The Under Review - Issue 4 | Summer 2021

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28DavidANDREW GENTMichelangelo’s David and the baseball pitcherhave a lot in common.That fraction of a secondwhen the mind goesblank: you don’t knowhow you got here, or what it wasyou meant to do.The same fractionof a second the flash goes off,someone screams “Surprise!” and you arecaught: permanently off-balance,holding you-don’t-know-whatwhile the man in front of you wields a mallet of some kindwaiting to strike.THE UNDER REVIEW
29RetaliationBRYAN ERWIN “Townie, you’re up,” the Blue Jays’ bullpen coach said.Ryan Townsend threw one last fastball to the bullpen catcher, whose name he did not yet know, thenstepped off the mound. The view from the Blue Jays’ bullpen was similar to the one from the visitors’ side,but just different enough to be slightly disorienting. He had a lot to learn about Toronto and Toronto abouthim. For instance, no one ever called him “Townie”.Before he stepped through the bullpen gate, Ryan took a breath to steel himself. There were going to beboos, perhaps ones as merciless as he heard the previous night, when Ryan was a member of theMinnesota Twins.He’d thrown at Arturo Stone, the Blue Jays’ star outfielder, triggering a bench clearing brawl. The onlygrievous injury in the fight was to Ryan’s jersey, which was de-buttoned near his navel. Shortly after hisejection, Ryan learned the Twins had traded him. Worse, they’d sent him to the team he’d just finishedexchanging punches with.Now he was in a Blue Jays jersey, which didn’t feel right. Maybe it was that he’d never worn a professionaluniform unrelated to the Twins; maybe it was the insultingly high number 84 on the back. That was thekind of number assigned to a spring training non-roster invitee, not a five year veteran like Ryan.Granted, he had not been good that season. After multiple years as a successful setup man for Minnesota,his slider had lost its snap. He blew leads in three consecutive appearances in April and hadn’t sniffed acompetitive game since. He became the mop-up guy, the person who came in when the Twins faced aninsurmountable deficit and didn’t want to waste one of the good arms in their bullpen.ISSUE 4 | SUMMER 2021
Page 1: ISSUE 4SUMMER 2021
Page 4 and 5: TABLE OF CONTENTSPOETRYA Fable Abou
Page 6 and 7: 6LETTER FROM THE EDITORSMuscle Memo
Page 8 and 9: 8 SHAPIROdad’s jaundice complexio
Page 10 and 11: 10adjust to new requirements. More
Page 12 and 13: 12Learning to DunkCHRIS ABBATEI gua
Page 14 and 15: 14Take OneERIN HILLA spindly-legged
Page 16 and 17: 16even if it didn’t square with t
Page 18 and 19: 18Church SoftballRYAN HARPERThose n
Page 20 and 21: 20Eye of the StormBRETT BIEBELThis
Page 22 and 23: 22A Real HumdingerKEITH BUZZARD “
Page 24 and 25: 24“Not sure how good an idea that
Page 26 and 27: 26 BUZZARD“Well, Paul, I don’t
Page 30 and 31: 30Bring on the boos, Ryan thought a
Page 32 and 33: 32“Christ, next time we gotta mak
Page 34 and 35: 34“Actually, it’s more like one
Page 36 and 37: 36 ERWINThe umpire started back for
Page 38 and 39: 38My serve. I was pretty good at it
Page 40 and 41: 40I remembered this incident just b
Page 42 and 43: 42At Logan Avenue, I turned left, h
Page 44 and 45: 44 BELDENMy mother glanced over and
Page 46 and 47: 46 ELPHICKbeen in a real fight in a
Page 48 and 49: 48Interview with Maya WashingtonTER
Page 50 and 51: 50TH: You mention in the beginning
Page 52 and 53: 52performance poet, who is performi
Page 54 and 55: 54known stories in college football
Page 56 and 57: 56Racing DadKIMBERLY J. BROWNI tell
Page 58 and 59: 58 TAYLORDetroit Tigers World Serie
Page 60 and 61: 60When I was planning my trip, I br
Page 62 and 63: 62The RunnerMORROW DOWDLESleep’s
Page 64 and 65: 64Bonus DaysAMY ZARANEKIn basketbal
Page 66 and 67: 66Book ReviewJALEN EUTSEYBe Holding
Page 68 and 69: 68looking down at us,watching,as Do
Page 70 and 71: 70 CONTRIBUTOR NOTESCONTRIBUTOR NOT
Page 72 and 73: 72 CONTRIBUTOR NOTESALEX WELLS SHAP

The Under Review - Issue 4 | Summer 2021

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