Could a gung-ho youngster even hope to rival the epic career of a master?
The Post's Nick Brockman attempted just that last week as he challenged Ohio's winningest baseball coach, Joe Carbone, to a throwing and hitting contest.
18-year-old Brockman has been alive only a few months longer than the 57-year-old Carbone has been at the helm of the Bobcat program, however, despite the age gap there was quite a bit of rivalry before the competition took place immediately before team practice at Bob Wren Stadium.
Carbone has been pretty cocky
Brockman said. I asked him to raise the stakes and right now we're playing for a signed ball cap or if I lose he gets a free lifetime subscription to The Post.
Prepared to take on the challenge, Brockman arrived with his own equipment and clad in a complete game uniform, a fashion statement that would not be overlooked by Carbone.
He's got a University of Arizona hat
with an Indians uniform
he said. How stupid is that? Then he's got these goofy sweatbands
and everybody knows you don't sweat in baseball because no one runs hard enough or does anything with enough exertion to ever sweat.
The contest would consist of two parts: the first of which both participants would have five throws from each base to try and land a ball into a garbage can lying on its side on home plate with the best score out of 15 winning, and a second component where the two would have 10 chances to hit a pop-fly and out-distance one another.
Prior to beginning the contest, Brockman admitted that he was apprehensive.
My nerves were getting to me at first but I was out there tossing for awhile and I think I had got it down
he said.
Throwing was up first and with the entire baseball team watching from the outfield Brockman made his fourth try count, while Carbone failed, going 0-5 from first base.
As the two rounded the diamond to the 'Ooohs' and 'Ahhs' of all who watched, Brockman's first successful throw would become his last but proved to be all the freshman sports writer needed to secure a win in the throwing department. Going 0-15 tossing, Carbone opted to go first in the hitting competition.
After ricocheting his first few hits off the cage, Carbone showed exactly why he is considered a man of mythical proportions within Ohio athletics, hitting pop-fly after pop-fly to center field, leaving a tough act for Brockman to follow.
Brockman, earrings and all, did manage to hit several line drives, proving that he was able to connect when under pressure, however he was no match to the seasoned Carbone when it came to hitting pop-ups. The coach said he was pleased.
If I lost the hitting contest to a guy wearing earrings
I'd probably hang it up
Carbone said. I have nothing against earrings
I just don't think they belong on a baseball field
but that's just my old foogie thought. But they look good on Nick -I will say that.
After the tie had been made official, Carbone came to one conclusion.
(Nick and I) are both bad
