OT- Are There Any Other Olympic Athletes on the Board?

bbcard1 · #1 08-08-2016, 12:47 PM

I have always loved but sucked at sports which I think is why I have such appreciation for those who play well. My sole accomplishment other than as a member of a team was a ship on a stick I won at a HORSE competition on a Carnival cruise. There were probably 25 people in the competition, any one of which would have beat me like a rented mule in an actual game, but there was about a 30 mph cross wind and their net set shots from behind the arc would get blown well off course. My combination of trick shots (one footed underhand bank shot, granny, etc.) a little good luck and an ability to factor in the wind that I gathered by playing outdoors as a boy actually made it a pretty easy situation for me. I think I had two letters to spare on the last guy when I put him away with the flat handed pizza delivery man. I would have probably done better, but the disallowed my hook shot because they said it was too similar to a layup. I was over 50 at the time (still am for that matter). Pissed my 18 year old athlete son (who also did pretty well) off pretty badly that I got the trophy which I still keep in my baseball card room.

brianp-beme · #2 08-08-2016, 01:20 PM

I have a similar cruise ship story, but more embarrassing. As a much younger man I entered the ping pong tournament, and cruised through the first few challengers, including my friend in the semi-final, who was stiff competition. I ended up in the final with a 70+ year old woman, who was quite a player, but in the end I vanquished her to earn the title of 'man who beats up on old ladies'. My Olympic moment.

Brian

bbcard1 · #3 08-08-2016, 01:26 PM

Great story, Brian!

btcarfagno · #4 08-08-2016, 01:53 PM

Love these stories guys!

I was a pretty fair pitcher in high school. Struck out almost two batters per inning my senior year and threw three no hitters. That year I got to play in a high school all star game in Yankee Stadium. My goodness was that an experience. Locker room, dugout, bullpen, then on the mound. It was something else.

My center fielder in the game was Jeffrey Hammonds, who I don't know if he played in the Olympics but he did play for Team USA of some sort. He was the best athlete I ever saw and incredibly bright as well. Word at the game was that he got a near perfect score on his SAT's.

Tom C

1952boyntoncollector · #5 08-08-2016, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

Love these stories guys!

I was a pretty fair pitcher in high school. Struck out almost two batters per inning my senior year and threw three no hitters. That year I got to play in a high school all star game in Yankee Stadium. My goodness was that an experience. Locker room, dugout, bullpen, then on the mound. It was something else.

My center fielder in the game was Jeffrey Hammonds, who I don't know if he played in the Olympics but he did play for Team USA of some sort. He was the best athlete I ever saw and incredibly bright as well. Word at the game was that he got a near perfect score on his SAT's.

Tom C

I believe Jeffrey went to Stanford...i lived in Maryland when he joined the Orioles....Mussina also Stanford....not sure why orioles drafted Ben McDonald out of LSU..

I like those cruise ship storys with ping pong..im going on a cruise in a few weeks and i win every competition. I played in a pro-am tourneys back in the day and as a kid it was funny when the phys ed teacher would take me out of class in junior high/elementary school and make me play ping pong against him and other various adults i would crush who learned of my propensity in that game. I destroy everyone on the cruise ships and i get to say witty banter there that everyone loves to hear from me on on net54. Some people get really mad at me back in the day but as the years went on i learned to make them laugh. I particularly enjoyed destroying the high school b-ball and football athletes. I havent played in awhile though. I got a few weeks to practice for the cruise. Im assuming there will be some tournament there. You have to account for the wind though on certain parts on the deck. I put a lot of spin on the ball and used to play entirely with my backhand until it was equal to the forehand. Its the backhand and the spin that is the difference maker against cruise ship people..

as to the pro-am, i think i lost every one, maybe won 1 though....i sucked against real players..

Michael B · #6 08-08-2016, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

Love these stories guys!

I was a pretty fair pitcher in high school. Struck out almost two batters per inning my senior year and threw three no hitters. That year I got to play in a high school all star game in Yankee Stadium. My goodness was that an experience. Locker room, dugout, bullpen, then on the mound. It was something else.

My center fielder in the game was Jeffrey Hammonds, who I don't know if he played in the Olympics but he did play for Team USA of some sort. He was the best athlete I ever saw and incredibly bright as well. Word at the game was that he got a near perfect score on his SAT's.

Tom C

Hammonds was a member of the 1992 Olympic baseball team that finished fourth in Barcelona. Other members of that team included Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Charles Johnson, Phil Nevin and Jason Varitek. He also had fellow Stanford Cardinals Willie Adams and Rick Helling on the team.

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