Act 5: A Thrilling Play






A game often proceeds with small victories and, for the other side, defeats until a single thrilling play shifts momentum.

From the sidelines it might appear to be an amazing athletic feat by an outstanding player, and sometimes it is: A stolen pass and full court layup; An upper deck home run by a big hitter off an unstoppable pitcher; A field length sprint and goal while dribbling through half the other team; A leaping interception returned all the way for a touchdown. More often the decisive play has been painstakingly set up by a conniving coach.

My college baseball manager at Louisville had us practice an unusual pick-off play in which the pitcher fakes a throw to the shortstop covering second base, only to then make the throw to the second baseman sneaking in behind a distracted runner. We simulated this fielding situation every day despite it being a rare one. Then, when a game against rival Kentucky was in the balance in the late innings, the coach gave the sign and we pulled off a rally killer.

Such a game-changing play shifts the trajectory and mood, but then the happy beneficiary has to figure out how to hang on against an increasingly desperate underdog.




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