tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98264602024-03-07T13:44:18.673-05:00Zisk OnlineThe Baseball Magazine For People Who Hate Baseball MagazinesFiggsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.comBlogger932125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-23166751805674185892018-07-25T12:49:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:56:18.954-04:00Zisk #29<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/the-occasional-sweet-sounds-of-ballpark.html" target="_blank"><b>The Occasional Sweet Sounds of the Ballpark -- 2017 Style by Rich Puerzer</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/fritz-we-hardly-knew-ye-by-rev-norb.html" target="_blank"><b>Fritz, We Hardly Knew Ye by Rev. Norb</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/glimmerglass-by-adam-berenbak.html" target="_blank"><b>Glimmerglass by Adam Berenbak</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/aparicio-to-henry-to-skowron-close.html" target="_blank"><b>"Aparicio to Henry to Skowron" A Close Encounter with Baseball Immortals by J. Patrick Henry</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/foley-before-king-october-1989.html" target="_blank"><b>Foley Before the King, October 1989 by David Lawton</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/scorebook-memories-by-mark-hughson.html" target="_blank"><b>Scorebook Memories by Mark Hughson</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/it-was-game-2-of-1996-world-series-by.html" target="_blank"><b>It Was Game 2 of the 1996 World Series by Nancy Golden</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/from-devastation-to-elation-houston.html" target="_blank"><b>From Devastation to Elation -- Houston Celebrates Its' First World Series by Gabe LaBounty</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/the-astrodome-and-astroturf-by-todd.html" target="_blank"><b>The Astrodome and Astroturf by Todd Taylor</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/baseball-and-grass-by-todd-taylor.html" target="_blank"><b>Baseball and Grass by Todd Taylor</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/a-few-of-our-participatory-moments-in.html" target="_blank"><b>A Few of Our Participatory Moments in This Great Game of Baseball by Abby & Jesse Mendelson</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2018/07/panda-and-freak-written-and-performed.html" target="_blank"><b>Panda and the Freak -- Written and Performed by The Baseball Project and Annotated by Jade Wade Edwards</b></a>Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-46922500443576088032018-07-25T12:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:08:16.253-04:00The Occasional Sweet Sounds of the Ballpark – 2017 Style by Rich Puerzer<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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For the last thirty-some years, I have been a huge fan and had a
passion for two things: all things baseball, and music, specifically what was
once called “college rock.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
1980’s, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bill James, R.E.M, and the Replacements brought
me more joy than just about anything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, at least for me, in those thirty-some years a trip to the
ballpark rarely brought aural pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
I will never complain about the classic sound of a ballpark organ jamming away Muzak-style
between innings, and aside from the perfection that is “Take Me Out To The
Ballgame,” generally speaking, the music played before and during games doesn’t
really do much for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like
Springsteen and am ok with John Fogerty, but at this point I would be fine if I
didn’t hear “Glory Days” or “Centerfield” for at least a few years.</div>
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One of the greatest things to happen in the world in the last decade is
the band The Baseball Project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Featuring
members of great college rock bands The Dream Syndicate, The Young Fresh
Fellows, and R.E.M., The Baseball Project has three albums of songs about
baseball culture and history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my
opinion, their songs should be on the mandatory playlist for major and minor
league ballparks. But alas, I have only heard their songs in my car on the way
to and from games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, during my
trips to major and minor league games during the 2017 season, I had several
occasions where I heard music played throughout the park that brought a smile
to my face and joy to my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In May, I was in Baltimore and saw the Orioles take on the Red
Sox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course there was “Thank God I’m
A Country Boy,” and a lot of other dreck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But during a late game pitching change, “How Soon Is Now” by the Smiths,
one of my personal 1980’s anthems, came over the speakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is certainly something dissonant in
hearing the very English Morrissey signing about loneliness in one of the great
ballparks in the U.S., but it sure made me happy at the time.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Another enjoyable music experience came during a Lakewood BlueClaws
game on the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really like going to minor league baseball games for many reasons,
although music does not usually make that list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two of my sons and I thoroughly enjoyed this game at this Central New
Jersey, Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies in the South Atlantic
League.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ballpark, the food, and the
play on the field were all very cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course, minor league teams almost always have a “night” or hook to make the
game experience more attractive to the public, and this was “Beatles
Night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the Beatles, of
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And perhaps like millions of
people walking the Earth, I truly love a bunch of their songs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I fully expected that the music played at
this game would just be drawn from the “1” compilation of their number one hits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, whoever was in charge of music did a
fine job of mixing up the hits with what classic rock stations refer to as
“deep tracks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They played “Blue Jay
Way,” “Dear Prudence,” “Polyurethane Pam,” and two of my personal favorites but
certainly not #1 hits, “Yer Blues,” and “Blackbird.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my favorite moment was when the BlueClaws
players took the field to the tune of “Helter Skelter.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was pretty great.</div>
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My favorite baseball/music experience of the summer occurred throughout
a Red Sox – Blue Jays game that two of my sons and I attended in July at
Fenway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was my first visit to
Fenway, and it did not disappoint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Finally getting to this classic park and seeing the Green Monster in
person was very cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as an
unexpected bonus, our trip to Fenway was more than enhanced by the music played
before and during the game, especially many of the songs played on the
organ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we were making our way to our
seats well before the start of the game and we were taking in the neat features
of Fenway on this hot and sticky evening, there was a song playing on the organ
that made me pause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the music but
couldn’t immediately place the song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
then it hit me – “Innocent When You Dream” by Tom Waits!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was perhaps the perfect soundtrack for the
moment – subtle and sublime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I
remembered that the organist for the Red Sox, Josh Kantor, was known for his cool
playlist – not Muzak-style but classic and, to some, obscure songs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had seen him play with The Baseball Project
a few years ago at what was a very cool show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were more great songs to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He later favored us with The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” which sounds
amazing on a stadium organ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later still
came “Punk Rock Girl” by The Dead Milkman, another classic from the 80’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The music played over the PA was also great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CCR’s “Fortunate Son” was played, which I
have to think and hope was a political statement for our time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in between the eighth and ninth innings
came Japandroids’ “The House That Heaven Built,” another song that despite its
absolute greatness, I never thought I would hear at a ballpark. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hearing all these great songs put our Fenway
experience over the top.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know that college rock classics of the 1980’s is not everyone’s
thing, and that next season I am sure to here “Centerfield” at nearly every
trip to the ballpark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But on occasion
the music that I heard this season made my trips to the ballpark even sweeter,
and gives me hope that I will be surprised by some great tunes played
throughout the park in the future.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rich
Puerzer</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>
</b>teaches engineering and occasionally baseball at Hofstra University, where he
is the Chairperson of the Engineering Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a poster of Mark Fidrych, whom he considers
to be among the most rock ‘n roll ballplayers of all time, in his office at
home.</span></i></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-50263548502399455802018-07-25T11:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:14:50.034-04:00Fritz, We Hardly Knew Ye by Rev. Norb<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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1965 was a pip of a year for baseball: The artists formerly
known as the Houston Colt .45s changed their name to the Astros upon receipt of
the lease to their new home, the Astrodome (making them the first major league
baseball team to play their home games in a venue named after a character
voiced by Don Messick), the Braves finished up their tenure in Milwaukee before
heading to the Land of the Boiled Peanut, and the Los Angeles Angels changed
their name to the California Angels, presumably in preparation to change it to
something even stupider in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. The Angels’ roommates
at Dodger Stadium for the 1965 season – unshockingly, the Los Angeles Dodgers
themselves – won the NL pennant despite pitcher Juan Marichal of the Giants
attacking catcher (and former Sheboygan Indian) John Roseboro with a baseball
bat during a late-season game, then overcame a 0-2 World Series deficit to
upend the Minnesota Twins in seven games, largely on the strength of ace Sandy
Koufax – who famously sat out Game 1 due to Yom Kippur – and his complete-game
victories in Games 5 and 7. Willie Mays hit his 500<sup>th</sup> home run,
Mickey Mantle played his 2000<sup>th</sup> game (all with the Yankees), and the
Kansas City A's trotted Satchel Paige out to the mound at the grand old age of
59 for his final MLB start in a tilt against the Boston Red Sox, where he gave
up no runs and one hit (a double to Carl Yastrzemski) in three innings of work.
Zoilo Versalles of the Twins and Willie Mays of the Giants were the AL and NL
MVPs. The season, as stated previously, was a pip.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
pippitude of 1965 extended from the primary equation of the MLB season itself
to baseball's first derivative, baseball cards. The 1965 Topps set is a
rollicking and jolly 598-card assortment of bold shapes, bright colors, and
manly <i>joie de vivre</i>, one of the best-looking sets of a visually peerless
decade. The most expensive card of the set, were one inclined to undertake a
project of this particular tenor, is, as usual, Mickey Mantle. Mickey Mantle is
almost always the most valuable card in any baseball card set that has Mickey
Mantle as a member (when there’s a set with a card that’s even <i>pricier</i>
than The Mick, you got big trouble [looking at <i>you,</i>1963 Pete Rose rookie
card]). Given the infernal pull of the Commerce Comet on the commerce of
secondary market baseball card trading, this reporter often finds it more
interesting to note what the <i>second</i>-most valuable card in any given
baseball card set is, assuming that the most expensive item on that year’s
to-do list is almost always Mantle. In the 1952 Topps set, the second-priciest
card is Braves slugger Eddie Mathews. In 1959, it’s the Bob Gibson rookie card.
In 1964, it’s the Pete Rose second-year card, restoring the natural order of
things so grievously uprooted in 1963. And, for the 1965 Topps set, the silver
medal – per the <i>Beckett Baseball Card Price Guide</i>, generally held to be
the industry standard – goes to neither Koufax, nor Mays, nor any other
celebrated hero of the 1965 season, but instead to a little-known righty from
Northern Wisconsin: The immortal Fritz Ackley.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Florian
Frederick Ackley was born April 10<sup>th</sup>, 1937, in the fair hamlet of
Hayward – a city of just over two thousand hardy souls, tucked away in the
remote northwest quarter of Wisconsin, and home to the annual World Lumberjack
Championships. Hayward’s most well-known landmark is the World’s Largest
Muskie, conveniently located outside the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of
Fame (a photograph of the Parasites cavorting inside the creature’s mouth can
be viewed in the accompanying graphics to the <i>Rat Ass Pie</i> album).
Possessed of one of the truly great unibrows of his generation (second only to
Dodgers utility man and part-time Dick Tracy villain Wally Moon) and signed by
the White Sox organization upon graduating from Hayward High School in 1954,
Fritz began his world-beating baseball career with the Class D Dubuque Packers
of the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League, posting a 2-3 record with a 4.76 ERA.
Over the course of the next decade, Ackley spent time with the Superior Blues,
Waterloo White Hawks, Duluth-Superior White Sox, Colorado Springs Sky Sox,
Davenport DavSox, Lincoln Chiefs, Savannah/Lynchburg White Sox, capping off his
tenth year in the minors with a brilliant 18-win season for the AAA
Indianapolis Indians. As a late season call-up for the big league team, Fritz
made his major league debut on September 21<sup>st</sup>, 1963 in front of a
raucous crowd of 4,291 at Tiger Stadium, giving up three runs over six innings
of work in a 4-3 White Sox (Chicago edition) loss to the Tigers (Ackley
received a no-decision, Denny McLain took the complete game victory for
Detroit). Undeterred by this brief speedbump on the road to greatness, Ackley took
the mound six days later for the second game of a doubleheader against the
Washington Senators, scattering two hits and a lone run over the course of
seven strong innings of work, as the White Sox cruised to an easy 7-1 victory
over the Nats. This would be Ackley's lone big league victory that year... or,
for that matter, any other year. Fritz stuck around as a reliever with the
parent club for the beginning of the 1964 season, but, after three more games
with the White Sox in which his ERA ballooned to an unwieldy 8.53, Fritz was
sent back down to Indianapolis, traded to St. Louis, and assigned to the
Jacksonville Suns of the International League, never to return to the bigs.
Ackley's lifetime record in the majors – consisting of five games spread out over
the end of the 1963 and beginning of the 1964 seasons – would be permanently
frozen at a pristine 1-0, with a 4.19 lifetime ERA, 17 strikeouts, and 11 bases
on balls. Although the caption on the back of Ackley's 1965 baseball card reads
“opportunity is tapping Fritz on the shoulder after ten years in the minors,”
Fritz spent 1965 ringing up an 8-11 mark for Jacksonville, followed by a trade
to Pittsburgh, reassignment to the Tulsa Oilers, then the Columbus Jets, then
back to Hayward, where Fritz became a manager: Manager of the Chip-A-Flo Lodge,
conveniently located on the Chippewa Flowage. Fritz Ackley's 1965 baseball card
is worth $200 in mint condition.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At this
point, it might do to inject a little context. What, exactly, does it <i>mean</i>
when a player's baseball card trades for two hundred bucks American? Well, for
one thing, it means the player ain’t no Mickey Mantle: The Mick’s 1965 card
books at a hefty <b>$600</b> in mint condition, triple that of Florian
Frederick Ackley (the collector appeal of Mantle-iana is so great that the card
commemorating Game 3 of the 1964 World Series – captioned “Mantle's Clutch
Homer” – is itself the eighth-priciest card of the 1965 set, listing at $80 in
mint). That aside, baseball cards with that hefty of a price tag, unsurprisingly,
are generally reserved only for first ballot Hall of Famers and the occasional
chronic gambler with HOF-level credentials. Per <i>Beckett</i>, there are two
other 1965 baseball cards which command the same dollar value as that of Fritz
Ackley: Pete Rose and Roberto Clemente. Rose was a 17-time all-star, and
remains MLB's all-time leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats
(14,053), and plate appearances (15,890). The beloved Clemente was a 15-time
all-star, a National League and World Series MVP, racked up <i>exactly </i>3000
hits, and died while manning a relief flight for earthquake victims in
Nicaragua. Fritz Ackley's claim to fame is that he never lost any of the five
games in which he appeared. Even some of the players whose cards’ net worth
hasn't quite attained the lofty heights of Ackley-dom had fairly decent years
in 1965: Willie Mays hit 52 of his 660 home runs that year, en route to his
second NL MVP award and the twelfth of his twenty consecutive All-Star seasons,
and his 1965 card books at a measly $150. Hank Aaron's home run record might
have only lasted 33 years, but he still holds the all-time MLB records for RBI
(2,297), total bases (6,856), and extra-base hits (1,477); his card is worth
but half an Ackley – $100. A hundred bucks is also the going rate for a mint
condition Sandy Koufax, pitcher of more victories in the 1965 World Series than
Fritz Ackley pitched in his entire big-league career. Ernie Banks hit his 400<sup>th</sup>
homer in 1965, Tony Perez played his first full season in the majors in 1965,
and Jim “Catfish” Hunter, bypassing the minor leagues entirely, made his major
league (and baseball card) debut in 1965. None of their cards break the century
mark, dollarwise, let alone threaten the two hundred dollar plateau. At this
point, one might be reasonably be forgiven for asking the obvious question:
OKAY, SO WHAT THE HELL IS THE DEAL WITH THE FRITZ ACKLEY CARD???</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The roots
of the deal can be, in a roundabout way, traced back to MLB’s 1960’s expansion:
From the dawn of the 20<sup>th</sup> Century through 1959, the NL and AL each
featured eight teams. In 1959,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Topps
Baseball was a 572-card set. Figuring around twenty-five players for each of
the sixteen major league teams, and one card to a player, that’s still only 400
cards – leaving 172 additional cardboard rectangles to fill. Thus, pretty much
anyone who could walk, stagger, or crawl in front of a camera got to be on a
baseball card: Managers got a card, rookies and prospects got cards, all-stars
got <i>two</i> cards, World Series games got their own cards, even commissioner
Ford fricking Frick got a card. By the mid-sixties, however, the sixteen
existing teams had been joined by the Angels, Astros, Mets and Senators Mk. II,
thrusting an additional hundred players into the mix. Meanwhile, reflecting a presumably
reasonably inelastic demand for baseball cards, the Topps series had expanded
very little – nudging up from 572 cards in 1959 to only 598 in 1965. By the
mid-sixties, there were a lot less extra cards to fill. As a result, there
would be no more cards for front office executive types, no more double cards
for all-stars, and multiple rookies were squished together on a single card.
The Catfish Hunter rookie card is a quad occupancy deal – the late A's hurler's
postage-stamp-sized mug sits among similarly-sized portraits of three other
can't-miss Kansas City prospects. This, too, is the situation for the duplexed
1965 Fritz Ackley card: Florian Frederick Ackley's delightfully-unibrowed
kisser occupies only the left side of the card bearing the half-correct heading
“CARDS 1965 ROOKIE STARS,” while the right half is given over to a player who
actually wound up suiting up for the Cardinals. Between Fritz and his rookie
cardmate, the two pitchers would combine for 330 lifetime wins and four Cy
Young awards, which is because... the $200 Fritz Ackley rookie card is also...
the $200 Steve Carlton rookie card. And <i>that </i>is the story behind the
1965 Fritz Ackley card. Hey, at less than $67 an eyebrow, you might need one
yourself.</div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-79906674574024142712018-07-25T11:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:17:07.587-04:00Glimmerglass by Adam Berenbak<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
day began at nine, but I made sure every morning to get through the staff
entrance by 8:45, in order to spend at least a few moments watching the sun
rising through the windows of the plaque gallery. The morning sun bathed the
bronze faces of past heroes in a soft light that matched the soft silence of a
room normally bustling with sound and activity despite inspiring an awe
reserved for [church altars] and cathedrals.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Soft cushioned benches, like church
pews, lined the hall, beckoning me to sit and reflect for a few moments before
heading upstairs to my internship in the library of the National Baseball Hall
of Fame. I have had my share of disappointments, of idols brought down to earth
and the true face of heroes exposed. Long ago I gave up any notion of expecting
anything from ballplayers that I would expect from any person. But the plaque
gallery in the morning was a place where I could suspend reality for a short
while and get lost in the mythos.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>The stairwell to the second floor of
the library took me to a hallway at the end of which was my office. It led past
the file room, overwhelmed with dozens of stacked file cabinets filled with
alphabetically arranged folders on every man and woman to play or be associated
with the game. Crammed into those drawers were the real lives strewn on paper
of the gods’ one floor below. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>My job did not require a moment of
Zen in order to prepare – every facet of the work was a joy.<span> </span>Though I often retreated to the file room to
conduct a quick survey of a player or team’s file to support a finding aid or
prepare for a museum talk, I spent most of my time in the tiny office down the
hall. There I processed collections and wrote draft obituaries, talked baseball
with permanent staff and gazed out the window that looked over the small town
of Cooperstown.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>From that window I could see the
rooftops of the cafés, souvenir shops, collectibles shops, hotels, and
churches. I could see a tiny glimpse of Pioneer Street as it sloped down to the
banks of Lake Otsego, and I could see the end of the short alley running from
the staff entrance of the Hall of Fame along the side wall of Cooley’s Tavern. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Unlike many of the interns that
summer, I had decided to stay in downtown Cooperstown rather than the student
housing offered in nearby Oneonta. This meant that I could walk to work and
avoid a half hour drive every evening down Rt. 28, past the Dreamparks and cow
pastures, barns filled with antiques and the waterfall, and instead stop in to
Cooley’s for a beer.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Though occasionally overwhelmed with
summer tourists, the staff and regulars that typically comprised the crowd were
genuine and engaging. Besides talk of the Mets or Yankees, the place was an
island in a sea of baseball history, a welcome refuge to escape from the ghosts
of heroes and periodically to reality.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>It was there during Hall of Fame
weekend that several octogenarian fans of Dick Williams got into it with some
thirty-something fans of Goose Gossage. The reality of the pavement hit the
Gossage fan harder than the fists of Williams’ buddies.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>However, like my daily sojourns to
the plaque gallery at dawn, I was not in Cooperstown necessarily for the sake
of reality. As much as I enjoyed hours in the file cabinets lost in the
detailed history of forgotten leagues and anti-heroes, the whole town was
steeped in myth, surrounded by hills and set on a lake, like something out of a
fairy tale. Traveling to the town is an almost medieval adventure, and the goal
of the journey is more often than not to revel in all things heroic, legend,
and fantasy.<span> </span>So when Cooley’s was too
crowded, I would head to the water and the Glimmerglass Queen.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*****</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>“Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let your hair
down.” The tinny quality of her voice was the result of the overused recording
bursting out of the speakers loud enough to rise over the sound of the breaking
waves.<span> </span>The trip lasts about an hour. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Up and back from the banks of the Otsego
to Kingfisher Tower at its epicenter, the voyage of the Glimmerglass Queen
takes you off the solid footing of Cooperstown and into the mystic lake that is
ultimately the reason for the existence of the town that houses the legends of
baseball.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Council Rock, a meeting place of
Native American tribes long before the arrival of the Coopers, as in James
Fennimore and family, still resides in the same place as it always has, only a
hundred yards from the dock of the Glimmerglass Queen, a tour boat running up and
down the lake on the hour. The rock brought civilization, which attracted the
settlers, attracting Cooper on down the line to Edward Clark, who made his
fortune as the money man for the Singer Sewing Machine Company.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Edward Cabot Clark, you see, had
died during the construction of his masterpiece, the Dakota apartment building
on Central Park West. But not before establishing a home base along the shores
of late Otsego and leaving all of his money to four grandchildren, including
Stephen.<span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Stephen turned the home base into a
town bestowed by Clark money. In 1939, he had worked with the fathers of Major
League Baseball to turn his small baseball exhibit based on Abner Graves dreams
into a Depression-era celebration of baseball mythology. Only decades and
decades of chipping away at those legends left the Hall what it is today,
serving to promote a true history of the game amidst the pageantry of its lore.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>But not too long before Stephen was
born, Edward had bestowed upon the town something equally magical. Jutting out
at the midway point of the lake, just across from Three Mile Point at Point
Judith, he built a sixty-foot gothic revival tower that played a starring role
in the girlhood dreams of the pilot of the Glimmerglass Queen.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>You learn of her dreams over the
loudspeaker as the vessel drifts out of the small dock next to a breakfast
joint and meanders past the Leatherstocking golf course at starboard and the
tree lined Route 31 off port side. It’s an old audio recording of the pilot
meant to narrate the sites, but that quickly delves into the fantasy world of
her past.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>It’s easy to get lost in the
fantasy. My dreams of being a ballplayer melting into my dreams of meeting
ballplayers finally melting in grounded dreams of working, in some way, around
them and their legacy. I no longer looked up to those ballplayers as idols, as
gods, but couldn’t help but worship them despite my better instincts.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>As the Glimmerglass Queen approaches
Kingfisher Tower, you learn that, as a girl, the pilot would climb the rocks
and wander about Point Judith, all the time seeing herself in the high tower
waiting to be rescued. She builds the story into a dizzy rapture before singing
“Rapunzel! Rapunzel!” as if she is still that young girl dreaming on the shore.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span> </span>Every visit to Cooperstown is
dreaming on the shore.<span> </span>Me in my castle
at dawn watching the sunrise illuminate bronze tributes. Alone at my desk, a
lowly intern looking over the rooftops of tourist traps and memorabilia shops. Together
at the bar, drinking a beer and letting it all sink in.</span></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-90005723037620422602018-07-25T10:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:21:38.987-04:00“Aparicio to Henry to Skowron” A Close Encounter with Baseball Immortals by J. Patrick Henry<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“A partial plate on my left side and Nellie Fox is to blame.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So began the
essay I submitted to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Buffalo News</i>
trying to earn a spot on the field alongside a group of traveling Hall of Famers
about to play in what was billed as “Buffalo’s Grand Old Game.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The year was
1984, and a Chicago promoter had put together a four-city tour of retired major
leaguers, everyone an All-Star and many Hall of Famers. The lineup was to include
names like Mays, Spahn, Doby, Cepada, Wynn, Feller, Ford, Larsen, Banks, Wilhelm,
and many others. The most important name to me, as you’ll soon learn, was former
White Sox Shortstop, Luis Aparicio.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>First, let’s
set the scene.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the early
‘80s Buffalo was in the midst of a baseball revival. Mayor Jim Griffin had
recently obtained a AA franchise and a working agreement with the Chicago White
Sox. It was his dream to bring a major league team back to Buffalo, and this AA
team was to be the first step. And no, my use of the word “back” is not a typo.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The original
Buffalo Bisons began play in 1877, and although they were a AAA franchise for
most of their history, from 1879-85 Buffalo was a member in good standing of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_League" title="National League"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">National League</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">. Yes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
National League.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By the late
‘60s, the Bisons were a successful AAA franchise, the farm club of the Cincinnati
Reds, and fielded a team that included Johnny Bench, the greatest catcher ever to
play the game. The quality of minor league baseball prior to MLB’s expansion was
never higher, but the economics of the game were changing, and the city lost
its AAA franchise after the 1970 season. It seems that the opportunity to watch
major league baseball every Saturday afternoon on NBC’s Game of the Week reduced
the popularity of minor league baseball in America, and Buffalo was no
exception. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Once Mayor
Griffin restored professional baseball to Buffalo, plans were begun to build a
new downtown baseball park, to be named Pilot Field. It was the first of the retro-style,
fan and player (grass field!) friendly designs out of HOK Sport in Kansas City,
the company that later brought the same concepts to Camden Yards, starting a
trend that continues today. The new park would have two decks designed to hold
20,000 fans, and extra-large supporting beams strong enough to accommodate an
additional two decks. Alas, the franchise Buffalo sought was awarded to Toronto
instead, and those decks would never be needed. But that’s another story.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Until Pilot
Field opened, the AA Bisons played their home games in War Memorial Stadium, a
venue originally built for football and home to the Buffalo Bills for the first
12 years of their existence. When you shoehorn a baseball diamond into a
football stadium you end up with odd field dimensions. Thus, in a mirror image
of the LA Coliseum, the Dodgers’ first LA home, with its 295-foot left field
wall, War Memorial had an even shorter right field porch, one that had
left-handed hitters drooling the minute they walked on to the field.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The stadium had
been vacant for years and was in such poor shape that it was known affectionately
as “The Rockpile.” Its condition was so bad that writer Brock Yates was quoted
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sports Illustrated</i> as saying it
looked “…as if whatever war it was a memorial to had been fought within its
confines.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As bad as it
looked, the Rockpile’s 1930s design was deemed perfect as the setting of one of
the best baseball movies of all time, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Natural</i>. It was filmed there in 1983 and starred Robert Redford, Glenn
Close, Robert Duvall and Kim Basinger. A few former major leaguers with ties to
Buffalo were also in the film, including Phil Mankowski, one-time AL Rookie of
the Year Joe Charoboneu, and the lesser-known Sibby Sisti. (In a mildly strange
coincidence, my family had lived in a house once owned by Sisti that sported a
basement stair railing made of his old baseball bats.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In 1984 I
was 36 years old, married and the father of two sons. Refusing to give up the
pastime of my youth, I played second base in two softball leagues, one that
used modified fast-pitch rules. It wasn’t baseball, but there was bunting and
sliding and stealing and, well, it was close enough.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One
afternoon in May of that year I picked up the afternoon paper to find an
announcement that there was to be an Old Timers game involving former major
leaguers to be played in late June. My eyes widened when I saw the sidebar, headlined
“A Baseball Buff’s Dream Come True,” and my heart beat double-time when I read:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Two winners—one for
each league—will be invited to a party honoring the players the night before
the game. Then they will join their teammates in the morning at the hotel, bus
to the ballpark, take part in pre-game ceremonies and batting practice. Once
the game starts, they will ride the pines with the AL or NL reserves until the
manager—Gene Mauch for the Americans, Herman Franks for the Nationals—decides
the time is right. Each winner is guaranteed one at bat and one inning in the
field.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And,
when it’s over, each player will have memories to last a lifetime, not to
mention a uniform from the team of their choice as well as a Louisville Slugger
with his name inscribed on it.</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The rules of
the contest were simple: anyone over the age of 35 (just made it!) could enter
by submitting a 50-word essay explaining why they wanted to play for the
American or National League. Ten finalists were to be chosen and brought to the
Rockpile to take batting practice with the Bisons, after which the two winners
would be announced.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That sidebar
headline said it all: A Baseball Buff’s Dream Come True! What could be cooler
than playing alongside the heroes of my youth? These were the same faces that stared
out at me when, as a boy of twelve, I sorted through my collection of baseball
cards (a collection that my mother, in keeping with an age-old tradition,
tossed out when I left for college, cards that today would be worth…yada, yada).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I immediately
sat down to gather my thoughts. What would it take to win? I decided that humor
was the key. With only 50 words to impress the judges, there was no time to
fully explore my love for the game, or to find a way to tug at their heartstrings.
