Throwback Thursday: Company Softball Game

Hersam Acorn Newspapers company softball game 2008

I've never lost a company softball game, including the year that the picture was taken. We picked names out of a hat and the teams were so lopsided, they actually considered redrafting. I said, no, it's fun being the underdog. Within the first couple of innings, my team was down by 16 runs, which lulled the other team into a false sense of security. We picked away at the lead and went up by one run in the top of the 7th. When the pop fly for the final out of the game was caught, I threw my glove into the air as though my team had just won the gold medal. I've played a lot of softball in my life, and no victory had been that exciting.

I had to sit out the next year because of my knee injury, but with a steady routine of rehab and training, I was back the following year, 9 months after ACL reconstruction. Although hesitant in the field, my first at bat was a two run homerun. Nothing in my life had ever felt so good as it did when I sprinted around the bases, pain free. My knee ballooned to the size of a volleyball the next day, no worries, just overuse, but it was absolutely worth it. Last year, there was minimal swelling and I felt great in the field. I even made a diving catch down the third base line to rob one of the owners of the company a hit.

Ever since my knee injury, I look forward to the game. I like to joke that I spent $50,000 to fix my knee for this game alone. This year, I'm team captain and I look forward to keeping the winning streak alive.

There will be more in the next couple weeks about the knee surgery, so if you've stumbled across this post because you want to know more about ACL recovery, make sure you come back!