Baseball or softball isn’t a foreign sport, I played it in primary school in the middle 70s in Beijing, Zhongguancun Erxiao 中关村二小 as past of physical education, in our front yard. The positions weren’t as clearly defined as in MLB. Not sure Mao banned it. I enjoyed it a lot. To my dismay, once a class had to be canceled because US president Ford was to visit the Summer Palace and our school was at the corner of the route in Zhongguancun. Our school was even considering to ban few students (who always failed) from attending schools during the period. The article’s assertion that 150,000 people play seemed low, I played, so did my g/f who attended Qinghua University fm 1980-85 played as part of phy ed – two years basic and then one year specialized (两年基础体育课,然后一年专项体育课) – just to name two, and we weren’t athletes. One of my classmates played tennis at sport school in Sichuan, she gave it up once she moved to Beijing. At the time, late 70s, sports could not compete with A+ and getting into a top college. True that we played a lot of ping pong and badminton in China, but let’s face it, baseball is a slow sport, can be really boring. Despite the love I have for the game, but I have no patient to watch it, ice hockey and football are the spectator sport. Remember back in the autumn 1986, I was awaken by the sound of cheers, honking, beer bottle chattering on the street in the middle of the night. Ha, Mets just won. The following day, every one were talking about the Mets and its win. It still couldn’t move me to watch. One game per season is my max tolerance. When Jack was around, Golfer’s buddy, I did go to Central Park to play pick up game with him. First time, the team captain complained that he didn’t want a girl on his team. Jack told him, “too bad .. she waited for her turn ..” Grumpily, the huge guy took me. It turned out, I was pretty good at bat but a lousy fielder, :).
Plenty time for a mile
I managed 40 laps under 20 minutes! Total did 78 laps: 40 freestyle, 10 breast, 10 backstroke, 2 breast, 10 free timed at 4:45, 2 breast, 4 free timed at 1:45. I had little bit more time today, so decided to improve my flip turns. Thought about Steve‘s stress on streamline – when he demo that on the deck as if he could reach the ceiling, :). Janet Evans is remembered for her long unconventional strokes and inexhaustible cardiorespiratory reserves – today I tried to stay under the water longer after the turns. Steve used to pound on me: getting streamlined and should at least get pass the solid blue divider. I always take a breath almost right after turning – lazy, I suppose. The pool was empty. Not sure what accelerated my timing today, was the streamlining and staying in the water longer did the trick? And hopefully I can keep doing it.
Marge is a cute lady who comes to the pool every day, does 72 laps in about hour or so. So I nick named her Ms. Mile – 72 laps equals to a mile. She must be in her 80s, over sized thick glasses make her eyes enormous out of proportion. Her limps are all bones and skins. There is a Robert. At first, I thought they’re a couple. The first time I ran into Robert by the entrance, I was starlet at how tall he’s, well over 6′. Guess in the water semi naked, we all look different. Thank god we have cloth to cover.
Peyton interviewing Eli
This is a cute clip, showing how good nature those two Mannings are, the brotherly love is in the air. Matching their accomplishments are impossibly, but at least we could hope that our children grow up loving each other.
Sampras-Federer comes true
Save the date: March 10th. The two would play the second time, the venue is the Garden and Lendl is promoting it. But wait a second, can Pete at 36 actually compete with Roger who’s only 26? I thought Roger forcing or hastening Pete’s decision to retire after their only match at Wimbledon in 2001, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 and 7-5. They’ve played three exhibition matches, Roger won two and one gone to Pete but with some whisper that Roger went soft on Pete. hmmmmm.. but 19,000 tickets are sold so far.
The magic of Tylenol
A week of Tylenol did make the pain go away, rather quickly – my scenario was that I don’t use drug, so tiny bit would do well for me. But the tenderness remained. I still play badminton with my left hand, no tennis yet. Swimming has increased, 2 or 3 times a week. usually 60 laps: 40 straight, plus 10 back (happy that my backstroke is improving!) and 10 breast. I’m happy with my endurance – thought it would take me a little while to get to 40 – but sad with timing: just can’t bring it down to under 20 minutes. Sharks!
The story of the amphibian
I’d claim plausibly and at length that I was born in the year of Fish when I was asked about my 属 zodiac sign. The problem is, the twelve animals showed up at the gathering were all terrestrials 🙂
Water sport has to be my most beloved activity, a life long pursue. And I much favor the distance 1,000m over 50m or 100m sprinting. After 20 (or 40 in the short course) or so laps in the pool, I feel so invigorated that I could take on the www, the whole wide world. No matter how many aces I dish out, nor how many love games I’ve won, or harmony camaraderie on court, tennis just doesn’t produce that type of feeling. Both my parents and my godparents loved swimming. My first lesson was in Kunming Lake 昆明湖 at Summer Palace when I was only 1 year old, breaststroke, of course. Dad was the drill sergeant out of the four. He demanded certain number of laps each time I hit the pool while others were just satisfied at the fact that I could demonstrate the basic survival skill in the water. Even 旱鸭子 Nainai would take me to the pool.
Although the public pools in Beijing were scarce, and water sometimes could be green (no kidding – once a kid drowned due to the fact the life guard couldn’t see through the dense green water..), but they were all 50 meters, the real standard Olympic size. There’s one near where I lived, and one at renda fu, my middle/high school. But we mostly went to the Summer Palace to swim and boat. I was really bad at sport in school, one semester even failed my physical ed: swimming didn’t count, and I hate to run/jump.
