Written by John Davis Frain

Baseball – A to Z Challenge

Death Strikes Out

Reading time: 1 minute

Frain hit .204 last season off the bench. Hands of stone, so I can’t use him on defense. BStill, he signed another multi-million-dollar contract.

He’d caught me with Martinez. One fucking time, and he’s got pictures on his phone.

It’s the first day of spring training and the last day of Frain’s blackmail. He bats leadoff in our intra-squad game. I send Martinez to the hill. Order Frain to bunt.

Martinez knows what to do. Comes in high and tight with his 99-mph four-seamer. I flash a mirror in Frain’s eyes as Mr. Rawlings smashes into his temple.

Ironic? I always told Frain to keep his eye on the ball.

“You’re out,” I whisper.

2016-04-15 11.39.27-1
Photo (c) 2017 Murphy Frain. All rights reserved.

As Opening Day arrives for the 2017 season, I felt compelled to talk baseball. I tried to introduce Morganna and respond to the cries of breast as the murder weapon, but she’d never resort to that. It’s the A to Z Challenge, of course, and tomorrow will be C. What do you suppose the murder weapon might be?’

  • Candlestick
  • Cannonball
  • Chainsaw
  • Chair
  • Corkscrew

Come back to find out! All month long, Frain gets murdered. (hold your applause!) Every day, there’s a new murder weapon based on the letter of the alphabet.

 

51 thoughts on “Baseball – A to Z Challenge”

  1. Death by baseball – quick I would imagine… The timing would have to be down to the second.
    Love the “You’re out” 🙂
    Looking forward to tomorrow!
    Tasha
    Tasha’s Thinkings – Shapeshifters and Werewolves

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ah, yes, timing is everything in baseball. Less than a half-second from pitcher to plate — or, in this case, pitcher to temple. And you can count on a .204 hitter to be too slow to react and get outta the way. He’s out for the season!

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  2. Ouch. I got nailed in the head by a frisbee once at a pool. You wouldn’t think that would hurt but boy did it.

    Can’t imagine a baseball. Double ouch, and double out!

    My guess for tomorrow’s murder…hm….corkscrew.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Imagine all the things people get hit in the head with! It’s startling. And thrilling in a macabre way when you’re writing your own murder 26 ways. Frisbee huh. If you jab a razor into the plastic along the sides…

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    1. You’re absolutely right, Calen, I’m enjoying this way more than any sane person should. I don’t want to find out what that means, which is why it’s good that my therapists keep firing me.

      Liked by 2 people

  5. I once fended them off an assailant with a baseball bat. I could not quite get in a killing blow but dissuaded the jerk from pursuing me further. Yes, I suppose Death by bat in more likely than a fatal blow dealt by breasts. So thumbs up. Another worthy death.

    I am a little wary of the new baseball season. The new Braves stadium is opening in the area I am moving too. A little worried about traffic but hey, take me out to the ball game.

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      1. Now let’s not get crazy. The Braves are an Atlanta team. Remember 28-3 at half-time in the Super Bowl and we choked mightily. No, we don’t do good teams. But my, all the new bars and restaurants the new stadiums are bringing (the Falcons got one too, no idea why)

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    1. Oh, you and me both. I might have to publish an extra edition on one of these Sundays just to do a Clue version of this. I’ve got one in mind. Now you’ve challenged me, I’ll have to deliver.

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    1. No, not bad at all. You’re not killing small animals, so I don’t think this is a gateway drug to anything besides a good murder mystery. The only mystery is … how will he die next? I sure hope it’s not the chainsaw — that sounds painful.

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      1. It’s a great gateway to mysteries and a little addictive, what with the original items being used as murder weapons. Agatha Christie (who I love!) never used a baseball or an air conditioner….or at least I don’t think so =)

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    1. Old Sparky would be an interesting chair to have sitting around in your living room, wouldn’t it. Even if it was clearly not plugged in, don’t you wonder which of your friends would sit in it.

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    1. Another Clue fan. Too funny. Okay, I’m gonna have to accept the challenge and do a Clue flash fiction entry for one of the Sundays this month. Sunday doesn’t have to be a day of rest all month long, right?!

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  13. John, We’re a footy nation (4 codes!) and my Barbarians play basketball so I’m a tad confused… is Mr Rawling a bat or a ball? Either way, ouch!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I knew I might lose a few people there, but after less-than-careful consideration I went with Mr. Rawlings anyway. Rawlings makes all the baseballs for Major League Baseball in America. They don’t make any bats. So sometimes on home runs, you’ll hear an announcer say “Goodbye, Mr. Rawlings” as the ball leaves the park.

      All that said, basketball is my first love. But I couldn’t figure out a way to commit a murder with a basketball, so I went with baseball instead as my choice of weapon. Thanks for coming by, AJ, and I still have your notes to me for my upcoming WIP if I can ever finish editing the current one.

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  14. Thanks for clearing that up. But clearly you should have been coaching with me – I’m surprised I survived the season with my U16 basketball team! If you ever want to commit murder with a basketball drop me a line ;o)

    As there are a bucketful or Reiders waiting for “the manuscript” you’d better get a skedaddle on with that editing *grin*.

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    1. You’re funny, AJ. Keep that!

      I think I’ll keep my distance. I officiate basketball nowadays, and I’m sure there are some coaches that would like to commit murder moments after some games. That’s why I take so long to change in the locker room.

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  15. Well, I had a comment all typed out this morning and then forgot to post it before I left for work. So here it is, albeit belatedly –

    At my son’s baseball game yesterday, he swatted the ball right back to the pitcher. Fortunately for the pitcher, it hit him in the foot. Not deathly, but he limped for a few minutes.

    My condolences on your recent death =)

    Dena

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You might not even have to be batting, Tamara! You and me, we could play first base and get killed by a hard grounder. If you do the math, the ball comes off the bat even faster than it arrived. Ouch!

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    1. Basketball would hit too close to home. I officiate basketball and there’s too many people out there would like to kill me some nights. It’s why I change so slowly in the locker room. Let ’em all clear out before I walk through the door.

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  22. I am disappointed. I wanted it to be breasts as well, but I guess the mirror was a nice twist. I would guess for c, but since it is already out, I bet you would think I cheated. I will just go and find out what c and d are.

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      1. It took me a minute to figure out what you meant. At first I thought I might have offended you, then I remembered you were actually dying in your stories. Still, the drill was the most painful for me.

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        1. Omigosh, no. I haven’t been offended since late 2002. I’m quite sure people have tried to offend me since then, but I had that gene removed. They accidentally snipped out my embarrassment gene too, much to my wife’s chagrin.

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