About Jeremy

Last Saturday night we went to a minor league baseball game. Trenton Thunder hosting the Reading Phillies. We got tickets as a group with our church congregation and there were many other groups there that night, church and otherwise. When we arrived, the man who had coordinated tickets for our group came around asking for volunteers to participate in games and other events on the field between innings. He wanted to know if Jeremy would participate, making it sound as if the man NEEDED to find volunteers. Jeremy hesitated. What is it? he wanted to know. Just the "Arm and Hammer Dizzy Bat Race." Not knowing much more, he agreed. He would go to the guest services desk at the top of the fourth for instructions.

After the fourth inning was over, we all saw Jeremy in his brown shorts, green shirt, and black baseball cap down on the field with another guy from our group (we'll call him Dave). The announcer explained that Jeremy and Dave would have to spin on the baseball bats for a couple of minutes and then race down the field and through a finish gate. The distance was about half as far as 3rd base to home plate.

Would you be willing to do this? I watched (with my camera nearby) as Jeremy stood the bat up in front of him and placed his forehead on the end of the bat and, at the announcer's cue, began to run in circles around the bat, doing his best to keep his forehead firmly attached to the bat. Dave did the same. Sort of. Jeremy ran. Dave crept. They ran for longer than I thought they would, but the announcer still hadn't told them to stop and run. A kid behind me commented that Jeremy was booking, but Dave was "cheating" by going so slow.

At last the announcer told them they could stop spinning and run toward the finish gate. Jeremy raised his head, faced himself toward the gate and started to move. He immediately landed on his belly in the grass.  Meanwhile, Dave seemed to have just gotten him self straightened up. He looked straight at the finish gate near third base and then ran directly toward the dugout, falling over as he went. Jeremy sprang up and again started to move. He tried to look for his opponent but didn't see him. He took a few crooked steps, trying to  correct his direction but seemingly unable to. He was going to miss the gate, running into the baseball field's diamond. And Dave was up and moving in the right direction again. Dave seemed stable now but was moving slowly. Jeremy still had a chance, a good chance, if he could get himself going back toward the gate. He stumbled, but didn't fall. He turned himself and put on some speed. He was almost there. NO! He was going to collide with the guy holding up the finish gate! But he just missed him and collapsed to the ground again, effectively diving through the gate.

Jeremy had won the Arm and Hammer Dizzy Bat Race! The crowd clapped, whooped and cheered him, not knowing who he was but knowing that he had given them a good show and had shown excellent sportsmanship--spinning fast and running hard, getting up when he fell. Jeremy raised both his arms into the air in pride at his victory. Dave now stumbled his way into the gate. Too little. Too late. The prize would go to Jeremy.

Jeremy returned to his seat clutching his prize--an Arm and Hammer Spinbrush Proclean Sonic Battery-operated Toothbrush. Yes folks, he had earned it. And I could not have been more proud of my mate.