If Steve Hess could have laid his blessing on a day to hold the 6th Annual Blade, it would have been a day exactly like Saturday. The wind was blowing in, so it kept the big bangers at least somewhat neutralized. It wasn’t blazing hot, and it was nowhere near chilly, and the breeze kinda rippled through the Moose grounds perfectly. From sun-up to sundown. By all known metrics, another perfect Saturday for the Blade. For the Blade. For Steve Hess. A full day of ball, bags, raffles, drinks, conversations, reunions, celebrations, and much-needed “catchin ups”. The Tournament and Fund Raiser has become a KTown “must-attend” event, and you don’t need to be a logistics expert to know a full-ass parking lot when you see it. The numbers were there….like you know they would be.
Our daughter Katelyn and I got into the bags tourney. I knew we were in for a long day when I checked in with Griff and said, “Oh I know we’ll draw Harry (Scott) Hartnell in the first round”. It was bad news when he said, “Scotty may not be one of the Top 5 guys here”. Let me tell you, Harry Hartnell can shoot the lights out. And if he ain’t in the Top 5, that’s a pretty strong Top 5. My kid goes, “so like, if I’m shooting to get a few on the board, that’s probably not gonna win us too many points”. In summary, when I was asked after Game 2, when we played next….the answer was 6:30 on Wednesday at Sheridan Lanes. But my kid and I sat over in the pavilion all morning, sipped tap beer, and laughed our asses off. Party On!
My wife and I went back for the early evening session for a nightcap. GREAT conversations with Kayle and Shenanigans Kevin just about the event and what it means and what it has become. I was glad Katelyn and I got to talk to Amy. Great to see the entire Stoebe/Coshun ensemble (throwin ya a little Logistics Expert love Hanna). Good catchin up with Mike and Phil Wade…you could do a lot worse in this world than having to share some space and time with the Wade brothers. I always find a way to have some depth with my guy, Guy…a pleasure as always..keep the faith, my friend. Good to see my occasional co-worker from the south side, Emma…younger people like her make me feel at least optimistic about tomorrow. And the beat goes on. And everyone has their stories to share.
And then it was a few at Sunnyside on the way home to truly honor the man. Always an interesting mix of KTown yocals in The Side. And so the event once again seems to be a continuing success. But you’d never measure The Blade by what the coffer says. You’d never measure the Blade by who won the bags tourney or who is left in the ball tournament. The only answer that truly matters when addressing the bottom line success of the events is….”how was the party?”. And Steve Hess would respond: “The party was good. The party continues. As it should. Sunday morning beers, hell yes, what time we play? We hittin first? Fuck it, I’ll probably just stay up”.