When I returned to Beijing starting 5th grade, I immediately met a good friend Dai Rui who’s on the swimming team. She didn’t have a swimmer’s built, but her dad was there to be her advocate, so she got on, with Wang Piaoshi – it happened that they both were breaststrokes. My free style and dive were all learned from her. We spent many afternoons at the Summer Palace, climbed onto the thin wooden bench in the middle of the lake and practiced dive. The water there was bearable, not as muddy as nowadays. I still remembered the muddy floor, very silky but eerily – from time to time there was a hard stem. My rating of the four strokes is butterfly, free, back and breast, in that order. When I got to Hong Kong, I still couldn’t swim free continuously. No matter how much I tried.
By the way, the tiny Hong Kong all pools are 50m, if you wondered. So one day I saw a gorgeous dress, had to have it. When I took it to the register, did I realize I omitted a zero. Embarrassingly, I told the clerk so. She gave me a meant look that showed plenty of whites of her eyes. But the store manager came over, said she’ll give me a discount and hold it for me for three days. When I gone to swimming afterward, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So I said, IF I could do a 1,000m free without stop, then I’d reward myself with it. Motivation drives people, large or trivia. I did it and still have it in my closet now. Back then, for three months I didn’t buy a single new dress.
I never had any training nor did I take any lessons. After settled down in New York, aside from the shocking realization that Olympic Pool in American terminology is 25m, I happily resumed, and added half baked flip turns and backstroke. I did few years at a local masters swimming club, three early mornings a week before heading off to work. It was organized by Steve, a 6’5” tall with a solid built firefighter – submarine I nicknamed him. On the first day, he eyed me over from head to toe, and said, “get in, let me see ..” When I was too slow to jump in, he put down his coffee, picked me up like a hawk caught a hen, then threw me into the lane. Oh well. What I remembered of him over the years was (joking) that upon his entrance into the pool,
1, next room would be flooded, and
2, he’s already half way across the lane.
Sorry If I can’t get over the fact that the out sized Americans with out sized land and out sized wallets only build pool that’s half the length and called them Olympic size. And they pocket the most gold medals fair and square. Many of those athletes have to make living to support pursuing their dreams in the water, vs China or Russia where the athletes are well taken care of by the states. Or this was yerteryear’s info?
Over the years, I tried to learn the fly couple of times, for I just can’t erase image of Matt Biondi came rushing down the lane, so vivid, impressive and yes, very graceful. His long arms could scope up the world. The butterfly has to be the most elegant stroke of the four, breast being the least. Pumpkin’s back and free are great, but I consider her butterfly the most enchanting. When she was little, her waist didn’t have enough strength, so all I could see was her head up and down the water, like a little puppy about to drown lastingly.
舍命陪君子
Two more hours of tennis. I lost first two sets with Chai 6:4, 6:3 and was up 5:3 serving to close the set when pendulum struck 9. I was never this glad that the time’s over. Tired and painful, wishing I was in the jacuzzi even before I headed out the door, :). Poor Chai did all the dirty work, Mark and Dr were nice enough not to hit too many shots my way. Dr suggested that I take Tylenol, one each morning and one each evening – after meal he stressed; also extra strength (50 caplets cost $6.49, not too bad, thought would be like $9.99 or so.. guess the drug maker is giving the sick/ill a break? The little caplet taste sweet.) – for a week. Tylenol only, not Vioxx? By now, I’ll do anything to get back my arm, even Vioxx or 老鼠药..
人在江湖
Horrray, I played tennis today!!! 2 sets, 2 wins in the afternoon. Hugh and I out played Simon/Sandy then Lou/Sandy. How’s my right arm doing? Did nothing and in pain throughout. Hugh did all the serve – was that painful. I can’t even hit a single forehand. I started doing what Seles did, double handed fore and back hand. I still have a one more match to go tonight. And one on Friday. Mark called me up, said, “how’s your arm? Still in pain? 不会吧? I can’t play this Friday, can you go? ..” As I was considering, he said, “your arm is fine, pls go ..” Simon did the same, called me this afternoon, greeted my arm too, then said, “can you play?” as I was seriously hesitating, “没事了 come play ..” For the combination of ..
1. I can’t resist the callings any more,
2. not playing also hurts, and
3. eager to try my dreamed-up double handed forehand .. so I relent, willingly. My hideous new form of forehand was so ugly to a degree that became entertaining, made them laugh so hard, they almost felt off the bench or fall to the ground. The second part of this couplet is 身不由己 – involuntarily, go figure.
The Bahamas Open 1992
The Bahamas Open 12-19 1992 was held at the Ocean club on Paradise Island. The top ranking player was Aaron Krikstein who lost in the opening round. A native, Mark, the handsome Knowles won both singles and doubles titles. He currently ranks at 228 in
the world. The prize was $3,500 and $1,000 for singles and doubles respectively. No ball boys, girls and linemen were served for doubles, the players had to call the shots themselves, only a chair empire was available. Jimmy Connors was the Champ’74 here.
The little Giants
The parade for Giants, can’t even get close to it, cops blocked the streets! Thought you can enjoy a lunch in downtown then head to the parade … think again. I bet the little Giants drew more warm bodies then the voting booth where people have the power to actually decide their next president. I’ve long since understand this is a free market, a free country where an athlete makes a little more than the scientists or engineers .. .. :))
