Baseball, Life, and Other Stuff

Young and Old on New Year's Eve

Ah, New Year's Eve is tomorrow night.   I've lived long enough to see Ryan Seacrest replace Dick Clark, who had thrilled us all by giving us a show called New Year's Rockin' Eve, which meant that we didn't have to sit with our parents anymore and watch Guy Lombardo and his orchestra ring in the New Year with "Auld Lang Syne."  I don't think that I'll live long enough to figure out what auld lang syne means and I'm sure that I won't live long enough, even if given two lifetimes, to figure out how a no-talent hack such as Ryan Seacrest manages to show up everywhere and make more more money than most Central American dictators.

In any case, I do feel qualified to offer a few observations about this interesting holiday.

First, midnight used to be the time that the party started.  Now midnight is the time right before I go to bed.

Second,young or old, even Ryan Seacrest doesn't have enough money to pay me to be in Times Square when the ball drops.

Third, you reach a certain age where you realize that the new year is actually going to bring the same old crap as the previous year.  This tends to lessen the celebratory mood.

Fourth, the new years are arriving faster and faster.

Fifth, everyone realizes that the new year doesn't really begin until Opening Day; therefore, January 1st isn't that big of a deal.

Sixth, no matter where you are or who you're with:  Happy New Year!!!

The Greatest Game Ever Played

Fans of the Baltimore Colts will recognize today's date, December 28th, 2009 as the 51st anniversary of the Colts' sudden death win over the New York Giants in the game commonly referred to as the "Greatest Game Ever Played."  Seventeen future Hall  of Famers played or coached in that game and it is credited with putting the NFL on the American cultural map.  Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down, has chronicled that championship game and what it meant to American society in an excellent book entitled, appropriately enough, The Best Game Ever: Giants Vs. Colts, 1958, and The Birth of the Modern NFL.

Extremely well-written, Bowden not only takes the reader through that exciting contest, but also examines life in America before and after that game in wonderful detail.  He describes, for example that the television shows,The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Leave it to Beaver as "new suburban lifestyle" programs.  However,

Just over the horizon was a decade of restless social, political, and cultural upheavel, but none of that was obvious yet. Americans had never been more affluent, and had never had more leisure.  And pro football, which was about to catch hold, would just shoulder on through all this coming change, growing ever more popular and ever more rich.  The audience and the league were on the cusp of an explosion that would quickly turn this era of pro football into a piece of a simpler past.  It would be this game that would provide the spark.

Bowden's eye for detail is excellent.  He comments, for example, on how the fact that the game was broadcast in black and white gave it an almost other-worldly appearance.  Indeed, the first chapter is entitled "Football Noir."  He even details the fascinating story of Neil Leifer, a 16 year old amateur photographer, who made his way into the stadium and took one of football's most historic photos, that of Alan Ameche plunging into the end zone for the winning score.

I highly recommend this book for any fan of football or of American cultural history.

It is an absolute must read for the many folks who, with so much time having passed, have begun to wonder if those spectral heroes we see in the black and white film, the ones with horseshoes on their helmets  were real.  Mark Bowden, gently, yet vividly reminds us that, that day 51years ago, when the Baltimore Colts became the Champions of the World, was real indeed.

Everyone Have a . . .

Merry Christmas!!!

"Coming Down the Chimney Down" Brings Up My Lunch Up

Some of the greatest music in the world has been composed to celebrate Christmas.  Many people insist on ruining that music for the rest of us.

First, it's Christmas music not November/December music.  A radio station in nearby Greencastle started playing Christmas tunes all day long beginning November 1st!  I love fudge, but if I had to eat it non-stop for two months, I'd be more than a little queasy.  "Holly Jolly Christmas" makes me a little queasy as it is.

Second, some artists have the mistaken impression that they can improve Christmas classics by offering different, in some cases radically different stylings of old Christmas classics.  The worst seem to be those who turn songs into something heard at a bad jazz festival.  No one needs a scat version of "Oh Holy Night."  And as for that Manheim Steamroller bunch, they can take "Away in A Manger" and make it sound like the soundtrack for a movie about Patton storming through the Ardennes to rescue the 101st at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

Third, Elvis does the version of "Blue Christmas."  You don't.  No one in the store, especially not the poor clerks who have heard the Christmas soundtrack 8 hours a day, every day since Thanksgiving, want to hear you singing along.  Or humming.  Or whistling.

