Jackie
By ice rivers
- 47 reads
Jackie was born in West Babylon, New York not far from the birthplaces of Billy Joel and Gerry Rivera. Her mother, Dianne worked as a nurse. Her father, Jack worked as an engineer. They did not live in a pink house.
Both Jack and Dianne were baseball fans. Dianne loved the Yankees and Jack loved the Mets. Every year, they bought season tickets and alternated which team.....even years Yanks and odd years Mets.
When Jackie was in sixth grade, the family left Long Island and moved to upstate New York. Jack got hired at Xerox. Dianne got hired by Strong Memorial Hospital.
They became fans of the Rochester Red Wings and once again bought season tickets, this time directly above the first base dugout. They never caught a foul ball but once Dianne was struck by a bat that had slipped from the hands of Joe Lipardi. It was a close call. After the game Joe gave Dianne the bat.
Jackie started playing Little League baseball against the boys. She followed in the footsteps of Loree Brady who had broken into the league and had dominated. Loree became Jackie's coach. Lorree recognized and nurtured Jackies love of the game. Jackie made the boy's varsity baseball team, becoming the first girl to do so. In her junior year, she switched to girl's softball and tore the league apart with her pitching and her hitting.
She inherited her mother's love for the Yankees, particularly Derek Jeter. Jackie got her degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport. She returned to her alma mater where she was hired as a gym teacher but also served as women's basketball and baseball coach.
Along the way she became BFF with Ellie because they had several classes together in high school. Jackie helped Ellie to get through Gym class and Ellie helped Jackie get through English. They both loved The Natural by Malamud.
So did Mr. Rivers who had made it part of his curriculum as he introduced the concept of magical realism setting the stage for Marquez and Kafka.
Rivers also loved baseball.
- Log in to post comments
Comments
Very American
Very American, big deal about nothing. The World Series Championships and All of it is in the USA. The American dream and all pizza and popcorn Coke and chewing gum signifying nothing. Babylon.
Tom
- Log in to post comments