"MBBA Life: Meet the Family"

Original Monty Brewster Baseball Association (1973-1994) features, articles, etc.
User avatar
recte44
GB: Commissioner
Posts: 43001
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:14 pm
Location: Oconomowoc, WI
Has thanked: 141 times
Been thanked: 1608 times
Contact:

"MBBA Life: Meet the Family"

Post by recte44 » Sun Aug 21, 2016 6:25 pm

The Everett family reunion last weekend was not unlike any other. There was much gossipping over potato salad and three-bean casserole, as four generations of the proud Virginia family gathered to learn what was up. Gramma Mimma had turned 100 year past, Vicky had finally gotten married, and little Markie had finally taken up the family business. A good time was had by all.

But when the annual softball game began, it was all business.

"Yeah, they beat us" laughed young Alexander, captain of the losing team, "But hell, even Calgary won forty games last year. We were the better ball club and they know it." Alexander's cousin and temporary rival Vince responded only by throwing a hot dog bun at his head.

Baseball has always been a family affair. From fathers playing catch with their sons to Steve Nebraska's countless illegitimate children, from the DiMaggio brothers waging war to the Futon brothers each striving to be the best in the league, baseball has always been a game about roots. To be a pro baseball player, the game has to be in your blood. And baseball has always run in the Everett blood.

Their grandfather was legendary barnstormer J.W. Everett, a talented spitballer whose greatest claim to fame was getting into a fistfight with the legendary Ty Cobb outside a Detroit Pub. JW's daughter Janice played several games in right field for the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All American Girls Pro Baseball League before retiring to marry a business man by the name of Giorgio Milani. JW's son Jim never played the game professionally, but he still holds the record in his high school for most strikeouts in a game with 21.

The next generation, however, has taken it to a new level.

Janice's eldest son Vincent has been the most successful of the family. Although he doesn't have the honor of having punched out Cobb, he is a former MBBA Hitter of the Year, having put up one of the most dominant seasons in baseball history for the Bandits in 1976. Milani is a 6'5 tower of a man, but he speaks softly and walks gently.

He hasn't been sleeping, he tells me. After his breakout season that made him a household name, not to mention a millionaire, he proceeded hit only .213 and get traded to Manhattan. "Birmingham was my home," he says with a sigh. "Everyone there was rooting for me, you know? They liked me. At least I think they liked me. When I started hitting, it was like everyone was saying 'We knew you could do it Vinny,' you know? Like everyone was on my side. But now I'm not hitting, and it's cold in New York, and I'm... I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I don't think I can do, you know, '76, I don't think I can do it again."

His cousin Mark is more optimistic about his fate. "Vince just thinks too much, yah? He's gonna be fine, he's just gotta chill. Start livin' the high life down in NY. Get laaaaiiid. He'll be back on top in no time FLAT, man." Mark, ten years Vince's junior, graduated from Thomas Jefferson High last year and has entered the MBBA draft in the hopes of following in the footsteps of his idol. Mark, unlike his cousin and despite his towering size, is a pitcher, and a very good one at that.

"Yeah, I put up about a c-note on the gun," Mark boasts to his five-year-old second cousin Carl over a plate of deviled eggs. "If you ask me, those guns are for (censored by Pops) anyways. I throw 102 EASY. You know Steve Nebraska, right? Little baby-(censored by Pops)er? I throw WAY harder than that (censored by Pops)."

Mark started today for Vince's team, but his short attention span and unwillingness to train properly leave most scouts seeing him as an ace closer. He is expected to go in the top 10 of the upcoming draft anyways, the most highly sought reliever in the league's short history.

Starting opposite Mark was his older brother and fellow prospect Alexander. At 5'9 and only 170 pounds, Alexander looks like a child next to his gargantuan siblings. Unlike his gifted family, has also had to struggle for everything he's gotten in the sport. But after years of hard work, the 25 year old appears poised to finally break through.

"Marquette's a great team. To break into a rotation of guys like Schmatz and Ball... well, whatever will be will be. But I think I'm ready for the bigs. I want this year to be MY year."

Alexander Everett has twice been selected as a Player To Be Named Later, and before this season was known only as Vince Milani's cousin. But this past season in AAA he added a slider to his repertoire, adjusted his delivery down to a three-quarters delivery, and the results were nothing short of amazing. After four years of bouncing around the minors, Baseball America finally took notice and named him as their #16 prospect in all of baseball, and called him their sleeper pick for the JL Rookie of the Year.

Everett is humble about his chances. "Awards are nice... it'd be nice to rub it in Mark's face, too. But I just wanna pitch. If Marquette finds a place for me, that'll be enough."

Three brilliant baseball players, at three very different places in their career. A struggling star, a hotshot rookie, and a would-be prospect, each trying to make their way in the MBBA. The three have agreed to share their thoughts with us for the upcoming season. We wish all three the best of luck.

Return to “Archives”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests