Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 10 · column 3 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
By ALEX PHILIPPIDIS
BawahaMMckNcwt SUIT Writer
Why would Randolph Cooke of Ami88ville literally want to make an ass of himself?
“I just like to help out the fire department,” he replied. “The fire department here is always out helping the community. I want to help them.”
Cooke won Most Valuable Player honors August 17 as Amissville’s Fire Company “Invindbles’ faced a hot challenge from another team of Amissville men—the “Unbeatables”—in a sport not played often in Rappahannock County.
The sport: Donkeyball.
Donkeyball can best be described as a blend of baseball and donkey antics. The team that is fielding has its infielders and outfielders mounted on donkeys—except for the pitcher and catcher, who play standing from the ground.
Batters also play from the ground. To run bases they have to hit a fair ball, since there are no balls and strikes in the sport.
From there, almost anything can happen—and usually does. Batters then have to mount a donkey and ride to as many bases as the ass will take them. They are out if they fall off their donkeys three times, if they land on the ground without their donkey reins in their hands or if they are bucked after reaching first base.
“Each donkey is selected for its ability to either buck, duck, walk, run or lay down,” according to riding instructions players receive when signing up to play the sport.
“Ain’t that the truth,” said Roger Hitt of Amissville with a laugh.
Hie ought to know. He was judged i the player with the loudest bray—and should have won top honors for most trouble staying on a donkey.
“Hey! Roger’s riding a donkey,” explained Howard Kunder, who announced the game and emceed the whole spectacle.
It was the top of the second inning (donkeyball contests last at least six) , and Hitt had finally mounted a donkey without falling off as fast—one way or another.”
“And he’s ass-backwards,” Kunder added.
83.0%