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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#136: The Old College Try

Though its origins are debated, it looks likely that the phrase “the old college try” was first used in baseball. According to Babe Ruth, to “give something the old college try” is to keep going, even when the odds are stacked against you — like chasing a flyball out into foul territory, just in case you somehow make the impossible catch.

There’s a lot to be said for those who keep trying despite knowing that their chances are slim. This week’s prompts take a closer look at those determined (or perhaps foolhardy) folk among us. After all, as the saying goes, God loves a trier.

This week's prompts

Start or end your story with someone saying “You’ll never know unless you try.”

Dialogue – 57 stories

Write about somebody who knows they’re probably going to fail at something, but does it anyway.

Narrative – 32 stories

Write about a character giving something one last shot.

Narrative – 51 stories

Set your story on a baseball field.

Middle School – 39 stories

Write a story where hard work doesn’t pay off.

Angst – 28 stories

Stories

“A tip of the cap” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #136

A Tip of the Cap Frank was incredibly excited when he had been told that he was finally going to get his big chance in major league baseball. He was 29, so this might be the last time he would get such an opportunity to ‘make it’. The team’s regular right fielder had injured himself making a diving catch, and would be out of action for at least a week. Frank had to impress the owner, the coaches and the other players so that they might think of keeping him on the team. The First Game – Living the Dream The first game wen...

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“Baseballs, Citrus Suckies, Stanley & Me” by Frank Bosworth

Submitted to Contest #136

At the age of seven, I batted .292 for my hometown Pee-Wee baseball team. I had a three year .327 Little League average, a four year .384 Babe Ruth stat. Fifty-eight homeruns, ninety-two triples, one hundred sixty-three doubles. A seven year .352 ERA. Seven years - no errors, no cup. All of little matter. What mattered? For eight years, I was first baseman! Spring of '65, my junior year of High School, I had one wish, one dream, one desire; skip JV baseball try-outs entirely, and try-out, to play, to be, first baseman on the Varsity ba...

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“Hey, Murphy, Wanna Play?” by Nikki Hurt

Submitted to Contest #136

My 7-year-old son, Isaac, wanted to wear the shirt every day. The royal blue color had long since faded to a less vibrant hue. The neck was stretched to almost double its original size. The white letters, framed in bright red, had worn cracks running through them along with its famous number 3, an homage to Dale Murphy, the 1980s Atlanta Braves fan favorite. A hand-me-down piece, it was his first choice on most days including this one. We rode away from serving dinner at the church, trying to kill time.“Let’s go to the dinosaur park!” Isaac,...

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“The Conference Room” by Kasey Cooper

Submitted to Contest #136

She waited quietly in the conference room, arms folded together on the table in front of her. Katrina had been preparing for this meeting for two days. She looked around at the plush, black leather chairs lining the oval-shaped table. Black and white paintings of neo-classical buildings lined the walls. Nothing was remarkable about the conference room. Yet, being there now made her feel like she was stepping into another world. Perhaps it was Katrina's nervousness about the meeting with her boss that had her feeling unsettled. ...

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“God is manic” by B A S

Submitted to Contest #136

“I wonder what it would take to live your life hypomanic all the time,” I pondered openly as I smoked a cigarette gazing out from the fence clad balcony with a cup of coffee sitting next to me and John sitting across the table. “Would that be good?” John asked without moving his gaze from the brick wall behind me. “That would be great, wouldn’t it? I mean think about it, hypomanic all the time, all that energy all the time.”“All the misery too,” he added and looked at me with dark bags under his tired blue eyes and he brushed his h...

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“Kirkton Burn” by Rob Ryter

Submitted to Contest #136

“You’ll never know unless you try,” encouraged Gordon Ramsay, as they watched the silver streaked water bubbling in the moonlight. They were a little way off from the rest of the group, the gurgle of the burn mingling with the distant chatter and laughter. A faint tang of smoke - bonfire, tobacco, and other substances - drifted across in the still air. It was Friday 12 August, 2022. Kirkton Burn had become a regular weekend gathering place for the group of friends, all in S5 at Thursfield High. Aged 17, they were due to take their Highers t...

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“The piano lovers” by A .

