I've been noticing significant pain on the left side of my head in recent days. Upon reflection, I realize that there is good reason.
On my 18th birthday, while mowing for the Missouri Highway Department during a summer job, my tractor ran over me while I was working to repair the mower. It did significant damage to my body; one part being that a 1050 pound weighted rear wheel ran over the left side of my head fracturing the right side. My skull popped like a watermelon.
A year later, while playing softball with friends in Quincy, the shortstop and I (at second base) collided head on. I took the hit on the left side of my head. The collision broke my cheek bone. Bruising was severe and to this day the left side of my face remains numb.
Years later, during a church softball game in Tulsa, Doug Ferguson (in left field) and I (at shortstop) both approached a short fly ball that dropped. He retrieved it first and came up a-gunning to throw the runner out at second. He didn't see me standing ten feet in front of him. Yes, his throw struck me on the left side of my head and flattened me.
On still another occasion, I was playing a game at Busch Stadium in one of the many Fantasy Camp experiences. Bob Gibson was batting. I was catching. Gibson has an unusually big arc to his swing; of which, of course, I knew nothing about it. The fastball approached. Bob swung and missed. His bat came around, hit me on the left side of my head and...although I was wearing a mask and skull cap...knocked me unconscious.
As of late, I have been experiencing a bit more pain on the left side of my head. When I began to replay these historic moments, I began to note a possibility as to why. No wonder my head hurts. Too, I have a fairly good excuse as to why I'm a tad bit coo-coo. But give me credit that I can remember any of these experiences!
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