Most of my stories of great athletic moments have featured myself as the central/heroic figure (as well deserved as any, lol), but the greatest catch I have ever seen cast me in the role of victim…
Our softball diamond at Delco Christian during the early years (before somebody created a mostly flat area more suitable for interscholastic play) was situated on a plateau near the main school building at the top of a long downward hill. Right field was nothing but large trees and there were no natural obstructions in left field which immediately dropped off in a long and steep sloping hill culminating below in a natural pond. At the time our unsupervised recess was often the scene of competition…
That day it was us against the older seventh graders. With full confidence I came to bat with men on base and a chance to drive in the winning runs before the bell ending our recess. From the right side I launched a towering drive to left where David Martindale was playing. He turned and began running down the hill toward the pond with his back to the infield. I was rounding second base when I saw him reach up with his glove and catch the ball. It was like Willie Mays in the ’54 World Series making that famous catch in the far reaches of center field at the Polo Grounds. With all respect to Willie and his Hall of Fame career, as far as I know, he never had to run down a hill, back to the infield, with a pond looming at the bottom…
Of course, I was stunned, but I took refuge in the knowledge that the girls were somewhere else doing girl stuff and were not witness to his heroics. Grudgingly and with admiration, this moment stands alone as the greatest catch I have ever seen…
I never got to know David very well, but he never missed a chance as we were passing in the halls to make eye contact and grin. Only my Christian restraint kept me from slapping him in the face, lol)))
