2019 softball season opens Tuesday night

Weather be damned, it’s go time!

by Than Acuff

“It’s good for the flowers.”

“We need the moisture.”

“The skiing has been great!”

Blah, blah, blah. How about you eat a bag of dirt. It’s almost June and while, yes, the skiing has been incredible this May, it’s softball season, dammit! If men and women can’t go out and drink beer and play softball in the grass and sun soon, there’s going to be chaos, I can assure you.

Speaking of chaos, I had the misfortune of driving the Colorado highways this past Memorial Day weekend and it was absolute chaos. But my favorite part was seeing the names of the RVs people are dragging around this great state.

Here’s a short list…

PHAETON

XLR NITRO

SHOCKWAVE

TRANSCEND

VENGEANCE

COUGAR

COUGAR HALF TON

And my favorite,

PUMA UNLEASHED

I can just hear the conversation at the RV lot.

“Hey, so, like, me and the family want to get out in the woods and are looking for an RV so we can also watch TV, take a shower and don’t have to use the campground toilets.”

“Well sir, the Transcend and Cougar models are some of our more popular ones but, if you’re really looking for the ultimate experience in outdoor living, might I suggest the Puma?”

“Hmmm, I dunno, Puma looks pretty good, but I need a little more. You know, we’re a big family and we got a lot of camping to do Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend.”

“Amen brother. Well, then, come around the corner with me and allow me to show you the…PUMA UNLEASHED!”

“I…WILL…TAKE…IT!!! You offer financing, right?”

“Hells yeah we do.”

“Great, sign me up and can you tell me where a guy can get a Ford F-350 so I can tow this somabitch.”

“Two lots down, I’ll call my brother and let him know you’re coming.”

“Hells yeah I am.”

Speaking of something that’s coming…

Softball season officially opens Tuesday, June 4 at 5 p.m. at Pitsker Field. And while that may appear to be early, it’s not. It’s just the weather is late.

It will be another star-studded affair with Flauschink King Dave McGuire and Queen Krista Hildebrandt tossing out the first pitch. Drew Stichter and Pitas in Paradise are kicking down food for the event, and while it is free, donations will be accepted to benefit the Crested Butte Parks and Recreation scholarship fund. There will be a playing of the Star Spangled Banner and additional music to follow.

This season looks to be as good as any with 11 teams signed up for the Tuesday/Thursday league and eight teams signed up for the Wednesday league. Rules, for the first time since I can remember, seem to be the same as well.

“They seemed to work last year so we’re sticking with it,” says Crested Butte recreation supervisor Joey Carpenter.

One point of contention—there’s always one—is the completion of the 5 p.m. game. That remains the same, as a new inning may not be started after 6:30. According to Carpenter, USSSA rules allow only 75 minutes for games and Crested Butte Parks and Recreation allows 90 minutes, so it’s plenty fair.

Some of the old regulars are back, some new teams joined the fold and there are two more teams in Wednesday’s league than last year.

“A lot of people just like playing once a week,” says Carpenter.

Play will continue throughout the entire summer with the playoffs slated for late August, early September. See you out there, all summer long. I may pull up in an RV for the game.

Hells yeah, I will.