Nope, it would have to be funny, and funny in a way that jumped off the pile
and hit ‘em right between the eyes. My first draft went like this:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t enter
contests. Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes? Toss it. $18.5 million dollar Lotto?
Ho-hum…look at the suckers in line. Wait? A chance to rub elbows with the
greatest ballplayers of my youth? I can suit up and take swings against Spahn?
Mingle with Mays and Mantle? Breathe the same locker room smells as Aaron and
Stargell? Show me where to start the incision and my left arm is yours.
Well…okay, the right arm if you insist, just let me get my swings in before you
start the operation. After that experience I wouldn’t even need anesthesia.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Cute, I
thought, but nothing that would grab the judges by the horsehides. I needed
something more “out there.” That idea of an operation got me thinking, and led
to this second attempt:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’m
sitting in the doctor’s office, standard motif—plastic begonias, soothing
watercolors, G-rated magazines—but an inner turmoil clouds my vision: the
doctor is waiting to hear my decision. Should he operate? Wait…an old </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Sport<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> magazine halfway
down the pile…hmm…an article on the late Nellie Fox, my boyhood hero. Now THERE
was a MAN…a wad of tobacco the size of a ping-pong ball pushing against his
cheek, shins a miniature roadmap of Los Angeles from holding his ground on a
thousand double-plays…suddenly I know I’ve made the right decision, “No, Dr.
Thurlow, they’ll be no sex-change operation for me!” How could I suit up with
the gods of my youth on June 23<sup>rd</sup> without the proper equipment?</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> doesn’t get their eyeballs swimming
in their heads, I thought, nothing would. But, then again, this was<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>more than 30 years ago. At that time most
people couldn’t define transgender, and Renee’ Richards’ successful fight to
play in the Women’s U.S. Tennis Open had only recently concluded. This version was
“out there” all right, but well beyond the standards of a family newspaper. I’d
have to try something else.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Okay, forget
that angle, but Nellie Fox? He could still be a hook to hang my tale upon. Like
me, he was a second-baseman and an undersized singles hitter. A Hall of Famer,
he was crucial to the success of the Go-Go White Sox, winning the MVP in 1959.
Although Fox wouldn’t be with the Old Timers (he’d passed away in 1975), his
keystone partner, Luis Aparicio would be. That led to my third and final attempt:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
partial plate on my left side, and Nellie Fox is to blame.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was
a 2<sup>nd</sup> baseman, half of the greatest double-play combination St.
Agnes Parochial School ever saw. I wouldn’t take the field without a wad of
bubblegum big enough to choke Godzilla nestled against my teeth. I</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">had</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to look like Nellie and used that bubblegum
to push my left cheek out to the proper dimensions. I could spit with the best
of them, but never learned to hit the curve ball (to this day I can’t put on my
glove without salivating). Anyway, all that sugar rotted my teeth and they,
like Nellie, are gone for good. The dream lives on though, and you could
fulfill a big part of it by choosing me to play for the American League
alongside Aparicio on June 23<sup>rd</sup>.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A few weeks
later the phone rang. It was the Sports Editor of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">News</i> advising me that I’d been selected as one of the ten finalists
and was to report to the Rockpile the following Thursday afternoon with glove
and spikes to take batting practice with the Bisons!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next few days were one long daydream. I imagined
taking the field with the American League team, lining up at 2<sup>nd</sup>
next to Aparicio. I’d make a diving stop to my right and flip him the ball to
start a double play, then come to bat to lead off the next inning. Isn’t that
the way it always goes? The guy who makes an outstanding play to end an inning
always leads off the next, doesn’t he? Well, this time that guy would be me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I had no
doubt that I would be chosen. Playing softball twice a week and running three
miles every other day or so meant that I was in game shape. And, when I read
the follow up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">News</i> article profiling
the finalists, I became even more confident. Most looked to be at least twenty
years older than I, and one of them was a woman! This could be easier than I thought.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
Thursday arrived I drove to the stadium and went through the players entrance,
up the tunnel and out on to the field. Every fan knows that feeling of leaving
the darkness of the passageway and watching the bright, green grass of the
diamond come slowly into view. Knowing that I was about to actually walk out
and play on that field made the moment even more special. The setting sun, hanging
above the third base stands, threw a layer of golden light across the field, completing
the perfect scene.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I found a
seat in the dugout, laced up my spikes and took up a position at 2<sup>nd</sup>.
It was disappointing to see that the only Bisons on the field were a bullpen
catcher, an older guy throwing batting practice, and a few club interns helping
to shag flies. The rest of the team was back in the clubhouse suiting up for
the game. But that didn’t matter. I was dancing on the balls of my feet on a
professional baseball field, waiting for my first ground ball.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Each of the
contestants was allowed ten or so swings, but I wasn’t anxious for my turn to
come. I wanted to display my fielding chops first, to show that I could keep up
with the major leaguers I’d be playing with in two weeks. When the contestant who’d
been manning the shortstop position went in to bat I moved over before someone
else could take his spot. I handled a few ground balls with no trouble, but my
big chance came when the batter hit a high pop fly in foul territory behind
third base. Because this play is more difficult for the third baseman, it’s the
shortstop’s responsibility. Without hesitating I raced to the area where I
thought the ball would come down and settled under it. Just a routine play, my
body language tried to convey, as I casually caught and tossed the ball toward the
mound, where a Bison intern picked it up and placed it in a bucket behind the
pitcher.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>With one
exception, another 30-something guy who drove a pitch off the left field wall,
most of the contestants couldn’t do much with the bat. My turn arrived and I too
started slowly, but soon was making solid contact. As per usual, the hits
didn’t travel very far, but most were line drives, well struck. I swore I heard
someone behind the cage utter the phrase, “frozen ropes” as my turn ended. I left
the park that day sure I’d done everything I could to prove I was worthy to
take the field on June 23<sup>rd</sup>. Now it was up to the judges.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was a
huge relief when the call finally came. There’d been far too many days spent waiting
and wondering, savoring all the wonderful things that would be mine when I won—the
uniform, the personalized bat, the story, and pictures in the following day’s
paper. Then it hit me—the box score! I would be in the box score! Right there,
just beneath “Skowron,1b” and “Aparicio, ss” it would say “Henry, 2b”. I’d be
memorialized forever among the greats of the game. I imagined myself getting that
box score bronzed and hanging it in my office where every visitor would see it,
and where I could sit at my desk and stare at it all day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When the
call ended I sat there, staring at the receiver in my hand until the sharp buzz
of a dial tone, followed by a snarky female voice that said, “If you wish to
make a call, please hang up and dial again,” broke my trance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How could
this’ve happened? Who beat me out? The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">News</i>
secretary wouldn’t tell me who’d won, only that the results would be in the
next day’s paper. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Visions of striding
on to the field and standing next to Aparicio, images that had shone so
brightly in my head for weeks, were shattered into so much diamond dust. My distress
was magnified the next morning when I read that a woman had taken what I’d
considered my spot! Beaten out by a girl? Good Lord, what was going on? Apparently
I was the victim of some horrible, politically correct attempt at gender
balance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Of course, if
this happened today I would not have been at all surprised at the notion of a
woman wanting to play baseball. In fact, I’ve recently become a supporter of
“Baseball For All,” an organization founded by Justine Seigal, the first woman
to coach for a MLB organization—A’s in 2015). Her group is working to give every
girl a chance to play real baseball. (You can learn more about this movement at
their website—Baseballforall.com.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My battered
ego began searching for reasons other than gender bias that explained my loss. Perhaps
the judges thought that, because I was twenty to thirty years younger than the
Old Timers, I was too young. Or maybe (and most ridiculous of all) after seeing
my display of baseball skills at that practice they thought I might be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">too good</i>? That perhaps one of my “frozen
ropes” might be too much for the aging stars?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I eventually
came to my senses and got past my disappointment at not winning the contest,
but (I’m ashamed to admit now) when June 23<sup>rd</sup> came around, I stayed
away from the Rockpile. I couldn’t face seeing someone else out where I so
badly wanted to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Reading an account
of the game in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">News</i> the following
day, I got a small sense of relief to learn that the experience of the contest
winners bore little similarity to the vision I’d had of the event. While each did
get a turn at bat and played one inning in the field, it wasn’t at all as I’d
imagined. Each contestant was the 10<sup>th</sup> man (person?) on the field,
playing a position that in softball is known as the “short fielder.” And their turn
at bat really wasn’t a part of the game—simply an extra out in the inning.
Finally, the aspect of the experience I’d most obsessed over—seeing my name listed
among those of my heroes—would never have occurred. The next day’s box score had
nary a mention of either of the contest winners.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While I
didn’t win the contest, my brief brush with Buffalo baseball immortality got me
excited about the game again. I switched from softball to the real thing,
joining a team that played in the city’s MUNY league, albeit at the lowest
level. Teams consisted of guys like me in their late thirties or early forties along
with kids just out of high school. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was great
to be on a real baseball diamond again, with 90 feet between the bases and live
pitching, but in just my second game one of those kids taught me a painful
lesson about declining reflexes. Swinging at what I mistakenly thought was a slider
about to break over the inside corner, my left arm took the full brunt of the
pitch. My radius snapped like a popsicle stick and the ball trickled out to the
mound, where the young fireballer casually picked it up and tossed it to first.
Then, adding insult to my injury, as I lay there moaning in the batter’s box the
umpire raised his right arm and called me out. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
teammates surrounded the umpire and argued loudly on my behalf, but his out call
was the correct one. Because I’d offered at the pitch that broke my arm, the
ball was in play, and I was out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So ended my renewed
baseball career, short as it was. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I did come
back from that injury, but it was to the softball diamond again—and a coed
league to boot. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Thanks to Wikipedia and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffalo
News</i> columnist Mike Harrington for background information used in this
article. Any hyperbole or errors of fact are the sole responsibility of the
author.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><b>J. Patrick Henry</b> is a retired public servant who has moved on
from composing memos and other legal mumbo jumbo to more personal prose, both
fiction and non-fiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His work has
appeared in various on-line and print publications, as well as </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Buffalo News</span></span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Links to these and other works are available
at </span><a href="http://www.jpatrickhenry.net/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.jpatrickhenry.net</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">. </span></i></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-89803493308330832762018-07-25T10:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:22:51.463-04:00Foley Before the King, October 1989<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jim
Foley had hoisted a jar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
every bar and tavern</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Straight
through greater Boston</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Loading
and unloading wagons</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is
thirsty work</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">You
need to oil the back and shoulders</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
the aches and pains</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Don’t
feel so bad</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It
didn’t matter if Jim was</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bending
the elbow</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
Scollay Square in the city</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Or
out in some farmlands shanty</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
a North Shore seaport</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Or
one of his neighborhood haunts in Dorchester</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
was always there on the wall</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kelly.
<span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>The King.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
Black Irish dandy</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
bought to be the Boston club’s star</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chicago’s
loss, our gain</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
of us. A working man.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
Kelly. <span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>The King.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
played the game that was our game</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
game that we made ours</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
game of standing, hand on hip</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
sudden breakneck outstretch</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Of
waiting for the pitch to come to you</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
putting it behind their backs</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Which
was just what Foley had done</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
every sandlot around Dorchester</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Showing
his skills with the glove and bat</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
he knew the American game</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
this cocksure fella. This Kelly</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wasn’t
satisfied just to play the game well</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
he was behind the plate, he would talk</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
load of blather to the batter and umpire</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
distract them from the pitches</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Raced
up the line alongside the runner</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
case of an overthrow</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Staged
trick plays to draw the runner off base</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cheeky
Irish mischief he added to the game</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
he was the very devil on the basepaths</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Studying
the pitcher on the mound</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Timing
his delivery to the plate</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Exploding
toward the next base on the ball’s release</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Launching
himself through the air to the right of the bag</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
he reached a hand in to grab a corner of the base</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Effectively
avoiding the fielder’s tag</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jim
Foley squeezed tears of rage into his pint</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Over
all the years he slid straight into the base</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
hoped for the best.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
did no one ever think of this “hook slide”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until
this brash mick came along?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
knew Kelly’s parents came across the pond before he was born.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Is
this the special alchemy that set him apart?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
Foley would never get the bog off his boots</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Because
he was not native to the infield dirt like the King?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Why
Kelly could share a taste of the flask</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
the fans in the middle of the game</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wink
at the ladies and flip the bird at the owners</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All
while playing the game with swagger and ease?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Folks
who weren’t even fans knew his name</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thanks
to that music hall song, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slide, Kelly,
Slide!</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Which
got some enterprising prick to mass produce</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Those
prints they hung in every bar</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
they didn’t even get it right</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
had him sliding in head first</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Giving
the fielder an honest chance</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Without
a bit of sly trickery</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Foley
downed a shot of whisky</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
sent the shot glass screaming</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Into
the picture on the wall</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">With
his very best Legion ball fastball</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
people didn’t appreciate the man</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
were bandwagon jumpers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Parasitic
pretenders</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
didn’t understand what this man did</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our
man</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
pride of the race!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Using
his wits to stand out from the rest</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
the bartender ran Foley straight out on his ass,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
cried,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“That’s
why they call him</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">THE
KING!”</span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-32313051600413539662018-07-25T09:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:24:51.374-04:00Scorebook Memories by Mark Hughson<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> My first major league ball game was
at the SkyDome. The Jays were on the cusp of their dominating run (Eastern
Division champs in '91, World Series wins in '92 and '93). Our seats were
terrible. We were in the upper deck <i>and</i>
behind a huge pillar. My mom had a quick chat with an usher and we were
able to move up a dozen rows to where we could see everything and more
comfortably nose bleed.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> Toronto lost that game,
but man did they look good.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Juan
Guzman</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>pitched six solid
innings,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>John Olerud</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Greg
Myers</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>homered,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Devon White</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>homered <i>and</i> stole two bases! Bullpen pitching and some Brewer
comeback luck lured the W away from the home team. Yet, the Blue Jays<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>still</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>looked good! Those bright big
league lights! Those blue team colors! That grass was the greenest
I'd ever seen. THE JUMBOTRON!!! So cool. And of course, the
official scorebook!</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> The book breaks
down into three main parts: Articles on the Toronto players, “fan services”
that give you things like a map of the SkyDome and info on purchasing tickets,
and advertisements.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> The articles are
a cool read. Due to the whole book being solely about the Jays, it wasn't just
the all-stars that got some ink. <b>Tom Candiotti</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and his knucklball get a feature, as
do hopeful up-and-comers <b>Mark Whiten</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Glenallen
Hill</b>. Closers<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Duane Ward</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Tom
Henke</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>get the cover story. Remember
this is back in '91, when writers were still getting fresh mileage on the topic
of relief pitching and specialized bullpens. There's even a few <i>Zisk</i>-worthy stories. One is about
two fans doing the stadium-tour trek. Another is a delightful piece about
the time<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Kenny Williams</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>almost stole third, ran back to
second, and thanks to two consecutive errors by the Yankees, ran back to third,
crashing into and steamrolling <b>John Mclaren</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>(Toronto's third base case coach), and
eventually made it to home plate.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> The fan
services pages break up the action a bit, giving us some pertinent info like
team rosters and stadium information, as well as plugs for whatever the
Blue Jays want to sell to tourists and season-ticket holders. The worst page is
the club directory, which lists and pictures administration people, a.k.a. old
white dudes in bad suits.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> The
advertisements are typical of the era, and all blatantly shout "Middle-class male
ages 27-52, buy me!" Cars lead the way, followed by cameras (remember
those?), alcohol, TVs, and power tools. But aside from your basic
nostalgia, I love how most of the ads have a baseball slant. It’s not just
a Honda Accord, it’s a vehicle with “enough room for a 7th inning
stretch. Mitsubishi TVs will give you the home advantage. And of
course we all remember the Rolaid's Relief Man of the Year, right? It doesn't
matter what it is—money management, bus companies, batteries, those mad men
find a way! </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> At 192 pages, it filled
whatever time wasn't spent being awestruck at the sight of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>Mookie Wilson</b>'s back. And
now, yikes, 27 years later, it was a nice trip down memory lane. Usually
I come across old paperback baseball books, enjoy them for a short while, and
donate them back to the dollar bins. I'm holding on to this one.</span></span></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-83476876566856076092018-07-25T09:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:26:57.160-04:00It Was Game 2 of the 1996 World Series by Nancy Golden<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The best games are not the blowouts, but those that thread
the line between triumph and tragedy. And even those that end in tragedy are
not ousted from the list, but sometimes go on to play a role in a bigger story.
And so it was in the Bronx, in the fall of 1996. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was living in Brooklyn that year with my sister, back home
in New York again after a couple of years on the West Coast. Most recently I
had been living on a nature reserve in coastal Oregon, two miles down a dirt
road where often the only visitors were the tule elk that would stop by to
graze in the meadow behind my house. When I left to move back to New York City while
applying to grad school, the locals mourned for me and my impending lifestyle
change. But as much as I enjoyed my small town nature experience, I missed my family.
I missed diversity and culture. And though I didn’t realize it at the time, I
missed baseball.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I drove back east in the summer of 1995 and had plans to rent
an apartment with my sister that fall. But then everything changed when my
mother unexpectedly passed away during treatment for breast cancer. (Both the
recurrence of her cancer and the complications from her treatment had extremely
low odds of occurring. Fuck odds.) Shell-shocked and lost, I paid rent on my
half of the Brooklyn apartment while I lived with my dad on Long Island, providing
companionship, and teaching him how to cook and do laundry and ultimately to be
by himself for the first time in 38 years. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I finally moved out the following spring it was both excruciating
and liberating. It felt selfish to leave my dad alone to mourn in that big
house meant for a family of six. But I was 24 years old and needed to be on my
own, needed to start my own healing process. Having shed the role of caretaker
and left my job at the local museum, I was suddenly without purpose—just unemployed,
missing my mom, and aching for my dad. With all of New York City out there to
roam, I found it hard to engage. And then there was baseball.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I grew up in a household of Yankees fanatics and had been
devout to the faith all my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
being a Yankees fan wasn’t always easy livin’ in the 80s and early 90s. Though
it’s convenient to look at their overall success and dismiss my suffering,
their long dry spell of 13 years without a post-season appearance started in
1982 when I was 11—just about old enough to really start caring—and lasted all
through my formative years. It was the team's largest drought without a World
Series appearance in its history. Nonetheless, I worshipped piously that whole
time growing up in New York. I practiced all the rituals—the evenings huddled
around the TV with my family, the pilgrimages to the Bronx, the attempts to
convert the wayward Mets fans at school. But when I left for college in North
Carolina, suddenly the only Yankee was me, the first northerner many of my
local friends had ever met, and the only baseball I experienced was the
occasional outing to see the Durham Bulls. Before the advent of satellite radio
or MLB.TV or whatever your chosen fix, there really weren’t a lot of options
for an expat like me. Add two years post-graduation living on nature reserves,
and I basically had myself an extended absence from the congregation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then there I was, not just in New York, but in New York
City, the motherland itself, a mere train ride from mecca. Despite my heavy
heart—or perhaps because of it?—I heard the call and re-joined the fold. And
the timing could not have been better for my rebirth. The championship-free
Yankees of my youth had taken advantage of the dubious new Wild Card rule to
dip their toe back into the playoff pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though they failed to advance beyond the division series, it was enough
to awaken our long dormant post-season hope. That October we witnessed a
struggling starter named Mariano Rivera debut as a promising reliever to secure
the role of setup man. Joining him in the dugout as the ‘96 season began were rookie
Derek Jeter, a replacement starter at shortstop due to a spring training
injury, and new manager Joe Torre, whose Brooklyn roots instantly won our
hearts, even though George Steinbrenner’s revolving door cautioned us not to
get too attached. We tried with all of our might not to like Tino Martinez, who
took over duties at first in the wake of stalwart Don Mattingly’s departure,
though were ultimately unsuccessful. And then there was Paul O’Neill. This was
O’Neill’s fourth season in the Yankee outfield but due to my time in exile, a
new face to me. I distinctly remember watching his at-bats for the first time on
the small TV in our fourth floor walk-up in Brooklyn and wondering where this
guy had been all my life. I fell for his swing and put a name to the player
behind it later. It seemed like every hit was a perfectly placed line drive and
I wished he could bat in all nine spots of the lineup. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So we set off together that spring, me and the Yankees, each
of us to a bit of a rocky start. The Yankees had a middling record in April as their
new team began to coalesce. Meanwhile, I interviewed for jobs at the Central
Park Conservancy, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and anywhere else amidst
the concrete that might need the talents of a budding biologist. But while the
Yankees soon hit their groove and reached first place, I just got a lot of
second and even third interviews, and never quite a job. Though being a loyal
fan was nearly full-time work itself. In May and June, we snubbed ours noses at
Mets fans as a newly rehabbed Doc Gooden pitched an unlikely no-hitter, held our
breath while David Cone left the team to treat an aneurysm, and grieved when
Joe Torre lost his brother Rocco between games of a double-header in Cleveland.
And I entered the world of temping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
longest gig was in the garment district, at the business office of hanger
factory. Without enough to do there, and a decided lack of interest in hangers,
I filled the afternoons without day games reading Tolkien, working on my series
“Bad Poetry Inspired by Bad Jobs,” and taking long lunches at the Virgin
Megastore in Times Square. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In July, still in first place and looking to shore up their
roster, the Yankees acquired Daryl Strawberry from the independent St. Paul
Saints, and Cecil Fielder, the “Big Daddy,” from the Tigers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I learned that my grad school
applications had been more successful than my job applications. So when I
landed a temping gig at the hotel where my sister worked—a place where I had
friends, gained respect, and was making a contribution—I attempted to make it
last as long as possible to bridge the time before I left. As summer turned to
fall, the Yankees’ once hefty lead in the AL East shrank to just 2 ½ games
above the Baltimore Orioles, making September baseball exciting and relevant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for me, the hotel had kept me on
indefinitely as I hustled work from different divisions and I decided to defer
my start at the University of Maryland until January. With my future laid out
and a steady paycheck in hand, it was the first time since my mom died almost a
year earlier that I could just live. What role did the prospect of post-season
play have in my decision to delay grad school by a semester? It’s hard to say,
but it cannot be ruled out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time the playoffs rolled around, it was all I thought
about. The Yankees had held on to their lead to become Division Champions and
my sister and I spent our workdays plotting ways to score post-season tickets,
an endeavor that required significantly more effort and creativity with neither
StubHub nor disposable income to facilitate the transaction. On game days, it
was not unusual to find myself at the pay phone in the hallway following up on
a possible ticket lead or riding the D train up to the Bronx at lunch to check
the box office for tickets turned in from a rain-out. Ultimately our hard work
was rewarded with an appearance at each series. We sat in right field for Game
2 of the ALDS, where the Yankees slowly chipped away at an early four-run
deficit, winning dramatically on a botched sacrifice bunt play in the 12th inning
that allowed Jeter to score from second. When the Yankees advanced to the ALCS
to play division rival Baltimore Orioles, we sat along the first base line for
Game 1, a back-and-forth contest of one-run innings that will forever be known
for the “Jeffrey Maier Incident,” named for the fan who reached over the
outfield fence to pull Jeter’s fly ball into the stands before a play could be attempted.
That “home run” ultimately sent the game into extra innings, where Bernie
Williams delivered a definitive eleventh inning walk off shot into the
bleachers for the win. The Yankees won the series 4-1 over Baltimore, whose
fans have never forgotten this transgression against them, a fact I know from
spending the following 10 years in Maryland. I admit that I never quite tired
of telling the locals that I was at that game, or, channeling my New York
attitude, that I bore no shame.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then there we were, at my first World Series ever. Our
tickets were the spoils of a rainout, bought from hotel guests who could not
stay in town for the change in schedule. The $200 per ticket price we paid
would be a steal today, but at the time was a fortune for a temp paying rent on
a Park Slope apartment and about to go back to school. And somehow that made it
all the more significant. Heading into Game 2, the Yankees were already down
one game to the Braves and looking to tie the series before heading south to
enemy territory. After attending two extra-inning post-season wins, our hearts
beat permanently faster in anticipation of what this game would bring. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But it wasn’t to be. We watched the Yankees put men on base
in seven innings, but never bring one of them home, shut out 4-0 by Greg Maddux.
Contrary to the usual enthusiasm of the Bronx fans, there was now a lull that
set over the crowd, sensing that down 2-0 in the series and about to leave for three
games on the road, our season was suddenly and inexplicably coming to a close. After
the game, my sister and I were devastated, and figured we’d seen the last contest
at Yankee Stadium for ‘96. I’ll never forget walking down to field level to see
the diamond one more time before the season ended. Having been wrapped in up in
all the events leading up to this point, it was hard to believe it could just
end like this. We had lost so much already, didn’t we deserve this win, this
little piece of happiness? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We stood
there in silence, not quite knowing what to do with ourselves next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I remember that moment of dread I felt looking over the
field better than any other moment of the series—the diving catches, the
homeruns, the late inning heroics—perhaps because it heightened every emotion
that followed. Clinging to hope, we watched Cone, Rivera, and Wetteland defeat
the Braves in Game 3. We squirmed as the Braves were up by as much as six runs
until the eighth inning of Game 4, when backup catcher Jim Leyritz pinch hit a
three-run homer to tie the game, eliciting screams from our apartment that drew
a knock on our door from our neighbors’ friend to see if everything was ok. He
stayed until the Yankee’s eleventh inning victory, and a post-game celebration
that lasted till morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always
wondered how many people in New York City got laid that night thanks to Jim
Leyritz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More importantly, the series
was now tied, and the Yankees went on take their third in a row on a dramatic
game-ending catch from my boyfriend Paul O’Neill to preserve the narrowest of
victories in a no-earned-runs pitchers’ duel. The sweep in Atlanta was an
improbable comeback that sent the Yankees back home to the Bronx to play for the
World Series victory on their home turf. As if the drama wasn’t already high
enough, Joe Torre’s other brother Frank got a heart transplant on the travel
day between games, and Yankee fans spent the off day awaiting the results. And
then like us, he was ready the next day to watch Game 6, which proved to be the
decisive game of the series. Having spent our savings on Game 2, my sister and
I watched the Yankees claim the championship title at home in our Brooklyn apartment,
from first pitch to Wade Boggs’ victory lap on horseback with the mounted NYPD
until endless post-game interviews finally yielded to normal pre-dawn
programming. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few days later, I skipped work, along with the masses, to attend
the ticker tape parade down the New York City’s Canyon of Heroes. Mayor Rudy
Giuliani estimated the crowd in attendance that day at 3.5 million, but based
on his current level of credibility, we’ll just call it a lot. But the season
didn’t really end for me until a few weeks later at a more unlikely parade, the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Dressed as a turkey, I was serving hot
chocolate to guests on the hotel balcony overlooking the parade route when a
float with Yankee players appeared. Excited and looking to get their attention,
I and co-worker Suzie Besterman, the loudest woman at the hotel—and possibly on
Earth—yelled out “Bernie!!!” at the top of our lungs. In response, Bernie
Williams looked up, directly at us, and waved. And we, with all our hearts,
waved back. To this day nobody believes this story, that Bernie Williams waved just
to me, a lone turkey along among a sea of creatures on a packed parade route.
