Part III Cry Out, Smile Later

Peace and prosperity had returned to Camelot in the months to follow and the Knights of the Mound Table turned their quest for combat to curiosity of the other realm over the ’14 season. One evening while the knights indulged in drink and fare of Tequila and nachos that Mex-Calibur had returned with from the lady of the Lake they were visited by a spirit. The image was that of a golden goose egg which was thought to contain the Holy Grail, hoovered over the seat of Mex-calibur. A voice appeared to come from the image and spoke unto them “13 seasons have passed since the passion of our pitcher Saarloos; and on the eve of season’s end this seat shall find its master”. When they came to in the morning there was an inscription in Aramaic upon the chair of Mex-Calibur that Merlin translated to say “NO-NO”.

The knights dispersed out immediately scouring near and far for the Holy Grail trekking to the edge of Annwyfyn the underworld, at times, most coming back wounded or worse. Mexi-Caliber with Galahad and some of the most trusted knights in tow boarded a ship destine for Northridge. They set sails upon the winds out of the Bay of 12 batters Kay one February night. Entering the seas of Big West conference play Mex-Calibur posted an ERA of 2.55 knots while plotting a course of 30K’s longitude by 10BB’s latitude through the ’14 season on his quest for the Holy Grail. Then, as though a switch had been flicked a flame snuffed out, the ship was devoured by darkness through the mid-season mark and the crew begun to feel lost within grip of shoulder soreness and darkness. A black so enveloping it felt as though they no longer had eyes for which to see. Then on May 23, just as they were about to sail off the edge of the earth another vision appeared before them. It was a score board and the neon that illuminated from it transcribed a litany of legacy for The Sword of Titan Baseball. The Matadors of CSUN found themselves at the business end of a No-Hit Sword striking out 12 times without a single run nor hit the entire night to add an exclamation point to the first D-1 CG Shut Out of the young Mijo’s career. This was a feat that could not have been accomplished alone and Mex-Calibur knew this, giving thanks to the leather flashed behind him for the prize of the Holy Grail that awaited them upon return to the ship.

An angel visited Mijo that night, instructing him that before he brought the Grail back to Camelot he must first voyage into the underworld of Annwfyn via Team USA holding the Holy Grail on high upon the fortress of the mound so as to let the breathe of 3 hurlers warm it and thus excepting a 4^th into their coven. 24 Knights from throughout the NCAA joined forces for the venture and King Arthur so pleased with the historic 4^th No-Hitter in CSUF history that he sent his warrior dog some called Cabal, who was said to be so mighty that he left a sketch in stone of his mighty paw print in the slab of Buelt. The Team USA delegation amassed an 18-8-2 record while plundering international ports in friendly tourney. Mex-Calibur ever the war lord posted a line of 2-1 win/Loss with a dominating ERA, no matter the language you say it in of 1.35, striking out 27 in 26.1 Innings. Word came from across the ocean from King Arthur and he was summoning home his trusted knights, war dog and above all, his Sword Mex-Calibur for war was once again brewing in Camelot ’15 and this would be a war of the heart and of tragedy that could possible spell the end for King Arthur and the Knights of the Mound Table.

