This is the 10th Anniversary Season for the Goat Scouts who are looking forward to returning to winning form. Last season was not what you would call a spectacular year. The Goat record in 1995 was 6 wins, 5 losses and 4 forfeits by the opponents. We had a lot of fun, some great plays, but were inconsistent, winning one week and losing the next. This season our goal is to win week in and week out.

• April 22, 1996, vs Wild Turkeys (Win 22-12)
• April 30, 1996, vs Keystone Co-ops (Win 19- 11)
• May 6, 1996, vs Devil Rays (Win 9-4)
• May 13, 1996, vs Rock Lobsters (Win 10-0)
• May 21, 1996, vs LA Radars (Win 19-12)
• May 29, 1996, vs Gravity Fielders (Win 29-5)
• June 6, 1996, vs Vas-Y-Bears (Forfeit)
• June 11, 1996, vs Cassini Grounders (Forfeit)
• June 17, 1996, vs Voodoo TOAD Fury (Loss 12- 15)
• June 27, 1996, vs Zephyrs (Win 18-13)
• July 10, 1996, vs Deep Space Cadets (Forfeit)
• July 15, 1996, vs Roving Marauders (Win 14-7)
• July 23, 1996, vs Homers (Win 12-6)
• July 29, 1996, vs Planet X (Loss 7-10)
• August 5, 1996, vs Asterisks (Win 16-5)
• August 13, 1996, vs Crawdads (Canceled by the Goats)
• August 20, 1996, vs THz Freqs (Win 16-6)

1996 Season Record - 11 wins, 2 losses, 1 cancellation and 3 forfeits

1996 Game Summaries

The season began and the game started off with an injury to Michele Katti in the very first inning. She was hit in the face by a softball and was rushed to Huntington where she received stitches for a cut over her eye. Michele was on the "Disabled List" for 3 weeks and has since returned to the line-up. Glad to see you back out playing, Michele. Highlights include homeruns by Bryan (2) and Earl, triple by Bryan and double by Earl. Final score Goat Scouts 22, Wild Turkeys 12.

This has always been a really fun game and this year was no exception. The Co-ops were very gracious, especially when the scorekeeper, Donna, should have called the "mercy rule" sooner, but the Goats was just too quick getting up to bat, hitting the ball and running the bases. It should have been called 2 runs sooner in the 4th inning. Batting highlights include homeruns by Art and Keith, one triple by Larry H. and doubles by Phil, Ron E. and David. Final score Goat Scouts 19, Keystone Co-ops 11.

This game was actually against the team formally known as Prime Time. This game was a real pitchers dual, or rather great fielding by both teams! The score was low and the runs few. Highlights include a homerun by Ron E. and a double by Bryan. Final score Goat Scouts 9, Devil Rays 4.

This game was another low scoring, leave a lot of runners at the bases type of game for the Goat Scouts. The Rock Lobsters never had a chance to score against our awesome fielders. Eighteen Goats came out to play unfortunately most only batted twice. Batting highlights include a homerun by Bryan and doubles by Alex, Paolo and Kareem. Final score Goat Scouts 10, Rock Lobsters 0.

What an extraordinary turn out by the Goats. Twenty-one players showed up. With so many players, three of us decided to bench ourselves to make it easier and hopefully allow more at bats per person. This game will probably go in to the history books for the most runs scored by the Goats (Bryan later reminded me of a game a couple of seasons back where the Goats scored 30+ runs and lost) and also for the all female infield in the second and fourth innings which only gave up 1 run. Practically the entire team had 3 turns at bat. Highlights include a homerun by Paula and doubles by Ron E. (2), Phil, Bryan (2), Ron M., Paula, Bonnie and Bob N. It should also be noted that Art hit a single batting left handed in the 6th inning. Final score Goat Scouts 29, Gravity Fielders 5.

It appears that when our opponents hear that their next game is against the Goat Scouts, it must send quivers of fear throughout their souls! The Vas-Y Bears, week 7 opponent, disbanded and the players joined the Asterisks to avoid playing us during the first half of the season, maybe we will meet up with the Asterisks in the second half.

The Cassini Grounders, must have heard about our reputation, because by 5:50 p.m. they had only 4 players and no equipment. This was a surprise to the 10 dedicated Goat Scouts players who hustled to be on time, have just enough people to play plus a cheering section and then have our opponents, the home team, show up with only 4 players. A fifth player showed up about 5 minutes after the four Cassini Grounders forfeited the game and left. I actually felt sorry for him as he walked over to the field looking lost.

Needless to say, we haven't played now in two weeks and Voodoo TOAD Fury are our next opponents. The "TOADs" have become our "rivals" and they were playing on the next field over from us, if we had been playing the Cassini Grounders. One of the "TOAD" players, Mike Blakely, jogged over to us on the pretense of warming up, but we know better! I think he was sent over to check us out, so that he could report on our shortcomings, but alas no secrets were given up!

It was a beautiful Tuesday early evening at the Rosebowl as the Goat Scouts faced off against our rivals, Voodoo TOAD Fury. It should be noted that earlier today, over in building 156, Mike Blakely hung his TOAD t-shirt outside his office with a sign that said "Next victim, the Goat Scouts". That should have been enough incentive for us to play our best and for a few innings, it was, but then there were a couple of innings that did us in.

An error occurred during the 7th inning by Larry H. where it was noted that his nickname is supposed to be "Hoover" not "Leaf Blower". The big play of the inning and game was when Charlie Kaczinski's hit a long flyball to right that he figured no one would catch. Ron E. was right there and nabbed the ball. Charlie was livid, he complained that we weren't playing fair by having one of our better players in right unlike other opponents.

As the Goats approached the bottom of the 7th, we were down 7 runs, but the top of the order was due to bat and unfortunately we were only able to score 4 runs. Final score Goat Scouts 12, Voodoo TOAD Fury 15.

