Hanked!

I'm a big fan of moral victories. I'll take a victory anyway I can get it. In fact, if there is not actually a prize related to your victory you could do much worse than a moral one. It is so rare the Bad Gnus are linked to the word moral without the im preceding it.

Last year, we played the Hanks twice and both times lost twenty-something to one-something. Those are complete beat downs. I remember a game that they batted around before making an out in a game against us last year. This year the Bad Gnus have been playing much better. The first Hanks game this year, we shut them out for 7 innings but never could score ourselves. Having trouble scoring is a long standing problem for many of the Gnus, but we have not been hitting much lately either. Hey-o!

I've heard whispers that age may finally be catching up to the Hanks. Ok, it was me whispering it into my wish jar, but I still heard them. Well, that didn't seem to show this week. After two innings, the Bad Gnus trailed 10-2. I'm not going to reconstruct that clusterfielding of a defense we threw out there in the first two innings, but let's say the Hanks got a few extra outs.

In the third inning, Newcastle Player of the Game, Bill Moebs took over the hill. I was stunned he even made an appearance to the game during this busy time of year of his work. Thong modeling is at it's peak in the summer months... But right before game time he came strolling up. Not just strolling up but with walking in slow motion with trumpets blaring as he was carrying an ice chest. We decided to play defense for Bill. Not sure why we decided to revolt against Greg's pitching all the sudden. Maybe he looked too cool in his hipster glasses. Or maybe it is that we don't know how to react to a Bad Gnu who is not carrying a front porch under that tye-dye. Either way, the Hanks only got one more run the rest of the way. The Bad Gnus did finally rally. Key plays included Howard's long blast and NPOG Moobs going 3 X 3. But the Gnus came up short in the end, losing 11-9.

We were greeted this week by a large fan base of the Hanks women sitting on the Gnus side. And who could blame them for wanting to see all of that man-candy and wanting to sit in the shade. Well, maybe it was just the shade. They were nice enough to not only compliment this humble blog, but they tried to not laugh too hard at us during those first two innings. I'm not sure if we appreciated the slow, loud, sarcastic clap after we finally got three outs in the first inning. Soon enough, they shade shifted and they made way for the sexiest fan base in Arden Park.

The Hanks complimentary nature of this blog has now moved them into fourth place in my all-time list of Hanks, just edging out "ies".

1. Hank Hill
2. Henry Weinahardt's
3. Hank Aaron
4. The Hanks
5. Hankies

Next week brings a bye week, but do not miss the special summer book club edition of indoor softball! This is sure to be a hit. See you out there.