Bad News: Cardinals Lose World Series; Good News: Well Versed Deadline Extended

My nieces who live in Western Massachusetts -- not to be confused with my niece from St. Charles who is a Cardinals fan and got to go to Game 2 of the World Series -- are no doubt celebrating last night's Red Sox victory in the World Series.

But, if you're a St. Louis Cardinals fan like me you're lamenting the fact that the Red Birds lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox. At least it took six games this time and not four!

A good way to get over disappointment is by writing, which brings me to the good news.

This morning I received an e-mail from Linda Fisher, managing editor of Well Versed, that the submission deadline has been extended.

Here is an excerpt from her e-mail:

"I’m extending the deadline to November 10. Electronic copies must be received before midnight on the 10^th. You do not have to postmark your hard copies until November 12. I’m not sure if the post office is open on the 11^th.
 

Visit our website for complete guidelines and prizes. Please read through the guidelines carefully. A section has been added to help you format your manuscript. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at wellversed2014@gmail.com.

You may submit five poems and three prose pieces. We do require both electronic and paper versions of each submission.

As always, CCMWG members pay no entry fee. Nonmembers pay a small fee, or can join CCMWG for $15 and pay no fee. Each edition of Well Versed is filled with outstanding prose and poetry, and we look forward to having your pieces considered for the 2014 edition.
 

My sincere appreciation to all who met the original deadline! To keep Well Versed on track, this is the only extension. Entries received after the extended deadline will not be used."

Good luck if you enter! Here's hoping one of you wins big!

Boston Bound to Watch the Cardinals Play the Red Sox -- and World Series Memories

I’m so happy that my niece left St. Louis early this morning bound for Boston—not that she’s leaving town, but that she will get to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play the Boston Red Sox tonight in Game 2 of the World Series at Fenway Park.

Talk about the luck of the Irish!

For baseball fans there's nothing like the thrill of being inside the stadium during a World Series game.

 

My one and only inside-the-stadium World Series experience was in 1964 when my sister Kathleen and I went to Game 7 and watched Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees. Our parents were huge Cardinal fans, but we still were surprised when they let us skip a day of high school to go to the game.

 

The night before, Kathleen and I bundled up in blankets, along with some of her friends, to spend the night  on Dodier Street outside Sportsman Park. On that chilly evening, we took turns running to the YMCA on Grand Avenue to warm up and use the bathroom.

 

Our efforts were rewarded when we bought $2 tickets to sit in the bleachers. In fact, we were able to buy two tickets each. We then sold our extra tickets for $5 a piece to a friend of my sister's, who undoubtedly resold those tickets for even more. But our combined $10 covered the cost of our admission with enough left over to buy snacks during the game.

 

Anyway, my niece is traveling to Massachusetts today to visit her good friend and former college roommate, who is married to a player on the New England Patriots football team, who also is from St. Louis and a Cardinal fan. I'm not sure how she scored her ticket for tonight's game, but you can bet it cost a lot more than $2.

After the Cardinals' ugly loss last night, I’m hoping she will bring along some of our family’s Irish luck while she’s cheering for the Red Birds. 

So, if you see a dark-haired, gray-eyed beauty sporting a St. Louis Cardinals cap in a sea of Boston Red Sox fans, be sure to wave.

No doubt she will return home with lots of special memories of her own after watching the Cardinals win (I hope) a World Series game.

Watching the Cardinals Win, Home from Bunker Hill and the Winner of Baker Mountain

Last week was busy and a ton of fun, but somehow time got away from me.

I had intended to post the name of the winner of Baker Mountain on October 3, but life got in the way of my good intentions.

The winner's name is posted at the end of this here's-my-excuse-for-posting-late ramble.

Wednesday I got a call from Las Vegas from a very generous writer-friend, who was returning to St. Louis around midnight.

She is a season ticket holder for the St. Louis Cardinals and had some extra tickets to the Cardinals first playoff game. She knows what big Cardinal fans my grandchildren and I are. A few weeks ago I mentioned that Cari and I made it to one game this year with her Irish dance studio, but the only game Michael got to was the game he went to on a school field trip for being on Safety Patrol.