Our first loss this season, but hey it was still a fun game and I hope the Goats get to play them again at the end of the season.

If it's Thursday, our opponents must be the Zephyrs. Upon arrival at the field, no one was quite sure whether we would have enough players for a "legal" game. Lucky for the Goats, Don Johnson came to watch and was talked into playing and Wes Carr joined us for his first game of the season. The Goats went ahead and played with only 8 players, Miki, Ron E., Bonnie, Bryan, Donna, Art, Don and Wes. We were determined to give it our best. The Zephyrs were the home team and had a strong showing with somewhere between 12-15 players. They kindly volunteered to catch when they were up to bat, but the Goats decided to play with what they had.

Our bats were mighty and our defense strong. For the first three innings the defense consisted of: Miki - Pitcher, Don - Catcher, Bonnie - 1st Base, Donna - 2nd Base, Bryan - 3rd Base and Short Stop, Art - Left Field, Wes - Center Field and Rover, and Ron E. - Right Field. This defense only had a little bit of trouble when Bryan committed three errors in the 3rd and was nicknamed "BELL-ERR". For the final three innings it was Bryan - Pitcher, Don - Catcher, Art - 1st Base, Donna - 2nd Base, Ron E. - 3rd Base and Short Stop, Wes - Left Field, Miki - Center Field and Rover and Bonnie - Right Field.

The line up was strong as the Goats scored 4 in the first, 9 in the second, 1 in the third, and 4 in the fourth. Other highlights include the "jeering" of Ron E. when he was batting in the second, who then shut us up by hitting a homerun. In the third Donna calls Art's hitting "putrid" and he shows her by hitting a double. Bonnie tries to take off Bryan's head as he coaches at third with a line drive in foul territory. Other homeruns include 2 for Bryan and Art also hits 1. Late in t he game the Goats start a two person "wave" while up to bat for the last time. Thank you, Don, without you we would have had to forfeit instead of getting a win. Final score Goat Scouts 18, Zephyrs 13.

This last game was a lot of fun and I overheard our opponents commenting that we were way too happy, but that's what C-League is all about, having FUN!!!

The Deep Space Cadets ended up having to forfeit the game to us as they were unable to field 3 women. Since we had 6 show up, Miki, Tracy and Karen went and played for the Cadets. No statistics were kept as this was an unofficial game. There was a shutout going until Art came in to pitch in the 4th inning and gave up a couple of runs including a homerun by a guy who lulled the outfield to sleep. The Goats did manage to score 17 runs including a grand slam homerun by Bryan.

Technically this game was a forfeit as the Marauders showed up to play without the equipment and recruited players from the Gravity Fielders whose opponents didn't show. Overall we had very consistent play by the team. Highlights include Ron E. trying to take out their pitcher while batting not once but twice. On his final up at bat Ron E. hit the homerun he had been looking for all evening. Bryan was another homerun hitter this evening. In the 7th inning the defense held on with a couple of Coccaro to Coccaro connections. Final Score Goat Scouts 14, Roving Marauders 7.

The Goats were pumped and ready for the Homers as 16 Goat Scouts showed up to play. This was the first outing for Pete, who came up to bat in the first inning and hit the first pitch for a homerun to left. Ron E. continued his streak of hitting female opponents by hitting his first ball sharply at the 2nd baseperson. She was hit in the left shoulder, went down, and recovered to continue to play. Steve S. made a spectacular dive in left field catching the ball, bouncing a couple of times and having the ball pop out, but he did get dirty and was very proud of that achievement. The sprinklers came on in the outfield during the bottom of the 6th and proved to be quite a challenge when the Goats took the field in the top of the seventh and the Homers scored 4 runs. Other highlights include doubles by Miki, Bryan and Ron E., a triple by Phil and homeruns by Ron E., Bryan and Pete. Final Score Goat Scouts 12, Homers 6.

As Shannon Miller was winning a Gold Medal on the Balance Beam, the Goat Scouts experienced the return of the dreaded 6th inning curse and our second loss of the season. Planet X was a very good team that knew exactly how to play us in the field and where to hit it when they were up to bat. The Goats led going in to the bottom of the 6th 7 to 4, but allowed way too many hits after getting two outs. Highlights include Paul's effort to stop a line drive by tossing his glove in the air, a triple by Bryan and doubles by Ron E., Paul, Paolo and Mike M. Final Score Goat Scouts 7, Planet X 10.

After an embarrassing defeat last week, it was time for the Goat Scouts to redeem themselves and unfortunately for the Asterisks they became the latest victim. The 6th inning curse, unlike last weeks' game, did not rear its ugly head. Defensive play of the game goes to Miki who caught a line drive on the run during the top of the 4th inning using the batters' own glove. Offensively doubles were hit by Ron E. (2), Art, Bryan, Tom and Paolo and the new homerun king is Ron E. who hit two during this game including a 6th inning grand slam. Final score Goat Scouts 16, Asterisks 5.

Game to be rescheduled for week of August 26.

The game did not start on time since the Goats were expected to field several more players than needed, but as game time approached we were having difficulty getting the required 8. Bonnie managed to talk both Audrey and Jeff Doran in to playing and so we were finally able to start. Tracy took the pitchers mound for the first time this season and had a shut out going thru the first 3 innings. Offensively the Goat bats were really working as there were homeruns by Ron E. and Bob T., triples by Ron E. and Phil and doubles by Ron E., Phil and 2 by Bob T. It should be noted that in the top of sixth Ron E. asked Donna if this was the sixth inning because our opponents had just scored 4 runs with 2 outs. It's funny how the team intuitively knows that it is the 6th inning when it looks as if we are playing in top notch form and then the curse makes us all look so inept.