Week 4 Wednesday 28/05/03 Slammers 19 - 18 Big Al's Flyers
Zion Road, Rathgar. Att: 3
Slammer time, and plenty of it. First trip of the year across the building site that used be me jewel and darlin' aul Dubbelin city. Getting stuck for ever in traffic and then waiting around in the rain for their 9th player to turn up meant that Colman's had stopped serving food before we got there to pay a euro to park in the car-park and get ripped off on the beer and crisps. The slug-fest on an error-friendly muddy pitch took a long enough without adding on time for Martin Long's KO, and recovering balls from the car-park, and balls and players from the jungle in RF. Big hits from Tony still wearing last night's hockey gear and Fiona Mc who vented her frustration with a late HR. Just to complete the time-wasting the city fathers decided to close the M1 half way along it without warning for the trip home.
McAllister's Moody Moment: What the Umpire didn't see: When Fiona Mc crashed into Martin Long (nearly knocking the big wuss out) AND was called out was he holding the ball or about to receive the ball, or had he already mis-fielded it, or did ball, player and runner all arrive at the same time; and did the ball actually hit the runner? We had the Flyer-cam on Fiona at the time. She took it home so I hope it's still ok. What did she ever do to Brian Walshe anyhoo?.
Devally's Devastating Moment:Kept his feet dry tonight by being a team player.

Week 5 Wednesday 11/06/03 Big Al's Flyers - Shutout 7
ALSAA
Postponed as a mark of respect. To be rescheduled.
..

Week 6 Wednesday 18/06/03 Big Al's Flyers 13 - 12 1Z Blazzers
ALSAA. Att: 4
Guest Reporter: #3. Any week now...
Devally's Devastating Moment:Can't let this go unreported.. Top of the last and Blazzers are coming back from nine down one run at a time. Two outs, runners on 1 and 2. Two strikes. Ball hit down the 3B line towards Ebbsie. Bounces twice. Rather than take the easy out he decides to let it go foul... Ball bounces again and goes straight over the base and Ebbsie watches it go sailing by. Runner on 2 scores.

Week 7 Wednesday 25/06/03 Oddsox Red 16 - 11 Big Al's Flyers
Bird Ave
And we would have got away with it if it wasn't for those pesky kids in RF and LCF... Guest Reporter: #99. Must really check out the Flyer kitty and see if we can afford to buy the Flyer-copter for trips across grid-locked Dublin. Unless your driver doesn't mind making illegal right turns and turns a blind eye to the odd red traffic light…...
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….. The sun was shining, but it shone in our eyes. It hasn't rained for ages, so the ground was really hard and the softball travelled much faster. They hit well, we fielded badly. Their pitcher was crap, we swung at the rubbish anyway. Cora got bored not getting any play in RF (except for the over-throw to first she fished out of the bushes), Alison subbed on and got loads hit her way. Our fitness levels suffered from no training this week, resulting in Stuart the plate umpire beating Emer to first-base, calling her safe from RF.
So no victory chips for the Flyers, but the losing platter of prawn cocktail, pate and smoked salmon (this IS the south-side after all) went down a treat.
Devally's Devastating Moment:Was it our batting? Our fielding? Our didn't-want-to-be-here-anyway attitude? Or Betty's cock-up with the batting order? We'll blame Betty. (I blame Ebbsie for turning up late and leaving me in charge – A.M.)
Share the feeling:On Monday we sent Betty off to Santry Stadium armed with a marker to watch the Special Olympics Softball Throw competition and to write FLYERS on any ball he picked up. Betty didn't manage to steal the required number of softballs for the pre-match warm up. 12 of us, and one ball. We'll blame Betty again.
Debutante of the Day: Hanneke flew the first ever Dutch flag over the Flyer first base henceforth known as 'eerste honk'. We like the sound of that. Goed gadaan, Hanneke..

Week 8 Wednesday 02/July/03 Kiely's Kegs P - P Big Al's Flyers
Ringsend.
Postponed to 14 July.

