Bibliotechs: 2004 Bibliotechs: Serious Slow Pitch

Bibliotechs 2004 Schedule

Serious Slow Pitch League, Offshore Division (7)

The 2004 Bibliotechs, after a dismal start, turned the season around with four straight inspiring wins, which was good enough to land them in a 3-way tie for 3rd place in the League's Gorgonian Offshore Division. Unfortunately, the tie-breaking formula did not compute in the Bibs' favor, and they missed the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. It is still painful to think about, but as World Champion Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon says, "Thinking hurts the ballclub." This edition of the Bibliotechs disported themselves in an admirable and utterly Bibliotechian manner, and we will remember them fondly: Dan Belich, Ronnie Broadfoot, John Delancey, Debbie Douglas, Jon Eichman, Max Fleischman, Charlene Follett, Judith Gallagher, co-captain Steve Gass, Bill Guarente, Kathy Hamilton, Torance Harrison, Peter Houk, Virginia Johnson, Deb Kruzel, Ed Kruzel, Luc Lucas, Joe Martinez, Rob Mitchell, Christine Moulen, Tony Moulen, Jennifer Murphy, Greg Padilla, Pat Page, co-captain Walter Powers, William Reilly, Beth Siers, Suzanne Sloan, Rick Smokovich, Jos Wanschers, Bev White, Rob Wolfe, and Lindy the student.

(All games on Wednesday at 5:30)

• May 26 Bibliotechs at PsiClones (L, 2-11)
• June 2 Clippers at Bibliotechs (RAINED OUT)
• June 9 Bibliotechs at Blood Sucking Contractors (W, 20-8)
• June 16 Bibliotechs at Barrel of Monkeys (L, 9-13)
• June 23 CRE "Pure Play" at Bibliotechs (W, 6-5)
• June 30 Clippers at Bibliotechs (L, 7-15) (make-up for June 2 rainout)
• July 7 Barrel of Monkeys at Bibliotechs (L, 3-16)
• July 14 Bibliotechs at Dead Man Piano Movers (W, 10-7)
• July 21 Blood Sucking Contractors at Bibliotechs (W, 11-5)
• July 28 Bibliotechs at CRE "Pure Play" (W, 25-7)
• August 4 Artisoft Ringers at Bibliotechs (W, 11-9)

*** PLAYOFFS START AUG. 10***

Here is the field map.

Call co-captains Walter Powers (253-0600, wpowers@mit.edu) or Steve Gass (253-7058, sgass@mit.edu) for the down-low and the follow-up on the Bibliotechs: the who, the what, the where and the when, and, perhaps, the why.

• May 26 - On a dank and Gothic Opening Day, Bibliotechs come out flat, and continue to flatten right through into a "hole-state" versus Whitehead Institute's PsiClones, from which there would be no recovery. It was recalled that the 2003 opener was also a loss for the Bibs, so it should be taken as a good sign! Who's with me? Team? Anybody?
• June 9 - The sun shone brightly as the mighty Bibliotech pantechnicon thundered into life and, led by strong hitting all through the lineup (notably a 3-run HR by Pat Page, bases-clearing double by Rick Smokovich) and some defensive gems submitted by young Bibs Rob Wolfe, Max Fleischman, and Jennifer Murphy rotating in at the 2B slot, rolled over the DOT-oriented Blood Sucking Contractors for a 20-8 win. It looks like 2004 will be another trick-or-treat year for the enigmatic yet palpable Bibliomunculi. (The prized Golden Haddock was awarded to Bill Guarente for his piquant portfolio of game and post-game photographs.)
• June 16 - The supersized Bibs face semi-familiar Environmental Engineering opponents, Barrel of Monkeys, with high hopes of pushing the 2004 season in the right direction with another big win, but instead get a Monkey-shower (that's when it's so hot you go "Oo oo oo ah ah ah") despite taking an early lead, giving up 5 unrecoupable runs late in the game, and losing 13-9. There is no joy in Bibville!
• June 23 - In an intense seesaw battle versus the Center for Real Estate's "Pure Play" team, with the score tied at the end of the regulation 7 innings, the dueling detachments played on into the 10th, the Bibs holding the line defensively so that their Big 5 could get up to bat again and finally manage to score a run. The raucous joy of the win was tempered somewhat by the subsequent news that ascendant rookie William Reilly had avulsed a bone in his Lisfranc's Joint with a slide into 3rd base, and would require surgery! for which he was accorded the coveted Golden Haddock, retroactively.
• June 30 - The Bibliotechs came out on a beautiful afternoon hoping for splendor in the grass vs. longtime nemeses the Clippers, from the MIT News Office. These were not the Clippers of old, however, carrying a number of new players in their lineup who were suspiciously adept with glove and bat, and not giving the impression of being members of the working press. The Bibs didn't have a bad game, but the Clippers had a better one, winning 15-7. At the season's midpoint, the outlook, with a 2-3 record, according to the MIT Library's 8-ball, is "Ask again later."
• July 7 - Another gruesome loss, worse than the last time the Bibs played the Sea Monkeys, a game in which the Env. Eng. team could have invoked the "slaughter rule" but didn't gives rise to speculation: is this merely a bubble, a blip, a chimera, that will dispel with the next bright win for the battling Bibliotechs? Or is this the Bibberdammerung, the Twilight of the Bibs that was foretold in the sagas? The oracles will be consulted, and the entrails read.
• July 14 - Employing the Miesian dictum, "Less is more" (or is that "Loss is morbid?") and going with a cut-down and weather-shortened line-up (13 players,) the back-to-the-wall Bibs bust a dope move and bring down the division-leading and formerly undefeated Dead Man Piano Movers, 10-7! The splendid Golden Haddock, more observed in the breach than in the bestowal this season, was lauded unto veteran Bibliotech, MIT Museum curator, and author Debbie Douglas for a perfect (3 for 3) day at the plate and stand-up D at 2nd base. The sun will rise another day on the Bibliotech Nation!
• July 21 - The bodacious Bibliotechs, backs to the wall and battling a bezzled season, apply the orange stick of good attitude and decent play (potent offense including HR's by Page and Gass) to the cuticle of failure, to reveal the pleasing lunula of a win! vs. the Blood Sucking Contractors, and get back to a .500 record. Oh what a feeling!
• July 28 - In a game riddled with anomalies (a rain-threatened, beer-censored game moved to the Astroturf field because of the Democratic National Convention, a tight line-up, no batting practice) the Bibliotechs finally put it all together, with diapasonal fertility, for a masterpiece of a win over the CRE "Pure Play" team, 25-7. One more game in the season! Obesa non cantavit!
• August 4 - The indomitable Bibliotechs, facing a must-win (and then some) scenario for their final game of the regular season, rose to the occasion against telecommunications giant Artisoft's Ringers, with whom they were tied in the standings, and conducted themselves like the team they knew they could be, reaching down deep to prevail, 11-9, in a hard-fought, seesaw game. The playoff picture is clouded, with the Bibs unlikely to qualify, even with a 6-4 record, but the 2004 team can take pride in turning a grim season around with a joyful surge over the last 4 games, a streak that will be inscribed forever in the records of Bibliotech heroics. Long live the Bibs!

Updated on 040805