 . . . Oh no!  Even as I write this, the radio is playing that "Happy Holidays" song by Andy Williams that includes the lines "Hoopdee doo and dickory dock, don't forget to hang up your sock; 'cause just exactly at 12 o'clock, he'll be coming down the chimney down."  Excuse me as I have to go beat my head against the wall to make sure that line doesn't stay in it the rest of the day.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

What Winter Stress?

Little did I know last Wednesday when I posted " Relieve Winter Stress with Baseball Board Games" that we were going to be hit with 18" of snow on Saturday.  I didn't even know that any snow was in the forecast.  Now, my friend Al had planned for some time to come visit this weekend--we were going to go rabbit hunting--but the snow storm did not keep us from entertaining ourselves.  Al has been playing (for several years now) an all-time-teams baseball tournament with his Sports Illustrated Superstar Baseball Game and naturally, he  brought that along.  Snow?  What snow?  We were so engrossed in the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers versus the 1957 Milwaukee Braves, the 1965 Minnesota Twins versus the 1965 Cleveland Indians, and the 1968 St. Louis Cardinals versus the 1968 Detroit Tigers that we hardly knew what day it was much less what the weather was like.

We have no idea how the '65 Indians got into the mix, but since their game information was available on the Internet, Al threw them into the tournament.  In typical short series fashion, Cleveland pulled off the upset and knocked off the '65 American League Champs 2 games to 1.  Vic Davilillo had a monster series, going 9/14 with 5 RBI and 4 runs scored from the leadoff spot.

The Tigers defeated the Cardinals 2 games to 1 in a shortened recreation of the 1968 World Series.  St. Louis won the opener behind Bob Gibson 3-2, but Detroit took the next two games, 11-3 behind Mickey Lolich, and 3-2 in a tension-filled finale.  Tiger second-sacker, Dick McAullife hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th of the final game to give Detroit the lead, the game, and the series.  McAullife had an even more impressive series than Davilillo, going 8/15 with 3 homers, 2 triples, 5 RBI, and 5 runs scored, also out of the leadoff spot.

Milwaukee swept Brooklyn in the best of three series.

Interestingly, relief pitcher Don McMahon pitched for the winning three teams which goes to prove that if you can get a few people out late in the game, you can have a nice long career.

Al has created four divisions, from the Dead Ball Division to the Modern Division and there is a loser's bracket which means that if it snows from now until next Christmas, we still won't finish this tournament.

With a blazing fire in the background and a Chuck Thompson talking bobble head ready to call the action, Al Smith awaits the ceremonial "Rolling of the First Dice" during this weekend's Superstar Baseball tournament.

What Winter Stress?

Little did I know last Wednesday when I posted " Relieve Winter Stress with Baseball Board Games" that we were going to be hit with 18" of snow on Saturday.  I didn't even know that any snow was in the forecast.  Now, my friend Al had planned for some time to come visit this weekend--we were going to go rabbit hunting--but the snow storm did not keep us from entertaining ourselves.  Al has been playing (for several years now) an all-time-teams baseball tournament with his Sports Illustrated Superstar Baseball Game and naturally, he  brought that along.  Snow?  What snow?  We were so engrossed in the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers versus the 1957 Milwaukee Braves, the 1965 Minnesota Twins versus the 1965 Cleveland Indians, and the 1968 St. Louis Cardinals versus the 1968 Detroit Tigers that we hardly knew what day it was much less what the weather was like.

We have no idea how the '65 Indians got into the mix, but since their game information was available on the Internet, Al threw them into the tournament.  In typical short series fashion, Cleveland pulled off the upset and knocked off the '65 American League Champs 2 games to 1.  Vic Davilillo had a monster series, going 9/14 with 5 RBI and 4 runs scored from the leadoff spot.

