ook over the Manheim Township team with my friend Wayne P. when our sons, Tad and Chad, were 11 years old and we managed to come in as runner-ups that first year. It seems that a team from the lower end of Lanc. Co. had a youngster named Rob B. who eventually was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and we just could not beat him. No one else could either. As 12 year olds we tried again and came in 2nd. Again as 13 and 14 year olds we were defeated. It was still a tremendous accomplishment to make it that far, but we were determined to beat them. In our first year as Midgets we finally made it. I must tell you that Rob B. hurt his arm half-way through the season and his team didn't even make it into the tournament. We played a team from Lancaster Township in the finals and whopped them good! Hey, we'll take it any way we can. As a reward we were treated to a game at Veterans Stadium in Phila. and team jackets. Our jackets were bright red with the MT logo on them. On the back was "Champions, New Era Tournament". Pretty neat and prestigious to wear around town. Each player had their name embroidered on the front. Wayne and I opened the jackets and admired them. Uh-Oh! As I held up my jacket Wayne P. began to laugh. I looked and saw that instead of "Coach Woods", it said "Coach Woops". Seems they embroidered the "d" upside down. Pretty hilarious. Not to me. I was kind of upset. I called and they apologized and said they would have it corrected. Easy for them to say, but to the rest of the team I am, to this day, Coach Woops. Just an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The "Woops" Story
It was an ordinary day. I was opening the big box that I had just picked up at the newspaper office. Inside were the team jackets that were a prize from the Lancaster New Era for winning the "New Era Tournament." This is the local equivalent of the World Series. Teams which win their individual leagues throughout Lancaster County are invited to participate in this tournament. I was the coach of the team that had FINALLY won after many years of trying. We have age groups for Little League Baseball which start with 9-12 year olds (midget-midgets), 13-14 year olds (jr. midgets) and 15-16 year olds (midgets). I took over the Manheim Township team with my friend Wayne P. when our sons, Tad and Chad, were 11 years old and we managed to come in as runner-ups that first year. It seems that a team from the lower end of Lanc. Co. had a youngster named Rob B. who eventually was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and we just could not beat him. No one else could either. As 12 year olds we tried again and came in 2nd. Again as 13 and 14 year olds we were defeated. It was still a tremendous accomplishment to make it that far, but we were determined to beat them. In our first year as Midgets we finally made it. I must tell you that Rob B. hurt his arm half-way through the season and his team didn't even make it into the tournament. We played a team from Lancaster Township in the finals and whopped them good! Hey, we'll take it any way we can. As a reward we were treated to a game at Veterans Stadium in Phila. and team jackets. Our jackets were bright red with the MT logo on them. On the back was "Champions, New Era Tournament". Pretty neat and prestigious to wear around town. Each player had their name embroidered on the front. Wayne and I opened the jackets and admired them. Uh-Oh! As I held up my jacket Wayne P. began to laugh. I looked and saw that instead of "Coach Woods", it said "Coach Woops". Seems they embroidered the "d" upside down. Pretty hilarious. Not to me. I was kind of upset. I called and they apologized and said they would have it corrected. Easy for them to say, but to the rest of the team I am, to this day, Coach Woops. Just an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
ook over the Manheim Township team with my friend Wayne P. when our sons, Tad and Chad, were 11 years old and we managed to come in as runner-ups that first year. It seems that a team from the lower end of Lanc. Co. had a youngster named Rob B. who eventually was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and we just could not beat him. No one else could either. As 12 year olds we tried again and came in 2nd. Again as 13 and 14 year olds we were defeated. It was still a tremendous accomplishment to make it that far, but we were determined to beat them. In our first year as Midgets we finally made it. I must tell you that Rob B. hurt his arm half-way through the season and his team didn't even make it into the tournament. We played a team from Lancaster Township in the finals and whopped them good! Hey, we'll take it any way we can. As a reward we were treated to a game at Veterans Stadium in Phila. and team jackets. Our jackets were bright red with the MT logo on them. On the back was "Champions, New Era Tournament". Pretty neat and prestigious to wear around town. Each player had their name embroidered on the front. Wayne and I opened the jackets and admired them. Uh-Oh! As I held up my jacket Wayne P. began to laugh. I looked and saw that instead of "Coach Woods", it said "Coach Woops". Seems they embroidered the "d" upside down. Pretty hilarious. Not to me. I was kind of upset. I called and they apologized and said they would have it corrected. Easy for them to say, but to the rest of the team I am, to this day, Coach Woops. Just an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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