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2nd annual kickball tournament held last weekend

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The San Carlos Cubs held its second annual kickball tournament on Friday and Saturday nights Aug. 16 and 17. Twelve teams participated. The REZ Kickers got the championship shirts. The Kickers took second place and the “2 legit 2 Kick” took third. The tournament earned money for the San Carlos Cubs baseball team to participate in the baseball tournament at the White River Fair, which will be held on the field of Alchesay High School Aug. 28.

The event fulfilled every baseball tradition except for Runs Batted In. They were replaced by Runs kicked in. Joshua Anderson and the San Carlos High School Senior Class provided the snack bar, an enterprising way to raise cash for their Senior Trip.  Participants cooked up hot dogs tailgate style.

On Saturday the tournament lasted till past 1 a.m. but games moved right along except for occasional waits for all members of a team to show up.

Skilled baseball and softball players had to cope with a game that is played with an unwieldy ball capable of bouncing right off the chest of an unwary fielder. Grabbing the ball and throwing it takes more time making bunts or “baby kicks” a viable way to get on base.  On the other hand, players can be thrown out by being hit by a fielder’s throw. 

Pitching strikes is easy and there were only two walks in the tournament. A pitch would called a ball if it were  too bouncy or not within a foot to the left or right of the plate. Also, kickers tended to be able to get a foot on the ball for better or worse.  Worse being fouls, mostly to left field, which counted as strikes and even, under the rules, third strikes. Kickers also sent many flies soaring into the arms of the defense.  Many more outs were forced at second base than at first due to the time required to corral the ball and throw it as far as first. As befits a kid’s game, there were a couple of kids playing, but it was an “adult” affair, and skill counted as former San Carlos stars served as moveable Black Holes in their areas. But even they occasionally bobbled a ball that will crush to half its size when bouncing and go every which way when kicked or grabbed. The Cubs meticulously policed the field and stands after the game.