But the sequence of events was unmistakable and I stand by it. And that was it,
the proper closure not only for the season but for that period of my life. Goodbye
Bernie, goodbye Yankees, goodbye New York. Goodbye Mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little over a month later, I set off from
New York, moving down to Maryland to press play and continue my own story. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Though I visit New York often to see family and friends,
when it comes to the Yankees, I’ve since felt more like a bystander than the
participant I had been that year. I’ll always remember the ’96 season as more
than just great baseball and the beginning of a dynasty, but as an amazing and
all-consuming journey that snuck up to distract and delight at the exact right
moment in time. And somehow the highlight will always be that low point, Game 2
of the World Series. Because sometimes when you keep fighting, you actually
win. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>Nancy Golden</b> now lives
in Northern Virginia with a daughter and a permanent biologist job. However, in
1996 she lived in Brooklyn next to </i>Zisk<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
editor Steve Reynolds and is glad that they are still friends all this time
later despite making him carry her queen size mattress down four flights of
stairs to the moving van on her last day in New York.</i></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-41283707539736319842018-07-25T08:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:54:49.880-04:00From Devastation to Elation – Houston Celebrates Its first World Series by Gabe LaBounty<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">I had been saying it for
weeks. As the entire city slowly merged into one unified Astros fan base, I
told all of my friends who talked about a potential Astros World Series win
that we would have to go to the parade. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">No matter where I found
myself during an Astros’ playoff game, people who never watched baseball tuned
in. While working on a project in the computer labs, the Astros took down the
Red Sox with everyone in the room at least partially paying attention. From the
upper rafters of the Toyota Center, where I was watching the Rockets play the
Spurs in a preseason basketball game, I watched as the Yankees took the fourth
game of the series. And I was at a friend’s apartment when Springer plucked the
final baseball of 2017 American League play out of the air. The World Series was
all anyone could talk about the next day, and at every gathering of more than five
people in the city, someone found a way to get score updates. Ellen DeGeneres
sent her camera crew to my school (the University of Houston) to give box seats
to the most rabid Astros fans, and my friend Tahj and his roommate<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Gabe%20LaBounty" datetime="2018-05-13T16:55">s</ins></span> won by serenading her with an
original, improv-ed baseball-themed song to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">It was an amazing series. The
marathon known as Game 5 ended at 12:40 at night, and everyone was half asleep
the next day, still transfixed by the magical World Series we all seemed to be
a part of. Game 7 was an eruption of tension and pure joy. Less than thirty
minutes after the final out was recorded, while many Houstonians were speeding
to their nearest Academy to snag some overpriced champions gear, the Astros
announced the World Series Parade would be that Friday.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">In my twenty-one years, I have only lived in the city of a current champion twice.
Once in 2000 when the Stars took the Stanley Cup, but I was four<span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2018-05-05T07:59"></del></span>.
Once more when the Mavs beat back peak LeBron in 2011; however, my family and I
were in Los Angeles watching a baseball game when they won. Now, I finally had
the opportunity to see a championship parade, a key part of any sports
celebration. I did not have any classes on Friday, so I knew I had to go. I had
no idea what a mistake that would be.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Harris Country closed all
the public schools the day of the parade, and everyone at least expressed an
interest in going to the parade. By noon, two million people were trying to get
into downtown.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">I headed toward the parade
with a large group of people, but as the madness ensued only me and two of my
friends, Ty and Colin, made it to the familiar downtown streets. I was the only
one among us who had taken the Metro into downtown and knew how to get to the
parade route. The route itself ended at City Hall and went in a rectangle in
the west end of downtown. Large, non-descript buildings and parking garages filled
the west side of downtown, and to be <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2018-05-05T08:00"></del></span>honest,
I didn't know where to go.</span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
I am not sure what I was expecting when the first Metro
rail car pattered by. As we peered into the windows, the entire length of train
was stuffed with people – there was no room to even jump in. Everyone was
standing shoulder to shoulder. Jammed into the metro car like crayons into a
colored pencil box, this was certainly the most patrons this relatively new
system had seen at once. The last time I had seen this many people in a
confided area was when we rushed the field after our football team beat Louisville
in overwhelming fashion. In our joy we pressed our bodies onto the field, but
once we got there we all realized what a terrible error we made. (Consider an
analogy here, also a sense of the volume and/or emotions—my default image is
cranky, rush-hour New Yorkers but I assume you were seeing something quite
different!) One train went by, then another, still without room for anyone
else. People were even jammed into the
cars going the other direction, away from downtown. I figured they were
expecting the car to eventually turn around. My friends and I decided we had to
get on the next car since the Houston police were not allowing drivers to even
think about approaching downtown.<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">We made an arrowhead
formation and managed to secure a place on a packed train. From this moment
until the end of the parade, I found the general feeling among the fans was not
of bliss but of annoyance. Kids were everywhere, followed by their exhausted
parents. The crowding was absurd, and it seemingly set everyone off. Snappy
responses and primal instincts kicked in for the millions of people who had already
seen their city go through so much this year, from the lows of Harvey to the
highs of a world championship. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">After the car labored
through its familiar route, we got off at Central Station Capitol and I was
immediately disoriented. We had arrived at the beginning of the parade route
only minutes before its start, but baseball was the last thing on my mind. I
saw bold men climbing lampposts and even a few from our group climbed an
abandoned U-Haul truck to try and see better. It reminded me more of a riot
than a parade.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Breathable
air was scarce. We spent ten useless minutes attempting to reach the front of a <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Katz%20Media%20Group" datetime="2018-06-15T14:45"></del></span>crowd,
only to figure out the parade was not going down that street. I must have said
“excuse me” while nudging my way through the total of humankind on Earth just
to fight my way back to my two friends.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">We had broken away from the
crowd of acquaintances who were slowing us down. They split paths, attempting
to get to City Hall where Travis Scott was playing some of his new music and
where the speeches would be. I knew this to be a fruitless, impossible task as
a million people were blocking our path. Short of walking all the way around
downtown, there was no way to cross the parade route.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">Without signal, without
direction, and without hope we sat on a curb in the heart of downtown,
confused. I amused myself <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2018-05-05T08:04"></ins></span>by
taking jagged pictures of downtown Houston and its buildings and savoring the
feeling of standing on the center of a street in downtown, something one can
only do during the curfew of a natural disaster or World Series parade.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">After five minutes of
sorting things out, we decided to try and at least get a glimpse of the parade.
I led us southbound, eventually to a parking lot where we approached the route.
The UH cheerleaders walked past, and I realized they were the beginning of the
parade, so Ty and I walked up to the front and Collin stayed about 60 feet
behind us. I climbed onto a truck to at least get decent pictures — and at this
point, everyone next to us was frustrated with our elbowing into the front of
the crowd. It seemed everyone at the parade route had obviously never walked
around downtown or had to sacrifice a foot of personal space to anyone. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">I did not care, because no
less than five minutes later George Springer rode by with the World Series
trophy. I got a glimpse of Josh Reddick, hoisting a WWE belt in the air for all
to see. Other players <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2018-05-05T08:05"></del></span>I could not recognize
filled the next few cars. General Manager Jeff Lundow, the mastermind of entire
Astros championship, who started the franchise on its path with little fanfare,
got very little applause or attention, and why should he? How many fans can
identify their general manager, especially if he is in business casual? Craig
Biggio was in a blazer and Jeff Bagwell was in a T-shirt, and they got the
loudest applause on our little street corner. Altuve was also by himself, and
he looked like a conquering hero.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The parade tapered off
slowly and we decided to find something to eat. We were on Polk Street
and I suggested Sparkleburger, which is a shack on the east side of downtown that sells cheap,
great hamburgers on a surprisingly large menu. I had gone a few times before
and deduced it would only be a half mile walk. Only two blocks away from the
parade we stumbled upon the Toyota Center and the shouting and ear shattering
noises were gone. It was a normal, peaceful downtown day in Houston, with a
pickup game occurring on a court in the shadow of the Rockets arena. We all
discussed the possibility of the next parade being the Rockets and continued
our march toward food. Obviously starting now, after quickly getting lost and
collecting my bearings were arrived at Sparkleburger, waited 45 minutes for a
delicious burger, and avoided a $40 Uber (that Uber
would have gone three miles, maybe) by calling a friend to come pick us up.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">By the time I got back to
the dorm, I felt disgusting, but I had at least eaten. I was exhausted, and I
could not believe had not expected the day to be absurdly uncomfortable. The
tradeoff was worth it, and I would recommend everyone go to the championship
parade whenever a local team wins a ring. Just be prepared for the madness. </span></span></span>
</div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-86384894592143911582018-07-25T08:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:42:33.773-04:00The Astrodome and Astroturf by Todd Taylor<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Astrodome and
Astroturf</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baseball under Transparent
Plastic</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the history of the West, time is divided into two main epochs:
before and after air conditioning. Back in 1939, Willis Carrier, a pioneer in
the field, prophesized the day would come when people lived in comfort under
domes of transparent material. Roy “Judge” Hofheinz, a Texas native, former
mayor of Houston and Texas state legislator, believed in Willis’s vision and
parlayed his investments in a radio station, a sludge industry, and a law firm
to stake interest in the world’s first air-conditioned shopping mall, covered
by a dome. The Galleria was never built but Hofheinz refocused his attention<span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-11-13T21:02">s</del></span>
to bring the first major league baseball franchise to the South.</div>
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Hey, at least the Astrodome<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2017-11-14T14:05"></ins></span> is not in the shape of a penis. Hofheinz
loved big things. He also had an unveiled affection for NASA and cowboys. His
vision was as big and simple as the technology was emerging and untested. The
simple vision was watching professionals play baseball in air-conditioned
comfort without a single column obstructing the players’ or fans’ views: the
first ballpark in the world to have a roof over its playing field. The project
had different nicknames, like “The world’s biggest room” and “The Big Bubble.” Larry
McMurtry called it “the working end of the world’s largest deodorant stick.” In
a drained swamp in Houston, the first modern dome was conceived. The 642-foot
clear-span plastic dome bridged a gap five times the diameter of Rome’s
Pantheon. The blueprints detailed a building twice the size of any enclosure
built before it. It boasted 45,054 chairs—the largest single public seating
installation in history—and the world’s largest parking lot, with space for
30,000 cars.</div>
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Houston’s first baseball game on record was played in 1867.
The Houston Stonewalls beat the Galveston Robert E. Lees. The Texas League
played on and off over the years, and the Houston club in 1962 was The Colt
.45s<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>.
So, in January, 1962 when Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson stood on a small
platform with Hofheinz and nine other dignitaries to perform the groundbreaking
for the Harris County Domed Stadium, they pulled out six shooters and shot the
dirt for the official ground breaking ceremony.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hofheinz believed technology would be the solution to many
of humankind’s largest challenges, that nature was something to be tamed,
controlled. Mere weeks before the opening of the dome, the first crewed Gemini
flight took off from Cape Kennedy. Hofheinz saw astronauts as hope, in human
form. In the offseason, the Colt .45s changed their name to The Astros.
Hofheinz’s Astrodome opened on April 9, 1965.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Comfort and odd opulence <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2017-11-14T14:03"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-11-13T21:05"></ins></span></del></span>welcomed
fans inside of the dome. There were no shadows or wet, soggy spots on the
field. The light was perfectly diffused. No dry wind. No hot sun. The air-conditioning
remained a constant seventy-two degrees by four mammoth refrigeration units
supplying “approximately the amount of cooling given off by daily melting of
enough ice to cover a football field to a depth of nearly five feet.” 60,000
pieces of clothing were made for the players and staff by a fancy designer.
Male staff dressed in spacesuits as they took tickets, punched elevator
buttons, and assisted guests. Female staff dressed in gold lamé and high-heeled
boots. The groundskeepers—called Earthmen—wore full-body orange spacesuits,
topped with bubble helmets. The amenities to the rest of the park were off-the-charts
and spare-no-expense, prompting Bob Hope to joke, “If they had a maternity ward
and a cemetery, you’d never have to leave.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And yet, despite all this—the Astrodome’s size, the vision of
its progenitor, the skill of its construction, not to mention it was built
ahead of schedule and on budget—there was only one relatively minor defect which
came to light during the first game. It just wasn’t very good for playing
baseball. Actually, it kinda sucked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Problem with
“Solutions”</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It started auspiciously—sort of—but it also reads like
prophecy. In 1965, Satchel Paige<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>,
fifty-seven years old and retired, was invited to the Astrodome to try it out
in an exhibition game. Paige deadpanned the stadium was a “windless,
environmentally perfect pitcher’s dream.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The top of the dome was filled with almost five thousand
translucent Lucite<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a> tiles which
acted as skylights. The thinking was two-fold. The tiles were designed to
diffuse the shadows from the roof’s latticed steelwork. Also, grass needs sun
to grow. Hofheinz had predicted the specialized needs of the grass. He oversaw
testing at the Texas A&M College Experimental Station prior to the
installation of 14,000 square yards of Tifway Bermuda grass sod, specifically
bred for indoor use.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Hofheinz did not predict, in the slightest, how the
tiles would magnify the sunlight into the players’ eyes. The tiles acted like a
prismatic lens, concentrating the sun’s rays through thousands of magnifying
glasses. During the day, the glare was blinding. Fly balls disappeared
somewhere around the dome’s lipstick-red third tier. At night, the gridded
pattern of the girders made the ball hard to track and follow. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Complaints started with the Astros<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-11-13T21:08">’</ins></span> first
exhibition game against the New York Yankees. The next day’s exhibition against
the Orioles was played with baseballs dyed yellow, orange, pastel blue, and
bright red, with an approval from National League President Warren Giles for
the remaining home day games of the season to be played with the ball color
that worked best. The color didn’t matter. Several different shades of
sunglasses were issued to the players. The glasses did not help. “At least an
outfielder will be able to follow the ball three-fourths of the way to him,”
Hofheinz replied, initially non-plussed by the ungratefulness of the players
for the awe-inspiring stadium he’d bestowed upon them. Players wore batting
helmets in the outfield. Some wore chest protectors. Jim Wynne, San Francisco
Giants center fielder, echoed a familiar lament the rest of the 1965 season at
the Astrodome. “I saw the ball as it left the bat, but never after that.” The
ball fell behind Wynne and by the time he retrieved it, an in-the-park homerun
was scored. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To add insult to injuries, the grass, when heated up by the
glare, released moisture. Since the dome was sealed, it rained inside the dome,
causing rain delays.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Lucite tiles were painted off-white with several coats,
until the glare was completely abated. The outfielders could now see pop ups,
but the grass couldn’t survive without sunlight. Within a couple months, the
outfield became a mess of dead patches of grass, bald spots, and sawdust to
fill in the gaps. The dirt and dead grass were <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2017-11-14T14:11"></ins></span>painted
green for the remainder of the 1965 season.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baseball on Top of
Plastic Grass</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What doesn’t need sun or water to survive? What doesn’t get
soggy, even when wet? What never requires mowing? What would never have fooled
a goat into eating it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plastic grass.</div>
The idea for synthetic grass was first proposed in 1961 by Educational
Facilities Laboratory, a non-profit corporation formed by the Ford Foundation
to help schools maximize their facilities for students to learn more
effectively. The genesis was noble; to provide a green space for inner city
kids whose urban schools lacked usable outdoor play areas. Chemical engineers
Robert T. Wright and James T. Faria were employed by the synthetic fabric
company Chemstrand, a subsidiary of Monsanto Industries<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>. The
duo was already developing new synthetic fibers for use as high-traffic, tough
carpeting. They were tasked with the project. Chemstrand worked from 1962-1966
on the new sports surface, testing for foot traction, cushioning, moisture
drainage, flammability, and wear resistance. In 1964, the Moses Brown School, a
highly selective Quaker school in Providence, R.I., was the first athletic
facility in the U.S. to install ChemGrass.<br />
Producing synthetic grass begins with nylon, which is melted, mixed with
cadmium yellow and phthalocyanine blue, coated with suntan lotion for plastics
to protect it from the sun’s rays, then extruded into thin, grass-imitating
ribbons. The ribbons are tufted, like carpet yarn, into a fabric backing then
attached with adhesive. The first short-pile synthetic grass was woven on a
traditional carpet loom.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Monofilament ribbon pile product” was patented in 1967. The
Ford Foundation report on the material was the invention of “a material that
looks like grass and acts like grass, a turf-like substance on which a ball
will bounce and a child will not.” It was called “ChemGrass,” a name combining
its parent company and the real grass it was imitating. The <em>New York Times</em>
called the invention a “triumph of chemistry.” It was a modern fabric
guaranteed not to shrink, fade, or tear. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hofheinz was sold on the qualities and possibilities of the
synthetic grass for baseball. He used an elephant trample on a swatch of ChemGrass
to test its durability, but he thought the name sucked. As with almost
everything within his purview to name, “astro” was the preferred prefix.
Monsanto rebranded and kept the new name. Astroturf made its major sporting
debut, installed before opening day in April 18, 1966 in the Astrodome’s
infield and foul territory. The outfield was installed in early summer. The
plastic surface cost two dollars per square foot, at a total of just shy of a
quarter of a million dollars. Wall-to-wall carpeting—fibers attached to a
rubber mat and laid on top of an asphalt base—had been installed. “The Big Rug”
was nearly an acre of lush pool-table-green plastic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On July 19, 1966, the Astros played the Phillies. It was the
first MLB game on a field completely covered in Astroturf. Not everyone was a
fan of the abrasive nylon underneath the players’ feet. Philadelphia Phillies
left fielder Tony Gonzales didn’t like it. “The ball bounces like a rubber
ball. You can’t hold your footing. It’s hard to stop when you charge the ball.
They should have left it like it was.” There were also lumps underneath the
carpet. Jim Gentile, the Astros first baseman, pointed to the little ridges in
the infield. “One grounder came off the bat like it was coming right in my
glove, then probably hit there somewhere and hopped over my shoulder.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Toledo Blade</i> ungenerously,
yet correctly, noted Astroturf was “an unnatural baseball surface of nylon
strips held together by zippers.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a> Later
in the season, the Cubs’ manager Leo Durocher lamented, “Imagine that—a $45
million ballpark and a ten-cent infield… If baseball was meant to be played on
that rubber mat, I’m crazy.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a> Astros
outfielder Bob Watson’s rookie year coincided with Astroturf’s big roll-out,
having plenty of time to test the new merchandise. “If you dived for a ball,
you’d have one tremendous rug burn.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the upside, since there was no sod to water, maintain, or
cut, the groundskeepers touched up the turf with vacuum cleaners and brooms and
raked the still-real dirt. Between games, a small tractor pulled an industrial
vacuum to clean the Astroturf.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Difference
Between “Green” and Green</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In many respects, Astroturf is like the astro “juice,” Tang.
It’s a clever facsimile which works in a pinch if the natural thing it’s
attempting to mimic isn’t available or feasible. Much like Astroturf, Tang was
made in a lab and sponsored by a huge corporation<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>.
Tang looks orange through a dazzle of chemistry, and it tastes “orange”-ish,
but it’s not orange juice. It’s “sunset yellow” coloring, sugar, and three
percent orange juice solids. It also just happed to be the most easily mixed
powder in<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2017-11-14T14:15">
</ins></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-11-13T21:17">to </del></span>John Glenn’s water container <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-11-13T21:17">in
1962</del></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2017-11-14T14:15"> </del></span>on a <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-11-13T21:17">1962 </ins></span>Mercury
flight. Tang was made by the same food scientist who invented Pop Rocks and
Cool Whip, not a farmer interested in growing fantastic, delicious oranges with
sun and soil. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a person who has lived in arid climates most of my life,
I have no affection for purely ornamental lawns. It took me over a year with a
mattock to fully kill my lawn, replace it with wood chips, then plant trees and
a garden. Yet, as a playing surface, grass hasn’t been attributed to causing
cancer (as has some of the infill used in modern artificial turf) and it
doesn’t get unbearably hot. The worst that happens when sliding in grass? Green
stains can be challenging to remove in the wash.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Five outdoor baseball stadiums installed Astroturf in 1970.
Many stadiums followed for the next two decades. Then, in just thirteen years,
between 1992 and 2005, the National League went from having half of its teams
using artificial turf to all of them going back to playing on natural grass. As
of this writing, only one MLB team, the Tampa Bay Rays, is still playing on artificial
turf. </div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Astrodome
visionary Hofheinz acquired part of Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus,
and in 1969 he became the majority owner. The next year the circus merged with
Mattel (the toy company, makers of Hot Wheels and Barbie). The Securities and
Exchange Commission discovered losses previously hidden by fraudulent
accounting. Mattel’s stock price dropped dramatically. Hofheinz suffered an enormous
financial loss.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Astrodome lasted thirty-five years as a ballpark. Its
replacement, built right next door<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>,
opened for the 2000 season. Its innovation was MLB’s first fully retractable
roof, which fully opens or closes in thirteen minutes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Astros now play on real grass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">–Todd Taylor</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a> “The gun
that won the West,” not the malt liquor which debuted in 1963.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satchel Paige is a font of great quotes. Here
are three quick ones: “Ain’t no man can avoid being born average, but there
ain’t no man got to be common.” “The only change is that baseball has turned
Paige from a second class citizen to a second class immortal.” “Mother always
told me, ‘If you tell a lie, always rehearse it. If it don’t sound good to you,
it won't sound good to no one else.’” </div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Developed by DuPont. During World War II, Lucite replaced glass in fighter
planes’ canopies, bombers gun turrets, and submarine periscopes.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Monsanto is a chemical company that got its start
producing saccharin in 1901. During the Vietnam War, Monsanto invented Agent
Orange, a broad-spectrum chemical herbicide and defoliant. According to the
Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. military exposed 4.8 million
people to the herbicide, causing 400,000 deaths and disfigurements and birth
defects in 500,000 babies. Monsanto is now the world’s largest seed
corporation. Forty percent of U.S. crops contain its genes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a> The
zipper adjacent to second base to dead center field was 247 feet long.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a> In 1972,
Leo Durocher became the Astros’ manager and posted two winning seasons in a
row.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a> In
Tang’s case, General Mills.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> First named Astros Field, then Enron Field, currently
Minute Maid Park. (Following this story’s trajectory of space program, and a
huge, abusive corporation producing a synthetic facsimile of something that was
perfectly fine in the first place.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-59741777042874765042018-07-25T07:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:45:51.341-04:00Baseball and Grass by Todd Taylor<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I Don’t Go to Watch
the Grass Grow</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’d be lying if I said I <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2018-01-17T22:33"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:23"></del></span></ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:23"></ins></span>only enjoy watching live baseball solely <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:23"></ins></span>because of the grass. I also
wouldn’t be honest if I said I wasn’t impressed with the field every time I go
to Dodger Stadium. There are many reasons I choose the top deck. The low ticket
cost (usually between six and twenty dollars) and free drop off by a Metro shuttle
bus close to the entrance help, but I also really do enjoy taking in the entire
field at one glance. It’s like watching a fishbowl. Everything’s equally in
view—the players, the crowd, the field, the sky, the bullpen, the ball—you just
get to pick what to pay attention to. The grass, since there’s so much of it, is
a big part of the ambience. I admire the artistry, the attention to detail, the
crisp cross-hatch designs. The game just wouldn’t be the same if it was played on
dirt or a leprous clotting of weeds and dying tufts of brown grass. There’s
something undeniably calming about a nice, uniform green field. It’s a thing to
contemplate when the grounds crew does their zen garden raking thing between
the bases between innings and there are lapses in conversation with buddies.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span class="msoDel"><del></del></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A Short History of
Lawnmowers</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Edwin Beard Budding invented the first lawn mower in 1830 in
England. It was a good idea. Budding had based his mower on a bladed reel-cutting
tool used for the uniform trimming of carpet. His contraption was made of cast
iron mounted to a wheeled frame. Being immensely heavy, it was hard to push,
and many of the early lawn mowers had to be horse-drawn, with the horses
wearing oversized booties to prevent their hooves from digging into and
uprooting the turf. The machine’s rotating blades also didn’t cut the grass
very well. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Budding’s invention, however, did provide the catalyst for three
things: better mower designs; the replacement of the traditional tools of lawn care—the
scythe<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>,
shears<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>,
and domesticated grazing animals<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>;
and accelerated the preparation of sporting ovals. The lawn mower was
instrumental in creating and maintaining those fields. An even turf of grass
made possible the quick expansion and codification of an array of sports, starting
with cricket and swiftly thereafter adopted by tennis, football, lawn bowling,
and baseball.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a> The
popularity of these sports rose in tandem with the ubiquity of the technologically
advanced mowing machines.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">America’s Lawn Fever
Dream</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first intentional lawns—and I’m speaking from my deep
class bias—were kind of asshole-scapes. They were created by European aristocracy
of the seventeenth and eighteenth century. King Louis XIV of France’s
Versailles gardens were the first to include the “green carpet.” Turfgrass:
uniformly grown grass and the surface layer of earth held together by its roots.
Think sod. The asshole part is the subtext: “I’m so rich and have enough
leisure time that I don’t have to plant life-sustaining food here, like you
peasants. It is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">intentionally</i> empty,
nothing is built on it.” The lawn was almost pure aesthetics, conspicuous
consumption, and status. It’s a monoculture by design. A carefully planned,
maintenance-heavy monoculture; and it left such a deep impression that George
Washington designed a
style of this lawn all around his home in Mount Vernon.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:18"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:18">[6]</ins></span></span></span></ins></span></span></a>
It wasn’t until the mid-to-late 1800s, after the Civil War, that wealthy
Americans started copying the softscaping of George Washington’s estate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lawn=status. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lawn=rich.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York’s Central Park
in 1857 and continued its construction through the Civil War, was partially
responsible for sparking the migration of turfgrass lawns across America. In
1868 he designed the middle-class Riverside suburb of Chicago to include a lawn for each home. In
areas where it rains frequently and grass can grow easily, it made some sort of
sense. Grass is a nice playing surface. There are studies that show freshly
mown lawns make people feel happy and relaxed.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
Grass also keeps concrete at bay, from overtaking every nook and cranny in subdivisions
and suburbs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the expansion of the train lines and automobiles across
America in the 1920s, homeowners were pressured to make the fronts of their
homes pleasant for the people passing by. However, it was the passage of the
Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, which limited the workweek to forty-four
hours, and freed up the weekends of America’s working and middle classes for
leisure activities. More people had time to focus on their lawns. Societal
pressure is a heavy force. Appearance and emulation are important components to
reinforce the status quo. The American lawn equation changed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lawn=good neighbor. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lawn=good citizen. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Then Lawns Got
Ridiculous</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The United States caught lawn fever and lawns proliferated
from coast to coast. Today, about 80% of all American homes have lawns.
