Return of Manny K. PT. 5

Well before we get into it, this event has become a yearly occurring thing (with the exception of 2015) since Manny K. (Alex Kalpaxis) left the area and Colonie Wiffleball after the 2010 season. Since then, like KISS, we’ve had many different send offs and events. We’ve had a “Farewell To Manny Tour”,  “The Return of K.”, “The Return of ‘Manny Wood’ “, and “Manny K. Weekend”. 

Endless supplies of entertainment and competition have been supplied by him throughout the years and there are too many memories and moments beyond count to put into one post, so we thought we would put some things by the numbers. So when you include every season that he has played in, this would be season number 13. In 12 played seasons, Manny K. sits fourth all time in RBI’s with 1,409, sixth in home runs with 240 (including two last season off of Alen Kalic, his first homers since 2010), and a a career batting average of .397. He has three rings with three different teams. One with the Dodgers in ’09, one with the Red Sox in ’04, and one from his rookie year with the Yankees in 2003. Only six players can say that they played and won at least two World Series titles with a team. And only two other players can say they won with three teams. We’ve had two dislocated shoulders, one surgery putting him out for a playoff series, a heart condition, and one ball struck eye (see below) (ARTICLE CONTINUES DOWN).

In recent years, the Manny K. Weekend is usually a time when we get the most games in during a weekend span. Last year, it was six,  and other years it usually translates six-eight games. Although the Pirates do have a 4-11 record in his return tours. Will things change? We’ll find out. Coming off of our opening weekend with 7 and a couple games scheduled for this week, It sure looks like we will have close to 20 games as a league played within a three week time frame. Not bad, although in the “older days” when Manny K. and a few others were the only ones around, it was not uncommon to see 181 games played (without the playoffs) in a single season. In fact, Manny’s total games played in currently 12 played seasons, he has 541 games played. Amongst active players, that is third right now. On the all time list, that would require a few days worth of research to get at.

We’re excited for the season, and we’re excited that this gets to happen next weekend and that it’s happening early in the season. This will give players that haven’t played yet, or played too little, a bit of a boost and an insight to how great of a game and league that this is. So weather pending, it should make for a great Manny K. Weekend!