Bookemdanosports reaches 4,500 posts

To my readers:

Bookemdanosports reached another milestone today -- 4,500 posts since 2009.

I dropped off a bit with my articles in 2022. I plan to pick up the pace in the coming months.

I don't know how many more little stories are left inside the head of this old codger (photo below). But let's give it the old college try in 2023 as I set up residence in Cochise County.

I met some interesting people during my first two weeks in Sierra Vista, Arizona, including Thomas Romack's sister. Thomas was a former star linebacker at Buena High School (2013 grad). Romack's sister, Ashley, works at Texas Roadhouse and talked sports with me for a few minutes the other day as I chopped down on a lettuce and tomato salad. Ashley graduated from Cienega High School in Tucson in 2007, the same year as former Bobcat and Arizona standout baseball player Seth Mejias-Brean. 

As for Ashley's brother: Thomas Romack took over the Tucson Sunnyside High School football program in 2022 from Coach Glenn Posey, who retired in May of 2022 after 32 years of coaching in the Tucson area.

Another connection last week led me to Wayne Durham and a job interview with him at the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport. Durham is the head airport technician and is searching for fuelers to fill up the big transporters this summer during the fire season.

I'm too old to climb on the wing of a 747 and fill the plane with fuel, but Durham did connect me with a fellow in town who is hiring umpires for the city leagues. A few hours later, I was hired as an umpire for the spring and fall season, which gets underway on April 1.

As for Mr. Durham, he received All-American honors at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado as a punter in football in 2007. He was a track and field star, too, not in just one event but the Decathlon. So when I walked into Durham's office, I eyed all the NCAA trophies above his desk.

Durham averaged 44 yards a kick in football and was second in Division II in 2007. Durham also ran the 100 meters, 400 meters, 1500 meters, and 110-meter-high hurdles, and threw the javelin, discus, and shot put, pole vaulted, did the high jump and the long jump. He tallied 7,086 points in the 10 events.

Durham still looks like he could jump over the wing of a 747. As for me, no way. 

We also discussed men's softball in Sierra Vista. I might be able to play on an open co-ed team this summer, but the men's softball teams are pretty competitive; many of the players are in the Army and have played all over the world. Can I make the grade with those guys? I'm certainly willing to give it a shot.

I mean, I'm 77. These guys are in their 30s...or younger!

I plan to play some co-ed softball and do some umpiring, and when I can, I'll head for Tucson and play with my 60-and-over guys on the Tucson Old Timers at Udall Park.

That's all for now. Until we meet again...