OT: hit a single off the spaceman today...

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Posted By: Ben

I found out yesterday that Bill "spaceman" Lee was doing a book signing today at 3:00 at paragraph bookstore just 5 minutes from my apartment in downtown Montreal.

I went with a bunch of friends...the group I used to go to Expos games with, and played the odd game of pickup wiffle ball back when I was going to school. Bill spoke to a group of about 35 people in the back of a crowded bookstore. He talked alot and was his usual hilarious self. Talked alot of baseball, about what it was like to play in montreal when he was here in the late 70s, and endless funny anecdotes about whatever random thing he had on his mind. When questions were directed to the group, I asked a two part one...what pitcher did he enjoy watching most growing up, and what hitter lit him up most in his career. Warren Spahn and Hank Aaron, he answered. Go figure.

But the best part hasnt come yet. We coaxed Bill to come with us across the street to the Mcgill university sportsfield with my buddies and me for a few innings of wiffle-action. We used the inside of a melted out hockey rink, so the boards could be the outfield wall. A bunch of indian guys were playing a loud game of cricket to our left. There were lots of students walking by us, playing other sports, and hanging out within eyeshot by the outdoor restraunt next to the library. Bill pitched for both teams of course, tossed and talked all kinds of junk. He gave it his full effort, and could get that ball to sink though still! I made sure I got an at bat, and hit a seeing eye single My buddy Sam hit a towering blast to left right after me, and like any pitcher, Bill was not happy with that. One of my friends had a digital camera and took a bunch of pics, which i can post later...what a fun day, I thought why not share.