decent second, Mike took third, Nathan fourth and Ben eventually finished in fifth.
We took our normal field pictures then and something weird happened. Jon dressed up in a dress shirt! The shocking truth was then told Jon, the leader of the second major, was withdrawing to sell knives! The league was shocked by it but it allowed the other four players in and the major was wide open.
The action in the second round was fast and furious. This time Nathan proved that he was a worthy member to the croquet league cruising to an easy victory in the second round. Mike and Brandon once again got stuck at The Wood, The Bad, and the Ugly but Mike completed the shot first and ended in second for the round. Brandon took third and a very angry Ben took last. Jon was busy selling knives.
Upon adding up the points we discovered something, we had a three way tie for first! Yes, Nathan, Brandon, and Mike were all tied for first. No matter how well Ben played he could do no better than fourth. So Ben promised to destroy Brandon's chance at another major, and the others begun what would be basically a sudden death playoff for the major.
The three were stuck next to each other knocking each other's balls all around the yard. This allowed the "spoiler" Ben to race to an huge lead in the final round. Eventually, Brandon broke the pack with the other two at the Frog Pond Shot and seemed cruising to an easy victory. But as usual, Brandon got stuck on The Wood, The Bad, and The Ugly allowing a surging Nathan and Mike to gain ground.
Ben had reached the end stick and could have hit in to claimed fourth place over Jon but shocked every one by saying he was going to sit next to the end stick and make sure Brandon won't win! And true to his word, when Brandon got close to the end, Ben knocked him away from the stick. Brandon was a little pissed. He was able to get back to the end stick again just as Nathan reached it and Nathan knocked Brandon in the street. It looked like Nathan would have a miracle upset and win his first major!
Having a shot to win about ten feet up to the stick, Nathan missed it about six inches to the right and fell in the street. Ben had fallen into the street as well and when Mike had about a twenty foot shot for above the stick to win he too fell into the street. This gave the well targeted Brandon another shot at the major and he placed the ball about where Nathan's was a while ago for the win. Nathan tried his shot to knock Brandon out of the way for overshot far into the yard. This allowed Brandon to hit his shot and collect his second major. Not nearly as easy as the first.
Mike recovered to take a strong second, Nathan eventually came in the claim third place for the major and finally break that awful sixth place tie in the standings. Ben, yelling at Brandon for "winning" (oh, what a crime that is) ending in dead last for the tournament even behind Jon would only played one round!
The league celebrated a great tournament by having a barbecue in Scott's honor. It was a great tournament and hot dog barbecue that Scott would have been proud of. But with a busy schedule in August the league quickly turned its attention to Steve's first hosted event...the Lunar Open.
Steve and Amy, back from camping were the hosts for the first ever official event at the Unfred Course. Ben, Mike, Nathan, and Brandon battle ready after the major also attended. Little did we know it would be a controversial tournament.
The tournament started on what most likely was the hardest starting hole ever, a shot on Steve's slanted front walkway. Even after modifying it constantly during the game everyone had to use the twelve shot rule but Brandon who made it on the twelve shot. So Brandon jumped to an early lead. Until Nathan flew his shot over Brandon and made it right next to the second shot George Bush. He jumped to an early lead, with Brandon in second, a group of three ( Mike, Ben, and Amy), and Steve struggling behind.
The next shot, a cleverly made shot were Steve placed a sprinkler in a large tree to cause a sort of waterfall, broke the pack apart. Nathan went thru the shot fast and was well ahead of the pack. Brandon was in close pursuit and Ben was worried again about a strong Brandon finish. He should have been worrying about Mike, as him and Mike were grouped together in a race for third. Amy who had some problems with George Bush and The Rainforest grouped together with her brother Steve. Steve who was extremely criticized for putting on a coat as he did The Rainforest while the others simply got wet.
The game stayed that way until The Frog Pond Shot, placed in Steve backyard, caused Nathan and Brandon to struggle. This allowed Mike and Ben to jump into the lead before Nathan and Brandon could recover. Amy and Steve were now close behind. But George W. Bush caused Amy and Brandon to fall far behind. Steve on the other hand cruised through this shot and The dreaded hill shot and ran away with the event as the others struggled on the Hill Shot. So the host won his own event.
Ben had broke from the hill first and made it to the Cylinder were he got stuck. Mike got stuck on the multiple hoses. This allowed Nathan to pass them both by and take a well-deserved second place. Then when Ben had finally made it into a position to take third a surging Brandon knocked him out of the way allowing Brandon to take the all important third. Ben raced to beat Mike to fourth and a very disappointed Amy came in sixth.
The tournament was a good one but this is largely forgotten as it ended in a silly fight, causing the Unfred's to leave their own tournament. The league pondered the future of the league as they readied themselves for a Saturday night event the next week at Jon's house. The Pez Invitational was unique in the fact the fighting was no existent as the players were more worried about finishing the course.
A new player, the barbarian-like Rick, joined the five regulars for the next event, The Pez Invitational. We drove all the way down to the league's first event in rural Leaburg. It become the nightmare night event the wouldn't end.
The host, Jon, had forgotten to make a course ahead of time and wasted nearly an hour getting ready for the event. By then it was dusk and the rest of the event was helped by powerful back porch lights and some nice flashlights.
The game got off to the usual start with Jon, Steve, and Brandon quickly making it to the third hole. Rick was getting constantly stuck on the Gasoline Alley shot, and Ben and Mike were fighting for fourth.
But at the third hole, Sith Leader Brandon started having problems allowing Jon and Steve to quickly jump to the lead before getting stuck on a nasty hill shot. This allowed a surging Mike and Rick to get back into the game. Rick successfully completed the fifth hole that took the others upwards of twelve shots. Brandon fell into last as he took twelve shots on the Frog Pond and the Hell Hill.
Jon was on a roll as he made it into his parent's garden area for the shots in there. A big group of Mike, Steve, and Rick were jockeying for position as they went into the garden. It was now pitch black and flashlights had to be used. Ben far behind even switched his ball to yellow. Meanwhile, that crazy Rick was destroying the garden box as he made it out third behind Mike and a surging Jon. Steve was close behind with Ben a few strokes off. Brandon was a few holes behind.
The ninth shot, a Rick creation, was in a hard to reach place and slowed down Steve and Rick. Jon quickly got through it and cruised to an easy victory. Mike and Steve were quickly through next and seemed to be taking second and third again but didn't count on the barbarian antics of Rick. Rick lifted his ball high in the air and hit Jon's Mom with his croquet ball but not to be stopped shot again to fly across the large yard to get back in contention for a high place.
Mike got stuck in a corner and was unable to escape for many turns. This allowed Steve and Rick to race to the garbage can finish of the event. Steve was within an inch of hitting Rick's ball so he could take second but the "Barbarian Rookie" had an impressive second place showing in his first event. Steve took another third and a disappointed Mike took fourth. Ben was able to take fifth for a surging Brandon. Brandon "surged" into last.
The events ended with a nice Pez dispensers for first through third and a very nice barbecue. Unfortunately, Rick ate bad mayonnaise Jon had and was never heard from again.
So the Sith Lords were crushing the league having won six of the last seven events and were a factor in every event. It seemed the league would be at the mercy of the Sith until he returned to dominate the league....