–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
April 28, 2026 (Liberty Park Sports Complex)
A brief thunderstorm passed through Hoover at 6:00AM. Although the sky remained dark and threatening, the rain ended. At 6:57AM Commissioner Tom Kilgore texted the team managers to tell them Vestavia’s recreation director, Sandi Hill, the person who made it possible for RASSA to move to this outstanding facility 6 years ago, said the field crew informed her the fields were playable. Tom checked radar and didn’t see any more storms on the way so he gave the green light for RASSA to play with the understanding that players would respect any lightning warnings that might occur. At 8:15AM a handful of people had arrived at the field and had already set up the field equipment. Out of the goodness of their hearts, David Ferguson, Sid Hilton, Ken Sransky, Dale McWhorter and a few others get the softballs, pitching nets, pitcher’s home plate, and runner’s home plate onto the field and warmup balls, coolers filled with ice water, and drinking cups into the dugouts, and do whatever other chores are needed prior to game time. Lightning, thunder, and heavy rain hit the field just after they got the work done and the group of early arrivals was gathered under the roof telling stories while they waited to see if the rain would stop. Dale, who lives in the woods somewhere north of Cullman, said how much fun it was to drive more than an hour in the rain.
A lightning bolt flashed and Rel Underwood mentioned the time he got hit by lightning. “I was out doin’ some yard work on what was a pretty nice day and turned on the hydrant to start the sprinkler. Then I went inside and all of a sudden it started to rain. My wife asked me to run out (that was when I could still run) and roll up the windows in her car, so I started to do that but on the way I stopped to turn off the hydrant. I was holdin’ on to a downspout for balance and when I grabbed the hydrant lightning struck and an electric charge ran through me makin’ me jump about 3 feet off the ground. I was frazzled and ran in the house and told my wife I got hit by lightning. She asked me if I was okay and I told her I seemed to be. “Well then”, she said, “did you roll up the windows in my car?”
Steve Belcher was passing on more parables. “God realized Adam was lonely so he told him he could create him a woman to be a companion. He told Adam she could be a loyal friend, someone who would always be pleasant and faithful, who would never talk back or question decisions or cause any trouble. So Adam asked God what that would cost and God said an arm and a leg. Adam thought for a minute and then asked, “What can I get for a rib?”
Jeff Tyler got to talking about what it’s like being a troubadour and mentioned he’s performing every Friday at the Overtime Pub and Grill. He wondered what it would be like to have a bunch of RASSA Masters in the crowd. “The guys I’m playin’ with have been around a long time; they’re like a “Masters” band and their fans are like “Masters” fans, so it oughta be a good time.”
I confirm that going to Overtime on a Friday while Jeff’s band is playing would be a fun time. Especially with 10 or 12 RASSA MASTERS. Ellen and I (Bob Slanovits) went Friday, the 24th of April. We has a blast, but it takes a crowd.
By then there was water standing on the infield and Handsome Herb decided to declare the games a rainout. About 5 minutes later the rain abated and Ken and David gathered up the equipment and put it away. Then the group started to wonder if the games could’ve been played as the rain had stopped. Fortunately, it started again, lightning and thunder persisted and the storms didn’t end until afternoon. Makeup games will be played June 23.