"Would you like to go to the game tomorrow?" she asked. "I have some extra tickets."

"Are you kidding? Of course!"

"Great!" she answered.

We chatted for awhile before I thought to ask.

"How much are they?"

"Don't worry about it," she said.

I told her how good she has been to me and my family and how grateful I was for her thoughtfulness -- not only was she giving me tickets to the Cardinals playoff game, she had let us use her beach house in South Carolina for a week in June.

Did I mention she is very generous?

So, on Thursday I picked up Michael right after school. We grabbed a quick meal before heading down to the ballpark for the 4 p.m. game, where we scouted for a parking place before picking up tickets at the Will Call booth. 

As we entered the stadium, we were given rally towels, which we waved frequently during the Cardinals 9-1 win. It was hot that day and supposed to rain. I brought a jacket and an umbrella. Thankfully I didn't need either. It was a perfect evening.

During the game I offered to buy my friend something to eat or to drink. "No, thanks," she said.  While there was no way I could repay her generosity, she graciously let me buy her a bottle of water.

Michael and I had a wonderful time at the ballgame. We have a special memory, one I'm sure Michael will remember until he's my age or older--and the Cardinals brought home a winner. I'm hoping they'll win two more to move on in the playoffs.

Friday was occupied with getting ready for my trip to the Missouri State Teachers Association third annual Creative Retreat at Bunker Hill, Missouri, on the Jacks Fork River in the heart of the Ozarks.

Last fall, while I was a speaker at a writing conference in Columbia,  I was invited by the managing editor of the MSTA magazine to be a presenter during this year's retreat.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd taught adults before on my government jobs, at writers' conferences, and a college seminar, but teaching teachers? I was a bit anxious. Teachers are so smart. What if they asked a question about writing I couldn't answer? I planned and organized my material, prepared handouts and hoped for the best.

My publisher-friend Lou was also invited to be a speaker. Friday afternoon Lou and her husband Squeak arrived at my house, where Squeak and my husband Walt loaded up my VW Passat. Well, almost everything got put in my car--but that's another story.

On the drive down to Bunker Hill, Lou told me a friend of hers called right before she left to warn us to be careful because we would be driving through "Winter's Bone" country, where if someone tells you they're a cook, they're more of a cook like Walter White than a fry cook at McDonald's. We didn't she any sketchy characters or run across any meth labs, but we did see lots of strange colored mushrooms--more about them on another day.

I had a wonderful time during the retreat. It was a full schedule and I met some amazing and talented writers, who happen to be teachers. Teachers really are smart, but they also are very kind. Before we left I took  time to take photos which I'll share on another post.

Now, for the big announcement. 

 

The winner selected at random to win a copy of BAKER MOUNTAIN is:

LISA RICARD CLARO

So, Lisa, please e-mail me at dvolkenannt @ charter.net (without the spaces) with your address so I can get Doyle's book in the mail to you.

Hope you're all enjoying this lovely fall weather--and Go, Cards!

School's Out and A Whole Lot of Streaking Going On in St. Louis

Yesterday was the last day of school for my grandson; my granddaughter's last day was a week ago. To celebrate the beginning of summer vacation, I took the two of them and my granddaughter's boyfriend to watch the St. Louis Cardinals play the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. Our tickets were way, way up, on the first-base side, but it was a great night to have a hot time in the city. And I'm not only talking about the temperature, which was in the 90s when we rolled into St. Louis. 

We arrived downtown early to watch batting practice and enjoyed a free concert headlined by a very talented band called Griffin and the Gargoyles. After the band played for awhile we were in for a special treat when legendary Cardinal speedster Vince Coleman spoke to the pre-game crowd outside the stadium.

Coleman was known for his lightning speed streaking around the bases when he played for the Cardinals. During his talk he shared words of wisdom he learned from coach Whitey Herzog, "Give one-hundred-and-ten percent and show up on time."

During batting practice lots of baseballs streaked through the air, and a few landed near where we stood. I did a lot of ducking and covering my head with my purse every time I heard the words, "Heads up!" The Phillies players tossed a few baseballs into the stands, but none were caught by us. Maybe next time.

