Ike Reese

[BlueHen86]

Former Eagle player Ike Reese just faced a high school girls fast pitch softballer.

Reese nows works for 610 WIP sportstalk radio. A few weeks ago he 'dissed' womens sports and was challenged by a female caller who claimed that it was not as easy as it looks.

He was given 10 swings. For every ball Ike hit fair he got $100 to donate to the charity of his choice. For every swing that did not result in a fair ball, the team that the girl pitched for received $100

He ended up with:
6 swings and misses
2 foul tips
1 pop up to center field
1 ground ball

Ike's charity $200
Girls Softball Team $800

I give Ike credit for accepting the challenge. I know the girl would have made me look bad.

[Ivytalk]

Didn't the same thing happen to Babe Ruth years ago?

[ngineer]

I tell you, women's softball is tough. Very quick moving game and definitely tough to hit. Hope Ike learned a lesson.

[BlueHen86]

I tell you, women's softball is tough. Very quick moving game and definitely tough to hit. Hope Ike learned a lesson.
I think he did. The two balls that he put in play were likely outs in an actual game. The girl that pitched to him will be attending Robert Morris this fall, and plans on walking on to the softball team.

[93henfan]

Put an MLB curveballer out there and Ike would have had a dirty uniform and sore butt and the girls team would have had a cool grand. And no, I'm not trying to take anything away from softball. It would be difficult to hit a rising ball pitched from a much shorter distance.

[blueballs]

... and that was against a northern HIGH SCHOOL pitcher. Let him try his luck against Cat Ostermann or Jennie Finch.

On a related note... I got to play against the King and His Court a few years back.

I went up to bat with a 23oz women's bat, spread out my stance and carried my hands real low. The first pitch I faced was the fastest I've ever seen a ball move in my life. I managed to take the next two pitches for balls and time him a little.

On a 2-1 pitch I got an outside fastball and just smoked a line drive that almost beheaded the first baseman, who in all honesty probably didn't expect the ball to come his way because I was the only guy to that point to put the ball in play. The shot knocked the guy's glove off and the ball trickled over to the base ump, who then tossed it back to the first baseman, who tagged the bag for the "out." I didn't even make it out of the box.

Later in the game the pitcher got on second base (I was playing short) and told me I had a beautiful swing. I answered with, "It's amazing what a man can do with his eyes closed." To which he replied, "You and I both know better than that, you know what you're doing up there."

That was one of the highlights of my softball career, almost as good as a national title and better than any individual awards I won.

The King passed away recently... long live the King.

[BlueHen86]

... and that was against a northern HIGH SCHOOL pitcher. Let him try his luck against Cat Ostermann or Jennie Finch.

On a related note... I got to play against the King and His Court a few years back.

I went up to bat with a 23oz women's bat, spread out my stance and carried my hands real low. The first pitch I faced was the fastest I've ever seen a ball move in my life. I managed to take the next two pitches for balls and time him a little.

On a 2-1 pitch I got an outside fastball and just smoked a line drive that almost beheaded the first baseman, who in all honesty probably didn't expect the ball to come his way because I was the only guy to that point to put the ball in play. The shot knocked the guy's glove off and the ball trickled over to the base ump, who then tossed it back to the first baseman, who tagged the bag for the "out." I didn't even make it out of the box.

Later in the game the pitcher got on second base (I was playing short) and told me I had a beautiful swing. I answered with, "It's amazing what a man can do with his eyes closed." To which he replied, "You and I both know better than that, you know what you're doing up there."

That was one of the highlights of my softball career, almost as good as a national title and better than any individual awards I won.

The King passed away recently... long live the King.

Not sure thet you needed to put the word "northern" there. I have friend whose daughters pitch - it's year round up here. They pitch indoors through out the winter.

Great story about playing against the King.xthumbsupx

[OSBF]

I also played men's fastpitch softball on a national level for a time after college. The baseball swing never translated to success in softball, WAAAAAAY to long and slow. Those guys are incredible, the ball can move in, out, up,down, and any combination of those at differing speeds.

Our area was blessed with very good men's teams, Aurora All Steel Steelemen, Bloomington Hearts, Decatur Pride, etc etc. Larry Miller Toyota from Utah was the best team I ever faced. The Farm from Madison was pretty good too.

Too bad the men's sport just died the way it did. Those ASA state and national tourneys were a good time. Nothing like steppin' in the box with a monster hangover against a guy throwin' serious heat.