Week 9 Wednesday 9/July/03 Diamond Dogs 14 - 13 Big Al's Flyers
Sandymount. Att: 2 - Derv and her lover.
It's cat losing to the Dogs... Sorry, I've got writers block. Must be the headache from all that whistling going on.
But a big welcome back to Paula for her first league game for the Flyers since Aug 13th 1996.
Devally's Devastating Moment:After Flyers scored 6 in the first we wanted to keep them scoreless if possible. Cue Ebbsie's throw to Right Field from 3B with bases loaded and runners moving.
Double Dutch: Hi, I'm Hanneke. I'm from Holland. I play shoftball for the Flyersh. My name ish alsho Hanneke. I am alsho from Holland and I alsho play shoftball, for the Dogsh. I shtruck out in the firsht inningsh. I alsho shtruck out in the firsht inningsh. Hanneke is not even a common name in Holland. I know thish, and in Holland basheball is called honkball.
Mark's farewell speech: 'You bunch of losers! I can't believe you made me lose my last f***ing game.' Enjoy Police Academy Mark.

Week 8 Monday 14/July/03 Kiely's Kegs P - P Big Al's Flyers
Ringsend.
To be re-sceduled. That's grand, I've still got writers block.

Week 10 Wednesday 16/July/03 Usual Suspects 16 - 15 Big Al's Flyers
Sandymount. Att: 1
Guest Reporter: #99. Captains Log, Star date 071603.1900. The USS Flyers suffering a depleted crew, as a result of several special anomalies on the area - known as "REM Concert", "Sandymount is too far away" and "if I ignore the email calling me to the game, I can pretend I didn't see it", went about their difficult mission of bringing Northside Softball to the Southside.... cue music and twirly special effects while USS Flyers beam onto the pitch...
"My God, Spock – what is it?"
"Logic concludes, Captain, that we are witnessing the USS Flyers lose to the Usual Suspects in what appears to be the earth game of Softball"
"I don't understand – how could this happen?"
"It would appear Captain, that the USS Flyers' batting is what is commonly referred to in this part of the galaxy as 'brutal', their fielding doesn't seem to be so bad – a couple of great catches from Gary and Peter in the outfield, and the infield would appear to benefit from Cora's recently discovered extendo-arm on first base, even tho' she got burned by Martha from the Suspects. Although, logic would dictate that she deserved that one."
"But Spock, surely not all of the USS Flyers are batting so badly?"
"Indeed correct, Captain – Marian was batting 1.000 until somebody mentioned it to her and she choked. She is now also 'brutal'. Peter hit a home run after not having picked up a softball bat in over a year, and Fiona also added to her collection of home runs."
"But what does it all mean, Spock?"
"It means, Captain, that the USS Flyers are 4 and 4, and don't seem to be able to win a game south of the Liffey."
"My God, Spock – what's going to happen now?"
"Besides being safe from promotion to Premier I, it would appear they're all off to the pub to celebrate someone's birthday."
Devally's Devastating Moment:After doing our sums in the pub, we figured that not only have we lost every game we've played south of the Liffey, but every time Adrian misses a match we also lose. A connection?? Probably, but I've no time to work it out. We'll cut to the chase and blame Adrian.
Old Fogey of the Day:We opened up our "break glass in case of emergency" supply of fielders by taking Peter out, dusting him off and sending him out to centre field. Good to see you still have that magnet stuck in your glove, Peter!
Devally's Devastating Moment 2:Suspects winning run is on 2B with two outs. Let's bring the outfield right in so Niall can hit it over Fi...
Devally's Devastating Moment 3:Not using our substitute...