By the time we found our seats, I was tired. It felt great to sit, and it was a lovely evening. Then the game started. By the end of the first inning the home-town team was behind by four runs, then down six by the end of two innings. They rallied and made the game interesting later on but fell one run short.

The Cards have been hot, almost as hot as the weather, but their winning streak ended last night. And the Cards weren't the only ones who had an end put to their streak on the field. 

At the beginning of the seventh inning a naked man darted out of the stands onto the field, pursued by the grounds crew and police -- to the surprise and amusement of fans. At first I thought the guy had on a buff colored morph outfit like the blue men group wear, but my granddaughter convinced me the man was naked because she "saw his butt crack."

By the time I dug out my camera, the streaker was down on the ground. A groundskeeper threw a towel around him.

During the excitement I received a call from my sister, who was watching the game on television. She wanted to know what was going on because the TV stations didn't show the guy's romp on the field. I described the scene and told her I snapped a few photos to record the event for -- posterity. After the man was led from the field and no doubt on his way to being arrested, the Ray Stevens' song "The Streak" blared on the stadium intercom.

Anyway, the guy was led off the field in a pair of shorts someone recovered from his entry point. Today's news reported the guy ran naked onto the field because he lost a bet. I'd venture he lost more than that.

Later a helicopter with a spotlight lit up the sky near the stadium. My grandson noticed it first and pointed it out. He wondered if the police were trying to catch someone.  He was right. On this morning's news there was a report about a group of protestors painting graffiti on banks.

I won't describe the romantic encounteer we witnessed as we waited to exit the parking garage, but it was far worse than what went on with the streaker. Was there a full moon last night--or maybe it's the heat?

After sitting in traffic then driving the 30 miles to St. Charles County, it was almost midnight. The kids were more hungry than tired, so we drove through an all-night eatery and the kids polished up some fast food back in our kitchen. By the time I rolled into bed I was exhausted, but our night at the ballpark was a streak of entertainment I'm certain my grandchildren will long remember. I know I surely will.

St. Louis Cardinals Prevail in Game 6 of World Series: In Baseball and In Writing - Never Quit

Last night's Game 6 of the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers was thrilling!

My teenage granddaughter and I stayed up and watched the game after hubby and grandson called it a night. I was bone-tired after cleaning the house for Bunco--which is at my house tonight--and at one point I told Cari I was going to bed, but she convinced me to stay up till the game was over.

Boy, am I glad I did. It is a shared memory Cari and I will have for years to come. The game didn't start out pretty for the Cardinals--not many hits, three costly errors. Winning Game 6 wasn't look promising. But the Cardinals never quit.

When David Freese tied the game with a triple in the bottom of the 9th, I got a glimmer of hope. Then Texas shot ahead. When Lance Berkman tied the game in the 10th inning, I stood up and cheered, "Lance, Lance. He's our man. If he can't do it, no one can." Then hometown hero David Freese struck again, toppng off the evening with an 11th inning home run. Cheers. Chills. Tears. Unreal.

No matter what the Cardinals do tonight in Game 7, last night's game--and this season--will be one I will always remember. At one point late in last night's game the Cards were down by three runs. They didn't quit. They fought back. To quote Dylan Thomas, they refused "to go gentle into that good night."

Flashback: In 1964, when I was around Cari's age, my sister Kathleen and I and some friends skipped school (with our parents' permission and the good nuns at our high school not disapproving) and camped  overnight outside the old Sportsmen's Park for Game 7 of the World Series between the underdog St. Louis Cardinals and the favored New York Yankees. That October night was cold as we huddled beneath our blanket. But it was an experience I have never forgotten.  Bleacher tickets cost $2. I had saved money from babysitting to pay for my ticket. We were able to buy two tickets each. A friend of Kathleen's paid us $5 for our extra $2 bleacher ticket, which paid for our own ticket, plus snacks at the stadium. What a deal!

