Travel Tips

Fantasy Baseball Camp Day 3: A Hair Thursday

Me and Oscar, then and now

After breaking a 17-year hex on on opening day and reflecting on the games of day two, Roy Berger shares his experiences attending Fantasy Baseball Camp with the New York Yankees. Keep reading to find out how he and his two sons played on day three—and check out his tribute for #ThrowbackThursday. 

An awful day on the baseball field is always made better when you get a chance to compare hairdos with Oscar Gamble and remember the good ol’ days of the mid-70s, when Oscar had the best ‘fro in big league baseball and I had the best one in pari-mutuel racing!

Me and Oscar, then and now

Me and Oscar, then and now

On Thursday at Yankees camp, Oscar and his coaching partner Tom Gordon’s team whupped us 8-6 in the morning game, and then we turned around and had our record evened at 3-3 by getting blasted by the defending champion Bambinos in the nightcap- 17-8.

It was a tough opening game for the Berger clan as well, going 0-11 between us in the first game.

It became even more humiliating when the home plate umpire pulled me aside after it was over and suggested it might be a good idea to spend a few extra minutes in the batting cages in the morning.

Not waiting for the sun to rise, I grabbed our coach, Homer Bush, a .285 career hitter and author of a book on hitting, and told him to forget lunch and come mentor me.

An emergency tutoring session with Homer Bush per umpire recommendation

An emergency tutoring session with Homer Bush per umpire recommendation

Even though we got blasted in the second game, I did feel a little better about things, getting two solid hits up the middle in three at-bats and then sticking my tongue out at the ump.

The day ended with two team losses and a combined 3 for 21 at the plate for the family…and seeing how far Oscar Gamble and I have come.

Or maybe not.

Text and Images by Roy Berger for PeterGreenberg.com