Bleacher Bits: Now not the time for complaints

There's an Indian proverb that states, "I had no shoes and I complained, until I met a man who had no feet."

And before I get any angry letters or e-mails, let me make it abundantly clear that I am not using it to in any way poke fun at the person I talk about later in this column.

A few weeks back, I wrote about my own planned return to the softball diamond for the first time in 15 years, having joined a co-ed team in Corning. Following just my second practice of the season Wednesday, I may be headed to the disabled list, after doing something to my right arm after taking a swing.

As I type this, it takes more effort than normally necessary to straighten the arm out or to turn it clockwise.

You won't hear me whining (much) about it, though. You probably would have, if I hadn't read the story about Philippe Croizon.

He is a French endurance athlete who on Tuesday announced his plans to "connect the world" by swimming between the five continents.

So what's the big deal? People have swam the English Channel and just about every great body of water, so what's so impressive about merely swimming in between five continents?

Croizon is attempting it without having arms or legs.

Foxnews.com reports that the 44-year-old, who lost his limbs after an electrical accident in 1994, swims using prosthetic limbs and fins attached to the stumps of his legs.

Croizon has already crossed the English Channel, and this summer with friend Arnaud Chassery, will begin his latest quest by swimming between Indonesia and Papau New Guinea in May.

"We are going to symbolically link the five continents," Croizon said. "That means we're going to bring them together. So even if we have different political opinions, or skin colors, or even with our disabilities, we all live on the same planet. And that's the clear message we want to send."

On his website, Croizon estimates that the pair will need to swim approximately 53 miles and be in the water for about 45 hours.

OK, it may be a couple weeks until I can once again throw a ball or take what for me is a hard cut with a bat, but I'm not complaining.

I don't think I have much room to complain.

CONTACT Craig Purcell at 824-1036 or cpurcell@tcnpress.com.