A lot has changed since 1964. The Cardinals have moved stadiums twice since then. I heard this morning the least expensive available ticket cost around $400 for standing room only. In 1964, when Bob Gibson pitched the Cardinals to beat the New York Yankees, I climbed down the bleacher wall and followed other fans onto the field while my sister stood in the bleachers holding our blanket, yelling for me to be careful. How crazy was that?

Crazy, but well worth the memory. Yep. Baseball fans and writers have a lot in common; we're dedicated and a little bit crazy.

The resilience, persistence, and never-give-up attitude of the Cardinals is a lesson for me as a writer. In spite of rejections or close-but-not-quite-there placement in contests, I'll keep on plugging away, doing what I love to do--write--oh, and root for my hometown Cardinals.

Happy Birthday, Michael

It's hard to believe my grandson Michael is officially a teenager today. We now have two teenagers in our household.

Michael had a great birthday celebration. Last night he got his own cell phone and some money, and we went out to dinner. He picked the restaurant.

Today he got a new dirt bike from his other grandparents, some St. Louis Cardinals' gear from his sister, clothes, and other cool gifts. Because the Cards are in the World Series he didn't have to wear his school uniform and got to wear his Cardinals' shirt and hat to school.

I'm not the greatest photographer, but here's a photo I took of him after he got home from school this afternoon.

While he was at school I baked his favorite cake. The name on the recipe is Texas Sheet Cake, but since the Cardinals are playing the Texas Rangers in the World Series, I'm just calling it Michael's Favorite Chocolate Sheet Cake.

So, happy birthday to our teenage grandson, Michael! Hope you enjoy your cake!

Cardinals and Zombies and Snakes -- Oh, my!

Yesterday was strange, surprising --- and memorable.


Last night the St. Louis Cardinals clinched their 18th National League pennant and are headed for the World Series. Back in August, with the end of the season in sight, sports reporters, fans, and other ball teams pronounced the Cardinals’ season finished.

An opposing player from one team talked about burying the team in the ground and covering them with dirt.

Because the Red Birds refused to die, someone in the media dubbed them the “Zombie” Cardinals. Bats came to life. The bullpen woke up. Heroes emerged. Last night, amid champagne and celebration, third-baseman David Freese was awarded the trophy for Most Valuable Player in the National League series. A hometown hero was crowned!

Yesterday afternoon I witnessed another local hero emerge on a different field. His heroics took place in rural St. Charles --- on a soccer field surrounded by dry and dusty acres of recently plowed corn fields.

While my granddaughter’s soccer team warmed up before their game, I noticed commotion on an adjacent field. The game had stopped. Refs stood on the sidelines. Teenage girls from both teams huddled around midfield. People stood and stared at a man zigzagging near a goal post. I heard a few squeals as a soccer dad – with a Cardinals’ baseball cap on his head and a large plastic cup in one hand – chased a critter that had invaded his daughter's soccer field.

Soccer Dad bent down then quickly stood and backed up. Up and down. Thrust and parry. Back and forth. He maneuvered into position as he tried to capture something on the ground with his cup.

At first I thought the critter was a wounded bird unable to fly away. Then I caught a glimpse of slimy skin glinting off the midday sun when the critter hopped. A bullfrog? If so, it was a long and skinny frog. With a final thrust, Soccer Dad stopped the critter with his cup then lifted his catch by its neck. The captured creature shimmied and shook.

A snake. A black snake. A long black snake.

With fans applauding, Soccer Dad carried the wiggling reptile at arm’s length and deposited it in the closest, recently plowed corn field. Soccer Dad returned, victorious, brushing his hands on his jeans as the crowd whooped and cheered. The game restarted. A hero emerged, this one unnamed and unknown except to family and friends.

Yep. Yesterday had the ingredients that stories and memories are made of --- drama, tension, conflict, surprises, heroes, villains, adoring crowds, the victorious and the vanquished, and for St. Louis sports fans --- a happy ending.

This and That

Today is going to be busy. Here's what's on tap:

Opening day for the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. I'll be cheering from my van.

Driving my sister and me to Zumba class.
Taking Zumba class.
Picking up Cari from school.
Picking up Michael from school.
Driving Michael to tutoring.
Driving Michael and me to Cari's soccer game.
Cheering Cari at her soccer game.

