by Phil Wohl
He dug his back foot in as the pitcher came to a stop. The action had slowed and Pete saw the curveball coming the minute it left the pitchers hand. The ball was headed toward the outside corner, so he went with the pitch and laced it down the right field line. He galloped into second as the two runners scored. The team was whooping and hollering, and the three fans in attendance stood and applauded.
Pete felt great after the game, and even changed his mind about possibly quitting the team. He would play through the final month of the season, even if he was the most bored person on the planet. Pete's next start was at his favorite school Lakeview. It was a clear, early May afternoon. Pete felt great in warm-ups. The sinker was dipping like a rabbit bounding into a hole, and his fastball still had plenty of hop. Coach Keller read the line-up and Pete was disappointed to hear that a .256 hitter would once again be hitting for him. He went right over to the coach and said, "What about that hit I got the other day."
Keller replied, "It was a lucky hit."
Pete was so pissed off that he didn't let a base runner reach during the first three innings. But, on this day, four would be his unlucky number. The bottom of the fourth inning started with a routine ground ball dribbling through the legs of error-prone, third basemen Ken Arthur. Pete was getting mad, but in a way his dad knew would lead to destruction. The next batter waved at a wicked sinker on the third strike, but reached first safely as the ball squirted through Matt Whitside's legs and rolled back to the screen. Four pitches later, Whitside was chasing another called third strike back to the cage. The bases were loaded, and Pete's mind had snapped. As in-tune as his brain was at Fellingwood, it was now gone. The party was over.
Whitside put down a sign that Pete never really saw. He threw a fat fastball, which must have looked about the size of a beach ball, and Syosset's clean-up hitter, Ben Parsons, connected with the ball on the sweetest part of the bat. Pete took one glance over his shoulder as the ball sailed way over left fielder Gary Fellows' head. By the time Fellows retrieved the round rocket, Parsons had already crossed home plate and was home eating dinner. The ball made its way back to Pete and Coach Keller headed out to the mound. As Keller crossed the first base path, Pete started walking off the mound and flipped the ball to the aged coach.
The Pistol turned his hat around and tucked his glove under his left arm as he walked away from the field and toward the Lakeview gym. Lou Berman knew when to give Pete space, and sat in the stands while Pete went inside. The gym was empty. Pete lied down on the floor under one of the main baskets. He looked up through the net and the rim and his mind was at ease. It was time to put his childhood dreams aside and focus on the game he now loved. Baseball wasn't fun unless Gerry Williams was on the end of the hook, or he was able to hit.
Pete kept his thoughts to himself on the bus ride back to West Valley. He then stopped Coach Keller in the locker room, and informed him he was quitting the team. Keller was somewhat surprised, but he watched Pete play every basketball game, and knew his heart was elsewhere. As Pete walked away from the coach, he didn't see his leaving the team as quitting, just doing what was best for himself and his rapidly softening body.
When Pete returned home, he told his dad he quit the team. Lou Berman replied, "That's not a surprise, that ball is probably half-way to the moon by now." The two men burst into laughter, and made light of unchartered territory: a Berman quitting.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
The big East City high school basketball awards dinner was coming up on Friday. No expense was taken for this low-tech, Prime Rib-serving extravaganza. The players were coming for the hardware, not the overcooked potatoes you could bounce off the floor. Pete wondered if he would be an All East City selection. His confidence had been tainted by so many awards disappointments of the past. It seemed as if politics would inevitably rear its ugly head at just the wrong moment, and give the honor to a player from a more connected school.
Pete wore his best, and only, suit for the big occasion. He and his parents walked up to the reception table at the Nardi's catering hall in Pikesville, and were on line to check in. Pete was ready to say his name when two girls at the table said, "Pete Berman! Yeah, we've seen enough of you!" One girl then said, "We're from Fellingwood." The other added, "Don't take it personally." She then handed Pete and his parents their table assignments and they all had a good laugh.
