In the bottom of the 1st, Matt Carpenter doubled. This is no longer news. St. Louis trailed Cincinnati 1-0 after Joey Votto shot a ball over the fence, just beyond Jason’s Heyward’s grasp. With one out, and Carpenter standing on…
Author: olabner
Welcome! I've followed baseball since I was 8 years old and started this site to illustrate the beauty of the game in prose, poetry, and photography.
I have a Master's in Creative Writing at Missouri State University. For my thesis I wrote a collection of nonfiction micro essays about working in remote Alaska fishing lodges for five summers in my 20s.
After graduation I worked as a northern lights guide in Bettles, Alaska, for 8 months. You can find my favorite aurora photographs at bestnorthernlights.com
I am a freelance writer and photographer. You can find my portfolio at maryellenchiles.com
Not much doing through two against Milwaukee. St. Louis left men standing on bases instead of running between them. And second baseman Kolten Wong made his third error in three games. Mike Fiers’ pitch count started to worry, but his…
In the bottom of the 8th, Jon Jay walked to the plate. He wore blue and red striped socks that stretched up his calf, with baggy pants cinched below his knee. He took his stance one, two times. On the…
The Cardinals in solemn silence stood. They watched clips of a young man on a screen until years glowed. 22 years old. Oscar Taveras wore 18, and Carlos Martinez wears the number now to honor his teammate. That number is…
With two outs and a runner at second, Carlos Martinez stared at the batter. Cincinnati’s Brandon Phillips hit from the right side. He twirled his bat like a windmill and braced it against his shoulder. He waited for his pitch….
I left Cardinal country and flew back to the Northwest. I emptied my schedule, and turned to baseball. For my grandfather had died. I had gone home, but now I was back. I thought ballgames would bring me comfort. I…
I found three yellow wiffle bats in a garage. I found some comfort there. I took only one, and Frisbees to call home and each base. I left several wiffle balls in a net, in a box, in case we…
“Could the Indians pitch a combined no-hitter?” Would you believe Cleveland announcer Tom Hamilton asked? It would’ve been the first since 1981, he told us from Houston, where the Astros floundered. Perhaps it was because he discussed other no-hit attempts….
Taking a short hiatus from Ol’ Abner in the immediate aftermath of the death of a relative. by