Reprinted from the Seattle Times
circa 1986-7

by Mitch Albom
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

   Let us deal today with a timely sports question.  How do you choose a 
   company softball team?
   
   The answer is, there are lots of way.  My favorite way is in a bar, late 
at night, with a hat, 50 pieces of paper, and a group of people who like to 
sing in Swedish, even though they don't speak Swedish.  And plenty of ice.  
But that is just my way.  And I don't hit very well.
   
   Others take it more seriously.  In fact, to certain types, investment
bankers, account executives, anyone from New York, softball leagues have 
become roughly the equivalent of, oh, say, holy war.
   
   First of all, because it is May, it is too late to be picking softball 
teams. In today's competitive business world, the winning teams made up 
their rosters back in November.  Several players actually are under contract 
year-around. They will never admit this, of course.  But if you know a burly 
salesman who hasn't met a quota in years, chances are he's somebody's first 
baseman.
   
   Still there is hope for your group.  Their bus could crash.  And if that 
kind of luck should strike, you better be ready.
   
   Here then, as a public service, and I don't do this for everybody, are 25
tried-and-tested methods for picking a winning softball team.  I emphasize 
the word winning, which is not the same as wearing a sweatshirt and waking 
up with a hangover.  Ready?

• Never pick the boss.
• Never pick the boss' secretary.
• Pick Vinny from the shipping department. If there is no Vinny, pick Frank. No doubt Frank will know a Vinny, probably from some other shipping department, and Vinny will know another Vinny. Or Eddie. So you end up with three guys, either Vinny, Vinny, and Vinny, or Frank, Vinny, and Vinny, or Frank, Vinny, and Eddie. This, by the way, is your starting outfield.
• Never pick a Seth.
• If you hold open tryouts, and a player shows up with a large radio on his shoulder, grab him.
• Unless the radio is playing Barry Manilow
• Are we dealing with co-ed teams? We are?
• In that case, anyone named Brenda gets on automatically. At least on my team.
• Take any player with his own ice chest. (If you do not understand this, I am not going to explain. You should join the company racquetball league instead, where they drink Perrier.)
• No vice presidents.
• Never take a guy wearing a batting glove. Batting gloves do nothing. Batting gloves are an excuse for people to spend $10.00, so the owner of the sporting goods store can take his wife to France.
• Anyone with a tattoo starts.
• Two tattoos bats cleanup.
• Important tip: look at the glove. If it is ratty and frayed and has masking tape all over it, you want the guy. If it is shiny and orange and is signed by Rusty Staub, you'd better pass.
• If he owns spikes, he's in.
• Never take the boss. I know we covered this already. I don't want you to forget.
• Another important tip: look at the car. As a general rule, people who drive Volkswagen beatles make good softball players. I don't know why this is. I have never seen a decent softball player pull up in a Chrysler New Yorker. Ever.
• No more than four players with glasses.
• Only players named "Pepper" or "Spike" or "Scooter" can be your shortstop. But only if that's his real name. Have him bring a birth certificate. I mean, anyone can call himself "Scooter", right? You want the guy whose parents thought it up.
• Pick someone with spare bats.
• Get at least one person from sales. Even if he or she can't play, at least you'll find out what all those other sneaky salespeople are planning.
• Choose a catcher who is loud and obnoxious. Someone who will say to a batter, "Hey. If you had a brain, you'd be outside playing with it."
• NEVER PICK THE BOSS! Just a reminder.
• No Dr. Pepper drinkers. I don't trust them.
• If Rita, the redheaded receptionist, is at all interested, sign her up. The hell with her average.

       
       So there you have it. Of course, these rules apply only if your goal 
is to win the softball trophy and go the awards dinner.
   
   On the other hand, if your goal is to get ahead in business, I advise 
only two things:  Pick your boss.  And let him play shortstop.