Message received over the global Interfax two days ago:
"[20 August 1991] The People's Democratic Leadership of the Palestinian 
Liberation Organization wholeheartedly congratulate the Soviet 
State-of-Emergency Committee for ousting Mikhail Gorbachev and his rampant 
revisionism.  The PLO hopes that this signifies a return to constructive 
anti-imperialist coooperation between the two governments.  The Leadership 
also places fifty dollars on the Homers against the Wild Turkeys."  <p>

So there you have it - were we not doomed to end our winning streak at six 
games and get pasted in the process?  The final score was 15 to 6 in favor of 
the Wild Turkeys, who built a 10 to 0 lead after the first inning and a half.  
This was the Homers first loss in the second half of the season and the first 
loss when the fifth-inning stretch had been sung.  This puts the team record 
at 9 wins and 7 losses with only one game remaining.<p>

Starting for the Homers yesterday were Raul at pitcher, Jerry at catcher, 
Richard at first, Debbie at second, Chuck at shortstop, Lela at third, Don in 
left, Jeff in center, Mark in right, and Betsy at rover.  Mary took over 
catching duties after the first, pushing Jerry into the second shift of 
outfielders along with Alex and Joe.  Beth rotated into the second/third/rover 
positions.  Bill, Raymond, and Laurie all made appearances before taking off 
for more interesting venues.<p>

Homer highlights were mostly defensive yesterday.  Debbie turned a double play 
at second base by fielding a hard ground ball, tagging out the runner futilely 
trying to go from first to second, and then throwing out the batter heading 
for first.  In the last inning with the bases loaded and the Wild Turkeys' 
threatening to mercy-rule us again, Lela caught a line-drive/pop-up at third 
and then threw to second to nail the runner, who had broken for third at the 
swing of the bat.  On the flip side, our defense fell apart in the first two 
innings with quite a few bad throws and missed ground balls.  Richard 
partially atoned for some of those with a solo home run in the sixth, the only 
Homer homer yesterday.  Beth also got her best hit of the year on a single 
over the infield to left as well as a dribbler up the third base line later.<p>

The Luau on the Mainland occurs this Saturday.  Raul, Joe, and Junior hope to 
see you all there and promise to give the fiftieth customer a special treat
(insert joke referring to Dahmer, Pee-Wee, and Yanayev/Yazov/Khyruchov/any 
coup leader).<p>

Our final game of the season is next Tuesday on field H3 against the Deep 
Space Cadets.  H3 is the field at the southwest corner of the Rose Bowl where 
the sun is in the batter's eyes.  Here's to getting everybody out there and 
finishing the season at 10 and 7, which looks a heck of a lot more impressive 
than 9 and 8.