The Brewster

Shortstop Garners Attention
TEAM SURPRISES SUPER FANS


October 27, 2061 | Forever Land | Perhaps it's just too early. Keith Williams, the starting shortstop for the Bikini Krill is still only 23, going on 24 this coming month. Yet this season represented his fourth with the team. While it was not his best ever (his .257/.302/.376 came with 8 homers and 51 RBI and his fielding was a notch down on previous seasons), his presence still drew that attention of a rabid set of fans, including a collection calling themselves "Section 35" after Williams' number.

"We love him," said Duke Ballinger.

"He's the best shortstop ever," said Kellie Ballinger, his wife of the past five years.

Both are from Gassaway, West Virginia, a place that, per the last census, is home to 800 people, give or take. "And 952 dogs," Kellie says. "Don't forget the dogs," Duke warns.

Together, they started "Section 35" last year when they found their season tickets at Foreverland Park were in section 35, and realized Williams carried that number. "And he was kind of hunky," Kellie said. "Nothing wrong with that," Duke added. "She asked if she could put him on her list of five free passes and I said sure-why-not."

"Yeah," Kellie said with a wild grin. "But not before he negotiated to add (manager) Kate Fiscus to his." Duke smiled. "Tit for tat, right?" Kellie shrugged. "Nothing wrong with that."

Photos of their small house reveal signed posters, a framed uniform, also signed, and a bobblehead from a promotion earlier this year. "We call the cat Shortstop," Duke said. "He's pretty reliable, you know. Only coughs up a furball or two a year," Kellie added, and the two laughed like a good couple does. One gets the idea they've done this before.

The club has grown exponentially across the globe, at first consisting of other fans who sat in the section (which is just behind the dugout and down the line a little) but now growing out into the population of Krill fans as a whole. "I think we're up to 150 now," Duke said. "152, really," Kellie added.

For his part, Williams seems to enjoy the attention. He often spends ten or twenty minutes during batting practice up in the section. "They're good people," Williams said. "It's always fun to be wanted. Makes me want to play harder." For the final home game last year, Williams sprung for a round of drinks for the whole section.


Williams Watch Spawned for Next Season

The club is getting strong enough that they have requested access to a small patch of the wall just past the dugout, which they intend to repaint each game, specifically to indicate times the shortstop has played.

"He's at 443 games now," Kellie said. "Which is number 118 on the all-time franchise list," Duke said, finishing the thought. "But he's only 23 now," Kellie said, batting her eyes and fanning herself with a flat hand. "We think we're watching an all-time great," Duke said, outlining the whole concept.

Imagine their delight then, when I let them know I had been aware of the request, and that Marie Manning, the team's new Director of Public Outreach had come with me. Imagine their delight when Manning presented them with a certificate of authenticity as an official fan club of the Bikini Krill, anointing them as Forever Land Faves, and letting them know that not only was the team allotting that piece of the fence to them, but that they had commissioned an artist to do up a whole motif around Williams and his Section 35 followers that would act as a frame for the game countdown. Then imagine their joy when Williams himself entered their place and presented them with passes to this off-season's Krill Karavan, where they could continue to follow the team and hobnob with other fans.

"I'm, speechless," Kellie said. "Totally without words," Duke added.