Week 11 Wednesday 23/July/03 Big Al's Flyers 14 - 16 Slammers
ALSAA. Att: 2 and Pennie the dog
Tony had the match report compiled in his head after our come-back fourth innings, a short one-liner along the lines of what Keano said to Alf Inge Haaland. But just when it looked like Betty might get his first win against the Slammers probably ever we manage to come up with another couple of throwing/catching errors to give them the runs they needed to take the game.
Without Magoo's calming influence the Slammers could barely contain the pressure of their promotion run so it was lucky we had top ump Anne Kiely to keep things under control. Difference was when our hitting was crap it was fly-ball crap – when they hit crap it was three-feet nurdles that got them on base. That and two good catches in the outfield.
Roll on our next meeting (the Cup on Aug 6th) and hopefully we'll have fun then, the way it used be. Remember?
Devally's Devastating Moment:Allison Devally turning up and kindly lending that cud-be-a-New-Zealander in LF her right-hand glove. Thanks a bundle for that diving catch.

Week 12 Wednesday 30/July/03 Shutout 7 10 - 9 Big Al's Flyers
Bleedin' Tallaght
Our first number is 1. That's the number of games we've won since the 21st of May.
Our second number is 5. That's how many runs we let in in the first innings.
Our third number is 4. That's how many home runs we scored in the first five innings, for a total of five runs.
Our fourth number is 42. On a scale of one to ten that's how p***ed off Adrian was.
Our fifth number is 2. That's how many game we have left on the North-side this year.
Our sixth number is zero. That's how many of us went to the pub after this game.
Play us, it could be you.
Devally's Devastating Moment:Deano on 1B and Ebbsie batting. Ebbsie sends it 3 feet into the air and it lands and spins back towards the foul line. Ebbsie doesn't move. So Deano doesn't move. Catcher and pitcher move. Catcher stops ball before it goes foul. Ebbsie starts to move. So Deano starts to move. Pitcher throws ball to 2B to get Deano out. 'Why didn't you run?' 'Why didn't YOU run?'

Week 13 Wednesday 13/Aug/03 1Z Blazzers 7 - 16 Big Al's Flyers
Ranelagh
With two Oddsox teams playing at home tonight the race was on to get to O'Sheas first. Flyers are well ahead before they even notice. Gonzaga isn't exactly a school of hard knocks and there wasn't too many here tonight. Still, Flyers are happy with the win and Ebbsie's position as coach is safe for another week. Despite the fact that he missed training this week and Betty took charge but that probably has nothing to do with the win tonight. As they say at Gonzaga - Sempere Ibiza.
And hello - you Flyers who work for 'Dublin City Council' - can you let us know when you are going to close the bloody M1 before we drive home. Or at least a warning sign before the last turn before the closed bit. Flyers make full use of the time stuck in traffic to play Duffy's Circus fantasy softball.
Devally's Devastating Moment: Flyers are well ahead going in to the bottom of the fourth and Betty has switched off. Maybe it was the smell of the barbecue or the thought of victory chips. Is about to get ready to pitch when he realises he has forgotten to put his glove on.
Devally's Devastating Moment 2: Still in the bottom of the fourth with two outs and a two and two count against the batter. Betty's pitch is inside. Batter starts to swing but she stops when he goes 'Aaaahhh'.

Week 14 Wednesday 20/Aug/03 Big Al's Flyers 6 - 10 Oddsox Red
ALSAA. Att. 0
There are two basic rules of softball. 1. There's no crying in softball. 2. Ginger-haired people can't play softball. Now you can change rule 2 to "The Flyers can't bat". We only managed to place the ball in the outfield, and not within reach of Rua-Ri rightcentrefield@hotmail.com, three times. Our last 8 batters up couldn't even hit past the infield. Aie aie aie. This time sick-note Betty was the angry Flyer but coach Ebbsie stayed calm, confident we can win our last two games and survive. They said West Ham were too good to go down. That's all for after the Limerick competition. Did you know Gary's other last name is not 'fried chicken', but Ryan?
Devally's Devastating Moment: Unfair to pick on somebody when we all batted crap, except for Allison who got private batting lessons, so we'll give it to Fiona Mc for going on honeymoon.