Once inside, they wandered over to table seven, where they were seated with Coach Andrews and his wife Betty, and Tom Sullivan and his sister Mary. Not surprisingly, the well-connected Carmine Pagnozzi sat on the other side of the room with Gerry Williams and Eric Spalding, but Spalding came over and switched seats with a player from Kelpham named Steve Belding. Carmine made sure he was seated near the kitchen so he could:
(1) Use an extra seat for his widening load
(2) Have an outlet for his frustration
(3) Dive in the huge potato pot in case hunger struck, or Pete walked by the table.
Spalding was happy to be rid of Pagnozzi and his ornery ways. He was hoping to find a kinder, gentler soul in Barry Melnick. Next to Carmine Pagnozzi, even Bobby Knight had become a kinder, gentler soul. That's the wonderful thing about coaches that win consistently: nobody questions their methods. Believe it, or not, sports are not just about winning. Pete had destroyed the confidence of Gerry Williams, but Pagnozzi had thrown him away like a piece of used meat. A practice he would not repeat once the dinner was served at the awards banquet.
Pete told Spalding he had quit the baseball team, and Eric couldn’t believe it:
"After the way you pitched against us?" Pete told him he had more than enough high school baseball for a lifetime. The two new teammates then talked about how great the Barringer campus was - they both couldn't wait to get to school. The dinner began, as the boys settled back into their chairs, and Carmine Pagnozzi slapped two pads of butter on his semi-stale roll.
The dinner dragged on as the All Division and All-Conference teams were being announced. The players on the All East City team would be announced at the end of the dinner, not on each individual sub-section. Pete didn't eat much of his dinner. This would be his last connection with high school sports, and he wanted it to be a sweet memory.
The coach of the year was the second-to-last category. The battle seemed to be between Ross Parker of Helmsdale and Terry Andrews of West Valley. As Coach Andrews' name was read off he instantly hugged his wife, then walked over and hugged Pete on his way up to the podium. His speech went something like this:
"Wow! I'd first like to thank the East City Coaches Association for this great honor. I'd then like to thank my wife for putting up with my short attention span these past few years. But, I guess, my team deserves most of the credit for this award. It was only a few short years ago that we only had four wins and then a kid name Pete Berman took our little West Valley program on his shoulders. Pete is a special kid. I knew it from the first moment I laid eyes on him. He was in the gym by himself a few days before junior varsity tryouts. I was in the office when I heard the thud of the basketball echoing throughout the empty gym. He must have been in there for two hours, and I don't think he took a bad shot the whole time. That kind of focus filtered down to the rest of the team, and even made me sharper. So Pete, this one's for you and your teammates for believing in the impossible. We had a dream season. One that I think will be hard to top. Thank you.
Coach Andrews walked away from the podium with tears in his eyes. He shook hands as he walked to his table and hugged his wife upon arrival. He then turned to Pete, and the two hugged again.
"You still have a lot of work to do," the coach said.
"Yeah, but I'll never forget the work that's already been done."
Calm was momentarily restored, as the big men on the dais retooled to announce the 12 players that would comprise the All East City Basketball team. The event was co-sponsored by the area's local pa
per, The Daily Chronicle. Not only were the 12 players to get big, heavy plaques, but they were also to receive (for the first time) team jackets with leather sleeves. The jackets were personalized with the players name on the front and ALL EAST CITY on the back of the jacket with a big basketball.
The first name off the list was Juan Ardenez, a 6'0" point guard, of Our Lady of Mercy High School. With all of the areas catholic and parochial schools included, it made it even more difficult to get on the team. Kevin Bannett, the 6'3" shooting guard from Martin Luther walked up to the podium after his name was called off. The emcee then said, "Pete Berman of West Valley High School." Pete smiled as he stood up, kissed his parents, high-fived Spalding and Sullivan, hugged his coach, and walked up to the podium. It felt good to get such a prestigious award. On the walk back to his seat, Pete was blushingly-proud. He handed the award to his dad, who by now had quite an extensive hardware collection.
