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That's Sports
The Good Old Days of Summer
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
The other day I was stopped at a stop sign and on one side of the road some kids were squirting each other with water guns and on the other side of the road – a couple of other kids had their gloves on and were throwing the ball around, boy did the memories come rushing back! I remember when we were kids, sports and athletics took up every waking second of the day.Our summer days used to consist of waking up early and hustling to bible school, we didn't do it at church but would gather on Lloyd and Ina Mitton's front porch. That was about as close to any kind of formal learning we wanted while the school was still locked.
Then it was straight to the pool in Thamesville for swimming lessons. I was terrified of deep water and would scream murder until the poor lifeguard would let me hang out in the shallow end. And to think I'm a Pisces, go figure. One summer at Kennesserie Camp I was playing tag and chasing a counsellor by the name of Dave Walker out to the deep end – when I tagged him he brought to my attention that I was swimming in about eight feet of water. The pool was cool after that. The lifeguards in Thamesville were shocked when I showed up the next Monday for lessons and there was no screaming, just a big splash in the deep end.
We used to play baseball after swimming lessons at the vacant lot right next to Tim Wright's house until noon, have lunch and head to the pool for 1:00 p.m. afternoon swimming. We would sometimes stay the whole boat until 4:00 p.m. but usually at about 2:30 p.m. we'd head back for another quick game of baseball and then home.
Two nights per week we'd play baseball in the Western Counties league and also have one night for practise. We used to slip in a game of grass hockey one or two afternoons per week just to break up the baseball. From 1977 on I could tell you the stats of each Yankee and most of the Tigers as we would dig into the batter's box. Man, we dreamed that summer would never end.
Of course, these were the pre-corn detassling years. When corn came, the few weeks of summer left us ragged and tired so we only played our two games of ball per week and one practise. Once in a while if we had a Saturday off we would start up a game of baseball to kill time.
I still swing the bat in the Maple City Slo-Pitch League although I don't announce that it's Craig Nettles in the box or Bucky Dent with a .291 average and five homers, one triple and three doubles. I just quietly wait for the pitch and make some smart alec comment to the ump although once in a while I do tell the batter that I was trying to brush him back when a
pitch gets away to the inside when I'm on the hill.
The memories seemed like yesterday and they seemed to last forever when I was stopped at that stop sign. A moment later I was back in the hustle and bustle schedule. I guess the real sport we are all playing is called time -- make the best of it and you win!
Gary Patterson was born and raised in Chatham-Kent. He grew up in Thamesville and now lives in Chatham. Patterson was Sports Director at Beaver Communications an Blackburn Radio for over 15 years. Gary is also the track announcer at Dresden Raceway as well as some appearances at Windsor Raceway. He has played all sports inclduing being a mermber of three OBA Championship baseball teams in Thamesville and has also played hockey and football. Gary still plays golf, slo-pitch and ball hockey and well as the odd game of pick up hockey. Patterson is a passionate Miami Dolphin and Michigan Wolverine football fan. Here are few other details about Gary Patterson: Favourite food: steak, chicken wings, chili or Kenny Tharp\'s famous meatloaf; Favourite non alcoholic drink : Diet Coke; Favourite drink: Scotch, Coor\'s Light; Favourite Sports team : Miami Dolphins/Michigan Wolverines/New York Yankees; Favourite Bar : Bru\'s Room Margate Florida/Pompano Beach Florida; Favourite Bartender : Tanya (Margate), Sarah (Pompano); Favourie Vacataion spot : Pompano Beach Florida; Marital Staus : married with chilren Hockey player : Curtis Jospeh/Todd Bertuzzi; Favourite Football player : Retired Dan Marino, Anthony Thomas; Favourite Basketball player : Steve Nash Favourite Baseball player : Derek Jeter; Favourite colour : Blue; Favourite TV Show : CSI Favourite movie : The Sting, Blue Brothers and Field of Dreams; Favourite song Life Been Good To Me ( Joe Walsh); Favourite Band : Tom Petty/Eagles; Favourite type of Dog: Springer Spaniel; Favourite type of Cat : NONE
