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By Jim Hicks, columnist
“This is August weather!” That is the comment we heard this week in the feed shop under a sweat-stained ball cap. After three-digit temperatures on Monday and Tuesday, there weren’t too many of these “climate change deniers” giving speeches.
But at least it waited until the children were out of school and on their summer vacation. The city pool is full and looked quite inviting.
And baseball season is underway, with lots of local kids participating. Years ago there wasn’t much youth baseball activity here. School ran out and many children made their way to the ranch to start summer work.
But there were a few years when an American Legion baseball team was organized to compete.
And sometimes Buffalo was blessed with good young athletes who could play the game well enough to compete with teams from larger communities like Sheridan.
The bank sitters remember such a team. They didn’t have the full roster, but remember that Jack Swartz (who ran the airport here at the time) was training.
Some of the players included (and we hope we got that right) were Tony Swartz (pitching), Craig “Goose” Jones on the first, Greg Smith on the second, Richard Lawrence who played shortstop, Tom Ahern on the third Base and Ray Mader. to catch.
They were a rather fragile team, but almost no one was in the dugout when they entered the field.
A little thin in rows.
In a game against Sheridan, the competition was tight.
It was a hot day and Buffalo had gone through everyone who had ever pitched.
But there was another inning to be played.
They huddled with Coach Swartz to find a solution.
“How about if Mader tried it?”
Now Ray (like everyone who knew him) could throw a ball HARD!
When one runner tried to steal the second and Ray got ready to fire one for the “day,” several things happened. First the pitcher dived and hid behind the mound and the midfielder was ready in case the throw was a little high.
So they made the decision and Ray took the hill for a few warm-up pitches.
And then he hit the next seven Sheridan batter. Some left the game.
Finally, Sheridan’s third base coach, Tom Ahern, asked a question.
“Is the discharge mug’s father a doctor?”
“No,” says Tom with a sidelong glance. “Why did you think that?”
“Well, it looks like he’s doing business for someone in the medical field.”
Meanwhile, after several days of hot, dry wind, the locals watch the snow quickly disappear from the tops of the peaks, replacing the green in the hills with tan.
Dry years can lead to some interesting comments. A few we heard about were:
“It looks like one of those years when we have to decide whether to buy hay or sell cows.”
“This year, irrigation systems will not get wet.”
“The boy is only six years old. Until last year he thought that hay always came on a truck. “
“Then I had the brilliant idea to fertilize our dry hay.”
Finally, this week we heard a few young mothers share a piece of wisdom they listened to their children this summer.
“You cannot baptize cats.
“If your mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.
“Never ask your 3 year old brother to hold a tomato.
“You cannot trust dogs to take care of your food.
“Never not when someone cuts your hair.
“Don’t hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time.
“You can’t hide broccoli in a glass of milk.
“The best place to be when you’re sad is grandma’s lap.”
Stay cool if you can and we’ll write again next week.
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