The Tigers defeated the Cardinals 2 games to 1 in a shortened recreation of the 1968 World Series.  St. Louis won the opener behind Bob Gibson 3-2, but Detroit took the next two games, 11-3 behind Mickey Lolich, and 3-2 in a tension-filled finale.  Tiger second-sacker, Dick McAullife hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 8th of the final game to give Detroit the lead, the game, and the series.  McAullife had an even more impressive series than Davilillo, going 8/15 with 3 homers, 2 triples, 5 RBI, and 5 runs scored, also out of the leadoff spot.

Milwaukee swept Brooklyn in the best of three series.

Interestingly, relief pitcher Don McMahon pitched for the winning three teams which goes to prove that if you can get a few people out late in the game, you can have a nice long career.

Al has created four divisions, from the Dead Ball Division to the Modern Division and there is a loser's bracket which means that if it snows from now until next Christmas, we still won't finish this tournament.

With a blazing fire in the background and a Chuck Thompson talking bobble head ready to call the action, Al Smith awaits the ceremonial "Rolling of the First Dice" during this weekend's Superstar Baseball tournament.

A Gift That Will Last a Lifetime

Christmas is one week from today and I already know one of the gifts that I am receiving:  Sarah has agreed to feed baseballs into the pitching machine at Extra Innings Hagerstown, which is offering free tunnel time on Christmas Eve.  Now, I enjoy snow when it's here, but my idea of a "white Christmas" is having the ole horsehide come at me while I have a bat in my hand.  We are hoping that a couple of Sarah's friends can join us that day; one reason being that the more the merrier and another being that someone else better take a few swings because if I spend an entire hour swinging at baseballs, I may not be able to lift my arms on Christmas.

More than the fun that will end in a hour is the memory that will last a lifetime.  Sarah is a senior in high school and our nest is about to empty; an hour doing nothing special together becomes a special hour indeed.  My Christmas wish for everyone is that you see how special every ordinary hour may be.  Then truly, every day will be like Christmas.

Relieve Winter Stress with Baseball Board Games!

Winter is upon us, or at least it will be in 5 more days, but I can recommend a remedy for these dark and gloomy days.  Break out the baseball board games!  No, kids, not computer games, board games, played on honest to goodness cardboard or the dinning room table.

One of my earliest memories is of the Cadaco All-Star Baseball Game that my parents gave me when I was 7 years old or so.  That was the one which used player discs.  The discs had a cutout in the middle and were placed over a spinner.  Numbered areas on the disc represented different batter outcomes and were sized in accordance with the abilities of the player.  The number 1 represented a home run and thus, a Luis Aparicio disc had a much smaller 1, than say a Harmon Killebrew disc.  Remember trying to judge how hard to hit the spinner?  Remember arguing over whether the spinner landed on a home run or the line dividing it from a strikeout?  Wouldn't it be far more fun this winter to spend Saturday afternoon arguing over "linesies" rather than shoveling the driveway?

While the Sports Illustrated Baseball Game enthusiasts might argue, Strat-o-Matic baseball is generally considered the premiere baseball board game.  According to Strat-o-Matic's website, it is the only board game to be displayed at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  Invented in 1961, it is based on an intricate interaction of statistical possibilities based on the actual performance of each player.   Games take only about 30 minutes, however, and this leaves plenty of time for arguing, bragging, and drinking beer, should you set up a Winter League and play regularly scheduled contests.  Some folks are very serious about their Strat-o-Matic baseball.  If you don't believe me--and even if you do--check out the website of the North American Strat-o-Matic Baseball League.  The NASBL has even created its own Hall of Fame based on how players performed in their games!

Of course, if you're not into games, you could always read a good baseball book.  I know of one coming out real soon and believe me, I'll announce it when it is available!!!

Frank Howard and Mike Cuellar's 1971 seasons are replicated here on Strat-o-Matic's player cards.  I once tried to play the entire 1972 American League season.  Got as far as early May.

Saturday Night Fever

Thirty-two years ago tomorrow, a movie was released that continues to reverberate down through the generations.  Starring John Travolta as Tony Manero, Saturday Night Fever is, perhaps, the defining film of the 70s in the same way that Rebel Without A Cause is the defining movie of the 1950s.  Travolta was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Manero and the soundtrack was, for a long period of time, the best selling album of all-time.  The late movie critic Gene Siskel listed Saturday Night Fever as his favorite film, according to the official Gene Siskel website, and he even went so far as to purchase one of Travolta's famous white suits used in filming the movie.

