The Houston Police Midnight League ended its fall season on Dec. 18. The league initially began the fall season with eight teams but lost two after the first five weeks of the season were rained out.
The six teams that remained to compete were returning teams North Shepherd, Narcotics, Southeast, Northeast and new teams Westside and South Central.
This season was particularly full of surprises – it seemed as if each week provided a new upset that no one saw coming. But that’s what it’s all about, right? I reckon that it would be hard to get us all out each week if we knew how it would all play out. Then again, I can’t imagine much that would keep our teams from the softball field. Even sub-freezing temperatures didn’t do the trick.
Thanks to the five-week delay that postponed the season, we spent several weeks playing in frigid temperatures. Guys ran around in ski masks, while others dragged mobile heaters with them. And on cookout nights? You could find most of the teams gathered round the pit just to warm up.
Midway through the season we experienced our first ever “ice out.” With temperatures below freezing and rain expected, the park’s office notified me that there would be no games that night. I mistakenly assumed that when I announced the “ice out” to my teams they’d be happy.
Who wants to play in the snow, sleet, and possible hail, right? Wrong. My texts were flooded with questions like, “But the fields aren’t wet, right?”
“Ice out? What’s an ice out? Houston doesn’t do “ice outs,” and my personal favorite comment, “Just tell the park’s office we’re all right to play in the cold”
The moral of this story is that these guys and gals love to play. Maybe it’s the sport. Maybe it’s the camaraderie. Maybe it’s the competition among stations and divisions. One thing is for sure, and that is that we all love going out there every Tuesday night. And if you’re not already out there with us, well, I think you’d enjoy it too.
As I walked out of the park on the last night of our season, I was asked by multiple people when we’d start up again. The answer is Mid-February. If you’d like to join us next season, please feel free to reach out to me. You can always reach me at mandyleeday@gmail.com or by phone at 832-794-2661.
Congratulations to this season’s placing teams – Narcotics in first place, Northeast in second place and Southeast in third place.