I remember Nix, for sure.
I told my teammates I didn’t want them doing it whenever I was up. I had the same mindset as Tony Gwynn in that regard, I relied on what my own eyes were telling me and wasn’t about to take a chance on the base runner being wrong. Also, it was too distracting for me and I wanted my mind free and clear.
I was basically a cornerback playing catcher. I was just wanting someone to try to make it to homeplate without getting tagged, whether stealing or on a hit ball. And when I say "tagged," I mean it in the football kind of way. Like the pitchman on the triple option had had the audacity to run to my side. Tagged.
I also thoroughly enjoyed trash talking the batters. Also, we had one pitcher who threw serious fire, and I was the only one who could catch him. Or the only one crazy enough. Looking back on it with what I've learned here, I'm worried they may have ruined the kid's arm. He was a freak. I thank goodness no one ever managed to "Hunter Ensley" me to score. I would have died! Maybe that is why I loved Ensley's play so much. Absolute magic. Impossible. I was never a great hitter.
I’m pretty sure every school threw their best pitcher multiple times per week. That’s what we did too. But most of the pitchers I played with also played another sport during the offseason so they weren’t throwing year round. Everyone was a big proponent of the “John Smoltz” philosophy. If you were stretched out enough you could easily pitch 3 times per week. I’m not that old but it was a different time, back when pitchers threw complete games and be ready to pitch the next game of a double header too if need be.I was basically a cornerback playing catcher. I was just wanting someone to try to make it to homeplate without getting tagged, whether stealing or on a hit ball. And when I say "tagged," I mean it in the football kind of way. Like the pitchman on the triple option had had the audacity to run to my side. Tagged.
Two doing the actual work while 5-6 stand there w/arms folded watching. 