As the names went well into the R's and then S's, it soon became painfully obvious that Keith Reidy and Bruce Sterling would be left off the list. Reidy soon became enraged when the name "Gerry Williams of Fellingwood High School," was blared over the speaker system. Williams had put up numbers worth consideration, but was severely outplayed by Reidy and Sterling. Carmine Pagnozzi sat back and picked his teeth with a tree limb, safe in the thought that his pull had once again held great weight. Not only was he the main attraction at Sea World, but he also put on quite a show on East City soil.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
With the awards banquet over and baseball season cut off at the knees, high school sports was now only a memory for Pete. He did have a lot more time to spend with Isabel, but the last month of school would be just a walk-through. Going through the motions had its advantages for a guy who had been under a great deal of pressure.
Although classes were still in session, the year was essentially over. The only thing left to experience was the prom. Pete had a couple of years to shake off the impact of the Annie Landros fiasco, and was looking forward to making it a night that he and Isabel would remember.
Pete's parents still wouldn't give Isabel an inch. The only thing that gave him relief with them was that he was going to college for free. His parents liked that. It saved them money. Not that it was purely a money thing, but what parent wouldn't want to be saved from the exorbitant costs of college? His parents knew that with Isabel staying behind, it would only be a matter of time before they would part ways. What they didn't know, or want to know, was that there were plenty of New England Isabel's that would be around to take her place. But, in the grand scheme of things, they didn't really care. It was an out-of-sight, out-of-mind world where ignorance was definitely the closest thing to a blissful tall blonde.
The Prom Committee made no bones about it. The names of all the prom couples would be proudly displayed for all to see in the school's main lobby. One of the first couples on the list was Isabel Mitchel and Pete Berman. There was no anxiety with this coupling. The mere asking and acceptance were purely a formality. Pete and Isabel were also going to attend the junior prom a few weeks earlier. She got two wearing’s out of her dress and he only had to wear a tuxedo to the senior prom.
It was an odd year. Pete and Isabel had more fun at the junior prom than the senior prom. Isabel's friends and family were so much fun to be with. Pete's parents were saving their participation for the senior prom, and were no-shows at the junior prom picture-taking session. Isabel's family was great. They truly cared for Pete and he, in turn, cared for them. Pete was especially fond of Isabel's mother. He considered her a second mom, because of her caring ways and genuine strong feelings for him. He had spent so much time at her house that spring, that he really became an extended part of the family. Isabel would only become an extended part of the Berman family when she no longer posed a threat. At that time, she would be so extended that she might even be liked.
Adam Baum never had a chance. His girlfriend, Jenny Dowling, found a way to make every public event her platform for humiliation. He couldn't do anything right in her slightly slanted eyes. This was the same curvaceous girl that picked on just about everyone else in the locker room. She had few friends and probably couldn't remember a time when she was truly happy. In Adam, she found a guy who waited on her hand and foot. All of the other guys she met would just finish their business and move on. She used them too, and they made her body a way to avoid conversation.
Pete's first mistake was agreeing to go with Adam and Jenny to the senior prom. His second miscalculation was eating a taco at 4:00 p.m. Things were rolling along as the two couples took a few pictures at Isabel's house. Pete's stomach started to churn as they arrived outside of Adam's house. His parents and sister were waiting and that made him uneasy. His sister loved Isabel and greeted her with a big hug and a kiss. His parents were usually cordial in public, saving their outbursts for behind closed doors. Pete never tired of defending Isabel, but the cumulative impact of the negativity had taken its toll on his nerves.
Pete's stomach was churning as the couples arrived at Newlin's Catering Hall. The car stopped and Pete jumped out to make his usual mad dash toward the bathroom. Isabel knew Pete loved her and, in a strange way, felt strengthened that he had developed a strong backbone despite his sensitive stomach. Pete shortly emerged from the bathroom, feeling relaxed and looking forward to a fun evening. Isabel kissed him, asked him if he felt all right, and rubbed his lower back.
"This night is about us," Pete said.
Isabel smiled and said, "I didn't realize that anyone else was in the room."
