In acknowledgment of baseball season’s opening day

EIGHT FOR EIGHT

For Michael Weintraub, MD

Age 42

Norma and I
visiting a friend,

University of
Iowa.

Scheduled game
between Writer’s Workshop

and an amateur
team.

Workshop short a
player.

Volunteered.

At bat eight
times,

smacked seven
homers.

One inning to go,
eighth time at plate,

pitcher hollers
in:

THIS IS THE LAST BALL

—PLEASE KEEP IT INSIDE THE
PARK!

I call out to
right fielder:

WHERE DO YOU WANT IT HIT?

Tosses cap to about six feet

in front of the
wall, yells back:

FIVE BUCKS SAYS YOU CAN’T
HIT MY CAP!

I did;

turned it into a
stand-up triple,

laughing and
laughing

James Humphrey, 1998, Yonkers, NY

© James Humphrey Trust