Although much of the country is not hospitable to turfgrass—none of which are
native species—lawns became synonymous with homeownership. Lawns—something so
benign-looking, so uniform, so everywhere-they’re-invisible—began exacting huge
environmental tolls. Lawns are the most-grown crop in United States. It’s a
crop that people can’t eat. 50% to 70% percent of residential water is used for
landscaping, the lion’s share to water lawns. Lawns require the equivalent of
200 gallons of drinking water per person, per day. In 2005, a NASA study “conservatively”
estimated there are 49,000 square miles of lawn in America.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
That is three times the area of irrigated corn and is larger than the entire
state of New York. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It gets worse. Every year, nearly 70 million pounds of
pesticides are used on America’s suburban lawns and it’s been estimated that
nearly 17 million gallons of gas are spilled when refueling lawn-care equipment.
To put that in perspective, the Exxon Valdez fiasco in 1989—the nation’s worst
environmental disaster up to that time—was 11 million gallons. A gas-powered
mower emits as much pollution per hour as eleven cars. Americans spend more
than three billion hours a year mowing lawns and 12,000 people per year are
hospitalized in this country as a result of lawn mower accidents.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In total, residential lawns in America are highly
problematic at best. If you ask me, they’re a travesty and should all be turned
over to native species, fruit and shade trees, and victory gardens. Let’s beef
up our community park systems and go play on those. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Master Grass
Bender</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
David Mellor is the Senior Director of Grounds at Fenway
Park for the Boston Red Sox. He is widely regarded as the “godfather of
striping.” What Ed “Big Daddy” Roth was to customizing hot rods, Mellor is to
designs in baseball stadium grass. “Striping” isn’t just stripes in a lawn, it’s
any grass design. Modern grass striping started in 1993. Mellor was an
assistant groundskeeper at Milwaukee County Stadium and the audience for a Paul
McCartney concert had badly damaged the grass in the outfield. There was not
enough time to properly repair the patch, so Mellor mowed a busy pattern over
the distressed spot in the field in order to camouflage it. People noticed—and
really liked—the design, unaware of the turf damage those disappointed Beatles fans
caused.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While it’s true that mowers have been making patterns in
grass since 1830 when they were first invented, and there are photos of New
York’s Polo Grounds in 1883 with elegant curves and straight stripes in the
grass, Mellor is responsible for igniting new enthusiasm in MLB grass striping
designs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mellor’s journey to his grass-bending calling was fraught with
near-tragedy. He was an excellent pitcher in high school, on the verge of a
college scholarship in 1981. As he was crossing a parking lot, he heard a car
rev its engine. He stopped for the car to pass. In what seemed like a random
assault, the driver waved him on, then punched the gas and hit Mellor, throwing
him twenty feet into the wall of a building. The driver of the car then
attempted to smash Mellor against the building and crushed his leg.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>
Mellor was on crutches for three years and his pitching prospects disappeared.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mellor’s love of baseball remained and in 1995, he and his
grounds crew were resodding the Milwaukee Brewers field. Mellor was on the
warning track when he heard an engine revving. Mistaking it for a sod truck
coming in to drop off a load, he continued raking. The sound quickly got louder
and closer. The driver stepped on the gas and the car bee-lined directly towards
him. Mellor’s body smashed against the windshield and crumpled to the ground.
The driver lapped the field and attempted to strike Mellor again, barely
missing him. It was later disclosed the driver had a history of mental illness.
She thought she was a stunt driver in a movie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mellor suffered from PTSD for many years. Part of his
therapy was keeping the grounds he was in charge of healthy. He and his crew
mow every day during the baseball season, a task that takes up to three people
anywhere from forty-five minutes to two-and-half hours. He also found solace in
striping the grass, finding inspiration from many sources, including his young
daughter Cacky’s designs. “I’m not looking for more work,”<br />
he said, “but the grass has to be mowed anyway. So why not do it well, with
straight lines, or checkerboards, or something more festive?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grass Magic</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The distinctive shades of green grass on a striped MLB field
is not from dyeing or painting the grass a different color, the grass isn’t cut
at different heights, nor are different breeds of grass used for separate
colors. It’s all in the bending of the grass blades.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How is lawn striping done? If you’ve ever vacuumed a plush carpet
or rubbed your hand over a velour jacket, you’ve done it, too. The concept is
simple. The stripes are made by bending the grass in different directions by a
lawn roller behind the blades of the mower, which causes the grass to bend down
farther in the direction it is cut. The stripes of grass leaning away from you
look lighter. This lighter green is caused by light reflecting off the entire
blade of grass. The stripes of grass leaning towards you look darker. The light
is reflecting solely off the tips of those blades. The color of the stripe
depends on what direction you’re looking at it from. Lighter stripes appear
darker when viewed from the opposite direction. When the sun is behind you, you
will see a more intense stripe pattern. It’s an optical illusion.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grass patterns are neat, but not at the expense of two
things: safety and playability. The grass can never take away from the game and
it is important that the surface provides a true bounce. The pattern in the
grass is there for the fans in the stadium and watching on TV.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a>
Most MLB fields are mowed into different patterns between days of baseball.
Mowing in different directions is beneficial for the grass, since it’s not good
agronomic practice to mow the same patterns on the turf for an entire season.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a> The
constantly different patterns also minimize ball “snaking.” When a ball rolls
across the turf, it follows the direction of the bend of grass, causing the
ball to move side-to-side or make strange little turns as it crosses each
mowing lane. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are more advanced tricks to the trade: line strings,
irrigation flags, and tape measures. Trevor Vance, head groundskeeper for the
Kansas City Royals since 1994, designed an entire crown logo throughout the
outfield using ropes and spotters in the upper grandstands directing the template.
Corn brooms, smaller mowers, small round carpenter rollers, and stiff streams
of water add finer detail to the tight areas of designs. Make a mistake? It can
be erased by just mowing back over the grass at the same height. It’s like an
Etch-A-Sketch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mellor remains at the top of his field: vortexes,
bulls-eyes, Red Sox logos, tartan, baseball bats; all have graced outfields which
have inspired groundskeepers across the MLB to mow their own grass palettes.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[14]</span></span></span></span></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a>
He upped the grass game once again in 2016 with the
more-realistic-than-a-pattern-in-grass-should-be portrait of retiring, fingers-pointing-skyward
Red Soxer David Ortiz. Mellor and his crew used a GPS and air to fluctuate the
grass. That’s all he’s divulging.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear powers-that-be, please don’t adopt Mellor’s talents for
evil. Back in the 1990s, the MLB was all set to sell corporate sponsorship on
players’ uniforms, like NASCAR drivers and Major League Soccer. The pushback
from the public was New Coke-severe and the idea was dropped. Yet, a couple
years later, advertising was added to MLB foul poles and few people minded.
Sponsorship logos appeared on professional basketball courts and football
fields to no outrage. It’s this creeping encroachment, these persistent weeds
of commerce I’m keeping my eye on. If the Dodger playing field ever “optimizes”
grass’s “creative capability” to become yet another “value-added,
entrepreneurial” surface for capitalism to attempt to sell me shit I don’t
want, need, or care about when I’m just trying to watch a game and admire
professionals doing amazing athletic feats on a field of green, you have my
word I’ll be done with watching professional baseball once and for all. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">My Favorite Dodgers</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My two favorite Dodgers retired in the past couple of years.
Saint Vin Scully served for sixty-seven years as their venerable sportscaster.
Nancy Bea Hefley retired after twenty-eight years as the organist.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a> Right
now, that top Dodger spot is a tie between pitcher Clayton Kershaw and Dodger
Stadium itself (tip of the hat to Eric Hansen, head groundskeeper). It’s such a
beautiful place to watch a ballgame, so much so I temporarily forget the
horrors of residential lawns depleting our national water table and revel in the
expansive field’s clean greenness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Todd Taylor is the
co-founder of </i>Razorcake<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, a bi-monthly,
non-profit DIY punk zine started in 2001 and over 100 issues strong. As a
child, he mowed lawns in Boulder City, Nevada and has deep civic pride in Clark
County being the first county in America that banned lawns from front yards of
new homes.</i></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a> The
Angels ground crew’s locker room has an inspirational placard which reads,
“Rake like a champion today.”</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> It’s
curious that the Grim Reaper’s image wasn’t updated with the advent of the lawn
mower. The Reaper still holds a scythe instead of pushing or riding a lawn
mower.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a> Making a
guess here. This is partially where the “manicured” comes in with “manicured
lawns.” </div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a> Mostly
sheep and goats.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> The first official baseball field in America is
contentious—due to what constituted “base ball” at the time (versus “town
ball,” “round ball,” et cetera)—but a good guess is Elysian Fields in Hoboken,
New Jersey in 1845. No mention could be found if they had a lawn mower or used
sheep and shears for the turf.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:18"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:18">[6]</ins></span></span></span></ins></span></span></a><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:18"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Mount Vernon was a
plantation. Slave labor was used for the garden. The lawn was one of the most
labor-intensive sections of the garden. </span></ins></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:19">When </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:22">the weather
was </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:19">damp, the lawn was </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:20">flattened with </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:19">wooden roller </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:20">that </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:22">also </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:20">acted like a
lint brush for </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:21">earth</ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:20"> that had </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:21">been exposed
through the turf</ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:20"> </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:22">to </ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:19">“render the surface
perfectly clean.”</ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:21"> The lawn was mowed</ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:19"> once a week using a scythe.</ins></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Todd" datetime="2018-01-18T17:21"> Not by George
Washington.</ins></span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a> Done by
Dr. Nick Lavidis, a neuroscientist at the University
of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
He went on to develop a fresh-cut grass-smelling perfume.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn8" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a> https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Lawn/lawn3.php</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a> According
to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mowing
the Lawn Is Not Child’s Play,</i> the vast majority of these injuries could
have been prevented with proper footwear<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn10" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a> I
couldn’t find out if the driver was arrested or if he hit-and-ran.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn11" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[11]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> Murray Cook, the field consultant for MLB, had the
Olympic rings striped into the outfield grass for the 2000 Sydney Olympic
Games. International Baseball Federation officials were incredulous and pissed.
They thought the baseballs were going to go into the rings and go around in
circles. </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn12" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[12]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> “We couldn’t even see the designs unless we were in
the stands,” Red Sox outfielder Trot Nixon said. “It wasn’t a distraction at
all.” </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn13" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a> Bending
grass down repeatedly in the same direction contributes to a higher potential
of turfgrass thinning and disease. </div>
</div>
<div id="ftn14" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[14]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> The only staunchly anti-striping grass ballpark in
the MLB is in San Francisco. “Our pattern is no pattern,” said head
groundskeeper Scott MacVicar in 2008.</span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn15" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a> The
Toronto Blue Jays play on Astroturf, which, when mowed, is highly problematic.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn16" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a> I do
like organist Dieter Ruehle’s sense of humor.</div>
</div>
</div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-21640329121231873972018-07-25T07:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:47:41.232-04:00A Few of Our Participatory Moments in This Great Game of Baseball by Abby & Jesse Mendelson<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">We
concluded our last <i>Zisk</i> piece, a
visit to favorite spots in all 30 major league ballparks, with the vision of
Jesse working as a volunteer groundskeeper at Nationals Park, “wearing the red
shirt, spraying the infield, collecting every stray ball he could.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesse,
of course, had a grand time. So did his dad.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
did our editors, who, thoroughly teased, wanted to read more—<i>more!</i>—about our lives both on the field
and behind the scenes. Not as fans or visitors or observers but instead as
actual participants, albeit in small roles, as part of the larger baseball
mosaic.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let's
begin at the beginning. Abby covered the Pirates in the tumultuous '70s, although
he missed covering the '79 World Series team by a year (timing is everything). Willie
Stargell was clearly the captain, the <i>spiritus
loci</i> of that team. Lord of the Permissible, sure, but also Lord of Misrule.
A wise, personable, funny man, the sobriquet “Pops” was just right for him, chieftain,
elder.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Although
rumors abounded about drugs on that team, during all his time in the clubhouse Abby
never saw, was never privy to, any of the drugs frequently mentioned, green,
white, or any other variety. Sure, he and Seńor Stargell discussed wine a great
deal—the Captain was a noted oenologist—but that's where the discussion ended.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
Abby saw in the Pirate clubhouse was mucho card playing and guys shuffling off
to the showers, all to a very loud soundtrack, Sister Sledge and her proverbial
sisterhood.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">At
the time, he enjoyed nothing so much as sitting, long after games were over,
talking baseball, listening, mostly, with manager Chuck Tanner. A genial man
whose career as player, manager, and scout lasted many decades, Tanner loved to
reminisce about his time with the Milwaukee Braves, including Eddie Matthews
and Henry Aaron, often comparing them to Dave Parker, in '78 racing to win his
second batting title. Seemingly the Cobra had nowhere to go but up. But, well, substances,
weight, bad knees, and the general impossibility of major league baseball got
in the way of his plaque—his <i>wing</i>, to
hear Tanner tell it—in Cooperstown.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baseball,
as Bart Giamatti reminded us, exists to break your heart.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dave
Parker, as Abby discovered, was like many professional athletes only moreso. He
was kind, giving, gracious. He was also boyishly braggadocious, cloyingly
self-pitying, and needlessly potty-mouthed.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">He
demanded to be the highest-paid player in baseball, and was, and was elated.<span> </span><i>Elated!</i>
For about 15 minutes until another team paid somebody else more.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then
Dave was inconsolable.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
general, though, Abby found him, and most players, to be decent guys, like Toto
in <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>, really gentle
with gentle people. If one speaks to players in a kind, adult, knowledgeable
way, they tend to answer in kind. Jerry Reuss was one of those.<span> </span>Unflinchingly honest and articulate, he was
always happy to take time to explain things.<span>
</span>Steve Garvey was another. Joe Morgan, famously pilloried for same as a
broadcaster, was a third.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Others,
inevitable in any group of disparate people, were less so. One time on the road
pitcher John Candelaria, who starred on Abby's All Obnoxious Team, got drunk
and tried to pick a fight with Abby, who simply walked away. Once, on the team
bus, frustrated future Hall of Famer Bret Blyleven bellowed “I'm tiring of
losing,” poured wine into his own shoe, and proceeded to drink, perhaps hoping that
the magic of Florsheim would improve the bouquet and his ERA.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
worked, as his plaque in Cooperstown would indicate!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Back
in the day there was a great deal of hanging around and a good bit of
camaraderie between reporters, players, and club officials. One time, when
rumors swirled that the Pirates were considering signing Willie Horton (the aging
Detroit slugger and K king, not the notorious Massachusetts convict) for the
then-mind-boggling price of $500,000, Abby pulled Buc GM Harding
"Pete" Peterson aside and said, "pay me half and I'll strike out
for you."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alas,
to this day Abby has not been offered a Pirate contract.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
neither has Horton.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Still,
those relationships, and the players' appreciation of those around them, were limited
at best. Abby, for example, spent endless hours with Phil Garner, one of the
brightest, most articulate professionals of any kind Abby's ever known. One
highlight was a longish evening with the Garners at home for a feature on class
acts off the field.<span> </span>Then, upon running
into ol' Scrap Iron just a few years later when he was managing another club, Garner
had no recollection of Abby at all.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alas,
both fame, and friendships are fleeting.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
are manners sometimes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remarkable
how thin-skinned some people are, even at the most innocuous questions.<span> </span>Just ask hot-tempered Tom LaSorda.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remarkable
how rude some are, too. While most players are gracious about autographs, Fernando
Valenzuela simply brushed aside every little kid on the way to the team bus. As
he did to Jesse on a chance encounter in Cincinnati, when Abby and Jesse were
there to see a Reds-Dodgers game.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Class
act, Ferdo!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Parenthetically,
the man who was astonishingly gracious that day was announcer Vin Scully, who
treated 10-year-old Jesse as if he were royalty.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
a different context, but again strictly as a civilian Abby happened to attend a
local stag sports dinner. Trying to remain anonymous, he more or less hid in
the back. His best efforts to the contrary, he was nevertheless spotted by a
member of the press on the dais who pointedly told Abby not to publish anything
that he saw or heard that night.<span> </span>(It was
never Abby's intention.) Then the late Pirate announcer Bob "The
Gunner" Prince got up, and, with typical panache, called Abby a favored
ten-letter expletive.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
was all in good fun, and everyone wept with laughter, no one harder than Abby,
who A) embraced the Gunner after the dinner; and B) invariably gets a laugh
when he tells that story.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: black;">Speaking of broadcast, Abby had a neat moment in
the 80s when he wrote and directed a commercial for the United Way. With a
corporate CEO in town, he had fan favorite and erstwhile slugger Mike “Rambo”
Diaz trading high fives about the fine art of giving.<span> </span>As if that weren't neat enough, Abby was
onfield at the exact moment that Jesse’s day camp was taking a stadium tour. <i>Sweet!</i></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: black;">For a time, Abby wrote program pieces, current
and historical, for the Pirates. As an adjunct member of the PR department, he and
Jesse entered Three Rivers Stadium through the press and players gate. One
afternoon he happened upon Marlins pitcher Alex Fernandez—young, healthy,
traveling the country, enjoying an interrupted string of successes that led to
a newly minted contract, eating in the best restaurants, and, for heaven's
sake, <i>being paid to play baseball</i>. Man,
Abby smiled, you must be having the time of your life!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: black;">Fernandez, seemingly surprised by the question, reacted
as if the thought had never occurred to him. “Yeah,” he allowed, “I guess so.”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: black;">Teenaged Jesse couldn't understand how Alex
wasn't jumping for joy, especially as he missed the entire following season due
to an injury and was never the same pitcher.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">While
Abby mainly wrote for local Pittsburgh publications, he also had some national
by-lines, including a regular spot with a now-defunct baseball magazine. (Abby,
in fact, holds the world land record for writing for now-defunct publications,
but that's a story for another time.) In New York frequently to cover events, he
often went to Yankee Stadium with his editor. One day, talking with Rich
Gossage, whom he knew a bit when the future Hall-of-Famer threw for the
Pirates, Abby was treated to a long, self-serving Reggie Jackson bleat, along
with a mass of wet underwear hurled across the Pete Sheehy Clubhouse. Calmly
removing the stinking mass, Abby thought, Gosh, these Pinstripers are really grown
up.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well,
perhaps it came from the top down. When he tried to interview then-manager
Billy Martin after a loss, the calm, collected Panjandrum of Punch sat in his
office chair, picked at his bare feet, and refused to answer any questions. Onward!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Which
was nothing compared to the trantrum the oft-fired Yankee skipper threw when
Abby, writing for another now-defunct publication, quoted recovering alcoholic
and counselor Don Newcombe about some of Mr. Martin’s more notorious
activities.<span> </span>Proclaiming “<i>Foul!</i>” to anyone who would listen to
him, Mr. Martin took his beef all the way to the Commissioner’s office,
threatening all manner of libel suits. While said antics were somewhat less
than, ah, amusing, at least to Abby, when confronted with many well documented
examples of his behavior, said Pinstriper simply slunk away in silence.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking
of turnabouts, catcher Thurman Munson was notoriously difficult, on and off the
field, famed in part for his abject refusal to grant interviews. Perhaps
because Abby was an unknown, polite person who asked Munson a few questions,
Number Fifteen replied. Turns out it was the last interview Munson ever gave,
for he died shortly thereafter in an airplane crash.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking
of lasts, the final time we met Willie Stargell was at a breakfast for friends
and writers of the Pirates in the late 90s. Jesse, who at the time was a wildly
misguided Mets fan, wore a Mets hat to the breakfast. As we entered the room,
we met Pops, who simply glared at Jesse and said, “You’re wearing the wrong
hat, son.”<span> </span>While Signor Stargell was
assuredly correct, that kind of cutting remark was unlike him. Abby wondered if
there was something else wrong. It was not six months later that the
announcement was made that Stargell was suffering from a severe, eventually
fatal kidney disorder. It was sad to see him fall.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
firsts. Ten-year-old Jesse found himself in the broadcast booth, fulfilling a
lifelong dream of calling a ballgame. On a chilly September night, Jesse announced
the bottom half of the fourth inning against the Cubs. In his clear, calm,
high-pitched child’s voice, he called the game with joy and aplomb. To his
left, the longtime voice of the Buccos, Lanny Frattare. To his right, Tim
Murphy, then a local psychologist, later a conservative Congressman, still
later resigned in mistress-payoff related disgrace.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fast
forward Jesse's career in sports to 2010, Nationals Park. Then a DC resident, Jesse
played part-timer on the Nationals grounds crew. There he was, in his red
shirts, painting lines, watching bullpen sessions (seeing Ubaldo Jimenez
throwing four-seamers up close and in his prime was truly a sight to behold),
dragging the infield, watering the mound—all the landscaping that the ballpark
needed. One night, some rain unexpectedly came, which gave Jesse two of the
greatest thrills of his life, pulling the tarp (run as hard as you can and
don’t dare let go), then putting it on (just don’t get soaked). The result: a
stadium full of boos followed immediately by a standing ovation. Considering
that every ballclub now employs full-time grounds crews, this isn’t an
experience that’s coming around on the guitar anytime soon.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
last note. As a member of the sporting press, Abby often went to banquets in
various cities. One time in Pittsburgh, attending the annual Dapper Dan, Abby
answered a call of nature, and found himself standing next to Jim “Ball Four” Bouton.
While Bouton's books were marvelously entertaining, he had become something of
a pariah for sharing secrets about many players, including icon Mickey Mantle. Abby
wondered, silently, how it felt to be reviled by the official sporting world. Then,
given all the dough Bouton was making on the rubber chicken circuit, he must have
felt pretty good about it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Very
good, in fact.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Abby Mendelson</b> is a
writer and educator in Pittsburgh whose books include histories of the
Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh neighborhoods, houses of worship, and jazz, among
others. <b>Jesse Mendelson</b>, his son, is an executive in Washington, D.C., skilled
baseball historian like his dad, and highly successful fantasy baseball player.</i></span></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-28820708443371082832018-07-25T06:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T13:51:32.256-04:00Panda and the Freak -- Written and Performed by The Baseball Project and Annotated by Jay Wade Edwards<i>The Baseball Project is a baseball-themed, rock supergroup featuring the very talented Scott McCaughey, Steve Wynn, Linda Pitmon, Peter Buck and Mike Mills. "Panda and the Freak" is on their 2011 album, </i>Volume 2: High and Inside<i> from YepRoc Records and was written by Mr. McCaughey.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">You heard about the Mudcat,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Catfish,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
and the Georgia Peach<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Kitten<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
and the Cobra,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Spaceman<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
and the Beast.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Goose<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>,
Bird<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a>,
Rooster<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>…
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">… Penguin<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a>,
Vulture.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">And your bird can sing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">And the greatest nickname of all time</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Death to Flying Things<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">In old New York, it was Turkey Mike<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[14]</span></span></span></span></a>,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Muggsy<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a>,
and the Big Six<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">In San Francisco, Baby Bull<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a>,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Stretch<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[18]</span></span></span></span></a>,
and the Say Hey Kid<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[19]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Then came the Count<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[20]</span></span></span></span></a>,
the Hackman<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[21]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Jack the Ripper<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[22]</span></span></span></span></a>
and Will the Thrill<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn23" name="_ftnref23" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn23;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[23]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Barry and Jeff Kent</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">But a dearth of nicknames, that is until, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[chorus]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Giants got the Panda<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn24;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[24]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Giants got the Freak<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn25;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[25]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Panda's smoking line drives</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Freak is throwing heat</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Panda and the Freak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Panda and the Freak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">When it comes to kung fu fighting</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">He's no better than Hong Chi Quo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">He's kinda like Bruce Lee</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">If you cross Bruce Lee with a buffalo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">He barrels 'round the bases</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">He scrambles for ground balls</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Zito named him Kung Fu Panda</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">That's our Pablo Sandoval</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[chorus]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">They said he wasn't built to last</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">They said that he's too small</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The Mariners passed him right by</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Now that was a bad call</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Two Cy Youngs, two strike-out crowns</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">In his first full two years</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">And if Timmy takes a puff or two</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Well, let's raise a toast, "Three cheers"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">[chorus]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Panda and the Freak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Panda and the Freak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Panda and the Freak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Panda and the Freak</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In Jimmy “Mudcat”
Grant’s first minor league try-out camp (1958), another player assumed he was
from Mississippi (he’s from Lacoochee, Florida) and called him Mudcat.
Cleveland coaches picked it up and it stuck. Grant won 145 games in 14 seasons,
but would supplement his income in the winter by singing in a Cleveland nightclub
act “Mudcat and the Kittens.” In the 1965 World Series, he pitched a
complete-game six-hitter (on two days rest) and hit a three-run homer to send
the Twins to a seventh game. In 2005, he published a book about the lives of
twelve black major league pitchers to win 20 games called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The 12 Black Aces.</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Tamil MN","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jim “Catfish” Hunter was a high school pitching phenom in Hetford, North
Carolina, (13-1, with five no-hitters, and a perfect game in 1964), despite
having 30 shotgun pellets in his right foot from a hunting accident. After a
local scout got the Kansas City Athletics to sign Hunter, team owner Charlie
Finley told him, “A player’s got to have a nickname…Let’s call you Catfish…The
story is, when you were six years old you ran away from home to fish and by the
time your parents got to you, you’d caught two catfish and were just about to
bring in a third. Got that? Now you repeat it to me.” Hunter’s Hall of Fame
career lasted fourteen seasons and included eight All-Star appearance, five
World Series Championships, over 2,000 strikeouts, a Cy Young (1974), a perfect
game (1968), and his number (27) retired by the Oakland Athletics.</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ty Cobb was dubbed “The Georgia Peach” by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Atlanta
Journal</i> sports editor Grantland Rice. While playing in the
Tennessee/Alabama minor league in 1904, Cobb wrote dozens of letters to Rice
telling of his own talent and signed fictitious names to them to attract
professional scouts’ attention. In addition to twelve batting titles, a 24-year
career, a lifetime .367 batting average, and election to the inaugural Hall of
Fame, the Georgia Peach spent the 1911 off-season touring as the lead actor in
the stage play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The College Widow </i>and
later stared in the now-lost feature film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Somewhere
in Georgia</i> (1914).</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
Félix “The Kitten” Millan played primarily second base for the Braves (1966-72),
the Mets (1973-77), and the Yokohama Taiyo Whales (1978-80). Growing up in
Puerto Rico, speed, hustle, and scrappy play earned him the nickname “El Gatito”,
which eventually became the Kitten. He was a three-time All-Star, two-time Gold
Glove Award winner, and the first foreign player to win Japan’s batting title
(.346 in 1979).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harvey Haddix was also
known as “The Kitten” for his resemblance to Cardinals pitcher Harry “The Cat”
Brecheen.</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
When asked by a reporter in 1983 why he wore a Star of David around his neck,
Dave “The Cobra” Parker replied, “My name’s Dave and I’m a star.” The Cobra
nickname was dubbed by team trainer Tony Bartirome and popularized by long-time
Pirate announcer Bob Prince. Parker played from 1973 to 1991, compiling 2,712
hits, 339 home runs, seven All-Star appearances, one NL MVP (1978), three Gold
Gloves, and two World Series Championships. He also gave this author a baseball
during spring training in 1980.</div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>
Bill “Spaceman” Lee explained his nickname on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me</i>, the NPR news quiz, in 2016 , “<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
pitched—Luis Tiant started in Baltimore, I think it was '71—the second time we
landed on the moon. He didn’t get anybody out. I came in with the bases loaded,
two runs already in. I ended up throwing eight and two-thirds innings of
relief. I got a fake bunt down and scored the winning run. We went into first
place, landed on the moon, and when we went back into the locker room and the
press came by, we said we got our own Spaceman right here.” Lee pitched in the
major leagues from 1969 to 1982, was an All-Star in 1973, has co-written four
books, and is the oldest professional winning pitcher in history (age 65, for
the San Rafael Pacifics of the independent Pacific Association League). Both
Warren Zevon and John Flansburgh (They Might Be Giants) have written songs
about Lee.</span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn7;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[7]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jimmy “The Beast” Foxx was a Hall of Fame slugger from Sudlersville, MD. In
1924, he was in the majors with the Philadelphia Athletics as a high school
junior. The Philadelphia press dubbed him “Double X,” “The Maryland Strong Boy,”
and simply “The Beast.” His 20-year career ended with a .325 batting average,
2,646 hits, and 534 home runs (second only to Babe Ruth when he retired). </div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn8;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[8]</span></span></span></span></a>
Rich “Goose” Gossage got his nickname from teammate Tom Bradley who said
Gossage stuck his neck out when looking for the signs and looked like a goose
on the mound. It stuck all the way to his Hall of Fame plaque. He pitched until
he was 42-years-old (1994), finished with 1502 strike outs, nine All-Star
appearances, and is one of only a handful of relief pitchers in the Hall of
Fame.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn9" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn9;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[9]</span></span></span></span></a>
Mark “The Bird” Fidrych was the biggest thing to happen to Detroit in the
summer of 1976. He became famous for a variety of antics, but primarily talking
to the baseball on the mound. He explained, <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That ball has a hit in it. I want that ball to get back in
the ball bag and goof around with the other balls. I want the other balls to
beat him up. Maybe that’ll smarten him up so when he comes out the next time,
he’ll pop up.” </span>After pitching to sell-out crowds at home and on the
road, he won the AL Rookie of the Year Award with an MLB-best era of 2.34 and
AL-best 24 complete games. His nickname came from somewhere in his year and a
half in the minors (stops in Bristol, VA, Lakeland, FL, Montgomery, AL, and
Evansville, IL) where his curly blonde hair and lanky stature reminded coaches
of Big Bird on Sesame Street.<span style="color: #4d3201; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn10;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[10]</span></span></span></span></a>
Rick “Rooster” Burleson was a hard-nosed shortstop from 1974 to 1987, a four-time
All-Star, and the 1979 Gold Glove Award winner. Bill Lee said, “Some guys don’t
like to lose, but Rick got angry if the score was even tied.” Joe Garagiola
said, “He’s even-tempered. He comes to the ballpark mad and he stays that way.”
