"And it's a fastball, high and inside. It's a swing and miss. Another no-hit inning for this pitcher!"

Vinky looked at her brother and rolled her eyes. "Vobble, what the heck are you doing?"

"Geez, Vinkz, can't you see? I'm pitchin' a no-hitter in the big leagues, sis! I'm the best pitcher in the whole league. Nobody can get a hit offa me!"

"Vobble, you're in an owlbox. You don't even have a bat or a ball. And I'd just love to see you try and find a glove to fit over those talons."

"Golly, Vinkz, what happened to your imagination? I can see that ball whizzin' past the batters. How come you can't?"

Vinky rolled her eyes again and said …

"Well, if you insist on this silliness go ahead. But count me out, I have some very important bird beauty magazines to catch up on."

Vobble looked a little disappointed, but using his imagination and pretending were his biggest assets, so he continued his game.

"The wind up, the pitch, another strike!"

"I really love baseball," thought Vobbs, "and it would be a lot more fun if I could find someone to play with me."

"I'm going to see if Zorro wants to play." He left his sister on the gagshag.

"Hey Zorro, you want to play some baseball with me?"

"Baseball? You mean REAL baseball? As in 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame?' As in Cracker Jack and Hot Dogs and Popcorn and Nachos and Peanuts and Cotton Candy and Soda? You bet! Count me in!"

"Is that all you think about? Food?" Now it was Vobble's turn to roll his eyes.

Zorro looked at Vobble quizzically. "Is that a rhetorical question?"

"A red what question?" asked Vobble.

"Rhetorical!" shouted Vinky from the owlbox. "Zorro, I'm so glad you are using the Word-of-the-Day calendar I gave you for Christmas!"

Vobble started to pout. "Come on Zorro! Are you in or out for BASEBALL?? NOT food, NOT words!"

Zorro smiled at Vobble and said "Sorry kiddo, but I'm not much into athletics... I'll be happy to watch your game when you get enough players, though!" Dejected, Vobble turned to leave, thinking...

"enough players, really. Give me 5 minutes and I'll show youse a team you wouldn't believe."

Vinky muttered "Yeah, right!" and went back to her magazine.

"Ok." Vobble looked around. "Let's start with guys that can catch. Then there are the guys that can throw. Ok, who of youse can pitch?"

He got no answer.

Vobble pulled out his laptop and brought up his virtual baseball group. He quickly typed in "Who's up for trying to play a real out-on-the-field game of baseball?"

Replies started to roll in, and all of them were "Yes!"

"Ok," typed Vobble, "Now how many of you live close enough to get over here in, say, half an hour?"

As the replies rolled in, a lot of them were "sorry-I-live-too-far-away", but there were enough "I'll-be-right-theres" to make up 2 teams!

"Yay," cried Vobble. "Now we're in business!"

Vobble scurried around setting up bases in VacaDude's backyard, so he'd be ready when the players started to arrive. He had just finished when he looked up and saw…

Big Papi from the Boston Red Sox, and Derek Jeter, an old New York Yankees player coming into the yard!

"Wowza! You gutz are REAL baseball players!" Vobble was so eggcited he flapped his wings so hard when he shook their hands, that they nearly came off the ground and into flight.

Then from out of Vacadude's house came Rocky, Zale, and Brain Cell, all with baseball gloves. "Wowza! I didn't know your guys could play baseball too! This is great!"

Soon there were enough players to get the game started. Then all of a sudden…

VacaDude showed up. He said, "Wow! My own ball field. Can I play?"

Vobble said, "You're the umpire, Dude!"

Just then CC showed up with her new Snack Wagon. It had big honkin' speakers on top that played …

"Take Me Out To the Ballgame."

The crowd roared. Peanuts and Cracker Jack were selling like crazy.

Vobble and Vinks decided off-camera that they would…

divide up all the volunteer players into two teams. Meanwhile, CC put in a call to her cafe to send out more supplies.

The newly chosen teams decided on names for themselves and moved to their places, and a coin toss determined which team would be up first.


The fans also moved to areas behind the teams they were rooting for.

As soon as the team up first had taken their places on the field, VacaDude, as umpire, yelled "Batter up!" and then "PLAY BALL!" And the very next thing that happened was that…

Vobble wound up and let loose a pitch. Obviously all his imaginary pitching in the owl box had paid off. VacaDude hollered, "STEEEEE-RIIIIIKE!!!"

Vobble pitched strike after strike. He ever struck out Derek Jeter. Soon the inning was over. Vobble's team was at bat.

Big Papi strode up to the plate. He let the first three pitches go by—all of them balls. The next pitch was right where he wanted it. He swung. With a huge THWACK the ball sailed out of sight. Then they heard a THUMP and then "HEY!!!!"

The ball was stuck in the owl box door! Vinky was not happy! The dude climbed the camera ladder and pulled the ball free. "Uh, sorry Vinks. We'll try to aim the other direction next time."

Vinky said, "Hmmmmphphphph!" and went back to her magazines.

The game resumed. Big Papi earned a ground rule double for that hit. He grumbled a bit, saying, "If that box wasn't there, it woulda been a homer."

The play went back and forth. Soon it was the last inning. Vobble was at bat. There were 3 balls and two strikes with two outs. The bases were loaded. Vobble's team was down by 2 runs. Could he do it?

He slid his wings up the bat just a little bit. He leaned over the plate. The pitcher went through some wild gyrations and let the ball fly. It was right over the outside corner of the plate. Vobble stretched out his wings to their full span and swung hard.

He smacked that ball! It flew! The left fielder ran for it. It bounced in the outfield and the fielder picked it up. He threw it as hard as he could. Vobble was safe at second and two runs had scored! The game was tied!

The Dude called a time-out. He called the two team captains to the center of the field. "Gutz," he said, "I can hardly see the ball. It's getting dark and I don't have outdoor stadium lights. What d'ya say we call the game a draw and go in for some refreshments?"

Everyone thought this was a grand idea. CC whipped up a big batch of lemonade and some cake balls (that looked like baseballs).

As they relaxed, Derek Jeter turned to Vobble and said, "Ya know, little buddy, I've still got some contacts in the biz. If you ever wanna go big time, you just let me know."

Vobble tipped his head and thought for a minute. He said, "I never knew playing REAL baseball was so much work. I think I'll just stick with my imaginary games. They're fun, but not nearly so tiring."

Now that I'm all tired and everything, I think I'll re-tire."

The End