The film's message has been muted by the weight of its own popularity.  Upon SNF's release, discos opened all over America and the soundtrack played endlessly.  The kid who lived in the last dorm room on our hall at Western Maryland College, played that album from the time he arose in the morning until he went to bed at night.  If he was in his room, that music could be heard throughout our hall.  Immense popularity soon breeds parody, which soon breeds contempt.  However, we continue to be very culturally aware of SNF.  Any time some fool on the dance floor points his finger up and then down, everyone knows that he is mimicing one of Travolta's famous dance moves.

The question really i, Why does this movie continue to resonate?  The answer is simple, really for in spite of the fact that the clothes, music, and attitudes are firmly grounded in 1977-1978, the movie's theme is timeless.  We can all identify with Tony Manero because we watch him up there on the screen as he comes to the awful (and awe-full)realization that the pursuits of his youth--in his case disco dancing--must inevitably come to an end.  His friends seem to think that they will go on forever, but when Manero's friend Bobby discovers that he faces the very adult reality of fatherhood--he has impregnated a girl whom we never meet in the film--he kills himself.  After the suicide, Manero descends into the subway, riding it all night, and emerges in the morning, realizing that refusing to grow up is indeed, death.

Tony Manero might grow up to become "nothing more" than the manager of the hardware store where we see him at work when the movie opens; Manero strutting down the street carrying that paint can, his mind on a new shirt that he'd like to buy.  When the movie ends, however, childhood pursuits have grown into the hopes of manhood--and we are left to root for his success.

Check out the following clip of the scene in which Tony and Stephanie perform for the dance contest.  The moves are slow, rhythmic, sensual, and expressive.  This is dance at its best and in it, Tony Manero seems to be giving his youth a thoughtful good-bye.

Is Mark Belanger a Hall of Famer?

As most baseball fans know, Edgar Martinez who played 18 seasons for the Seattle Mariners, primarily at designated hitter, is eligible for election to the Hall of Fame for the first time this year.  The Mariners issued a detailed e-mail citing a myriad of facts regarding Martinez' qualifications for the Hall.  Roch Kubatko, shared part of this e-mail in a recent blog.  (Kubatko blogs for MASN.com on the Orioles.  He is insightful, witty, and well-worth reading.)  A 7-time all-star, Martinez finished with a career .312 batting average.  Ordinarily, that lifetime batting average alone would get you into the Hall, but Martinez played only 591/1412 games in the field and was, essentially, a one dimensional player.

Martinez' candidacy has raised the question of whether a one-dimensional player belongs in the Hall.  However, we already have one dimensional players in the Hall.

Relief pitchers are essentially one dimensional players.  How else do you explain that two of them--Bruce Sutter and Rollie Fingers--are in the Hall in spite of lifetime losing records?

In any case, there are Hall of Famers who were world class hitters, but mediocre to poor in the field.  You think Harmon Killebrew, for example, would have played that much in the field if there had been a DH in his day? 

If we grant admission to players such as DHs and relievers who were one-dimensional, then shouldn't we think seriously about admitting players who played Hall of Fame caliber defense, but were weak with the stick?  And that brings me to former Oriole shortstop Mark Belanger.  He won 8 gold gloves (that's twice as many as the overrated Derek Jeter) while anchoring the infield for the Birds from 1969-1978, during which time Baltimore appeared in 3 World Series and won the A. L. East 5 times.  Only 3 other shortstops havewon more Gold Gloves than Belanger:  Ozzie Smith (13) and Luis Aparicio (9) are in the Hall of Fame.  Omar Vizquel has 11 and might be headed to the Hall himself one day.  Belanger retired with the highest fielding percentage of any American League shortstop in history (.977)

If you're an other-worldly hitter who happens to stand in the hole between second and third with a glove on your hand (see Honus Wagner and his error totals, which topped out at 74 in 1912. . . . 74??!!) you will get elected to the Hall of Fame.  Why shouldn't you also be enshrined if you are an other-worldly fielder who happens to stand in the batter's box with a bat in your hands?

 

Mark Belanger's 1974 Topps card, posed, ironically enough with a bat in his hands.