Don Zimmer supposedly nicknamed him saying, “with his hat off and his hair
standing up, he looks like a rooster walking around.”</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn11;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[11]</span></span></span></span></a>
Ron “The Penguin” Cey was nicknamed by his Washington State University coach,
“Bobo” Brayton, for his waddling gait. A six-time All-Star, Ron was the World
Series MVP for the Dodgers in 1981. He released a country music single in 1976
“Third Base Bag” b/w “One Game at a Time.”</div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn12;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[12]</span></span></span></span></a>
Phil “The Vulture” Regan got his nickname from Sandy Koufax due to his knack of
earning wins in relief. In one week in 1968, Regan won both games of a
doubleheader for the Dodgers, was traded to the Cubs, and earned saves in both
games of another doubleheader. In April 2017, he threw batting practice for the
Mets on his 80<sup>th</sup> birthday.</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn13;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[13]</span></span></span></span></a>
Bob “Death to Flying Things” Ferguson was so-named for his spectacular outfield
abilities during his career (1865-84). Jack “Death to Flying Things” Chapman
also claimed the nickname for his fielding (1874-76).</div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn14;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[14]</span></span></span></span></a>
“Turkey” Mike Donlin was a great hitter (lifetime .333 batting average) and
rabble-rouser during his playing days (1899-1914). He was dubbed “Turkey” from
his strutting walk and flamboyant style. He missed five months of the 1902
season while in prison for urinating in public and accosting two chorus girls.
He sat out one season after a contract dispute and toured the Vaudeville
circuit with his actress wife Mabel Hite. Later in life, he befriended John
Barrymore and acted in 68 films, including playing a Union general in Buster
Keaton’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The General</i> (1926).</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn15;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[15]</span></span></span></span></a>
John “Muggsy” McGraw never liked his nickname, which probably encouraged reporters
to use it more often. He played for fifteen years (1891-1906), finishing with a
.334 lifetime batting average, and managed the New York Giants for thirty years
(1902-32), winning three World Series. McGraw ranks second all-time in wins by
a manager with 2,763.</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn16;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[16]</span></span></span></span></a>
Christy “Big Six” Mathewson claimed the nickname is short for “Big Six-Footer”
(he was 6’2”), but it probably originated when sportswriter Sam Crane compared
his pitching to New York’s Big Six Fire Company, as the fastest to put out a
fire. The inaugural Hall of Fame inductee pitched 17 seasons for the New York
Giants (1900-16), won 373 games, struck out 2,503 batters, won two World
Series, and pitched two no-hitters. In 1902, he played fullback for half a
season for the Pittsburgh Stars of the first National Football League.</div>
</div>
<div id="ftn17" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn17;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[17]</span></span></span></span></a>
Orlando “Baby Bull” Cepeda compiled the following accolades during his Hall of
Fame career: NL Rookie of the Year (1958, the Giants’ first year in San
Francisco), NL MVP (1967), 11 All-Star games, one World Series championship,
2,351 hits, and 379 home runs. Orlando’s father, a professional baseball player
in Puerto Rico, was known as “The Bull”, hence “Baby Bull.”</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn18;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[18]</span></span></span></span></a>
Willie “Stretch” McCovey was 6’ 4” and 200 pounds. Los Angeles sports columnist
Jim Murray wrote, “On ground balls hit to second, there’s no need to throw, the
second baseman just hands the ball to Willie.” Willie won the San Francisco
Giants a second Rookie of the Year award in a row in 1959. His Hall of Fame
career spanned 22 years, included six All-Star games, an NL MVP (1969), 2,211
hits, and 521 home runs. The inlet of San Francisco Bay beyond the right field
wall of AT&T Ballpark is named McCovey Cove.</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn19;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[19]</span></span></span></span></a>
Willie “Say Hey Kid” Mays was an All-Star 24 times. He lead the NL in home runs
and stolen bases four different times each. He hit 660 home runs, had 3,283
hits, and was a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. And he missed almost two
seasons after being drafted into the Army (1952-53). Willie had a hard time
remembering teammates’ names early in his career and said, “You see a guy, you
say, ‘Hey man. Say hey, man.’ Ted [Williams] was the Splinter. Joe [DiMaggio]
was Joltin’ Joe. Stan [Musial] was The Man. I guess I hit a few home runs, and
they said ‘There goes the Say Hey Kid.’”</div>
</div>
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<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn20;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[20]</span></span></span></span></a>
In John “The Count” Montefusco’s MLB debut, he pitched nine innings in relief
and hit a two-run homer in his first official at-bat. He went on to win yet
another Rookie of the Year Award (1975) for the San Francisco Giants. In the
minors, he was dubbed the “Count of Monty Amarillo” in a El Paso newspaper
headline. After his Giants debut, announcer Al Michaels called him “The Count
of Montefusco.”</div>
</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn21;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[21]</span></span></span></span></a>
Jeffrey “Hackman” Leonard was a two-time All-Star during his 13-year career
(1977-90). Leonard tended to swing at every first pitch, so teammates dubbed
him Hackman. He reportedly didn’t like the way it looked written out, so he
requested it be spelled “HacMan” like PacMan. Teammate Dave Bergman took
Leonard’s hefty stature and piercing stare and gave him the nickname
“Penitentiary Face” which stuck for a few years, but Leonard later requested it
be changed to “Correctional Facility Face.” It didn’t stick.</div>
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<div id="ftn22" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn22;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[22]</span></span></span></span></a>
“Jack the Ripper” Clark credits Vida Blue for giving him the nickname while
playing for the Giants when he modified his already-violent swing to hit
line-drives instead of fly balls that invariably died on the warning track in windy
Candlestick Park. He hit 340 home runs and made four All-Star teams in his
18-year career. His post-baseball career includes co-hosting a St. Louis radio
show with Kevin Slaten called “The King and the Ripper.”</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn23;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[23]</span></span></span></span></a>
Will “The Thrill” Clark was an All-Star in six of his 15 seasons, hit .303 for
his career, and won a Gold Glove (1991). His Jesuit High School teammates may
have started his nickname or possibly it was Giants teammate Bob Brenly who
gave it to him after Clark hit a homerun off Nolan Ryan in his rookie debut and
said, “I’m just thrilled to be here.”</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn24;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[24]</span></span></span></span></a>
Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval was named by teammate Barry Zito after Sandoval
jumped over a catcher to score a run despite his 5’10”, 260-pound frame.
Sandoval has been a two-time All-Star and was the 2012 World Series MVP.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9826460#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn25;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[25]</span></span></span></span></a>
Tim “The Freak” Lincecum, by contrast, was so-named for his slight stature (5’11”,
170 pounds) and ability to throw a baseball 99 mph. A misdemeanor possession of
marijuana charge in 2009 didn’t dispel the nickname. He pitched two no-hitters
(2013, 2014), won two Cy Young Awards (2008, 2009), appeared in four All-Star
games, and lead the NL in strikeouts three times. </div>
</div>
</div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-57695470690116274062017-10-25T17:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:45:11.878-04:00Zisk # 28<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2017/10/dice-k-vs-okie-dokie-by-david-lawton.html" target="_blank"><b>Dice-K vs Okie Dokie by David Lawton </b></a>Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-81551930951324627582017-10-25T16:50:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:09:57.625-04:00The Cubs Won the World Series! So How Come a White Sox Fan Inspired Me? by R. Lincoln Harris<!--[if !mso]>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">Ever since 2005,
Chicago White Sox fans have been able to play a devious game with Cubs fans
like me. I never bothered to find out if the game was intentional, but I
suspect that it was. And it went like this:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">When the White Sox
finished off their four-game sweep over the Houston Astros (then of the
National League), their fans went out and bought shirts, hats, car flags, and
everything else they could find with the declaration that they had triumphed in
the World Series that year. Every fanbase does this, and it's not the least bit
surprising that the White Sox did it, too. To the victors go the bragging
rights, after all.</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">But here in Chicago,
those reminders took on an added bite. The Cubs narrowly lost out on the 2003
World Series, and the Boston Red Sox</span></span></span> -- <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:55"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">Chicago's partner in
classic ballparks and epic misery -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:55"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">punched their ticket
out of the losers' club the following year. So the White Sox' title not only
removed them from baseball's version of purgatory, but it left the Cubs all
alone in the certified losers club. A century of futility was now staring Cubs
fans in the face, and the White Sox fans -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:56"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">always in the
pronounced minority of Chicago's baseball fans -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:56"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">could gleefully wave
from the promised land.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">As the 2005 White Sox
gradually left Chicago for other locations, and most left the game altogether</span></span></span>--<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:57"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">only </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-24T12:30"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">Brandon
McCarthy</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"> still plays</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-24T12:30"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"> at the major league
level in 2017 -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:57"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">the team's victory
shirts</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"> faded, but they
rarely, if ever, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:57"></ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">were thrown away. If
nothing else, the Cubs continued to be on the outside looking in. And as long
as that was the case, the 2005 World Series title could be weaponized against
Cubs fans.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">But all that came to a
screeching halt on November 3, 2016. When Kris Bryant threw across the diamond
to Anthony Rizzo for the final out of the World Series, a lifetime of waiting
ended and </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:58"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">two-thirds of
Chicago's baseball fans</span></span></span> -- <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:58"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">at least</span></span></span> -- <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:58"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">exploded in joy. The
other one-third</span></span></span> -- <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:58"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">give or take a few
handfuls</span></span></span> -- <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:58"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">realized that their
game was over. No more could they hold the 2005 Commissioner's </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:59">T</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:59">t</del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">rophy aloft and expect
Cubs fans to covet it. Not only do the Cubs have their own trophy now, but
we're also a lot closer than the White Sox are to getting another one.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Caption !msorm; text-align: center !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Caption !msorm; text-align: center !msorm;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">But before the victory
parade and rally on the Friday after the Series ended, my family and I drove to
the ballpark to see the famed red marquee for ourselves. And the sight of it
brought me to tears, it was so beautiful. "WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS"
What more needs to be said?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">We drove down Addison
Street, to a spot in front of Sports World</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-24T12:31"></ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-24T12:31"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">, which is located
across the street from Wrigley Field. Nearly every other building in the area</span></span></span> -- <span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:00"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">on both Clark and
Addison Streets -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:02"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">has been torn down and
is waiting some new development to be built on the spot. But Sports World Chicago </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-24T12:31"></ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">is
doing a thriving business, selling W flags and all of the bragging shirts and
hats and car flags that White Sox fans bought eleven years ago now.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I stopped the car on
Addison, put my flashers on, and got out to enjoy the scene. There was an
excitement in the air, still lingering from the happy news out of Cleveland the
night before. As I returned to move the car</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03">, </ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03">--</del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">since Chicago tow
trucks are always ready to spring into action</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03">, </ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03">--</del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I notice</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03">d</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"> a White Sox fan,
talking on his cell phone</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03">,</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"> and looking at the
scene with a resigned disgust. He was looking at the same marquee that I was,
but it wasn't bringing a tear to his eye or a song to his heart. I was struck
by the dissonance between euphoria and </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:03"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">contempt, so I took
his picture to remember the moment.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm; page-break-after: avoid !msorm; text-align: center !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Caption !msorm; text-align: center !msorm;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">For the next few days,
life was about as good as it could be. I spent a moment at Ernie Banks' grave
in nearby Graceland Cemetery, and talked to a reporter who was at the site.
Every Cubs fan should have had a reporter to speak to, but mine wrote up a
story in the New York </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">Daily
News</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">,
and I became the grinning face of all Cubs fans for a 24-hour period. I didn't
mind that at all.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm; page-break-after: avoid !msorm; text-align: center !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"></span></span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 9.0pt; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">And then came the
election, less than a week after the Cubs won. All of the unpleasantness of the
2016 </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:06"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">campaign was coming to
an end, once and for all. The Cubs were a big story in their own right, but it
was magnified because it allowed us to somehow forget that one of the two main
candidates </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">was actually going to </span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">win
the presidency</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">.
Seeing a "Theo Epstein 4 President" sign outside of a Chicago bar
after the victory rally made me wish that it could become a reality. He'd
certainly win in Illinois, and probably in Massachusetts and all of New
England, too. That's not enough to become president, but it's a pretty good
start.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I was a reluctant
Hillary supporter at first, since Bernie was my guy in the primaries. Nobody
will ever be able to convince me that he wouldn't have beaten Trump, either,
but the worst part is we'll never know for certain. But she seemed to be able
to handle Trump in the debates, and that sealed the deal for me. So Hillary
wins, goodnight everybody, and let the good times roll.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">But that's not what
happened, was it?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I woke up on November
9 in a profound state of shock and fear. A lot of other Americans did, too. Sixty </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">million people voted
against Donald Trump, and yet he still won, anyway. He said he would only
accept the results if he won and -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:07"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">it still pains me to
type this out -- </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-21T00:07"></del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">that's just what
happened. So now what?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I went through the
pictures on my smartphone that </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">morning, looking for
something that could cheer me up. Perhaps putting a post to Instagram, and
sharing it with my Facebook and Twitter accounts, would make me feel better.
Something needed to do it, after all. And that's when I found the defiant White
Sox fan from a few nights earlier.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I realized that I felt
just like he must have felt outside of Wrigley Field, a few short hours after
the Cubs had finally ended their championship drought. He was upset, certainly,
but he was also representing his team and standing his ground in the process.
Cubs fans were probably too euphoric to pay him much mind, anyway.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">I looked at the
picture and saw myself in the shot, not as a White Sox fan but as someone
surrounded by a scene he didn't much enjoy. I realized that if he could stand the
scene at Clark and Addison Streets the day after the Cubs won the World Series,
there's no reason at all why I can't stand my ground in the emerging United
States of Trump. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 115% !msorm; margin-bottom: 10.0pt !msorm; mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719; mso-style-name: Normal !msorm;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif" "msorm"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170906T1719;">In Chicago, Trump lost
the popular vote to Clinton by a ratio of almost 7-to-1, so I'm pretty well
insulated from any sort of Trump-mania in the city I call home. But it's out
there in this country, and I better learn how to cope with it. As long as I can
make like that White Sox fan, I should be all right. And we still have that
trophy, don't we?</span></span></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-9920495359993572962017-10-25T16:40:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:12:31.836-04:00A Few of Our Favorite Things from Ballparks Around the Country by Abby & Jesse Mendelson<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
trip to the ballpark isn't all about balls and strikes, hits and runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We've been around the horn a couple of times—to
every major-league ballpark save the new Atlanta—and have collected not a few
baseball memories. Saw some great games, sure, and real clunkers. We've
collected plenty of memories that fuel two fans' lives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Some
on the field, some off, here, in alphabetical order by city, are our favorites:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Arizona Diamondbacks/Bank
One Ballpark</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Heat.
Heat and more heat. One hundred-degree heat. And an airplane hangar of a
ballpark.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Did
we say heat?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Atlanta Braves/Turner
Field</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Driving
on deadline from St. Louis, snarled in late-afternoon rush-hour traffic, we had
no chance to stop anywhere and eat. Exhausted, starving, we called a Georgia
peach who met us at our seats with salami sandwiches. The Braves game that night
is lost to history, but—mustard and rye and Hebrew National—we never forgot the
taste of that dinner!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Baltimore
Orioles/Memorial Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Way
back in '83, when Jesse was a wee shaver, we saw Oriole ace Storm Davis start
perfect, then fall apart, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cr-ushed</i> by
the Big Bash Twinkies—Bruno 'n' Herbie, Ward 'n' Gaetti. But neither Davis nor
the Eddie Murray/Rick Dempsey Birds ever lost their composure. We saw a strong
team, including a fabulous young shortstop named Ripken, picked 'em as
champeens, and were right!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Baltimore
Orioles/Oriole Park at Camden Yards</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Same
team, new park, and the place is packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With the throwback baseball stadium era underway, Camden Yards was the
leader, and to this day arguably still the best, with Eutaw Street, the
warehouse, the cavernous concourses. We loved nothing more than that outfield, led
by Mike Devereaux and heartthrob Brady Anderson, who made a sensational catch
to erase a home run. But this was 1994, two years before he crashed 50 homers, when
he was just a scrappy centerfielder with sideburns right out of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">90210</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Boston Red Sox/Fenway
Park</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Led by our brave companion and faithful guide the Red Rover, we
made our first pilgrimage to the fabled Fenway, 1982. Oh, we had been Red Sox
fans forever, never more so than in '75 when we watched the Classic on TV and
gyrated along with Carlton Fisk in Game Six. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stay fair!</i> But by '82, there had been many changes. El Tiante and
Freddie Lynn were both gone, and there, squatting behind the dish with the
visiting White Sox, wearing some truly dreadful togs, was Pudge. Carlton Fisk
as the enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron Kittle and Harold
Baines…and Pudge. Not even seeing Rice 'n' Yaz 'n' Dewey in their natural
habitat made up for that insult. Like seeing your ice cream scoop fall out of
the cone and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plop!</i> onto the sidewalk,
we just sat and stared.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chicago
Cubs/Wrigley Field</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> throwback park
before there were throwback parks! We fell forever in love way before the Cubs
game, when, sitting in a neighboring tavern, two perfect strangers from
Oklahoma treated us to pre-game beers. And it only got better from there, as
once we went inside, seeing Lake Michigan from the not-so-upper deck seats. Just
gorgeous!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Chicago White
Sox/New Comiskey</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">OK,
we admit it. We made a mistake. We didn't listen to Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad
Leroy Brown": <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On the South Side of
Chicago, in the baddest part of town...</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Yuck.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
took the train to the park. And then saw that it was one park too early for its
era. Nice-enough, sure, but without taste or class or, well, anything interesting.
We pined for Camden.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cincinnati Reds/Riverfront
Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was a memorable Labor Day outing, 1987, a trip to Riverfront to see the Reds
take on the Dodgers, followed by the greatest fireworks display these fans have
ever seen. By sheer chance, we stayed in the same hotel as the visiting
Angelinos, and so happened to meet manager Tommy Lasorda (big, blustery) and
announcer Vin Scully (humane, humble) in the elevator. For Jesse, still but a
lad, it was truly memorable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
his dad, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the</i> moment came in the park,
when then-Reds rightfielder</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Paul O'Neill butchered a fly ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking back to his position, O'Neill kept
his head down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">"You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">better</i>
hang your head, boy!" a little old apple-cheeked granny bellowed out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Hmm</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">, we said, seems
they take their baseball <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i>
seriously here in farm country.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Cleveland
Indians/Municipal Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Drab
July day, 1987, the Mistake by the Lake. Remembering the great line of that era</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">in Cleveland pennant fever is a 48-hour virus</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">the Indians are wallowing in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">another</i> lost season, a full 30 games
under .500. What <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i> could go wrong,
you ask? Oh, you ain't seen nothin' yet! The Rangers put us through a seven-run,
45-minute third inning, that’s what. Pete Incaviglia, Larry Parrish, and the
hits just kept on comin’!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
never went back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Colorado Rockies/Coors
Field</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">With
vendors yowling pi<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stach</i>yos outside
the ballpark, we dizzily found our seats, a full mile above sea level. In that
rarified air, the ball really motors. We witnessed a Marquis Grissom tater,
which flew faster than the speed of sound and landed, we believe, somewhere east
of Nebraska. After the game, wishing we had brought oxygen, we gingerly climbed
our way back down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Detroit Tigers/Tiger
Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">With
the Tigers hosting the fabled Stormin' Gorman Thomas/Cecil Cooper BrewCrew, we
saw the visiting Milwaukees bang back-to-back homers. Not to be outdone, Detroit
slugger Champ Summers walloped his own four-bagger off the facade in right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Clong!</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Houston Astros/Enron
Field</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
line entered our lexicon on an '00 trip to soupy, swampy Houston. Taking our
seats before the game, we gazed out at the field—the sloping outfield
reminiscent of this ballpark, the in-play flagpole reminiscent of that ballpark,
the jutting stands reminiscent of the other ballpark, the home run choo-choo
train reminiscent of Lionel. Jesse, who is, ah, minimally patient with wretched
excess, sat and looked, and looked, and looked. Finally, steam rising from his
ears, fed up with myriad self-indulgent design features that add <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing</i> to the game, he snarled,
"just play the damn game!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Which
to this day has been our rallying cry for anything that gets in the way of the
pure baseball experience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Kansas City
Royals/Kaufman Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was a beautiful Midwest Sunday in baseball's most beautiful modernist ballpark.
With the A's in town, and the famous fountains gurgling, we saw the visiting
Oaklanders</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">led by MVP Miguel Tejada and the juiced-up Jason
Giambi</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">pound out 21 runs on 21 hits, an all-time record
for us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Los Angeles
Angels/Anaheim Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When
the arthritic, re-tred Angels—Bob Boone and Rod Carew and Reggie Jackson all
way past their prime—gave visiting Mariner Jack Perconte a gift triple on a
catchable ball in right, well, we kind of lost interest. In the top of the first.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Los Angeles
Dodgers/Dodgers Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
beautiful ballpark, a beautiful night, a beat-up, below-.500 ballclub—Pedro
Guererro and five guys named Moe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Next
time, we vowed, we're bringing crossword puzzles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Miami Marlins/Pro
Player Park</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
were havin' a heat wave, a tropical heat wave, one steamy Sunday afternoon in
Miami. Wilting in the summer heat we counted 52 empty <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sections</i> of seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
all-time non-attendance record, at least for us. After that, who could remember
the game?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Milwaukee
Brewers/County Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was nearly the new century, and the visiting Mets were bound for glory. Heading
for the playoffs, and the Classic the following year, we picked them early as a
team of destiny. And our night in Milwaukee hardly proved us wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
old, decrepit County Stadium, the New Yorkers came out smokin'. Mike Piazza
pounded one out of the park. Benny Agbayani, all 225-pounds of Flyin' Hawaiian,
made a fabulous all-out diving catch in left. And to top off the game, on a
ball hit up the middle, which we tallied as a certain Brewer base hit, Met
second sacker Edgardo Alfonso ranged far to his right to stop the ball</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">worth a “!” in our scorebooks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">no-o-o!</i> as the late John Belushi
would say. With all-everything shortstop Rey Ordonez cutting in front of him
across the infield, Alfonso flipped Ordonez the ball, who chucked it on to
first for the put-out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
was our first</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and to date only</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">phantom double play, worth the first-ever, and still only, three
stars in our scorebooks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Milwaukee Brewers/Miller Park </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Same
team, new park, but this time it completed our first of two ballpark cycles. Driving
I-94 to Milwaukee, knowing that a storm</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and a dome</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">awaited us, the exuberant Jesse hollered, "I
don’t care if there's hail with fire in it, we’re going to see this game!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Minnesota Twins/Humphrey
Metrodome</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
dubbed it the Foam Dome, looming like a big cup of beer on the 10,000 Lakes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
town for the '87 World Series, we saw Kirbo 'n' Herbie 'n' the Man from Glad
beat up on the Cardinals. Oh, the billowing white roof. Oh, the white homer hankies!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Montreal Expos/Olympic
Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In a hall right out of a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> nightmare, the Expos and D'Backs beat at each other for ten
innings. Finally, in the bottom of the tenth, apparently tiring of the
proceedings, Vladimir Guerrero took matters in hand by simply <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parking</i> a low, inside pitch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As in, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I've
had enough of this</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As in, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">time
to go home</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As in, <i>damn!</i> did he belt it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">New York Mets/Shea
Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
beautiful August Sunday. Mets taking on the visiting Cubs. Bases loaded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mel Hall jacks one into the left field seats.