Submitted to Contest #136

I met Clara two years ago; we had a great friendship; we shared a lot of common interests and hobbies. She is the most inspiring, enthusiastic person I have ever known. On weekends we would always sit by the edge of the street and we would start talking endlessly about our biggest dreams and desires. We had rules for these talks; we didn’t just randomly rant. We talk as if we are already chasing our dreams, as if we are already on our way to reaching them. Nothing felt better than those calm nights, the fresh breeze in the air, the sme...

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“Can he see me? ” by Bella Cole

Submitted to Contest #136

“You’ll never know unless you try.” She shrugged, already grabbing her stuff to leave. I huffed, going back to my computer. The first time I saw him was only a few months ago. When a summer afternoon breeze drifted the curtains open to my window, and I saw him. A brunette, with glasses and a book in hand. Resting his arms on the windowsill, and the breeze seemed to ruffle his hair. I was left dumbstruck for a moment, he seemed so perfect, completely surreal. After a while, I realized myself drifting to that window. Watch...

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“The Tide can be Broken” by Patricia Infanzón-Rodríguez

Submitted to Contest #136

“You never know unless you try,” he spoke, ripping away her attention from the massive metal contraption on the water before them. She saw how he comfortably stood beside her, unintrusive yet making himself fully present to her attentions. “What do you mean?” She answered the stranger, unwilling to slip out apprehension. It was how she had managed to buy the boarding pass for the transc...

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“There Is No Try” by Brian G

Submitted to Contest #136

“You’ll never know unless you try.” Mike’s mom said as she stood folding laundry at the kitchen table. “There’s lots of things I’ll never know, even if I do try.” Pleased with his quick response, Mike smiled and started for the hallway. His mom thrust a pile of folded tee shirts into his chest. “Think about it and don’t just leave those shirts sitting on top of the dresser.” Mike knew his mom was right. But he also knew that if he gave in now, it would feel like her decision and not his to go on the interview. “Than...

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“The Old College Try” by Brian Casey

Submitted to Contest #136

There was a time when I had hope, I had a light that I could see at the end. I had hope that through hard work and determination that I could make it to a better place in life. Now, I know better. We are where we will always be in society and it is rare that any will improve their station in life these days. This however is about when I still had hope. I hoped to improve my station in life by getting an education and making life easier and better for myself and my family, even though deep down I knew it would fail. I accepted the input of ...

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“Missed you” by Alec Tribout

Submitted to Contest #136

The alarm clock screams at the weary man to remind him to motivate. His eyes are twitching and he wrestles with his dreams and responsibilities at the end of his slumber. He sleeps well for a man so tormented because he does the right thing. Day after day, he smiles and hides his loses deep within his mind and chest along with all his broken pieces. Slowly he wakes to the fan blowing on him and his dog. The most loyal thing in his life. He throws the covers over his dog, who isn't ready to face the world yet either, but they will. Slinging...

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“Open Call” by Hannah K.

Submitted to Contest #136

Standing in front of 1560 Broadway, I can feel my nonexistent breakfast churning in my stomach. Bundled up from the cold, my throat protected by a thick wool scarf I yanked on as an afterthought, I’m struck once again with the feeling that I’m not cut out for this. As the Actor’s Equity building looms before me in the dim light of a 6:00 AM call time, other young hopefuls bustle towards the doors, headshots out and ready, bundled even more thoroughly than I am with steaming travel mugs of Throat Coat clutched in their gloved hands. As they q...

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“The Audition” by C.B. Oates

Submitted to Contest #136

“Oh my goodness goshness, Sophia! If you don’t audition with me, I’ll make an empty threat and never go through with it!” “That’s redundant, Cindy.” I poked her in the shoulder.“So?!?” She tore the paper off the announcement board. “I’ll staple it back! Don’t look at me like that.”It was printed on purple cardstock and it read:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~AUDITION NOTICEAll 5th graders here at Trapton School for the Unlearned are eligible to audition for the upcoming play: “Seussical the...

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“Failing is good enough.” by Sum E

Submitted to Contest #136

I find myself once again, staring at the blank page, like a programmer coding on a piano, not knowing how to continue. It all started back when... yes yes, it's going to be one of those pieces... I was in school. I was always a turbulent little shithead, finding any reason to snap back needlessly at authority and rules. Rock music was my go-to and at the time, my family was half broken and it reflected in my character. I used to pick up fights with kids and bunk class to play football. I was never a dumb kid though. You know. T...

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$250

Prize money

207

Contest entries

100

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 11, 2022 EST

Won by Howard Halsall 🏆

Title: Cigarettes: A Romance

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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