MY MEMORIES

Charles Glenn Petersen

1946 - Terril Years

Sports (continued)

I could hardly wait for baseball season to begin. After the previous year I knew I was going to be the starting pitcher and I was throwing faster than ever. The first game of the season we went to Arnolds Park to play. They had some really good athletes in their school. They crushed us in basketball that year and they continued those winning ways in baseball as well. They hit everything I threw at the plate. Between walks, errors, and hits they scored 4 runs in the first, second and third innings. We were down 12 runs in 3 innings and I had nothing going for me, nothing was working. I don't remember much past that.

I did win a couple games after that and then in the State Sectional Tournament. I won the first game, Bob Higley won the second game, and I won the third game and it was easy. I had everything going and it all worked. At times I felt like I was toying with the batters. The coach got upset with me between innings saying 'Don't throw strikes when you've got the first 2 strikes on them.' I wasn't listening, I just wanted to throw the fastball and dare them to try to hit it and I did and they couldn't hit it. I was not only on top of the mound, I was on top of my world.