Yes, we see what you did there. You called yourself ‘Underdogs’ because ‘everyone roots for the underdog’. Sigh…
The Bacardi Classics softball tournament has evolved from a regular event into an industry tradition. We say this because it is true, and so they will have to keep doing it.
Not just a brilliant, fun day that brings bartenders together, in daylight hours, with lots of free beer, rum, and food, but also because it is the year’s premier opportunity to watch bartenders, normally so sexy and slick behind the stick, appear completely out of their depth doing sport.
In our competing years, BarLifeUK opted for a laid back, ‘lets just have a laugh’ approach, mainly because we had no chance of winning. Most other teams do the same, but there’s always one that wants it real bad.
In previous years, the ‘they are taking this so seriously I kind of want them to fuck up’ crown has gone to JJ Goodman, of London Cocktail Club FAME. This year he was absent, presumably due to a scheduling clash, and in no way because, as some wags suggested, everyone might take the piss out of him for a bizarre appearance on the Daily Mail website in recent months.
A new challenger appeared this year, however, in the lean and almost American form of Geoff Robinson, from Seven Tales. Geoff’s team, the aforementioned Underdogs, cut a fist-pumping swathe through the opposition that spoke of much practice, and strategy sessions (one of which presumably came up with the crowd-pleasing name).
The Underdog’s victory was ruthless and complete, with the winning runs (are they called runs in softball?) hit by the man himself. The equally shitly named ‘Reigning Champions’, led by Olly Brading of Cocktail Trading Company, were swept away.
Geoff and his team of Softball Robots were crowned victorious, and with the trophy, comes a trip to Ibiza on Bacardi’s dime.
As in previous years’ softball coverage, I’ve written a load of old bollocks because I was too busy talking to lovely people and drinking beer to pay attention to what was happening on the field. I have no idea if Geoff really did want to win – Simon Webster said in passing “looks like he’s been practicing”, so I made the rest up. Who says journalism is dead…
As ever, we’d like to say a big thank you to Shervene, May, and everyone else at Bacardi for showing us such a good time. Same again nest year?