thedrifter
08-12-03, 05:45 AM
Submitted by: MCAS Miramar
Story Identification Number: 200381118816
Story by Sgt. Joshua Stueve
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.(August 8, 2003) -- Approaching the field about fifteen minutes before game time, I casually made my way up to one of the players and asked if he could point out Joe Evans, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar softball team's head coach. He smiled and said, "Look for the guy who's walking all funny, and if you don't see him, just drop a dollar on the ground, and if a guy walks past it and doesn't pick it up, that's him."
These days it might be a little easier to make jokes about Joe. You see, he does walk a little funny, and he should because of the three blown discs in his back. He also doesn't play as much as he used to, with the injuries and wear and tear that comes with a little more than half a lifetime spent playing softball. Not to mention the fact that he has spent the last 19 years in the Marine Corps as a C-130 aircraft electrician, and we all know what wonders 19 years in the Marine Corps can do for your body. Now most of us would not even think about getting out of bed with three blown discs, and the last thing on our minds would be playing a softball game, but then again, Joe is not your average Joe.
He walks up and down the dugout, noticeably limping from the constant pain in his back, screaming out directions to his fielders or shouting words of encouragement to one of his hitters at the plate. He is a rock, a ballplayers ballplayer, the type of man who leads by example and is easy to follow-the type of Marine we all should strive to be.
His face will not let him hide the pain that is shooting through his back. He takes a few practice swings, and steps into the batter's box. You can almost hear him say to himself, "This is my team, and if someone needs to make a sacrifice to get things going, it should be me." He swings at the first pitch and smashes a RBI double into deep center field. When he gets to second base Joe asks the umpire for a time out, and takes himself out of the game. The players meet their coach at the first base line and carry him off the field, like he had just been injured in battle and they were dragging him from the front lines. That was all the motivation that Miramar needed to get going during the first game of the West Coast Regionals held at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, July 24th. A few base hits, sprinkle in some doubles, and a monstrous two-run homer capped a eight-run inning that Twentynine Palms would never recover from. The first game of the final was theirs, and it all started with Joe.
Down seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning of the second game, the championship seemed to be slipping away. That's when Joe stepped into the batter's box. Can we really expect him to do it again? The man can barely climb out of his car, much less run bases. But there he was, standing at the plate with two runners on and his team's championship hopes in his hands. The outfielders took a few steps back, not wanting to get burned again by the old coach. The pitch came in soft and slow, and Joe crushed a double into the left field corner, starting a rally that would lead to ten runs and serve as the beginning of the end for Twentynine Palms. As Joe rounded first base I couldn't help but think that I had seen this somewhere before. Then it hit me. The 1988 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers facing the Oakland A's. Bottom of the ninth, and the game is tied. A battered and bruised Kirk Gibson hobbles to the plate, his knees that of a man twice his age. He quickly found himself down 0-2, but fought his way back to a full count. Then the perfect pitch came and Gibson hit a home run to right field that will go down as one of the all time greatest moments in sports. Doctors had told Gibson that playing that night was out of the question. Gibson told manager Tommy Lasorda, "If you need me, I can give you one at bat."
That's the type of man that Joe Evans is. But he didn't give just one at bat ... he gave two.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Story Identification Number: 200381118816
Story by Sgt. Joshua Stueve
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif.(August 8, 2003) -- Approaching the field about fifteen minutes before game time, I casually made my way up to one of the players and asked if he could point out Joe Evans, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar softball team's head coach. He smiled and said, "Look for the guy who's walking all funny, and if you don't see him, just drop a dollar on the ground, and if a guy walks past it and doesn't pick it up, that's him."
These days it might be a little easier to make jokes about Joe. You see, he does walk a little funny, and he should because of the three blown discs in his back. He also doesn't play as much as he used to, with the injuries and wear and tear that comes with a little more than half a lifetime spent playing softball. Not to mention the fact that he has spent the last 19 years in the Marine Corps as a C-130 aircraft electrician, and we all know what wonders 19 years in the Marine Corps can do for your body. Now most of us would not even think about getting out of bed with three blown discs, and the last thing on our minds would be playing a softball game, but then again, Joe is not your average Joe.
He walks up and down the dugout, noticeably limping from the constant pain in his back, screaming out directions to his fielders or shouting words of encouragement to one of his hitters at the plate. He is a rock, a ballplayers ballplayer, the type of man who leads by example and is easy to follow-the type of Marine we all should strive to be.
His face will not let him hide the pain that is shooting through his back. He takes a few practice swings, and steps into the batter's box. You can almost hear him say to himself, "This is my team, and if someone needs to make a sacrifice to get things going, it should be me." He swings at the first pitch and smashes a RBI double into deep center field. When he gets to second base Joe asks the umpire for a time out, and takes himself out of the game. The players meet their coach at the first base line and carry him off the field, like he had just been injured in battle and they were dragging him from the front lines. That was all the motivation that Miramar needed to get going during the first game of the West Coast Regionals held at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, July 24th. A few base hits, sprinkle in some doubles, and a monstrous two-run homer capped a eight-run inning that Twentynine Palms would never recover from. The first game of the final was theirs, and it all started with Joe.
Down seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning of the second game, the championship seemed to be slipping away. That's when Joe stepped into the batter's box. Can we really expect him to do it again? The man can barely climb out of his car, much less run bases. But there he was, standing at the plate with two runners on and his team's championship hopes in his hands. The outfielders took a few steps back, not wanting to get burned again by the old coach. The pitch came in soft and slow, and Joe crushed a double into the left field corner, starting a rally that would lead to ten runs and serve as the beginning of the end for Twentynine Palms. As Joe rounded first base I couldn't help but think that I had seen this somewhere before. Then it hit me. The 1988 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers facing the Oakland A's. Bottom of the ninth, and the game is tied. A battered and bruised Kirk Gibson hobbles to the plate, his knees that of a man twice his age. He quickly found himself down 0-2, but fought his way back to a full count. Then the perfect pitch came and Gibson hit a home run to right field that will go down as one of the all time greatest moments in sports. Doctors had told Gibson that playing that night was out of the question. Gibson told manager Tommy Lasorda, "If you need me, I can give you one at bat."
That's the type of man that Joe Evans is. But he didn't give just one at bat ... he gave two.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: