"Strike THREE, The Batter is out!" Ernie Johnson emphatically announced.
"The Braves get out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh!
The game remains tied 5 to 5." Skip Carey concluded.
The Tenses loved listening to the Braves on WZAT out of Smallville. They rarely missed listening, and they always took at least one trip a year to Atlanta-Fulton Co. Stadium to watch their favorite team play live. It was April 1977, every team had a clean slate and hoped to win their respective division. The Atlanta Braves had one Division Crown. That was back in 1969, but maybe this year would bring the second Division Winner to Atlanta!
Jeff Burroughs led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit. He was slower than Christmas, but he was a smart base-runner. Rod Gilbreath followed with a single.
Ernie screeched, "The Braves are in business! Two on and NOBODY out!"
Freddy Tense got so excited that he almost dropped his bowl of Briers Ice Cream.
Carol said, "Freddy, if you spill a drop of ice cream, I will pretend like I am Jeff Burroughs and your head is the BALL!"
After a moment of silence, they broke out into laughter.
About that time, Gary Matthews strolled to the plate.
He took ball one...a little low.
"Strike one. The count is even at 1 and 1," Ernie let the audience know.
Skip added, "He might want that pitch back. It was a beaut."
Skip was wrong.
"There's a drive, deep left-centerfield! That ball is...outta here! The Braves lead 10-7!" Ernie announce the homer, as only he could.
Skip peddled back, "I am glad he waited on that pitch."
The Tenses cleaned, read the paper, and ate more ice cream as the night went on. But, they had the radio loud enough to keep up with the game. The Braves hung on to win 10-9. The Tenses and thousands of Braves fans went to bed with smiles on their faces.
This could be the BRAVES' Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment