1998: I Sing The Body Bibliotech!
At the beginning of the 1998 softball season, the Library Staff Association-sponsored Bibliotechs, having won the division championship the previous year for their 20th anniversary and been moved up by the League administration to the dire Barrell Division, expected little more from SoftQuest '98 than to achieve the modest goals of
1. No broken bones
2. No broken windshields
3. Clumpability
Well, 2 out of 3 isn't bad, especially when you repeat as Division Champs! The amazing Bibliotechs overcame not only their formidable division opponents, but also early-season ante-millenial deluges, ACX robo-bats, and the incursion of beer police on motorcycles, to see once again their team banner, with the heraldic device of the Little Man Rampant and the legend "To protect and shave," raised above Briggs Field as the band played the Bibliotech Anthem, and the awards, to Ronnie "Lonestar" Broadfoot as the year's Most Valuable Bibliotech and to Jeb "Jebzilla" Ensslen for Rookie Of The Year, bestowed in an emotional ceremony at my cubicle.
We wish to applaud and thank all the Library Staff Association members and relatives and friends who came to practices and games, and who made the Bibliotechs' 21st a memorable year: Dan Belich, Nora Blake, Ronnie Broadfoot, Matt Burke, Eric, Mary, Alex and Nathaniel Celeste, Paul Collins, Al, Kathy and Erin Davies, John De Lancey and Helena Chang, Jeb Ensslen, Jon Eichman, Charlene Follett, Bruce Hamilton, Kathy, Ken, Rachel, and Isaac Hamilton, Nancy Heywood, Brenda Hill, Emily Jackson and Bill Keaveny, Debbie, Ed, and Niki Kruzel, Luc Lucas, Jane Marcus, Joe Martinez, Christine and Tony Moulen, Karen Mueller-Harder, Ann Powers, Capt. Walter Powers, Rick, Mary, John and Anna Smokovich, and Caleb Tucker-Raymond, and also departing Bibliotech-For-Life M.P. "The Best and the Brightest (and Curliest)" Bogan. We'll miss you, M.P.
1998: You were there! Ad majorem gloriam Bibliotechi!
1998 Bibliotechs Schedule
Kentucky Fry League, Barrell Division
Bibliotechs Win Barrell Division Championship!
(All games on Monday at 5:30)
- June 1 Bibliotechs at Hydros (W, 18-4)
- June 22 Shadowmasks at Bibliotechs (W, 13-7)
- June 29 Bibliotechs at Quickbats (make-up for June 8 rainout) (W, 26-18)
- June 29 Disgruntled Former Postal Workers at Bibliotechs (make-up for June 15 rainout) (W, 15-8)
- July 6 Bibliotechs at Mudville (W, 12-11)
- July 13 Hydros at Bibliotechs (W, 9-8)
- July 20 Quickbats at Bibliotechs (W, 9-8)
- July 27 Bibliotechs at Disgruntled Former Postal Workers (W, 17-12)
- August 3 Bibliotechs at Shadowmasks (W, 12-8)
- August 10 Mudville at Bibliotechs (L, 14-16)
Here is the field map.
The "Talk To A Naked Bibliotech" chat line has been discontinued, but other softball-related matters can be addressed to Captain Walter Powers (wpowers@mit.edu, 3-0600).
- June 1 - 20 Bibliotechs show up for Opening Day! vs. Civil and Environmental Engineering Hydros. Bibs score 10 in top of 1st and cruise, in an exceedingly civil game.
- June 22 - After 2 rainouts, finally a clearing Monday. Bibs are short-handed, must start with catcher graciously provided by Media Lab's Shadowmasks. which generosity is repaid with hitting of Biblical proportions by the home team.
- June 29 - Make-up double-header. Game vs. ACX-affiliated Quickbats is so high-scoring and taking so long that captains agree to end after 5 innings. The 2 teams score a combined 18 runs in 5th, but Bibs hold on for win. Bibs proceed to game with Disgruntled Former Postal Workers from SIPB and grind out a 2nd victory, with DFPW's coming on in encroaching darkness.
- July 6 - Powerful Mudville (Ocean Eng./ROTC) takes Bibs to limit; sparkling play by Bibs' Hall-of-Fame infielders Smokovich and Eichman and hitting tour-de-force by Golden Haddock recipient Broadfoot (2 HR's) keep Bibs in front.
- July 13 - Bulked-up Hydros very strong in rematch; Bibs (19 players in line-up) come from behind in final inning on walk-off HR by W.Powers.
- July 20 - Bibs go with small line-up and must again borrow catcher from opponent, Quickbats in 2nd place behind Bibs. Ensslen provides power (HR, triple) and Heywood and Lucas excel on right side as Bibs hang on for 3rd successive 1-run win.
- July 27 - Bibliotechs trail SIPB Board Postal Workers 10-8 as late as 5th inning, but strength up and down Library line-up prevails and Bibs win going away. Losers cheer, "Rah, BOOKS!" Winners cheer, "GO POSTAL!"
- August 3 - Bibliotechs shake up line-up versus mellow Shadowmasks; resulting disorientation, and presence of motorcycle cop on field, has Bibs down 8-5 in 5th. With C. Moulen inspiring (2 for 2, 2 R) Bibs' big guns crank it up late in game and rumble to title-clinching victory.
- August 10 - In seesaw battle, high-and-tight Mudville ROTC'ers gain ascendancy in final frame. League "no beer" edict is seen as contributory to Bibs' defeat.
(Quiz answer: Steve Gass was thrown out of a game for arguing a call vehemently with an umpire, although all he said was, "WHAAAT?!" He said it again after he was run. Walter Powers was ejected from a game for fighting - rolling in the dirt at 2nd base, really - with an opponent, who was also thrown out.)
Updated on 981112
Rick's Dad "Smokey" Smokovich
