Sunday, August 11th was a day of two outings. A bus full of people went to see Fiddler on the Roof at
Porthouse Theater in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, and another bus full of people went to the Lake County Captains minor league baseball game at Classic park in Eastlake, OH.
First, the game. It was the 5th annual Jewish Heritage Day at Classic Park in Lake County. Jewish Heritage Day at a minor league ball game is the brainchild of Andrew Grover, the Captains Assistant Ticket Sales and Community Relations Manager, as well as the on-field host for all Captains home games. Andrew always asks me to take part in some way, usually by singing some Jewish songs before the game. This year when he called, I told him I'd rather bring a group of residents to the game.
Andrew offered me the opportunity to sing Hatikvah before the game. He sweetened the pot by telling me that I could throw out one of the first pitches along with the rabbis who were invited to do so. He clinched the deal by telling me I could hit in the Rabbi Home Run Derby after the game.
Here I am on the field getting ready to toss a pitch and sing. But not at the same time. The bearded man in the blue cap is Menorah Park's own Rabbi Karp.
Here I am acknowledging my fans.
I chose to pitch from the stretch, even though there were no base runners, because I find it more economical and suits my slider better. Or, because I don't actually have a windup.
I was a little off target, but I made it all the way to the plate. Well, all the way to the plate and several feet to the left of the batters box. 90 feet never looked so far as it did from the pitcher's mound to home plate.
And here's a scene from "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok.
Actually, that's one of our community rabbis. I apologize, but I don't remember his name. Please feel free to email me and fill me in at nbudin@menorahpark.org.
Here's the whole, motley crew of us standing on the third base line after our pitches. Notice Rabbi Matt Eisenberg (third from the left, blue shirt, white cap) of Temple Israel Ner Tamid. He's got a very large shofar. We were afraid he was going to bat with it. He didn't, but every so often during the game, a blast could be heard from section 106, like a lone vuvuzela. (vuvuzela:
http://youtu.be/YpXN8BvGp_o)
Andrew Grover visits us during the game.
And there I am, between home and the mound, singing Hatikvah.
Local singer and
HaZamir choir director Sharon Schafer and two HaZamir choir members sing a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem.
Our old friend Shawn Fink sings Take Me Out to the Ballgame in Yiddish during the Seventh Inning Kvetch.
And now to the hitting. I'm no Jason Kipnis but...well, my stance is, uh...well, I'm no Jason Kipnis. Heck, I'm barely even Danny DeVito.
And here I am, mid-swing. Yes, I said "swing" and not "bunt." My bat speed isn't what it used to be, and what it used to be wasn't so hot. I took 10 pitches (overhand lobs) and did make contact several times. I even got a hit past the shortstop. OK, there was no shortstop, but I'm pretty sure it would have gone through the hole for a base hit.
Speaking of "hit"...
Fiddler was a huge hit with our residents. I don't need to tell you much about the play, but Porthouse Theater, the summer program run by the Kent State University Theater Department, put on a wonderful production. Here are some photos from that outing, headed by Activities Coordinator Marla Papcum. (Marla took these with her phone.)
