Puzzle: Can you guess what this is?

Read on for the rest of the story…

Danny worked at Bruster’s Wednesday night. He was cleaning a filter that sliced into his middle fingertip. It was bleeding bad enough that he gave us a call. Kathy drove up and decided the bleeding was under control, but that he might need stitches. Kathy drove the Wrangler home (which takes two hands) and Danny drove the van. They then headed for the hospital, but by the time they got there the bleeding had stopped. They decided to just clean and bandage the wound at home.

It was his pitching hand.

As a Junior pitcher, Danny had yet to be called into a varsity game. He did not want to say anything about the cut to his coaches, and fortunately his finger was able to heel in the dugout on Thursday night’s game against a team from Tennessee. On Friday afternoon, the Bronco’s were beating a visiting team from Oklahoma 10-0 after three innings. Head Coach Jones told Danny to go warm up. He would pitch the fourth inning. If he could hold the score, the game would end with the 10-run mercy rule.

Danny threw four balls in a row and walked the first batter. He then struck out the second batter. He hit the third batter, which put two on. The fourth batter laid down a good bunt and reached first. The Oklahoma team was cheering, sure they would get on the board with bases loaded and only one out.

Pitching Coach Howard took a walk to the mound and told Danny, “You’re making this harder than it should be. Now get in there and pitch.” The advice helped, because Danny struck out the next batter. Two outs.

Catcher Ty Bowen likes Danny’s change-up, so he called for one. The batter swung and missed as the change dropped under his bat. He threw the ball back to Danny and called for another change. Danny felt something sticky on the ball. He looked down. Blood. Danny had been worried about throwing change-ups because it put the most pressure on the middle finger where his cut was.

Danny shook off the call. Ty wanted the change, so he didn’t give another sign. Danny shook it off again. Ty went with a curve. Danny threw it. Strike two.

There was more blood on the ball and streaks of blood on his pants. If the umpire or coach noticed, they would pull him out. Danny was able to throw another curve for strike three. Game over.

As Ty and Danny headed for the dugout, Danny showed Ty his finger and explained why he shook off the change-up. Ty looked at his glove. There was blood all inside the pocket, and there were two blood-stained balls. Danny brought both of them home.

Puzzle Answer: The photo shows how a small pool of blood will create a splatter pattern with the spin of a 73 mph curve ball. Click on the picture above to zoom in!

We should submit this bloody baseball photo to the Spin-Art Gallery.

Puzzle 2: What is Danny’s favorite food? Click here for answer.

Now playing: Sisters of Mercy by The Chieftains & Sting