Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

Since 2007

single frame: Do not hit baseballs against the fence

Jim Grey
25 comments on single frame: Do not hit baseballs against the fence
1 minute
, , , ,
Zionsville Little League field

Do not hit baseballs against the fence
Yashica-12
Kodak Vericolor III (expired 7/86) @ EI 80
2021

What the heck happened that made Zionsville Little League need to post a sign like this?

But this post is actually about printed words. It’s a mental quirk of mine, but I’m drawn to them. Signs of all kinds draw me in. I study the letterforms and the way the words are arranged. I consider the message; why was it written in the way it was?

It’s sometimes a problem. When I was dating my wife, the word GATHER was painted on the kitchen wall. I had to make myself not look at it, even though I’d studied it dozens of times. I was relieved when she repainted the kitchen and it disappeared.

I’m sure a psychologist would have a field day with this.

If you’d like to get more of my photography in your inbox or reader, click here to subscribe.

Comments

25 responses to “single frame: Do not hit baseballs against the fence”

  1. J P Avatar
    J P

    I see the message and start wondering what bad thing happened because someone was hitting baseballs against the fence. Did someone get hurt? Did an old fence get damaged and require replacement? Was there a lawsuit? I don’t know what happened, but I bet something did.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      The story is probably lost to the mist of time!

      Reply
  2. Paul Hoppe Photography Avatar
    Paul Hoppe Photography

    Hehe…yeah I get the signs thing. I always wonder about signs….why they are put up in the first place. At the office (it’s a large building) some put a “please flush” sign in individal toilet stalls….

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Oof, I can only imagine why those signs were necessary!

      Reply
  3. matt Avatar
    matt

    It doesn’t prohibit softballs… What about softballs?

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I should bring a softball, hit it against that fence, and find out what happens!

      Reply
      1. matt Avatar
        matt

        That’s what I always think.
        You work with software developers, so you’ll understand (or at least be familiar with) the thought process that analyzes a statement for what it says and not necessarily what it means.

        Reply
        1. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          Oh yes. I have to fight treating every statement like a chemical equation that must be balanced.

          Reply
          1. matt Avatar
            matt

            You probably know this joke, but I think it perfectly describes the thought process:

            A software developer’s wife sends him to the store: Get a gallon if milk. If they have eggs, get six.

            He comes back with 6 gallons of milk. “Why did you do that?!”

            “They had eggs”

            Reply
        2. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          This is me, nodding vigorously!

          Reply
          1. matt Avatar
            matt

            Haha.

            Reply
        3. J P Avatar
          J P

          Replying to the joke: Meanwhile, two lawyers stand at the checkout arguing whether to get 6 eggs or 6 gallons of milk. Only after 3 years of litigation do they get a ruling from a judge that the wife meant eggs.

          Reply
        4. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          And the wife is still not happy because she wanted milk and eggs!

          Reply
  4. Marc Beebe Avatar
    Marc Beebe

    Baseball, duck tape, reshoot. :D

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Hey now, that’s a good idea!

      Reply
  5. Kurt Ingham Avatar
    Kurt Ingham

    mene mene tekel upharsin

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thanks, I needed that laugh!

      Reply
  6. brandib1977 Avatar
    brandib1977

    I ask this question all the time. Wherever there’s an off the wall sign, there’s a story.

    There used to be a discount store in my area that had small typed paper signs all over the place including taped to the merchandise shelves- no opening packages, no playing with the toys, no chewing gum. There was even a no loitering sign in the fabric department. Evidently the quilting crowd was getting rowdy or at least loafing too long near the fabric tables…..

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      The story at that discount store sounds like a proprietor who didn’t like his customers!

      Reply
      1. brandib1977 Avatar
        brandib1977

        I always thought she was super nice in person but those signs. Ooof!

        Reply
  7. Rayne of Terror Avatar
    Rayne of Terror

    It’s because of soft toss which is where someone throws the ball lightly in the air and the batter hits it only a couple feet into the fence. It contains how far the balls go and it damages the fence. Fences are expensive, use the batting cages which are built for this.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      There we have it: the real story!

      Reply
  8. NigelH Avatar
    NigelH

    I like to consider signs that have slightly ambiguous wording where with punctuation or just emphasis it can read in a totally different way than intended

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      A rare thing, but fun when you find one.

      Reply
      1. NigelH Avatar
        NigelH

        Less rare than you might think :)

        Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d