March wrap-up:

Book reviews: 4
Author interviews: 1
Submissions: 2 short stories
Contests: 2 entries
Blog posts: 17
Blog giveaways: 2 ARCs

Watch tomorrow for my post on Coming Events for April.

Go, Cards!!!

Words Matter - Cards See Red in Cincinnati

I love baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals are my team and have been since I was a kid. In 1964 my older sister Kathleen and I skipped school, with our parents' permission, and went with some of her friends to the seventh game of the World Series. We camped out overnight to get $2 bleacher tickets at Sportsman Park, where Bob Gibson and the Cardinals beat the New York Yankees. After the game I joined the throng of crazy-brave fans who scaled down the bleacher wall to celebrate on the field, while Kathleen stood at the foot of the wall holding our blanket, telling me to be careful and not get hurt. (I didn't.)

Flash forward to this week: On Monday, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips was quoted in the media that he "hated" the St. Louis Cardinals and called them "whiny *itches." Last night when he came up to bat in the bottom of the first inning of the second game in the Cards-Reds series battle for first place, Phillips tapped the shin guards of St. Louis Cardinals all-star catcher Yadier Molina. Molina would have none of it.

According news reports, Molina told Phillips "I'm not your *itch." Phillips took off his batting helmet; Molina took off his catcher's mask, and the brawl began, emptying both clubs' benches. Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto retaliated by kicking players with his cleats during the mele. Both managers, Tony LaRussa and Dusty Baker, were ejected from the game. In Molina's first at bat he followed up his words with action by hitting a home run. The Cardinals went on to win 8-4.

As writers, we know how words are more than just empty talk. Words matter, and good writing shows rather than tells. Reds player Brandon Phillips was a lot of talk and no action. Last night Yadier Molina was more than talk. Like a good writer, Molina showed that words are important. He also showed sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Opening Day 2009

(Image from St. Louis Cardinals website http://www.stlouiscardinals.com/)

Today's forecast for St. Peters, MO: Snow showers, high 41 degrees. Snow on opening day for the St. Louis Cardinals? That's just not right!

Hey, baseball fans! It's hard to believe 2009 opening day is already here. This morning the kiddos were excited because they got to wear Cardinal red to school rather than their school uniforms--of course they're always excited when they get to wear anything other than their school uniforms. The St. Louis Cardinals are slated to play the Pittsburg Pirates later this afternoon. With today's forecast calling for snow showers, I wonder if they will get to play.

This crazy weather reminds me of another St. Louis Cardinals' game I attended--the 1967 All Star Game at the then new Busch Stadium. The weather on that day in July was at the other extreme. Hot and humid and over 100 degrees.

When asked what he thought about the Cardinals' new stadium, Casey Stengel remarked, "It holds heat well." Or something to that effect. It was definitely a scorcher!

The 1967 All Star Game game ranks third in my all-time favorite Cardinal memories.

My second favorite Cardinal memory was in July, 1997. I had entered Walt's name in a Father's Day contest at a local department store. His name was picked as Grand Prize Winner! He got to throw out the first pitch. He won four tickets for seats in the boxes where they serve you food and drink. In addition to Walt and me, Julie and Mikey went with us. Willie McGee hit a homer and won the game for the Cardinals.

My most treasured Cardinal memory is the seventh game of the 1964 World Series, when the Cardinals played the New York Yankees.

Mom and Dad let my older sister Kathleen and me skip school. I tagged along with Kathleen and her friends to camp outside Sportsman Park--the old, old stadium on Grand and Dodier. We bought $2 bleacher tickets, and a friend of Kathleen's paid us each $5 to buy an extra ticket. With $5 to spend, we got to buy lunch at the ballpark. That game was one I will always remember! Bob Gibson pitched; Tim McCarver caught, and the Cardinals won the game. I was one of the crazy people who climbed down the bleacher wall to run out onto the field and celebrate. Kathleen stood in the bleachers holding our blankets yelling, "Donna, don't do that you'll get hurt!" But I didn't.

So, anyone else have a favorite baseball memories to share? It doesn't even have to be a Cardinal memory.