Then proceeds to take his victory lap around the bases, his batting gloves
flapping out of his back pockets. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodbye!</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
that moment, Jesse decided that for his batting-glove <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ta-ta</i>, Mel Hall was the absolute King of Cool, a player worthy of
emulation. So for the next, oh, 15,000 years Jesse always played ball with
something flapping out of his back pockets so he could wave goodbye like Mel
Hall.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesse's
dad is mightily happy that Jesse has outgrown it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
scene switches to Opening Day 2003. The year the Mets cratered to 66 wins and
we knew it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Cubs</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a full six months before all-time interloper Steve
Bartman’s name entered our consciousness</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">hung 15 on the hapless Mets in the single coldest baseball game
we’ve ever attended. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Brr!</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">New York Yankees/Yankee
Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Abby
pulls rank here, and shows his age.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Abby,
14, finally convinced his civilian (i.e., non-fan) father to take him to the
Bronx. Yankees hosted the execrable Washington Senators, whose biggest star was
38-year-old Gene Woodling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Undeterred
by such raw talent, Mickey Mantle belted two home runs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Abby
still has the scorecard.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Decades
later, night game in the House that Ruth, Lou Piniella hit a sac fly, bottom of
the first against the Pale Hose. Sox starter Britt Burns struck out 11, Yankee
Dave Righetti, then a starter, struck out seven, while the Pinstripers made the
1-0 score stand up. One of the most exciting games we've ever seen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oakland A's/Oakland-Alameda County Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
was a night we saw a near-murder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Foul
ball near us. Ball bounces, rolls, comes to a stop. Little kid just about has
the ball. Jersey-wearing adult fan snatches it away from the child.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
thought the crowd would kill the guy. Indeed, as an angry growl began to whip
around the stands, harsh words were said, names were called, and, finally,
before the fur really began to fly, the miscreant skulked out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
were glad to see him leave without bloodshed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Philadelphia
Phillies/Veterans Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">July,
1986, burning hot Sunday, sitting near the top of another '70s-era concrete
ashtray, baking in the heat, barely able to see a blessed thing forty stories
below us, we thought, time for ballparks like this to go.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Less
than a decade later, when the world caught up with us, we hoisted a victory
beer to celebrate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Pittsburgh
Pirates/Three Rivers Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Because
Pittsburgh is our home base, we saw many memorable things. Pirate pitcher John
Tudor notching two hits in an inning. Cub Dave Kingman stealing a base. Bobby
Bonilla belting one into the upper deck, the highest hit we've ever seen. The
return of playoff baseball to Pittsburgh in 1990. And so on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Perhaps
our all-time memorable moment came against the Cardinals in '91, when pre-PED Barry
Bonds hit an extra-inning, walk-off bomb off a Lee Smith 900 MPH fastball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have the sneaking suspicion that ball is
still flying somewhere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Close
second: Reds first baseman Pete Rose absolutely killed himself to catch a pop
foul. The Reds weren’t going anywhere, and Rose had already done everything a
man could do, but Charlie Hustle went for that ball full tilt, crashing into
the photographer's box at the edge of the field.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
capper came when Rose, who made the out, returned to make sure the photographer
was all right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Pittsburgh
Pirates/PNC Park</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Black Out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
20 consecutive years of losing seasons, 1993-2012, the Pirates finally broke
.500, and given a revised and generous playoff schedule, steamed into the
post-season.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
the one-game Wild Card, manager Clint Hurdle asked the fans to dress entirely
in black.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which
the sell-out crowd did.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Relentlessly
chanting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cue-to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cue-to! </i>at the totally clueless Reds
moundsman, the fans loved seeing the Andrew McCutchen/Russell Martin Bucs beat
the Reds. The Pirates’ first post-season victory since the team's heartbreaking
loss to the Braves in '92.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arguably
the most exciting baseball game of our lives.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">San Diego Padres/Jack Murphy Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When
the car died in the parking lot before the game we knew we were going to have
trouble.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
called for a tow, got the car to a garage, got Mom and Jesse's baby brother to
a hotel, and took a taxi back to see a memorable close to an unmitigated
fiasco.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Right
next to us</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">right <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">there</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Phillie Mike Schmidt hit a meteor of a foul
ball, which caused a nearby fan, in his haste to get to the ball, to tear up
his hand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Great.
Busted car. Stranded in San Diego. And now some guy bleeding all over the
seats.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
a great walk-off, eight-time batting champ Tony Gwynn whacked a game-winning
triple, and the Padres reigned triumphant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
even found discarded scorecards to cap the night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">San Francisco
Giants/Candlestick Park</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">It
was a sunny July doubleheader and we were dressed for it. Wearing heavy shirts,
sweaters, and lined raincoats, we settled in for what seemed like a long Northern
California winter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then,
unexpectedly, the wind died down, the clouds departed, and we did a slow
striptease, shedding our thirty-seven snowsuits in the bright afternoon sun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then,
Sandy Frisco being Sandy Frisco, the weather turned right around, and we
quickly retrieved all our clothes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
think the Cardinals dropped both ends of the doubleheader, but our teeth were
chattering too loudly to talk, and our fingers were too numb to keep score.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Seattle Mariners/Safeco
Field</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back
in '01, it was Ichiro mania all over Seattle and for good cause. He fielded
like a demon and belted the pelota at a .350 clip to cop the batting title, won
Rookie of the Year and MVP honors, and led the Mariners to a record 116 wins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
our game in Seattle's dreary, dark, dank dungeon of a ballpark, Ichiro beat out
an infield single in the first inning to score the game's only run.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">St. Louis
Cardinals/Busch Stadium</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
'00, the heyday of the wink-and-nod PED era, 40,000 fans showed up in red
Cardinals T-shirts to watch Giant Barry Bonds take on Mark McGwire in a batting
practice home run derby. As Bonds literally smashed scoreboard lights, sending
cascades of glass into the rightfield seats, McGwire hit balls into the fourth
deck in left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a display of raw
power we have never seen equaled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sure,
since then both players, and others, have excoriated this pair for their
obvious PED use</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">—</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and their continued evasions about it. Our take?
It was how the game was played back then, and everybody enjoyed the show. The
current spate of revisionism has hardly dampened our memories of that special
night.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Tampa Bay Rays/Tropicana
Field</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Before
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">big changes</i>, back when the team was
the Devil Rays, and the best they could offer was an aging Fred McGriff, we
went one night—and, after a pre-game visit to their cigar bar—felt distinctly as
if we were in a warehouse, waiting for a guy on a forklift to change the bases<span style="background: white; color: black;">, and to be asked to turn the lights off when
we left.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Texas Rangers/The Ballpark at Arlington</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big,
Texas-style ballpark. Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, and the Baja Marimba
Band. They went on to win a whopping 71 games that year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Waiting
for some action, we saw DH David Segui hit a home run into the right field
seats and score it as such.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then
there's an on-field conference. The umpires decide it was wasn't a homer. It
was just a loud foul ball that everyone miss-saw.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We
hate replay. And cried for replay. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Can't
anybody here umpire this game?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Toronto Blue
Jays/Skydome</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Skydome,
Sunday, in the shadow of the CN Tower. Roger Clemens' 2,000th K, a milestone if
ever there were one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Washington
Nationals/Nationals Park</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Is
there a greater thrill than seeing your son on the ballfield?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">OK,
while Jesse is no player, he did spend a season as a volunteer groundskeeper.
[Hope to read more about this someday. Next issue?] Wearing the red shirt,
spraying the infield, collecting every stray ball he could, no ever had a
better time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Except
his dad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Abby Mendelson</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> is a writer and
educator in Pittsburgh whose books include histories of the Pittsburgh
Steelers, Pittsburgh neighborhoods and houses of worship, among others. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jesse Mendelson</b>, his son, is an
executive in Washington, D.C., skilled baseball historian like his dad, and
highly successful fantasy baseball player.</span></i></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-41827438979562673022017-10-25T16:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:14:33.237-04:00Mini Helmets and Mini Golf Or: How a 10-Year-Old Non-Baseball Fan Endured a Game at Kauffman Stadium by Aaron Rennie<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I was a kid, my favorite sport was baseball. I grew up in central Connecticut,
the unofficial Mason-Dixon line of Boston-New York rooting interests, and would
get up at the crack of dawn to race to our doorstep, bring in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hartford Courant</i> and immediately flip to
the baseball standings. In 1983, when I was seven, my mom gave in to my
relentless hounding and got our family four tickets to see a Red Sox-Yankees
game (I didn’t care where, and it turned out to be Fenway Park). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
had four separate rooting interests. My mom, a Brooklyn Dodgers fan as a girl
in New Jersey, hated the Yankees and pulled for the Red Sox. I sided with the
Bronx Bombers, although my favorite team was the Cincinnati Reds. My older
brother, who didn’t care about sports in the slightest, rooted for the Fenway
Franks. (Every other inning it was, “Mom, can I get another hot dog?”) And my
curmudgeonly father was rooting for a pitchers’ duel. (“Goddamned traffic.
Massachusetts drivers don’t know how to drive. I want to get the hell out of
here.”)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nearly
35 years later, our rooting interests have changed somewhat. My mom has become
a big-time Red Sox supporter. My brother, who still doesn’t care about any
other sports, to my amazement has become a Red Sox fan. My dad still thinks “watching
baseball is like watching paint dry.” And I’ve come around to my dad’s point of
view more than I want to admit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Well,
that’s not exactly the case. Whereas my old man “would rather watch grass grow,”
I thoroughly enjoy going to one or two games a year, usually at Citi Field. It’s
just I can’t be bothered with the day-in, day-out grind of the endless regular
season. The pennant race? Sure. The playoffs? Definitely. But I simply can’t
get emotionally invested 162 times a year like I could when I was a kid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
fact, my fandom has dwindled over the past couple decades to the point where
baseball’s probably my seventh favorite sport. College football is first,
followed by World Cup soccer, then the NFL, NBA, college hoops, and tennis in
some order. Baseball and hockey are next, sports I enjoy come playoff time but
mostly ignore the rest of the year. (I don’t care much for golf and can’t be
bothered with the Left Turn 500 circuit.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
said, I still enjoy heading to a ballpark on a sunny day, and the chance to
check out a new stadium always piques my interest. So when I booked a mid-July
trip to the Heartland with my 10-year-old daughter, Alex, I was geeked that the
Royals would be playing a home game the night before we were to fly home, as I’d
never been to Kauffman Stadium before and it always looked beautiful on TV. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Before
the trip, I told Alex that we’d be doing a lot of things that she wanted to do,
like ziplining and going to a water park (not that I’d necessarily be opposed
to either), but that there were two things I wanted to do in Kansas City: eat
barbecue and go to the Royals-Rangers game. She was amenable, especially since
we added indoor skydiving to the docket, but I knew she’d be
less-than-enthusiastic about the game. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I asked her how excited she was on a scale of 1-10 to be going to the game, she
said, “I would probably say about a 3. I don’t like baseball but I'm excited to
go to a new stadium and experience something new.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
got to the stadium only about a half hour before the first pitch</span>—<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">goddamned
traffic</span>—<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">but
we had plenty of time to get food, as the lines weren’t long at all. The Royals
have a promotion on Fridays where peanuts</span>—<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">and hot dogs</span>—<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">are just a
dollar, so I grabbed a bag and Alex excitedly got Dippin' Dots in a mini
plastic Royals helmet. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I
think it's adorable. It's so cute,” she said, admiring the blue brim handle of
her new helmet. “It's, like, a bowl cup, and the head thing</span>—<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I don't know
what to call it</span>—<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">but
you can pick it up from there. It's adorable and I love it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
then hustled to our seats I had gotten that afternoon on StubHub, in the front
row of 439, the farthest section in right field, near the foul pole. They had a
great view of the outfield fountains.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I
think (Kauffman Stadium) very interesting,” Alex said once we got to our seats.
“It’s a lot different from the Mets’ stadium, which is the other one I’ve been
to, so it’s a new experience and it’s really cool…I like the huge screen with
the crown on it, and also the fountain, water thing. It’s so cool ‘cause, like,
if you sit right by that then you’re gonna have such a nice breeze and you’re
gonna have such a nice view, too. It’s really cool.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Alas,
I had made a tactical error when selecting our tickets. I failed to account for
the fact that the sun would be directly in our faces for the first several
innings, making viewing very difficult for someone who didn’t care at all for
baseball. Fortunately, I have a creative daughter. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
pass the time, Alex made up a game where she was the proprietor of a store that
sold peanuts. She cracked open the shells and dumped the contents into the mini
helmet that earlier had contained the Dippin’ Dots. (Yes, it was still sticky.)
She had me pretend to be a customer and request a certain number of peanuts to
be cracked. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“It
is very messy but it’s pretty fun ... just getting to crush something.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two
innings in the blazing sun were enough, and we headed to the concessions behind
the outfield for some Belfonte’s ice cream. Yes, it came in another mini
helmet, and it was awesome. We watched most of the third and fourth innings
behind the fountains, which was a great vantage point. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
Alex discovered something else miniature she liked at the ballpark: mini golf.
The planners at Kauffman Stadium had thought of everything. In order to attract
families, or at least placate kids, they built an area behind the outfield with
a carousel, a playground, a picnic area and a five-hole mini golf course, which
cost $2 to play. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
Alex and I got our putters and balls, a perky young woman wearing head-to-toe
Royals gear asked if she could play with us. Her name was Alyson, a college student
whose summer job is being a fan ambassador. She roams throughout the stadium
and interacts with fans, making sure they are having a good time. In our case,
she asked how we were enjoying the stadium experience, and peppered us with
questions about our trip to the Heartland and what it’s like to live in New
York. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After
our brief game, Alex and I parted ways with Alyson and saw the Royals had added
a run to extend their lead to 3-0. It was only entering the sixth inning, but
Alex asked if we could go. It was already nearly 9 p.m., we had a half-hour
drive back to our hotel and I had set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. to head to the
airport, so I agreed. By the time we got to the hotel, the game was tied, and
the Rangers wound up winning 5-3. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
figured the sport itself didn’t really captivate Alex, but I was curious about
her stadium experience. I still have fond memories of the sights, sounds and
smells of Fenway from when I was a kid, and I was hoping the Kauffman Stadium
fountains, or at least the mini helmets and mini golf, would rub off on Alex. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
had, to a degree. When I asked her how she would rate her stadium experience,
she said it was a six. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Well,
there was mini golf, and I love mini golf,” she said. “But baseball, like I
said, is not my favorite sport. I wasn’t enjoying the baseball that much, but
it was exciting because we were winning for most of it. (But overall) it was
enjoyable, yes. It was fun.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally,
I asked Alex if she would go to another baseball game.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Ummmm...it
depends on what team it is, and if the stadium has mini golf.”</span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-57052127636508266612017-10-25T16:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:16:05.802-04:00The Inspiration of Dock Ellis – It’s Not Just About LSD by Rich Puerzer<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Dock
Ellis was a complicated dude. When he played baseball he was a great pitcher
and teammate, and generally a bad ass. He was among the first generation of
African-American athletes who did not put up with being mistreated due to the
color of their skin. Unfortunately, due to his addictions, which he kicked much
later in his life, his career was prematurely abbreviated. He was also a
terrible husband and father for quite a while.<span>
</span>The complicated nature of Dock is probably what has inspired so many
artists to create works that reference the feats and life of the ballplayer. Of
course many have been drawn to write and sing about the fact that Dock threw a
no-hitter while he was on LSD. You probably already know something about that. But
many more have been inspired by other aspects of Dock’s larger than life
personality, his exploits on and off of the baseball field, and the racism that
he faced and fought. Let me tell you about some of the artists and art that
Dock Ellis has inspired.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">In
1973, Dock met the poet and author Donald Hall when Hall and four other
friends, all distinctly non-athletic but huge baseball fans, took part in the
early weeks of the Pirates spring training. Hall and his friends co-authored a
book about their experiences, <i>Playing Around: The Million-Dollar Infield
Goes to Florida</i> (Little, Brown and Company, 1974). It is an entertaining
read, and mentions Dock here and there. But the best outcome of their
experiences was the relationship that formed between Donald Hall and Dock
Ellis. They came to know and respect each other, and eventually collaborate on
a great book, <i>Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball</i> (Coward, McCann
& Geoghegan, 1976). As you might expect from the collaboration of a poet
and a bit more complicated than average ballplayer, this is not a regular baseball
biography. While it does recount Dock’s youth, his time playing for Negro
League great Chet Brewer in Los Angeles, his ascension to the majors, and his
successes and trials to the time it was authored, it spends more time painting
a distinct picture of a talented black man trying to make it in the majors and
in the world. The general message from the press during Dock’s career focused
on and even sensationalized his bad boy image—there was a <i>Sport</i> magazine
article in September 1971 about Dock titled “If It Wasn’t For Baseball, I’d
Probably Be In Prison.” <i>Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball</i> tells a
much more nuanced and complete story, at least through 1975, of Dock’s life. It
is a fine book on Dock, and the baseball world for a black player in the
1970’s.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Another
poet who was moved to write on Dock was Tom Clark, who wrote one of the coolest
baseball poetry collections, <i>Fan Poems</i> (North Atlantic Books, 1976). <i>Fan
Poems</i> features three poems about Dock as well as a pencil sketch of Dock’s
profile. Clark also included Dock in his book <i>Baseball: The Figures </i>(Serendipity
Books, 1976). This is another unique book, which has two pages for each of 33
different players active during the mid-1970’s. One page is a painting by Clark
of the player, some printed in color and some in black and white, and the other
page is made up of quotes attributed to and somewhat representative of the player.
The painting of Dock features him in a warm-up jacket and stocking cap with a
serious countenance, and he looks to me like he is answering a question with
one of the controversial quotes listed on the next page. It is a cool image. From
the work of Donald Hall and Tom Clark, it is clear that Dock was a poet’s kind
of ballplayer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Dock
has also inspired a few singer-songwriters/bands to write about his exploits. I
know that there are more out there, but my short roster of performers who have
written really good songs about Dock is Chuck Brodsky, S.F. Seals, and The
Baseball Project. Chuck Brodsky, falls on the folksinger end of the music
spectrum. He sings “Doc Ellis’ No-No,” from the album <i>Baseball Ballads</i>
(CD Baby, 2002), simply accompanied by acoustic guitar. S.F. Seals, a band
named after a Pacific Coast Team and led by singer Barbara Manning, sing about
the infamous no-hitter on the song “Doc Ellis,” found on the <i>Baseball
Trilogy EP</i> (Matador Records, 1993). Their song is a noisy, crunchy,
somewhat psychedelic rock song with lyrics about where Dock’s mind was that day.
I love both songs and think that they both interpret the crazy and likely
one-of-a-kind game in a brilliant way. And about the “alleged event”—although
he threw the no-hitter against the San Diego Padres on June 12, 1970, it was
not until 1984 that Dock made the claim that he was on LSD when he threw the
no-no. Some have argued that it is hard enough to throw a no-hitter, let alone
on the influence of a mind-altering substance. But it is too good a story to be
denied. That said, later in his life Dock spoke of the LSD-enhanced no-hitter
with embarrassment.<span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The
Baseball Project wrote a song about a different, but equally controversial, chapter
in Dock’s pitching record. (As an aside, as someone who grew up obsessing on
the somewhat unique combination of college radio and Bill James in the 1980’s,
to me, The Baseball Project is easily in the top-five coolest things to happen
in this world in the last decade.) The Baseball Project’s song “The Day That
Dock Went Hunting Heads,” from their album <i>3<sup>rd</sup></i> (Yep Roc
Records, 2014), is about the game Dock pitched on May 1, 1974. Dock was annoyed
with what the Cincinnati Reds had been saying in the press about his Pirates,
and so he hit the first three batters in the Reds lineup, Pete Rose, Joe
Morgan, and Dan Driessen, and tried to hit Tony Perez and Johnny Bench before
he was pulled from the game. It’s a great song—it’s catchy, it rocks, and it
namechecks Pirate manager Danny Murtaugh. Like the SF Seals and Chuck Brodsky
tunes, it tells a great story and does justice to the story of Dock Ellis.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The
final artistic effort I will describe on Dock Ellis is the 2014 film, <i>No No:
A Dockumentary</i>, directed by Jeffrey Radice. <i>No No</i> is a great
documentary, telling the story of Dock’s life, both on and off of the baseball
field.<span> </span>It uses a great deal of beautiful
footage of Ellis playing in the 1970’s, interviews with players he played with
and against, relatives, and friends, and interviews with Dock himself. The film
works very hard to present a complete picture of Dock Ellis, the man. Of course
it tells the tale of the LSD no-hitter, as well as the story of Dock being
called on the carpet for wearing curlers, and the controversy he created when
he stated that they would not let brothers (Dock and Vida Blue) pitch against
each other in the All-Star Game. But it also looks beyond the controversies,
and details the impact the death of teammate and friend Roberto Clemente had on
Dock, and the respect that Dock’s teammates Steve Blass and Bruce Kison had for
him. Further, it describes Dock’s addictions to alcohol and drugs, and the pain
it brought to him and others. Dock states in the film that he was always on
drugs when he pitched—this includes greenies, which were ubiquitous in major
league clubhouses. It describes the harrowing tale of abuse that he inflicted
on his wife Paula when he was released by the Yankees. To me, the most powerful
scene in the film is when Dock reads a letter which Jackie Robinson wrote to
him. Dock begins to break down as he reads the words of encouragement that
Jackie wrote, urging him to continue to stand up for himself. I don’t know that
I would have thought of the more than slightly unhinged Dock Ellis and the
dignified Jackie Robinson as having much in common, but both men have had a
truly profound and positive impact on others. Dock Ellis died in 2008, and
before his death he worked as a drug counsellor. He was very effective, and as you
can imagine, did not follow the book in his approach to helping others. <i>No
No</i> is a really great film, definitely worth your time, and as of the
writing of this, available on Netflix. I’ve watched it six times, and enjoy it
more with each viewing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I
highly recommend that you seek out the books, art, songs, and film Doc Ellis
has inspired. Like <i>Zisk</i> itself, they tell tales of baseball from off the
beaten path. It looks like Dock’s inspiration continues to live on as well. In
preparing this article, I came across a recent story that Ice Cube is producing
a biopic on Dock Ellis, with his son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., playing the role of
Dock. I can’t wait!!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Rich
Puerzer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">
teaches engineering and occasionally baseball at Hofstra University on Long
Island.<span> </span>His most recent baseball
research project was on the Harrisburg Giants of the Negro Leagues in the
1920’s, who fielded one of the greatest outfield combinations in the history of
baseball. Check it out!!</span></i></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-1075448272074514832017-10-25T15:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:17:39.922-04:00Angels in the Announcer’s Booth by Donna Ramone<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It
was years before I fully understood who my angel was. I don’t watch baseball. I
doubt I even know all the rules to baseball. But in my hour of need, when I
thought I was inconsolable and near death, a sound came from the heavens to the
airwaves. An angel called out, soothing and calm, wishing me a very pleasant
good evening, wherever I may be.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Living
in Southern California, a person generally gives their town of residence as X
hours from Los Angeles, the X representing drive time without traffic.
Therefore, I lived an hour from Los Angeles, but it rarely took me an hour to
get to or from Los Angeles. This particular afternoon, I happened to be in Los
Angeles and I was hungry. Having purchased comic books from my favorite store,
I noticed the orange place across the street with the stupid name: Cheebo.
Figured, why not, I would go to Cheebo for food. Goddamned Cheebo. While eating
with my partner at the time, we both remarked that it was overpriced but good
enough. Sandwiches and shit. I laughed at the name Cheebo the entire time. So
stupid. Cheebo.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The
vomiting started by the time I made it across Sunset Blvd. I looked directly at
Cheebo as I puked into the gutter. The vomiting wouldn’t stop long enough for
me to point at the stupid orange building with the stupid fucking name and say
to all the passersby, “Cheebo did this.” The most I managed was, “Fuckin’
Chee-HYRUUKK!” I still hate Cheebo. I searched their Yelp reviews and no one
reported “vomit,” “puke,” or “throw up.” All those affected must never leave
reviews. I never leave reviews, either.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Puke,
puke, puke, puke, puke. I wouldn’t stop puking. Cheebo was Satan possessing me.
I canceled my plans to meet friends that night and puked. I was throwing up in
bags, out the car window while driving, into random trashcans. Every time I
assumed there was no way I could possibly expel anything from my body, vomit
would manifest and eject itself out of my mouth. Stopping at the nearest
market, I barely managed to walk myself in to try get some Pepto Bismal and end
my suffering. But alas, I was in Los Angeles, and I had just walked into my
first Whole Foods. All I could find were some essential oils before running out
the door and puking in the parking lot. I was sure this was the end. Behold, a
pale horse, and his name that sat upon him was Cheebo.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">By
now I was begging for my beautiful, personal, underappreciated toilet. I called
out for sanctuary as I made my way home. But it was close to five in the
evening, on a Friday, and I live an hour away from Los Angeles. That means it
will be another three or four hours before I would get home. As I lay my head
partially out the window (in the event of more vomit), unable to move or speak
and waiting for death’s sweet embrace, my partner turned on the radio.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">“No,
please,” I wanted to say. “No music…” but there was no music. Just a voice. A
very lovely, calming voice. Dulcet, I think it’s called. It was the voice of an
angel, but talking about the Dodgers. In that moment, I knew what every
baseball fan has known since 1950. There is voice that makes even our worst
loses, tolerable. A voice that’s always letting us know it’s a wonderful day to
be alive. A voice wishing all of us a pleasant good evening, wherever we may
be. Vin Scully is my angel. Hour after hour of crawling traffic on my way home,
Vin Scully was there. His tone, his calls, his joy all made me feel better. I
had never listened to baseball before, but I knew there was someone incredibly
special talking to me through that AM station that night. A moment before, I
just wanted silence and to get home. Now, I could have sat in traffic with my
head out that window listening to Vin Scully call the Dodger game until the sun
came up. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Over
a decade after I vomited all over Los Angeles, Vin Scully retired. Even though
I was no longer living in California, I was still tuning in (thank you,
internet radio phone apps). I watched all the ceremonies. I listened to his
last games. I still don’t know all the rules to baseball, but that’s never why
I listened. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">After
announcing his final home game, my angel spoke and said, “<span style="color: #1a1a1a;">You and I have been friends for a long time, but I know
in my heart that I've always needed you more than you've ever needed me, and
I'll miss our time together more than I can say.” </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I cried so hard, for a moment I thought I might puke. <span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span> </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><b>Donna
Ramone</b> learned everything she knows about baseball from movies and history
podcasts. She’s a </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Razorcake</span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> contributor
and advocate for humans and animals (even the ugly ones). Today she lives in
Salt Lake City and really wishes you would stop with the </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">SLC Punk</span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> jokes already. <span> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-60257903827536854962017-10-25T15:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:19:54.524-04:00The Milton Berle of MLB: Investigating Big Papi’s Hall of Fame Case by Michael T. Fournier & Mike Faloon<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">At the end of his 2015 season, David Ortiz hit his 500th home run.
This dinger heightened discussion of Big Papi’s Hall of Fame credentials, especially
with the announcement that 2016 would be his last season.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">And what a last season it was! Ortiz slashed .315/.401/.620 with
38 home runs and 127 RBI. These final numbers cemented his HOF case in the
minds of every Boston sports fan.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The rest of the country? Maybe not so much. After all, no
designated hitter has been voted in, and PED allegations nag Papi’s case.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Zisk</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">
decided to investigate both sides. Arguing the case <i>for</i> Ortiz is Sox
homer Michael T. Fournier, who wrote about Red Sox wives and flipping Roger
Clemens the bird in past issues. Taking the side <i>against</i> Ortiz’s
enshrinement is <i>Zisk</i> co-honcho Mike
Faloon.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> We’re rolling.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> All right.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I’m going to advocate a position I don’t necessarily agree with,
and I look forward to hearing your response: David Ortiz is no Hall of Famer.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Why not?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He rarely took the field, a career DH, for starters. Also, a slug
of a baserunner. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> [Laughs] Not a great base runner. He would steal maybe two bases
a year, and when he stole a base or when he hit a triple, those were great
games. Watching that fat bastard run. [Laughter] So much fun, such a crowd
pleaser. Pitchers would stop paying attention to him and he would get good
jumps and steal bases.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> That’s back with the Twins?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> No, like last year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Really?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He was good for one or two a year, yeah. (Red Sox radio announcer
Joe) Castiglione would have a field day. Just freak out, “Ah he stole a base!”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> That’s how Mets fans would react when Bartolo Colón would get a
hit.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Oh certainly, yeah.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> But then Bartolo goes doesn’t go into the Hall of Fame, so.… </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I think that Ortiz’s one or two stolen bases a year and his one
triple a year, that’s just icing on the cake. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> And it’s a considerable cake. As a Colón apologist I have to concede
the base running point—Ortiz’s skills on the basepaths were more qualitative
than quantitative: Fournier 1, Faloon 0. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Specialization
and Boston</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> If there’s going to be a move by the Hall of Fame to accept the
steroid era as just another era, </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">then era of specialization should be taken into account as well.