A heart felt Corrido of love and deception, tragedy and hope permeated the air of the ’15 season. The two headed dragon of love and pain were proving to be a worthy advisory of Mex-Calibur as the fire and ice that spat simultaneously from the two headed flying beast rained down on him, the full brunt of which penetrated his pitching elbow. King Arthur’s son Mordred had been viciously plotting to unseat Arthur from the thrown and claim the kingdom for his own conspiring since his conspicuous birth with the evil Morgan La Fay. Mordred had come to King Arthur one eve and spoke unto his ear of the crime and punishment of adultery on high. Spinning tales of love vanished along with the departure of one of the most trusted Knights of the Mound Table, Sir Pietzalot. This was a fabricated scheme in order to vacate the castle of King Arthur, The Knights of the Mound Table and especially the gallant Sword of sovereignty Mex-Calibur himself. Falling for the deception, the King and his men went on the war path to return the queen to her king and thus a national title for the Kingdom of Fullerton. The team became travel weary from the excruciating pace at which they set afoot in search of love lost. At the mid-season point Mex-Calibur was ranked highly among College prospects and although he put together quality starts keeping his ERA to just a tick above 3 his heart was heavy. After pitching 6 shut out frames on the road to the mystical Bull of Riverside and his band of Highlanders the Titan armies received word that Modred and his army of Gauchos had moved in on Camelot challenging the thrown of King Arthur and the top spot in the Big West Conference. The Titan Armies led by the Knights of the Mound Table made hast back to castle were they met they UCSB forces led by the gallant #4 overall pick of the 2015 Draft Sir Tate defeating him in the first of three battles and locking victory up within the jaws of Cabal, the Warrior Dog. Preserving the shutout was the sudden reappearance and allegiance of Sir Pietzalot who had just returned from travels to find his beloved Camelot in turmoil and thus bravely charged the brigades in the ninth sealing the deal. The evil plot began to unravel and reveal itself to King Arthur and Mex-Calibur led the charge the following night. The glimmer of metal from the Sword of Titan Baseball as he took to the hill was all it took to send both armies into a violent clash of metal and leather. In the top of the fourth act something strange begun to occur and the Kingdom of Fullerton would feel its reverberations for some time to come. The tide of battle was shifting and the Titan armies were driving back the Gauchos with a resilient 4-0 lead and Mex-Calibur was locked into a mortal combat with the mythical boar Twrch Trwyth whose coat was that of poisonous bristles and upon his head he carried a glove and a rosin bag between his ears. It is believed that Twrch Trwyth was at one time the Prince Jacome who had a curse set upon him for being a lefty that could rise up and throw down good pitches when they impacted games the most. Mex-Calibur charged in on the poised boar and with his battle axe he did deliver a blow to the neck of the creature that would mortally wound and eventually lead to his removal from the contest branding the scarlet ‘L’ upon his hide.

The blow Mex-Calibur delivered was not without consequence as a poisonous bristle from the hide of Twrch Trwyth penetrated the right elbow of the noble knight. He locked eyes with Merlin and he felt the anguish from the elbow in the deadpan stare of Mex-Calibur and he knew what it meant. Merlin rushed to the hill and evacuated the injured Mex-Calibur and enlisted the help of two the Kings most honorable squires, Master of Chambers Country Miles and Hock-Man, the fabled half man, half Hawk. The group floated across the black waters of the marsh to the isle of Avalon where the Royal Monk to the Knights of the Mound Table Friar Dietrich nurtured the elbow with the blood of pious monks as a suave until it begun to heal.

Lo, the cock crow three times one misty morning and floating in with the dew was the sound of Cielito Lindo so stirring it compelled a soul to heed. Merlin knew it was time to return Mex-Calibur to his family and from whence he came and he gathered the two squires for final instructions. They were to return Mex-Calibur to the Lady of the Lake and she would take him from there. When they arrived at the lake they did not see a soul but the lake soon began to become violent, raging in a circular pattern until a mighty vortex was created. A massive right arm reached out from the center of the vortex and snatched up Mex-Calibur. The arm was as strong as that of Atlas and it waved Mex-Calibur 3 times in the air before clinching him tightly within its mighty fist and punched to the right to symbolize that the gift of the lake had been safely returned and also to symbolize something that would be seen prominently in the future of the gift, strike 3.

When Mijo awoke he was on the side of a lonesome highway with not a car on a road that seems to roll out in front of him into eternity. His arm still in the sling that was placed on him in the monastery, felt stronger and growing with strength with every moment that passed and he begun to walk not knowing where to go just how to move forward. Soon a stranger in a 64 Chevy Nova pulled up next to him and asked if he needed a ride. “Where you going” asked the wounded knight. “Cleveland, Ohio” the stranger replied.

The heart of Mex-Calibur rejoiced for he knew awaiting him there were more heroic battles to wage, a new kingdom to be enchanted by and another Tribe to return sovereignty to. Ladies and Gentleman with their 8th round selection in the 2015 MLB Draft, the Cleveland Indians pick The Sword of Titan Baseball….Justin Garza