But, Back to Mark Buehrle Got Us Drenched-- Part 3: We Get All Wet

I had to stop for a day on the drenched chroncicles to write about Mark Buehrle's next pitching outing which got exciting as well.  Imagine pitching back-to-back perfect games.  Well, it didn't happen, but wow, wouldn't that have been something!

To set the story, we had remained at Chopper's (bar and grill) up on Channel Lake in Antioch, Illinois, to see if Burehrle would get the perfect game despite knowing that a nasty storm was blowing in.  (We were in our boat, School's Out... Forever!)  Had we left in the 8th inning, we might have made it home, but we stayed.  Hey, how often do you get the chance to see a perfect game?

It hadn't started raining yet, but there was plenty of lightning and thunder off in the distance and getting closer.

We, (Kevin, Kelly, Liz and myself) decided to make a run for it.  We left and walked rapidly to the boat, cast off and started on our way.  It started  drizzling about half way to the Illinois Route 173 bridge and got steadily harder until a downpour.  (At this time we decided we probably should have just stayed at Chopper's.  But, too late.)  

The wind also picked up as well.  We ended up taking cover under the bridge until the worst had passed over about fifteen minutes later.  The rain let up some, but was still coming down enough to soak us pretty well on the rest of our way home.

So, as you can see, it was all Mark Buehrle's fault we got drenched.

And, he never apologized.

Thanks A Lot, Mark.  --RoadWet

Mark Buehrle Got Us Drenched-- Part 2: But, the Perfect Game Was Worth It

We had some discussion about staying or leaving and it was decided to chance the storm and stay.  Here was a chance to see only the 18th ever perfect game in Major League Baseball.  And, of course, for me, it was the Chicago White Sox, making it even better.

Eighth inning and Buehrle still had the perfect game.  By now, we could hear the thunder and see the lightning and it was going to be a really bad storm for sure.  Come on Mark, either get this over with or give up a hit so we can get out of there.

We wanted the Sox to go down fast in their part of the eighth.  They did.  Three up, three down.

Now, we have the 9th.  Will he do it or not?  Huge clap of thunder really close by as Tampa came up to bat.  The TVs flickered and went off.  Oh, NO!!!  Not now.  No rain yet, but, oh, no.  Thankfully the TVs came back on with one out.  

What we didn't know was that when the TVs went off, Tampa player Gabe Kapler had hit what would have been a home run ball, but was caught by DeWayne Wise, who had been put in the game that inning for his defensive ability.  He lived up to that name and leaped high to catch the ball as it cleared the outfield stands.  One out.  And, I should mention that the collision with the wall knocked the ball out of his glove and he juggled it once or twice on the way down to the ground before he caught it.  WHOA!!!

Buehrle got the next two out easily and we had our perfect game.

And, We Haven't Even Gotten Wet Yet.  --Cooter

Telephone Connections and T-Storms 100 Years Ago in DeKalb County, Illinois

From the July 15, 2015, Mid Week (DeKalb, Il.) "Looking Back.'

From July 1915.

The Inter-Township Telephone Company, which had headquarters at Hinckley and exchanges in Hinckley, Waterman, Shabbona, and Lee, has refused to make connections with the DeKalb County Telephone Company which operates in the northern 15 of 18 townships in DeKalb County.

They had damaging thunderstorms back then as well.  Much damage was done by one on Saturday night.  Telephone and electric wire service were put out of order.  Trees and buildings were struck by lightning, especially south of Sycamore.  A barn in Cortland was struck and caught fire, but was extinguished with minimal loss.  The steeple of the Methodist church in DeKalb was struck and the building badly torn and damaged by water.

--Cooter