Garage Sale Saturday #1

It is finally that time of year again. No, not March Madness and no not St. Patrick's Day. Although both are fun, I am talking GARAGE SALES!!! Finally, garage sales are starting up as Spring is here and the weather is getting warm. My wife and I have been avid hunters of garage sales since before we were married. So, starting today, every Saturday I go garage saling I will post my finds.

Today it was a little chilly but the wife and I headed out with the kids. I ended up only finding one item today which I was more than happy to buy. It is a SURE-HIT BAT-N-BALL by Irwin Toys. The seller said he had purchased it from extra stock from an old grocery store. Of course, they always say that now, don't they? I'm not sure of the year, but, it definitely looks pre-1980s. Nothing really spectacular about the graphics or the item except that it is still complete with the ball in the plastic package and the cardboard header attached to the bat with its rusty staples.

But, it does bring back childhood memories. I remember having similar ones like this when I was a kid. Whether it was a solid ball or a Whiffle ball, all the kids in our neighborhood loved slugging with this thing because it was so hard NOT to actually hit the ball.

One specific memory does come to mind. I remember playing a game of baseball with a bat-n-ball like this one in gym class in junior high, 8th grade specifically. I happened to laugh at a kid that was slightly overweight right as he struck out. Now, I wasn't really laughing at him, but he thought I was. He wanted to meet after school to fight. I tried to talk him out of it, but, he wouldn't have any of it. So, of course, not wanting to be a coward, I showed up with my buddies coming along for support. Ok, and hopefully a good fight. I was nervous all day. Who wants a bloody nose and this guy was a lot bigger than me, not only in girth, but in height. But, luckily, he never showed. The stupid things we do and argue about as kids. Anyway, the next day at school he came up to me and said he chickened out and I won. I told him, "Name omitted, I didn't win and seriously, I really was not laughing at you". We shook hands and all is good. That was really a good lesson for both of us, and obviously had an impact on me since I still remember it well, 25 years later.

Well, now off to clean the bat up a little and watch March Madness, yes, the other reason this is such a great time of year.