And it already is, right? There are closers in the Hall of Fame.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> The DH, though terribly flawed, does go back to 1974. That’s forty
plus years.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> And certainly Rivera’s going to be—he’s in. And I expect Trevor
Hoffman to get in pretty soon. It’s a drag that Edgar Martinez isn’t in there
yet, but he’s—we talked about this last night—he’s penalized because he played
for Seattle his entire career.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I think some of the reservations about Ortiz as a first ballot
candidate are also based on geography and laundry. He played so many years for
such a prominent team and it’s such an obvious choice there’s going to be push
back. There are people like me who think, “Derek Jeter, first ballot? No!”
That’s not based on a logical argument, it’s emotional. Ortiz probably gets
some of that, too, an anti-Boston backlash.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Right. There’s certainly an emotional argument against every
Boston sports figure. [Laughter] I think part of, in my mind being a good
Boston sports fan involves knowing everybody else’s teams. Because the
perception is that we’re a bunch of jerks. And there’s truth to that but that’s
not all there is. I always wear my hat to the airport or when I travel.
Inevitably some Yankees fan will be like “Ugh, Boston huh?” Expecting me to be
like, “Shut up, khed!” And this year it’s super easy, the Red Sox are having a
good year. But Aaron Judge is awesome.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Gary Sanchez is likeable, too.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Gary Sanchez, yup.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> The current Yankees are harder to root against. Another thing
about Ortiz is that he’s one of the few Boston luminaries to leave town on good
terms with the team and the fans.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Right. Yup.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> They ticked off Nomar by pursuing Alex Rodriguez, and then traded
Nomar in the middle of a pennant race. Mo Vaughn’s name was dragged through the
mud before he shipped out. Ted Williams famously not tipping his cap on his
last Fenway home run. Ortiz broke the mold, his stock just continued to rise,
which led me to wondering who’s the last athlete of color to be on that level
in Boston? Certainly not Pedro or Manny. Do we go back to Bill Russell?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Well, Bill Russell was never accepted here.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> No?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Someone broke into his house and took a shit on his bed.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I never knew that. I thought he was well-liked.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> They never stole anything. They just went in and took a shit on
his bed. Like, “Know what your place is.” Brutal. I wonder if Ortiz gets a pass
because he’s Hispanic instead of African American.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> There’s some African-
American Patriots specifically, who get notice. Malcolm Butler had that great
interception which iced the Seahawks Super Bowl. But that’s not a longstanding
career. The Celtics just signed Gordon Haywood, and he’s a white dude, so he’s
going to have an easier time being accepted here. The scuttlebutt is that there
is no racism in Boston; there obviously is. It’s a factor. Which I think is why
David Price is having such a hard time. It’s way easier for white pitchers to
come to Boston and be accepted than black pitchers. Or black players in
general. I can’t think of any African- American player, or player of color,
who’s had a sendoff like that. Maybe Paul Pierce. He signed a one-day contract
with the Celtics to retire and they’ll put his number up. Kevin Garnett gets a
pass. Ray Allen does not get a pass because he went to Miami. But then, Roger
Clemens and Wade Boggs went to the Yankees to get their rings.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Going back to the quantitative/qualitative dynamic, the DH could
be around for another 45 years and it’ll still suck. On the issue of DHs in the
Hall of Fame, and this DH in particular, I have to claim this point: Fournier
1, Faloon 1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Chronology</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">What are your first memories of him Ortiz with the Red Sox? Were
you rooting for him early on back in, what, 2003?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> 2003.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> So he was there for the Aaron Boone home run.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">: Theo (Epstein) was doing a bunch of stuff. Like, he did closer
by committee instead of having a closer at the beginning of I want to say the
2002 season, 2003. They lost their first game because of the closer committee.
Brandon Lyon gave up some huge dinger to the Devil Rays, I think. And there
were so many position dudes in the mix that were not big pieces. Millar broke
his contract with some Japanese team to sign with the Sox. , Bill Mueller nobody
knew. There was Jeremy Giambi, Shea Hillenbrand. There was a log jam at first.
They finally jettisoned Hillenbrand for Byung Hung Kim in 2003 and that freed
up a spot, then Ortiz started coming on. I saw his first Red Sox walk-off.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> You were there?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Yeah. It was an Orioles game. The Sox were down 5-2 in the ninth
and Todd Walker hit a three-run homer and Fenway just freaked out. Everyone
just lost their shit. Kim pitched a clean top of the ninth and Ortiz hit one
out. So, I was there. I was like, “These dude’s gonna do it, he’s pretty good.”
I definitely remember that. And in the 2003 ALDS he hits the walk-off home run
after Vlad Guerrero hits the grand slam to tie it. I think it was 6-2, Guerrero
hit a grand slam and then it’s 6-6 and Guerrero is like, “No, fuck <i>you</i>.”
[Laughter] Ortiz hit one out and we were all watching at the Silhouette in
Allston and all freaked out. We got Brazilian barbecue after that. Like, “This
is the best!” He’s awesome. Ortiz just started coming through in 2003 and then
2004. Those back to back games, Game 4 and Game 5 of the ALCS, were eleven
hours. Just complete exhaustion. But he was the best. He was great.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I’m in favor of factoring in post-season performances and concede
this point: Fournier 2, Faloon 1. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Jordan
and Pippen and Milton, rememberin’</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Manny Ramirez was the other big bat in that line up. Were they
seen as equals or was it more of a Jordan/Pippen thing? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> That’s a good question.<b> </b>Ortiz was the set up for Manny.
Ortiz was hitting third and Manny was hitting fourth. Manny was brilliant. I
mean he certainly smoked weed in the Green Monster between innings and he cut
off throws, like that famous time when Manny dived to catch a cutoff throw made
by Johnny Damon. So funny. But he would swing and miss at a pitch in April so
that in August… Mussina would be like, “I shut him out in April on this knuckle
slider” and Manny would just sit on it. He would plant seeds and wait on them
to blossom months later, it was awesome. So he was really good. But Ortiz was
the hero of the Yankees series. And Manny was the MVP of the World Series but
nobody remembers that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">: That series was anti-climactic.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I can’t remember much honestly about the World Series. I remember
the 11-9 first game, Wakefield was just serving up pork chops.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Like softball, yeah.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Bellhorn hit home runs in three different games in a row, Game 6
and Game 7 of the ALCS, Game 1 of the Series—I remember that. I remember that
Jeff Suppan got picked off at third. But I don’t remember much about the World
Series. I don’t remember Manny’s role in the World Series. I just know that
they won because of Ortiz.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> The Ortiz legend came to fruition pretty quickly then, didn’t it?
By year two, if not sooner, he’s already Big Papi. Any sense of when he
acquired that nickname?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I think it’s a dick joke. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> The Milton Berle of MLB?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Or the Iggy Pop of MLB, yeah. He put it down on the table so
often. Like yup, I’m going to come through right here, you know. I don’t have
any evidence for that but I’ve been under the impression that it’s just some
colossal dick joke that’s been pulled on everybody.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">On the subject of nicknames and their back stories, I concede another
point: Fournier 3, Faloon 1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Nine
Lives</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> There were certainly a lot of those kinds of nicknames at that
time. He also seemed to have nine lives as a player. He would have a dip, miss
games because of an injury or have a slow start. Then the next year, he’d find
his swing again. He kept coming back. It was remarkable to watch him do that. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I think the first full baseball season I was in Orono, 2009 I
think, the assumption was just that he was done.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He was toast.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Because he didn’t get a home run until May or something like
that. Awful, you know. And then with the Bobby Valentine year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Oh I forgot about that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> The whole team just gave up. That was Jon Lester’s worst year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> What year was that?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> 2012. Everybody hated Bobby Valentine.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> That soured quickly.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He talked so much shit. He was ragging people up and down during
spring training.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> With the Mets he would do weird stuff publicly, and it would draw
attention to him but away from players. It may not have made sense immediately
but there was a logic to it. Was Ortiz in the crosshairs with any of that or
was he one of those guys who went to management like, “Valentine’s messing
up everything”?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He would do some dumb shit. He smashed the phone in the dugout,
and they gave it to him as a retirement present last year and he was visibly
nonplussed. He got in fights sometimes, he talked about getting traded to the
Yankees sometimes. [Laughs] </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I never heard about that. <span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He just knew what buttons to push. “Fuck this, man, the Yankees
are going to respect me.” [Laughter] </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Did those things dent his image or were fans pretty consistently
in his corner?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Everyone wanted him to do well. I think everyone always wanted
him to come back and be the same guy. Certainly in 2013 he was the same guy.
The Red Sox, nobody thought they were going to win in 2013. In 2004 everybody
hoped they would but following 2003 it was like what bad bounce is going to
screw it all up this time. 2007 it was kind of a foregone conclusion. And in
2013 it was the Boston Marathon bombing that did it. Ortiz cussing in front of
forty thousand people and the FCC being like, We understand, it’s okay. Nobody
else could have gotten away with that. Maybe Pedroia could have gotten away
with that. But since it was Ortiz…</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> That’s right. His hitting in that series was otherworldly. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Yeah, the Sox were dead in the water against the Tigers. Anibal
Sanchez almost no-hit them the first game and that second game was Scherzer and
they put in Benoit. Ortiz hit it out on the first pitch. They were dead. It was
going to be them going back to Detroit down 2-0. And that grand slam, with the
security guard in the back. Whenever we get a house that image will be framed
in my office. That was an amazing moment. Then he hits .688 in the World
Series. Metheny kept pitching to him. They tried shifting and he would beat the
shift. Amazing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I concede two more points. One for the remarkable last year he had
on the field. The other, which I forgot to acknowledge earlier in the
conversation, for going out as a beloved figure in Boston. Is that 5-1?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Yep.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Fame</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I read something somewhere, I forget the writer’s name, he
emphasized the “Fame” part of the Hall of Fame equation. And by that measure,
Ortiz is a lock. He’s one of the most prominent players of his era. It’s more
complicated when you consider the numbers but in terms of fame, recognition,
he’s in. My kids are Mets fans but the name David Ortiz, Big Papi, is on par
with Henry Aaron in their minds.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">So you have the fame aspect, he’s good.
He’s a famous dude. But the argument is his numbers don’t stack up. Edgar’s
numbers are really good. He’s penalized you know. If he had won a ring, people
would be like, “Oh, Edgar Martinez.” But he’s just a DH. Then the allegation of
steroids is dogging Ortiz, too. And he says he passed every piss test after 2002
or something like that. I don’t know how to feel about that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Is that what they kind of imply, that there was something in
2002?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> There was an unofficial test.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> I think it was just that his name came up. But I was reading
something the other day—I need to take better notes when I read—where there
were more names mentioned than there were tests administered, so it couldn’t be
that every player who was named had actually violated something. Hard to say.
Getting back to the numbers, he crossed the 500 home run barrier and he hit
like a madman in 2016. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He was awesome. I watched the numbers and then in 2015 I thought
well, maybe he’ll get to 500 home runs this year. If you account for decline,
maybe not. If he’s totally on fire, he will. And we were at McCarthy’s (in
Belchertown, MA) and we saw 499 and 500 in the same game, which was totally
unexpected. And then last year he had a great season and padded it to what it
is, like 541, I think. He got a lot last year. The difference between 500
and 541 is huge.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> He passed a lot of big names along the way. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> The list changes so often now it’s hard for me to keep track of
which old-timers he passed. Ted Williams was 521. Ernie Banks, Ted Williams. He
passed them. Reggie Jackson has like 563. Schmidt has about that many. And when
I was little and into baseball those guys were big. Luminaries.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Big names to be sure but I think his home run accomplishments are
included in the previous section. I say the score holds at 5-1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I can live with that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Chet
and Eppa/Sting and Ichiro, rememberin’</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Home runs are one thing. A stat like OPS+ encompasses much more
and Ortiz is sixty-ninth all- time. He’s ahead of A-Rod, Duke Snider, Reggie
Jackson, George Brett, and Tony Gwynn. That’s hard to dispute. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> But then…. [Laughter]</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> But then if you look at WAR, which encompasses even more, he’s #231
all-time. Right behind Chet Lemon…</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> [Laughs] Ah you’re killing me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> ….and just ahead of Eppa Rixey, who pitched for the Phillies and
the Reds.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Ah Eppa Rixey. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Maybe the argument is that Chet Lemon deserves gets greater
consideration. Eppa Rixey, I don’t know. [Laughter] </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Where’s Eppa?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">But still, how many players are in the Hall of Fame? If you come
in at 231 without the benefit of defense or base-running, is that hall worthy?
Plus the entertainment factor.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> That’s why it’s fun, right? There are players, like Ken Griffey,
Jr. who everyone agree on. Everyone agreed he should be in there. There are
always going to be like the seven dudes like, “I’m never going to vote anyone
in unanimously.” There are players like that. Pedro Martinez. Greg Maddux. The
fun cases are Jack Morris, Jim Rice, or Bert Blyleven, where it takes them
fourteen or fifteen years. Tim Raines.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Perfect example.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Where the stats change. But just in terms of not using advanced
metrics, Ortiz’s numbers and playoff contributions and his contributions to the
game put him in. And I think the advanced metrics have value but divert his
case a bit.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Depends which side of the coin you want to look at, there’s one
way that it helps and one way that it hurts. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> But with Tim Raines it’s great, advanced metrics. Jonah Keri
specifically, the advanced metrics on Raines.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Walks, runs scored. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> And it’s funny because Wade Boggs, if we had been paying
attention to advanced metrics when he was playing he would have had even more
value. Tony Gwynn, slap single hitters or whatever. On base percentage and OPS,
you assign those to Boggs and he has even more value.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Anything beyond classic back-of-the-baseball-card stats, batting
average, home runs, RBIs.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> Making it easy for Ichiro to get in. He was a shoe-in anyway
because he’s got more hits than Pete Rose does.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> And Ichiro goes by one name, like Cher or Sting. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> When you say Sting you mean not the guy who was the singer of
Police, the other guy named Sting. [Laughter] That’s my stock joke whenever
Sting is mentioned. One of my bandmates who was 22 was like, “I looked it up,
man. , Sting <i>is</i> the same guy who was in the Police.” Yeah, that’s the
joke. “Oh.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Chet Lemon and Sting and advanced metrics. I think that makes it Fournier
5, Faloon 2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Stoli
Vanilla and Diet</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Me and my buddy Ned had a standing bet
that if Ortiz ever got traded or released and signed to another team we had to
spend a night drinking nothing but Stoli Vanilla, which is the worst concoction
on Earth, until we blacked out. That was our standing thing. If Ortiz gets
traded or released, we’re going to show our displeasure by blacking out on
Stoli, the worst punishment we could think of. Maybe we’ll put some diet soda
in there, like Stoli Vanilla and diet. At the end of last year we were like, Do
we have to do the Stoli Vanilla and diet thing? No, we missed that bullet.
[Laughter]</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">That’s a frightening proposition and has nothing to do with Ortiz
directly but the sheer misguided audacity merits something. What’s our final
tally?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Michael: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">6-2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Mike: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">I can live with that. I still don’t think he’s first ballot timber
but look forward to his mug enshrined in Cooperstown.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-33210009460303186362017-10-25T14:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:22:12.865-04:00The Zisk Book Review Corner by Mark Hughson<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">The Phenomenon</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> by
Rick Ankiel and Tim Brown</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Reviewed
by Mark Hughson</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Lately
I've had the itch to read another baseball autobiography. Yes, it's interesting
to read the observations of the experts and the tales from the historians, but
nothing is quite like getting the real story from the players who were there. I
want to live vicariously through their experiences, know what it feels like to
be in that exciting moment, to really get inside their head! Be careful
what you wish for, as they say.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Ankiel's
book, subtitled <i>The Pressure, The Yips,
and the Pitch That Changed My Life</i>, gives us the crucial stats from the
get-go: The Cardinals prodigy pitcher had a great rookie season and
was on the fast track to being "the next Sandy Koufax." Everything
changed in a 2000playoff game.. Everything stopped. Something snapped. The
Thing got him. The Yips. The Monster. The inexplicable fracture between body
and psyche that plagued Ankiel throughout his major league life (as well as the
careers of Mark Wohlers, Chuck Knobluach, and Mackey Sasser, among
others). In the third inning of that playoff game, Ankiel racked up
35 pitches, two runs, four walks, and <i>five</i> wild pitches. One
of those moments that puts you in the record books, though not for the reason
one would hope. What followed was Ankiel's long road to recovery.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">As
with any decent baseball bio, there's lots of good stories and anecdotes—earning
his dues as the new kid (literally - not even old enough to drink and
sharing a locker room with Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Will Clark!),
helpful coaches and teammates, and moments shared with a select few
players who truly understood what Ankiel went through, because they went
through it themselves. His afternoon with former ‘70s Pirates
pitcher Steve Blass was especially endearing.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Getting inside
Ankiel's head is a deep rabbit hole, and it's compounded by the
frustrating fact that what exactly went wrong is still unknown. It's like
reading a mystery novel, and being told that by the end you still won't know
whodunnit. All we get are the trials and errors, coping mechanisms,
conversations with his sports-psychologist-turned-father-figure, and the
yo-yoing from majors to minors, team to team, and swapping positions along the
way. This is not to say it's a bleak story—after all, Ankiel had 11 major
league seasons under his belt when he hung up the glove. But it was a
fight. I suppose we've all heard comeback stories, the ones that involve
getting over slumps, getting past nasty dugout drama, and going from zero to
hero. <i>The Phenomenon</i> is undoubtedly a
comeback story, but the tumultuous struggle was entirely inside Ankiel's head. In
his own words:</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">"I
used to describe it this way: If a boy had reached to pet a large dog and that
dog had bitten him, he'd think of that pain every time he put his hand near a
dog again. That's what pitching had become for me, even when I was pitching
well enough to keep pitching. Every time I picked up a baseball, I was reaching
out to that dog. Its ears were back. It was growling. My heart raced. The blood
drained from my head. I reached further and hoped it wouldn't bite and waited
for the pain."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Bottom
line: Fascinating read from a never-give-up athlete, even when the biggest
battle was with himself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><b>Mark
Hughson </b>lives in Syracuse, NY and roots for the Oakland A's. When he's
not writing baseball book reviews, he's knocking out music reviews
for </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><i><a href="http://jeserybeat.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">jeserybeat.com</span></a><span style="color: black;"> and scribbling a Scooby-Doo/Henry Rollins mash-up
at </span><a href="http://retintheran.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">retintheran.blogspot.com</span></a></i><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
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Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-27557174715913757722017-10-25T14:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:35:37.676-04:00My Glorious Year of Little League by Kevin Dunn<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;">I
am fairly certain it wasn’t my idea to try out for Little League baseball that
year. I might have been tagging along with a friend, but more than likely I was
pushed into it by my parents, looking for a sport at which my <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-19T13:18">eight</ins></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-19T13:18">8</del></span>-year-old
self would excel. Or at the least, not be an embarrassing failure. Fat chance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;">I had never really played baseball
before and that was painfully apparent at the evening try-outs. When it was
finally my turn to approach the plate, I stood ramrod straight and settled the
bat onto my right shoulder. Based on my very limited exposure to baseball on
TV, that was the stance I thought I was supposed to take. After two pitches and
two painfully inept swings -- <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-19T13:19"></del></span>my
first swing was over several seconds before the ball even crossed the plate,
while the less said about the second, the better -- <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-19T13:19"></del></span>some kind father in the stands
offered the helpful advice: “Get the gawddamn bat off your shoulder, dipshit!
And squat down!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After a few more dramatic
whiffs, I was told to run to first base. I didn’t realize that this was part of
the try-out, to see how fast I was. I slowly sauntered towards first base
before I was told to return to home plate to deposit the bat I was still
holding (pro-tip: you are supposed to toss your bat to the side after your
turn. Who knew?). As I loped down first baseline a second time, the kindly
father shouted out: “Jeeesus! Get the gawddamn lead out.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It turned out there were more
kids applying to play that year than they had established teams. They created a new team and asked all the other teams to donate a couple of players.
In classic Bad News Bears fashion, all the teams sent their worst players, so
the resulting team was a motley collection of the worst of the worst. I don’t
know who originally drafted me<span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:00">,</del></span>
because I was quickly sent to join the castaways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We were bad. Epically bad, but
without the spunky humor that would make for a good screenplay. They tried
everyone out as pitcher in the fruitless hope that one of us would be able to
get the ball over <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:01"></del></span><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:01"></ins></span>the plate with some degree of regularity. None of us could. The kid who eventually got
picked to be pitcher, Charlie, would usually either ground the ball <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:01">out </del></span>halfway to the plate or, under
best circumstances, send a blazing fastball 10-12 feet above the batter’s head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I didn’t know what I was doing.
In the first game, I managed to connect with a pitch. I ran as fast as I could
and slid into first base, where the umpire called me out. I couldn’t believe it.
The ball was all the way on the other side of the field. How could I have been
out? When I expressed my disbelief upon entering the dugout, my teammates
kindly pointed out that I was a butt-brain and it was illegal to slide into
first base. I didn’t know that because nobody had ever explained the rules on
the assumption that every good American kid would already know them as their
patriotic duty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was placed in the outfield
where I could do limited damage. The coach rotated the three outfielders around
between left, center and right field. Probably to keep the opposing team on
their toes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:08"></del></span>cowered<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:08"></ins></span> in the outfield, fearing that
someone would hit the ball in my direction. During an early practice, when I
bent down to get a grounder, the ball popped up and smashed me in the face. I
was terrified of the ball from then on. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We got trounced on a regular
basis. I’m fairly certain that there were caps on how many runs a team could
get in a single inning, but still we would lose with scores like 14-0 or 20-0.
We were in the very basement of the league.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Until the next-to-last game of
the season. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;">Fortunately my dad was in the stands
that afternoon, otherwise I would have no witness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We were playing the
next-to-worst team in the league. But even then<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:08"> </ins></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:08">, </del></span>we weren’t evenly matched. They had
actually won games and scored runs. We had never had a single player cross home<span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:09"> plate</del></span>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But that afternoon, Charlie was
on fire. He was striking people out and the infield was even able to throw out
a few runners. As we were heading for the home stretch, the game was a
scoreless tie.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was in center field when the
other team managed to connect with one of Charlie’s pitches. The sound of the
ball pinging off the aluminum bat ricocheted around the park. It was a sound
that I had grown to dread because it meant that there was a ballistic
projectile on the loose, possibly heading for my skull<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:09"></ins></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:09"></del></span>. That was rarely the case, as
more often than not the sound accompanied a foul ball. Hearing the
reverberating smack of the ball hitting the fencing in front of the fans was
always a relief.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But not this time. There was no
follow up fence rattle. This time the ball was going straight up into the air.
And straight towards me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For weeks afterwards, my dad
would speak breathlessly about how high the ball went. How he lost sight of it
in the clouds. How he had never seen a ball hit so high.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I didn’t lose sight of it. Even
as it arced its way through the sky, I could tell it was coming for me. I
wondered if I should start backing up, maybe drift a little to the right. I
remembered enough of my training to shout “I got it” but I doubt I was at risk
of anyone running over and knocking me out of the way. The other outfielders
were staring dumbstruck at the saga that was unfolding before their eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then, as the ball crested and
began its speedy descent earthward, I held my glove out in front of me. The
ball hit the glove with a resounding thwack. My dad claimed it was like a
thunder clap. After a few seconds of stunned disbelief, I looked down to see
the ball still cradled in my glove. Miraculously, I didn’t drop it. The crowd
of a dozen parents erupted into thunderous applause and cheering. <span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:11"></del></span>Sally
the <span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:12"></ins></span><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:12"></del></span>leftfielder
used some profanity to express her delight and astonishment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I felt a surge of pride. Too
much pride, in fact. Instead of throwing the ball to the shortstop now on
second base, I launched the ball back to Charlie on the pitcher’s mound. That
was way beyond my skill level, and the resulting throw sent the ball careening over
towards third and into the visiting team’s dugout. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;">It didn’t matter. I was flush with
excitement and pride. My ears burned. I waited for another ball to be hit
towards me, but none came. After a few more batters, we headed into the dugout
with the game tied at the bottom of the last inning.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was due to hit<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:12"> </ins></span>second. The kid preceding me struck
out trying to connect on several ridiculous pitches. I was feeling my oats and
was starting to fantasize about knocking a game-winning homer. The coach must
have sensed that, sensing also that the opposing pitcher was running on empty.
As I headed to the batter box, the coach told me: “Don’t swing. Whatever he
throws, don’t you dare swing at anything.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;">I held my bat for the first pitch, which
was so wide the catcher couldn’t even reach it. The second pitch looked more
doable and I took a swing. I wasn’t even close, but I heard the coach scream
“Damnit! I said DON’T swing!!” To my credit, I knew my place. I stood there for
several more pitches. One was a strike, but the other two were wide.
Full-count. The coach, fearing I might try something stupid again shouted for
me not to take a swing. I didn’t. The pitch went wide and I walked to first
base. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The coach convinced the next
several batters to stand their ground and not to swing at anything the pitcher
was serving up. One of the kids struck out, but two more held their bats. They
were walked and I advanced to third base. That was farther than anyone on the
team had ever gotten before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bases loaded<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T07:14"></ins></span>with two outs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The pressure was too much for
the pitcher, who threw four wild pitches. My teammate advanced to first and I
walked to home plate. For a run. For the team’s first run. For the team’s first
winning run.</span><br />
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<![endif]--><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I had scored the winning run by
standing still and doing nothing. There was a life lesson in there somewhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At our last game the next
weekend, we got slaughtered. The next year I tried out for basketball instead,
hoping to capitalize on a minor growth spurt. I’ve never played a baseball game
again. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Kevin Dunn</b> is a professor at a small liberal arts college in western NY. He is the author of several books, including </i>Global Punk: Resistance and Rebellion in Everyday Life<i> (2016), regularly contributes to </i>Razorcake<i>, and publishes the zine </i>Geneva 13<i>.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:23"></ins></span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif" "msorm"; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Microsoft Office User" 20170720T2323;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Microsoft%20Office%20User" datetime="2017-07-20T23:21"></ins></span></span></span></i></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-83283683811653170882017-10-25T13:30:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:39:38.368-04:00Dropping a Needle in the Groove of Baseball History: Sam Kulik and The Broadcast<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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at </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk
</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">love
when the worlds of baseball and music connect. Usually that entails songs about
the national pastime’s more memorable players and games, and we dig those tunes
a bunch. But Sam Kulik</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:03"></ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">’s
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
Broadcast</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">?
Where to begin? That’s a different cut of cowhide.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
Broadcast</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">
is an inning-by-inning, real time recreation of a Mets/Marlins game with an ever-shifting
original soundtrack running beneath the play-by-play. It’s a new take on
listening to music with a ballgame on. Clocking in at nearly three hours, </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
Broadcast</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">
is too long for a conventional LP or CD release. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
Broadcast </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">is
available on download cards that double as baseball cards. Each card in the
twenty-card set corresponds with a different half inning of the play-by-play
call. The front of card #12, for example, depicts violinist Amie Weiss in
uniform while the back has a download for the bottom of the sixth inning. Card
#18 features drummer Kevin Shea and the music for bottom of the eighth. The
cards come in wax packs, seven per pack. It's a labor-intensive work of genius.</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Trombonist
Sam Kulik</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:03"></ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">
conceived of </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
Broadcast</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">
and coordinated the music with the help of some of New York’s finest
improvising musicians. Kulik</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:03"></ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">
also provides the play-by-play. In the spring of 2015 he gave himself a crash
course in broadcasting by watching over 50 Mets games with the sound off and
delivering his own call of each game.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
concept alone snared my attention, and yet the more I spoke with Sam the deeper
my admiration and appreciation for </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The
Broadcast </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">grew.
