Casey at the Bat Day

For all you baseball fans today is Casey at the Bat Day. In 1888, the famous poem, "Casey at the Bat," written by Ernest Thayer, was first printed in the "San Francisco Examiner." 

A Ballad of the Republic, Sung in the Year 1888

by Ernest Thayer

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day;

The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play.

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,

A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest

Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;

They thought if only Casey could but get a whack at that—

We’d put up even money now with Casey at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,

And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;

So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,

For there seemed but little chance of Casey’s getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,

And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;

It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;

It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,

For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey’s manner as he stepped into his place;

There was pride in Casey’s bearing and a smile on Casey’s face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,

No stranger in the crowd could doubt ’twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;

Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

Defiance gleamed in Casey’s eye, a sneer curled Casey’s lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,

And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped—

“That ain’t my style,” said Casey. “Strike one,” the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.

“Kill him! Kill the umpire!” shouted some one on the stand;

And it’s likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone;

He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;

But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, “Strike two.”

“Fraud!” cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;

But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldn’t let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey’s lip, his teeth are clinched in hate;

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey’s blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

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Today is a great baseball weather day with sunny skies, no rain in sight for a change and very light breezes. It is also seemed like the perfect day to retry a recipe that was posted May 25 Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookie Pie. I even had all the ingredients that were needed to make the pie and I wanted to clarify some of the directions I previously posted. 

 Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookie Pie 

Cook's notes:This pie recipe can be made in a springform pan, 9 inch glass square pan or a glass pie pan as shown in the picture. It freezes well covered with foil up to two weeks. Other ice cream flavors could be  substituted such a vanilla, strawberry or chocolate.

This recipe originally came from Nestle Toll House and is sure to be a hit with any age group.  

Ingredients:

• 1 quart mint chocolate chip ice cream
• 1 regular package of Oreo cookies (not Double Stuff brand) you will need a total 2-1/2 cups cookie crumbs for this recipe
• 5 TB. melted butter 
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 10 oz. Dark Chocolate Toll House Morsels (other options include:semi-sweet or bittersweet chips)

Directions:

• Remove ice cream from freezer to soften
• In a Cuisinart crush cookies using about 2 and 1/2 rows of Oreos that have been broken up 
• Add in 5 TB. melted butter
• Use 2 cups of cookie crumbs for cookie pie crust and reserve 1/2 cup cookie crumbs and set aside
• Place the pie pan in freezer for 15 minutes 
• Remove pie pan and add 1/2 of the softened carton of ice cream, smooth out ice cream and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cookie crumbs over it
• Return pie pan to freezer for an hour or until ice cream is fairly firm
• In a glass measuring cup microwave on high for 45 seconds the evaporated milk
• Remove and whisk in chocolate chips till smooth
• Pour chocolate into small bowl and place in freezer for 15 minutes to cool it down 
• Remove pie pan from freezer make sure the ice cream layer is firm and chocolate is cooled
• Pour chocolate mixture over ice cream that has cookie crumbs on it freeze for an hour till firm 
• Add last layer of ice cream and rest of cookie crumbs and return to freezer for a few hours lightly covered with wax paper  
• Then cover the pie with foil til serving

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Role Reversal

Some photo op moments pop up when you least expect it like this morning just after sunrise. Two loons were leisurely swimming near the dock . I hurriedly exited the house and ran down the hill (still in my nightgown) clutching my camera. Bella was in a bewildered state. She was left inside since I knew she would bark and scare the loons way. Well I managed to get the picture but in my rush to leave the house accidentally locked myself out. So I banged on the door for help (we do not have  doorbell) and Bella just stared at me outside while she was in. It was a bit of a humorous moment with role reversal since Bella always stands outside waiting for us to let her in. Maybe I need to learn to bark like Bella when I need to get inside :)