Future Hall-of-Fame shortstop Ricky Peppers today took the stage to joyfully announce that he would be joining the Seattle Monarchs for the last six games of the regular season and the Monarchs' playoff push for another title. "It's a great day for me," said Peppers. "I'm finally joining a club that actually competes year in and year out. My former team, let's just call them 'Brand X,' talked a lot about winning but really hasn't done very much of it for over a decade."
"We're really happy to have Ricky join the Seattle family," said Seattle owner/GM Mack Shultz. "He's been toiling in obscurity for too long and we're glad that we can get him out in front of the spotlight where he belongs. Frankly, the way he's been benched this year has been disgraceful. We're going to be starting Peppers for the last six games of the regular season, as befits a star of his magnitude. It's a shame the way Shackamaxon tried to hide him in the closet."
Peppers, ironically, is following the reverse path trod by former Monarch and now Hall-of-Famer Gregory Mudge. At the end of his career, Mudge was claimed by the Shackamaxon Lenape. But unlike Peppers, Mudge did not welcome the late-career transaction. In fact, instead of reporting to the team, Mudge retired two days later. Mudge now hosts the Monarchs' popular post-game show on the radio, where "Uncle Greg" leads his adoring fans through an account of Seattle's latest victory.
The Borg-like powers of the Monarchs continue to amaze onlookers. For most of this league's history, the two great shortstops have been John Hukill and Peppers. Now, against all odds, they will be next to each other in the Seattle infield. "It's fantastic to be able to turn double plays with Ricky," said Hukill. "I'm thrilled that we get a chance to play together."
"Will Ricky play for the Monarchs next year?" asked Shultz rhetorically. "That's going to be up to him. We just want him to know that there's always a place for him here in Seattle."
The Shackamaxon Lenape issued a brief statement today:
ReplyDelete"We wish Ricky well with the Monarchs, and hope he knows that he will always have a place in our organization, either as a player, or in his post-playing career. Even if he wins the Cecil Cup with Seattle this season, he will do so with the knowledge that he was a member of the only team to win the Cup four consecutive seasons, and one more ring will help cement his place in league history as the greatest shortstop of all time."