Who’d have guessed there would be a </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk
</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt !msorm;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">interview
referencing John Cage, Frank Zappa, the theory of entropy, and the legendary
Sun Lion?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Interview by Mike
Faloon</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"></span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Transcribed by
Madeline Bridenbaugh</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"></span></span></b></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> What were the origins
of the various components of </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Broadcast</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">—the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>music, the play-by-play, the cards?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam Kulik</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:03"></ins></span></span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> They were separate
ideas, making the cards and making the record. The cards came first. I was
recording with a band called Skeletons and we had a lot of material. I was
talking to the bandleader and he was like, “Yeah the stuff is sounding great
but I don’t know how we’re going to release it because there’s too much for a
CD.” Out of nowhere I gave him a cast-off idea, “Why don’t you put it on
baseball cards? Each card is a download card that you sell packs of, so people
end up with a random assortment of the cards; everybody gets a different
version of the album.” After we hung up I thought, Man, I hope he doesn’t do
that because I want to do that. I had been given some download cards by different
musicians who put time and effort into making them. I thought, This is a format
that can have a life of its own right now. That was the idea for the baseball
cards, it came out of thin air. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The idea for calling a
game myself and setting it to music came maybe three years ago. When I’m home
practicing and doing my daily routines as a brass player, there is a certain
amount of upkeep I do every day. Long tones, scales, lip slurs, all this. I was
watching a game and I got to a point where I wanted to put the horn down and I tried
my hand at doing some play-by-play. I muted the sound and recorded a
half-inning. It was Jenrry Mejia’s rookie season and it was like the best start
he made that year. But I still didn’t know who he was. I was pronouncing his
name wrong, saying “Jen-ree Mejia.” Obviously very rough material; I was
mispronouncing the starting pitcher’s name. But when I finished half an inning
and listened back to it, it didn’t have any crowd noise, and that was so weird,
so different to hear only the audio track of the broadcaster without the sounds
of the game behind it. No crack of the bat, no roar of the crowd, you don’t
hear the peanut vendor or whatever. It sounded naked and I had a bunch of
instruments within arm’s reach so I was like, I’ll improvise a piece of music
to go along with it. I added a synthesizer, a little trombone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">That half inning demo
gave me the idea to do a full game. I thought it was a rather ambitious idea,
so I sat with it for a while. Another season went by and I still liked the
idea. I began reading a bunch of baseball books, trying to learn about
sportscasting. Tried to get the right equipment, figured out what kind of
microphone they were using in the booth. And then spring training I said, All right
here I go. Started watching games and doing my own play-by-play. My voice was
not capable of lasting more than four or five innings at first. And it’s not like
talking to you here, it’s some sort of added level. My broadcasting voice is
very similar to my actual voice but it’s different in ways that I haven’t fully
analyzed. You slide into the character a little bit. Everything’s a little
turned up.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Were you conscious of
having enough to say to last a full game or did that come with time?</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> That came with
practice. I also knew that is wasn’t going to be a problem if I ran out of
things to say because there’d be music happening. It’s not like dead air on the
radio. There are broadcasters who favor long stretches of silence which I appreciate.
They start to creep in, seventh inning or so. That’s when you get the pauses, later
in the game. You’ve already met all the players. Unless someone is coming off
the bench there’s not a lot of new information. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Watching games as the broadcaster was great,
deepening my appreciation of the sport. I was really paying attention to every
pitch. Do you know the book </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Nine Innings </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">by Daniel Okrent? It’s
every pitch of an Orioles/Brewers game, played in Milwaukee. Dan uses the game
to go deep into strategy. “There’s one out and a runner at first. The count’s
so-and-so. Is he going to be bunting?” That kind of minutiae. “Paul Molitor is
coming up to bat. Here’s how Paul Molitor became Paul Molitor. Let’s talk about
that for a few pages.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Cutting to backstories
and such?</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Yeah, it’s that sort
of telescoping view of the sport. It’s very specific and very universal. Being
familiar with that book, and having it as a guide to this project, that was why
I wanted to do just a single game not take a highlight reel of certain innings
from certain exciting games or do a famous World Series game or no-hitter. Just
your everyday game.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">You chose an early
game.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> May 31</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">st</span></span></sup></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> (2015).</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">It’s a 4-3 win which
brings them (Mets) a half game behind the Nationals. I had no idea they were
going to go to the World Series. That was a fun ride because I had a deeper
investment in the team. I’d been a Mets fan for ten years but this was really
getting down. Reading the game notes every day, doing my broadcasts. I did
fifty-some games before I got that take. That’s the fifty-first game of the
season and I had done every game up to that point to bring myself up to the
level of broadcasting that didn’t make me look like a total fool. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> So you practiced each
game in real time?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> I did it in real
time, yeah. I was recording every day. There was a game deGrom pitched against
Cincinnati a couple of weeks before this series with the Marlins that I thought
I did a pretty good job. That was in the maybe pile. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> A maybe pile of one.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Yeah, there was a
maybe pile of one. And then that weekend series with the Marlins at the very
end of May. I was about to leave town for a month to go on tour and I said, This
is it. I got to get one of these games. Do it in my living room in front of the
television so I’ll have the real-time aspect, and I wanted a Mets win. They
lost two of three in the series but this was the Sunday afternoon game. It was
a decent ballgame and they won, and I didn’t sound like an idiot.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> It turned out really
well.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> There are edits. If I
tripped over a word, I’d just pick up where I left off and snip that out later.
But the game was done in real time, sitting there with my headset microphone. The
same one that Keith Hernandez wears.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Does Bartolo Colón get
a hit in that game?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Yeah. Until the end
of the season this game was completely unremarkable. There was no outstanding
characteristic of this ballgame, other than Colón hit a double, that’s like a
little footnote. And Ichiro has a base hit, which ties him with Omar Vizquel, fortieth
place (on the all-time hit list). I liked the fact that it was a totally ordinary
game. Then after the season, there’s an award for the best radio call, and it
was given to Howie Rose for his call of the Colón double. He said, “They’re
timing Colón with a sundial.” Colón knocked it to centerfield. Ichiro was
playing really shallow and the ball rolled all the way to the wall. It should
have been a triple, and Colón was waltzing in to second base, no interest in
third. It was a close game. He should’ve gone for third, but he was content
with his double. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Another part of my
research was Paul Dickson’s </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">B</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">aseball </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">D</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">ictionary</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">. It’s a dictionary of
baseball terms. It’s got ten thousand words or something. I spent a lot of time
reading that book just to bring some of these words into my mind. I know there
is one that makes it onto the album, which is where I called Dee Gordon a
lettuce-and-tomato hitter, a guy who’s got no meat. Dee Gordon is hitting .370
at that point in the season and I’m saying this guy is the best there is, you
can’t get him out, but he’s a lettuce-and-tomato hitter; he hasn’t homered
since last June. I was glad to be calling a Marlins game because Giancarlo Stanton
is great. They got Ichiro, Christian Yelich, Dee Gordon.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> And Marcel Ozuna
hadn’t been sent down yet.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> He was a pinch hitter
in that game. Ozuna is one of the few players who I’ve managed to hand some
cards to. I went down to spring training, and I went to a Mets-Marlins game in
Port St. Lucie. Ozuna’s the kind of player that comes out and signs autographs,
and he was the one player who came over and said hello to people. I gave him
some cards. He kind of looked at me. I explained what they were as quickly and
succinctly as I could but you got to make a couple of leaps to really know what
the thing is. He opened a pack right there and started looking through the
cards. I gave him a few more and was like, “Give ‘em to the guys on the bus.”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> That’s unusual
because usually players are handed cards of themselves like, “Sign this card
for me,” and you are handing them a card of you, a role reversal of sorts.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> These are for you and
these are </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">about</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> you. Later that week,
I was at a game that (Bartolo) Colón started in Dunedin against the Blue Jays
and he drove himself home with his family after the game. I chased his car
across the parking lot. We were this far away from each other, he’s driving the
car and I’m all, “Bartolo, these are for you! I’m trying to give these to you!
These are about you!” and he wouldn’t turn his head to look at me. Some crazy
fan trying to give him some shit. Terry Collins took some. Tom Gordon very graciously
took some, he was into it. Little victories. I don’t expect any of them to
actually like it.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I try not to learn
very much about the personal lives of ballplayers because basically they’re all
like twenty-four-year-old jocks. Like, Jacob deGrom might have really long hair
and be a great pitcher and seem all cool, like he’s my style or something, but
he is just a jock from Lakeland, Florida who eats </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:07">Chipotle </ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:07">Subway </del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">before every start.
That’s his ritual. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Listens to a lot of
Lynyrd Skynyrd.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">They are not going to
think I am cool because I did this. I mean maybe they will, like maybe Curtis
Granderson will think it’s totally cool, give me a pat on the back, and then
tweet about it and I will sell a couple hundred packs of cards. That would be
great. Kevin Plawecki, though, I managed to get him to walk ten feet over to
the fence so I could give him a pack of cards. Did he open it? Probably. Did he
look at the codes and stream it on his phone while he rode the bus back to Port
St. Lucie? Probably not. But he might’ve. I intend to keep looking for ways to
engage with some of the players. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I played the national
anthem at Citi Field last year so I met a few people who work for the Mets
while doing that. I’ve tried to be like, “Here I have this thing, don’t you
think it’s cool or interesting at all?” And they’ll be like, “Yeah, sort of,”
but they don’t really care. At least they don’t try to sue me. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">That was another thing
I was worried about at the outset, and actually Dan Okrent, who I mentioned
earlier, he’s a friend of our family’s. I saw him before I started working on
the project and I was like, “Dan, I’ve got this thing in mind…” One of my only
real concerns was that I would run afoul of Major League Baseball, like either
they’d sue the pants off me or just make it a miserable experience somehow. Dan
was like, “Dude, you’re on solid ground.” He was an expert witness in a case
that went to the Supreme Court. It was the players’ association suing whatever
data company has the servers that fantasy baseball statistics are kept on. The
idea is that David Ortiz owns the fact that he hit 34 home runs, that’s his
intellectual property. That’s the case the player’s association was trying to
make, they should be able to license that information to ESPN so they can run a
fantasy baseball league that makes them millions of dollars.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">But the Supreme Court
declared that there’s really no difference in Curtis Granderson being 0 for 3
with a walk than there is from Burp Castle opens at four p.m. and stays open
until eleven p.m. That’s just stuff that happened. It’s not intellectual
property or any other kind of proprietary. They are events that happened. When
Gary Cohen goes to work for SNY and calls a baseball game and it’s part of a
telecast, that’s a thing that they’ve created that they have control over. But
they don’t have control over what happened in the game.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Like the newspaper
doesn’t have to license anything to print a box score or print a summary of the
game. We don’t have to pay anybody in order to sit here and talk about the
Mets’ 3-1 loss in Pittsburgh this afternoon. That’s just something that
happens. There’s an amazing canon of art that’s been made about baseball and I
want this to be part of it, not just like some black sheep that’s of
questionable legality. I want people to think this is cool.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I wanted to use one
game, one complete game because of the way…baseball is a very quotidian sport.
Played every day. Most games are completely unremarkable—and that’s the beauty
of it. I love the Andrew McCutchens and Giancarlo Stantons of the world but it’s
like, actually a historical footnote of this game is that it was the final game
that Jhonatan Solano ever played for the Marlins. He was released four or five
days later and didn’t get into another game before that happened. That was his
final game as a Marlin and those players are very interesting to me. That’s a baseball
card collector thing. I have a game with friends. There is still a lot of dead
stock of baseball cards from the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. You can get a pack of ‘88
Topps for twenty-five cents. We have a game where you hold your hand over the
card as it comes out of the pack. You slide your hand off and see how quickly
you recognize the player.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Like </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Name That T</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">une</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">? </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Yeah like </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Name That Tune</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">, except it’s </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Name T</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">hat 1988 Top</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">ps Baseball C</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">ard</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">. The Nolan Ryans are
easy but for some reason I’ll always love Oddibe McDowell. His name was so
great. There are bit players in the game that make it interesting to follow and
the everyday baseball game is the same thing. You have your standout games each
season where something momentous happens but you have 150 other games where you
just either won or lost.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">You called the entire
game yourself. Did you consider working with a partner?</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I didn’t. I didn’t
want to find another person whose schedule I needed to coordinate with or might
have a different vision. I just needed to get down to business and do this work
myself.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I enjoy slaloming back
and forth between your monologue and the music. A dialog might have undermined
that dynamic.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> I did think about
having certain innings be with color commentator or certain innings be an
absurdist broadcast. Like not really saying what’s going on but talking about
oblique aspects of the game. Not describing the action we’re supposed to pay
attention to, but describing what’s happening to one of the player’s shoes or
something. I decided to be the straight man, do the best job that I could doing
the play-by-play, then make the music totally weird. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">In that sense the
music becomes the partner, the music provides the color commentary.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Good observation. A
lot of the music is stuff that I had sitting around already. Unreleased
recordings of things that I was happy with and proud of but had never found a
way to release. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Was there some relief knowing
you’d found a useable game?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Yeah, I’m was off the
hook, on to the music phase. Then the production phase and making the commercials.
I really wanted to have the album done by the end of the season. One of the
things that draws me to watching sports is that it’s happening live. If I am
going to watch TV I am going to watch baseball or if it’s the off-season I’ll
watch curling. It’s live, it’s unscripted, we don’t know what the result is
going to be, so tune in. You’re just watching life happen. I don’t like
focusing on past games, that was partly why I wanted to get the game (</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The Broadcast</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">) out during the same
season. You know the rosters are going to be different the next year. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">It’s going to be a
different cast.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> It’s going to be an
instant relic. So the faster I can get it out, the more connection it has to
the current Mets. I got a bonus month, they played all through October. Printing
the cards took a couple weeks longer than I wanted. I got the cards right after
the World Series finished, which is still a pretty fast turnaround. I started
working on the music in July and I was using stuff that I already had. So okay,
I have a nine-minute piece, which inning of the game is roughly nine minutes
long? Let’s listen to them together, see how it sounds. Most of the time I was
satisfied right off the bat. And I had some pieces that I was writing, and I
did two studio recording sessions. I got a lot done in those sessions. It was
like, “Okay, we’re going to play this piece of music and it’s got to last for
thirteen minutes. So either I knew how many repeats we were going to have or we
were going to vamp in a certain section.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Then there were
further home recordings. There’s really only one inning, the top of the ninth,
the end of the ballgame, that was composed like a score. I improvised it while
watching that inning. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The bottom of the
seventh is probably the oldest recording, 2007 or so. It was recorded at the
magician Penn Jillette’s house, of Penn and Teller. His high school sweetheart
is my friend Amy’s mom, and Amy and I had a band at that time. Penn said, “Hey,
if Amy’s band ever wants to come and hang out in Vegas and record, they can use
my studio.” He is a phenomenal guy, the most charismatic man I’ve ever met. Can
tell a story so that you’re hanging on his every word. We had hours worth of
recording from that session that never made it into an album. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">There is another inning,
the bottom of the fifth. It’s sort of in AB form. Each at-bat just happens to
sync up at the beginning of a section (of music) each time. There’s so many
happy accidents. Are you a Frank Zappa fan? On the album </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sheik </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:07">Yerbouti</ins></span></span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:07">Your Booty</del></span></span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> there are a couple of
pieces, one of them is called “Rubber Shirt,” a bass and drum duet. It’s just a
couple minutes long, instrumental. Very nice, sensitive interplay between the
two instruments but they weren’t recorded together. They weren’t recorded while
listening to each other. In fact, they were isolated parts from two completely
different songs. He points this out in the liner notes. He was experimenting at
that time with what he termed xenochron</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:08">y</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:08">ing</del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">, which was two or
more unrelated recordings brought together and in many cases the result sounds
intentional. So the whole idea of this broadcast project is that it’s a
xenochronist result. It’s music that was not intended to go with the game, and
the game which was not intended to go with any specific piece of music, but
they are together and sometimes, although it’s not “Homerun-da-da-da-da,” there’s
something in the music that can be interpreted as a reference to what’s
happening in the action or vice-versa. And in that way like you said, the music
becomes the color commentator in a certain way.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">And like a
conventional broadcast there are ads, which you created.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> One of them was a real
ad. It’s the one for Sun Lion Tangerines. I have a cousin who lives in Florida
and he met a guy at the farmers market who was getting into the tangerine
business, and had this far-reaching concept for his tangerine company, Sun Lion
Tangerines. He made up the Sun Lion, this mythical character. There’s this
whole thousand-year backstory of the legend of the Sun Lion and how it involves
tangerines. He wanted to make an animated cartoon series starring the Sun Lion.
This Sun Lion man, David Gornoski, sent me a voice memo of this song idea that
he had. I was like, Cool, give me a couple hundred bucks, I’ll flesh it out,
I’ll orchestrate it, I’ll get some people to play on it. He loved it and made
an animation of it. If you go to the Sun Lion tangerine website you can see it
as a ninety-second advertisement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I also like the ad for
the free meal, although it’s not really a free meal. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> There’s no such thing
as a free lunch. Either you’ve done work that entitles you to this free lunch, which
means it’s not free, it negates the idea of free. That’s the theory of entropy that
the fast-talking is talking about. Or it could mean that the person wants
something from you, it’s free but you have to sign up for the mailing list.
There’s a string attached.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">My friend Lisa has a
great voice. It took a while to track that and it’s heavily edited but I didn’t
speed up the tape or anything. I was like, “You talk as fast as you can, you
take breaks whenever you want, and I’m just going to cut it together.” I wanted
to reference and/or lampoon the various tropes of advertising on baseball games
and one of the things is a car ad or some kind of medicine where there’s a
bunch of fine print read very quickly. I was like, What if the ad is only like
five seconds long but then it had two minutes of fine print?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Like a </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Mad</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">magazine satire. I
also like the one for the bat company—“Break eight bats or nine bats and get a
free ball!”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> That’s something that
my seven-year-old cousin was making up.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">I like the times where
she stumbles a bit and you left it in.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> That’s a parody of
Cars for Kids. She’s great. She’s advertising for Baseballbats.com and it’s
like, “For more information, go to baseball bat dot com.” [Laughs] “888-888.”
She doesn’t know how many digits are in a phone number.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">You mentioned studying
different announcers.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> I was watching
different broadcasts on the MLB package. Also YouTubing Mel Allen and Red
Barber games. There’s a very strange use of tense in baseball broadcasting. Any
given play may be described in the future, present, past tense. The TV guy for
the Orioles I really like, but he does everything in the future tense and it’s
rather annoying. “Pitch comes in, and Adam Jones will ground it to shortstop. Asdrubal
Cabrera will throw him out at first base.” There are other people who use the
future tense as some kind of tick but then snap back into the present tense, so
the same play will happen in the future and present tense, or the present and
past tense. It’s so loose that it gives an extra fluidity to baseball being
this sort of pan historical, wonderful game. It’s always taking place. It’s the
present, it’s the past, it’s the future. It’s history, it’s today. It’s the
afternoon, it’s the nighttime. It’s the first inning, it’s the eighth inning. Every
time you tune into a game you’re dropping the needle somewhere in the groove of
baseball history.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">That’s like </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Slaughterhouse-</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Five</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">, all these things are
happening simultaneously. </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The B</span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">roadcast </span></span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">is kind of like that,
too. You move through time in very different ways.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Also, very few people
are ever going to end up with the entire game. It’s not a very easy thing to
collect. So people have their own little editions of the game, and they might
like particular innings or listen to them in any given sequence and it may or
may not matter, which is cool. There are a few innings, like both halves of the
first inning, that I made very common because I want people to get to know the
players, that’s when the main introductions are, the line-ups and everything. There
are a couple of innings that are very easy to digest, the bottom of the fifth
and the bottom of the sixth both have very catchy music and are of a reasonable
length, about five minutes, so those are pretty common. The three rarest cards
are the non-game cards, the anthem, the seventh-inning stretch and the
post-game show. There are probably half as many of those or fewer than the
first inning cards. Then there are the error cards and the autograph cards,
which are extremely rare. The error cards, there are only about twenty or twenty-five
of each among 1700 or so packs. I like seeing when someone opens a pack because
I don’t know what’s in it.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Where did you order
the cards?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> I found this company
in Rutledge, Vermont called Sidekick Lab. They specialize in vintage-style
trading cards, so they have that equipment, that system worked out with the wax
paper and they know the language. He said, “Give me a recipe for the cards.”
And I was like, well, “Make 800 of these, make 850 of these, 600 of these, make
300 of these, make 450 of these, 800 of these…” They sent me a box of the cards
and saved enough for about 100 packs or so, and I went around to the musicians
who were here in New York to get autographs. So I’d get Kevin Shea to autograph
ten cards, Shahzad Ismaily to autograph ten cards, and then I sent those back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">So if people really
want to get the whole thing they can work at it and get the whole thing, but
one pack of cards is an hour’s worth of music and pretty well gives you the
idea of what it is and if you’re not going to be a hardcore fan then you just
got this cool thing for five bucks. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">You don’t have to be a
completest.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Not only that you
don’t have to be a completest but you’ve become more unique because the seven
cards that happen to be in your pack, it’s mathematically almost impossible
that someone else has those exact same seven cards and listens to the album in
the same sequence that you do.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">You were telling me
about an interesting reaction you had when selling the cards on tour.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">On tour in Croatia I
put the cards out on the merch table and some Germans asked, “Is this
chocolate?”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">The sight of a wax
pack doesn’t translate to all audiences. What was it like taking photographs of
the musicans for the cards?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> Some of the musicians
were really into it; Mo</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:09">p</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">pa Elliot, for
example, who coaches junior varsity, brought some catching equipment from his
school and a couple of spare uniforms. Matt Nelson worked up a great Juan Marichal
high leg kick for his card. But there were other people who were like, “I have
never had a baseball glove on before. You just got to tell me what to do.” I
kept going back to the thrift store seeing if they got new generic uniforms or
something I could strip the logo off. I definitely wasn’t going to put any
trademarked material on the cards. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Zisk: </span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">And getting back to
the music, there’s your interpretation of the National Anthem.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">Sam:</span></span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> What I did for the
national anthem is based on a composition called “Song 57” by John Cage. The
directions for “Song 57” are to take a melody, a common melody that people will
know, and substitute the words with names of people. Names of people who are in
the room with you, names of people who are public figures. What I did for the
anthem was use the tune of “The Star-Spangled Banner” but replace all the words
with names of baseball players. And they were all foreign-born players who were
on major league rosters in 2015. Those are some of the most interesting names
in baseball. Adeiny Hechavarria and Wellington Castillo and Yasmani Grandal. Odrisamer
Despaigne, great name. But also to be kind of cheeky, because I don’t buy into
the whole </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:08">patriot</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:08">hatred</del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"> thing and half the
guys on these rosters, who are out there on the foul lines saluting the
American flag with their caps on their heart for the national anthem—it’s not
their national anthem. They don’t get to hear the Dominican national anthem or the
Japanese national anthem. But they’re out there day after day, playing here,
living here, doing the American thing. So it’s a little bit cheeky toward the
patriotic American thing, but also to try to be respectful of these guys. Alejandro
De Aza doesn’t get to hear his national anthem when he suits up for a game. I
separated all the names into how many syllables they take; there is only one two-syllable,
foreign-born name player, Y</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:09">o</ins></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;"><span class="msoDel"><del cite="mailto:Mike%20Faloon" datetime="2017-08-21T00:09">a</del></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt !msorm; line-height: 107% !msorm; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt !msorm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-prop-change: "Katz Media Group" 20170907T1711;">n Gomes. I broke it
down by whatever the syllable count is for the National Anthem, it’s a bunch of
sixes or something. And there are a lot of people with four syllables in their
name, Wilmer Flores or whatever. I kept needing two to complete the thing but
there is only one, there is only Yon Gomes. But it ends [in the melody of “The
Star-Spangled Banner”] Juan Uribe, Yon Gomes. [Laughs] That’s how it ends.</span></span></span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-52717988501499324482017-10-25T13:00:00.000-04:002018-10-25T12:41:01.965-04:00Dice-K vs Okie Dokie by David Lawton<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">It wasn’t just a search for a difference maker in
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">That led to a bidding war for the services</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Of the next top-of-the-rotation ace from the Land
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Daisuke Matsusaka, shrewdly nicknamed Dice-K</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">With the Red Sox coming out on top with a 51
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Winning them the right to negotiate a contract on
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">With a blowhard agent intent on a shakedown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">Which would squander much of his tenure</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;">That’s value for the dollar.</span></div>
Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9826460.post-63005111444810053842016-07-27T17:06:00.002-04:002016-08-02T19:06:57.198-04:00Zisk # 27<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4OdGm7uU3A9xU2BeGHIzUs1Zb0lctN6d5baMU4zM3z9Y8sLK_gOCXXGZjdSIAkyp-QFAan4dLrBs-uR0bUGkbb80xOLqBvN-pJwFNgibNXNDHJbaxf8B06pE5GyiO9vSZLvPZw/s1600/27+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4OdGm7uU3A9xU2BeGHIzUs1Zb0lctN6d5baMU4zM3z9Y8sLK_gOCXXGZjdSIAkyp-QFAan4dLrBs-uR0bUGkbb80xOLqBvN-pJwFNgibNXNDHJbaxf8B06pE5GyiO9vSZLvPZw/s640/27+cover.jpg" width="593" /></a></div>
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<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/mighty-joe-speaks-by-david-lawton.html" target="_blank">Mighty Joe Speaks! by David Lawton</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/roger-and-me-and-everyone-else-in.html" target="_blank">Roger and Me (and Everyone Else in the Section) by Michael T. Fournier</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/how-to-be-ugly-by-susan-petrone.html" target="_blank">How to be Ugly by Susan Petrone</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/cooperstown-2016-muncipal-view-by-frank.html" target="_blank">Cooperstown 2016: A Municipal View by Frank D'Urso</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/why-i-wasnt-there-love-letter-to-twins.html" target="_blank">"Why I Wasn't There": A Love Letter to the Twins, the Midwest, and Hot Dogs Eaten in Days Past by Darren E. Lone Fight</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/defiling-topps-2013-heritage-series-one.html" target="_blank">Defiling the Topps 2013 Heritage Series: One Man's Quest for Order by Rev. Norb</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/an-uncommon-sportstalk-host-interview.html" target="_blank">An Uncommon Sportstalk Host: An Interview with Rich Kimball by Mike Faloon</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/all-time-world-series-team-players-we.html" target="_blank">All-Time World Series Team: Players We Want to See in the Ninth Inning of the Seventh Game by Abby and Jesse Mendelson</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/they-played-baseball-written-and.html" target="_blank">"They Played Baseball" - Written and Performed by The Baseball Project, Annotated by Jay Wade Edwards</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.ziskmagazine.com/2016/07/book-review-benchwarmer-by-josh-wilker.html" target="_blank">Book Review: Benchwarmer by Josh Wilker by R. Lincoln Harris</a></b><br />
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<br />Figgsrock2http://www.blogger.com/profile/17854696840406454276noreply@blogger.com0