They held hands and walked into the non-alcoholic cocktail hour, ready to schmooze and eat all the franks-in-blankets and knishes they could get their hands on.
Jenny Dowling did not move from her chair all night. She didn't touch her dinner. She wouldn't dance one dance. She barely even talked to Adam. Pete and Adam had continued to grow distant over the months following the end of the basketball season. Isabel and Pete largely ignored Jenny's scowling puss, and were having a great time dancing. Isabel never liked Jenny, and took a small measure of satisfaction knowing she was miserable.
The silent treatment continued, as the couples spent a night at the beach. Jenny, being the lowly-evolved being that she was, did fool around with Adam during the night. Pete and Isabel sat within viewing distance of the water, and slept for a few hours before waking up to watch the sun rise. They also placed their blanket about 50 yards away from Jenny and Adam, as it appeared that the relationship between the couples had hit a permanent snag. Pete had lost his friend to a girl that unsuccessfully tried to get him to roll around the hallway near the gym. The combination to his lock, quite happily, was off limits to a girl who considered a night on the town a McDonald's Happy Meal and tumble in the back seat of a car.
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Graduation was basically uneventful. Pete had already moved on to the next level, and considered a high school diploma as small change. The commencement exercises were a lot more emotional for Isabel, who knew her relationship with Pete was going to change. June meant two more months before he went away, before he went to college to start anew. The young couple was not ready to face the music, though. They were enjoying each other too much to look so far ahead. They had only been going out five months, but they were good friends for a year before that. The summer would go by in a flash, but would leave memories that lasted for years.
Pete worked that summer at Martin Luther High Basketball Camp as a coach for 11 and 12 year-olds. He also spent most of his lunch hours, and all of his weekends, playing against college guys. Pete, as usual, was no stranger to squaring off against older players. His transition to playing in college would be smoother than most incoming freshman. In fact, Eric Spalding spent the summer at camp with Pete and played on his team at every opportunity. He also joined Pete on many occasi
ons at Piedmont Park, in the most competitive games the two had ever experienced. One weekend Barry Melnick came down to run with the boys. It was Pete, Eric, Coach Melnick, Lou Berman and Craig Goldblum, against five local catholic school players that either went to Division I or II schools.
The game was to 11 by one's, and you had to win by two if the score was tied at 10. Pete and Eric drew the tough assignments. Pete was matched up against 6'7", 240 pound Gary Palmer of Division I Salera College, and Eric squared off against 5'11" Greg Ranking of Division I Helfstand University. Palmer had always given Pete a tough time when they were younger, and Pete was looking to get even. When the teams were matching up, Barry Melnick was going to ask Pete who he had, but Lou Berman pointed him toward a 6'4" Division II player with a blue Adidas shirt. Melnick had seen Pete's focus from the stands, but was now getting a new up-close perspective. Lou Berman took 6'3" Larry Miller from Division II Technical College of New York, and Craig took 5'9" Jimmy Hitchings from Division II Pency College.
Palmer wasted no time in backing Pete up. Spalding came down to help force Palmer to rush a baseline jumper which he left short. Lou Berman jumped up on the far side and snatched down the rebound, as Eric Spalding came over and took control of the ball. Pete ran down the left side of the court and continued through to the other side, where a bullet pass from Spalding greeted him. Palmer was a few steps behind Pete and watched as he arched a quick jumper that swished through the net.
Pete knew he couldn't overpower Gary Palmer. He needed to be quicker and smarter. Jimmy Hitchings tried to throw an entry pass into Palmer, but Pete moved around the bulky Palmer and intercepted the bounce pass. Spalding caught a bullet pass from Pete and headed down the center of the court. Barry Melnick filled the left lane and Craig filled the right. Eric passed the ball the Craig, who quickly hit a streaking Pete near the foul line. The defense collapsed and Pete looked right then threw a behind-the-head pass to an open Melnick, who had spotted up about 17 feet from the basket. Melnick caught the pass and fired up a shot that found the net as quickly as Pete's first shot. 2-0. Melnick and Pete slapped hands as they ran back down the court.