Two 90-year-old men, Phil and Joe, had been friends all of their lives.

When it was clear that Phil was dying, Joe visited him every day.

One day Joe said, "Phil, we both loved playing baseball all our lives, and we played all through high school. Please do me one favor: when you get to heaven, somehow you must let me know if there's baseball there."

Phil looked up at Joe from his deathbed and said, "Joe, you've been my best friend for many years. If it's at all possible, I'll do this favor for you."

Shortly after that, Phil died.

A few nights later, Joe was awakened from a sound sleep by a blinding flash of white light and a voice calling out to him, "Joe, Joe ."

"Who is it," asked Joe, sitting up suddenly. "Who is it?"

"Joe -- it's me, Phil"

"You're not Phil. Phil just died."

"I'm telling you, it's me, Phil," insisted the voice.

"Phil ! Where are you?"

"In heaven," replied Phil. "I have some really good news and a little bad news."

"Tell me the good news first," said Joe.

"The good news," Phil said with joy and enthusiasm, "is that there is baseball in heaven. Better yet, all of our old buddies who died before me are here, too. Even better than that, we're all young again. Better still, it's always Springtime and it never rains or snows. And best of all, we can play ball all we want, and we never get tired." And we get to play with all the Greats of the past.?

"That's fantastic," said Joe "It's beyond my wildest dreams! So what's the bad news?"

"You're pitching Tuesday."