Step Up To The Plate.

You may have heard the expression, or if you are into fancy words, the idiom, 'step up to the plate'.   It basically means to take on a challenge or a responsibility.  To initiate action.

It is also is a literal reference when a baseball player steps up to home plate to take a turn at batting against a pitcher.  You might be familiar with the game of baseball.  If you live in Britain, you may consider baseball a form of glorified rounders or cricket in an alternate reality. 

I've had a varied life and when I was a teenager living in Vancouver, I used to go to minor league baseball games at Capilano Stadium.  My buddies and I would get there early and talk to the players as they warmed up for the game.  We had many a fun conversation with the players.  I remember this one dude who had noted how small the crowds were.  In his finest southern drawl, he said, "What y'all been doin' scarin' all them folks away?"   Another player asked us, "Hey guys, where do all the chicks hang out?"  Of course, being fifteen and being 'men of action', we told him about all the hot spots where you could like pick up 'chicks'.  He told us he would check out those places after the game in his "pick up truck."  

And the player who wanted to know where to find the ladies started bragging about how great a game he was going to have.  And a great game he had.  That was the good news.  The bad news was that he played for the opposing team named the Spokane Indians.  And the name of that player?   Bobby Valentine, who is now the manager of the Boston Red Sox. 

Ah yes, baseball.  Which has terminology such as sacrifice fly, slugging percentage, single, double, triple, home run, stolen base, caught  stealing, seventh inning stretch, strikeouts, base on balls, foul balls and sliding into home base.  I remember one day when a bunch of us dudes were thinking about having a game of naked baseball.  Then we thought about sliding into home base and decided foul balls wasn't such a good idea.  

The team, way back then in the year 1969, were named the Vancouver Mounties.  The photo is a Vancouver Mounties baseball cap.   We used to look at the cap and end up in hysterical laughter.  Or to use a baseball metaphor, 'looks like they have gotten past first base and scored a home run...'