All Things BASEBALL

[KarenKraft]

Here, we discuss the game of baseball.  That is, major league baseball: it's history, folklore, personalities, wins, losses, stadiums (yeah I know - I spell it that way anyway), stadium food, fans, and fun once had. Songs, photos, stories, videos, remembrances, and such.  There is no clock in baseball, as it is not exactly a sport.  In the U.S., baseball is a passtime.  Sure, there is a game going on, but the three to four (or more) hours spent at the park, watching the TV, listening to the radio are much more. 

All baseball games begin with the National Anthem (of the United States and that of any other national team that may be playing that day -- e.g. Canada), followed by the head umpire yelling  PLAY BALL !!!!

Here is a history piece by Ken Burns:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x15fugf_ken-burn-s-baseball-01-our-game-1840-1900_shortfilms

[rubberball50]

It is a wonderful game and, I agree, there is much to talk about.  I, for one, thoroughly enjoy spending a couple hours at a game or watching on tv.  It's even better when the team I'm rooting for wins.

So yes... let's talk baseball.  :)

[Foamy T. Squirrel]

My goodness, you have posted a very nice post here. It is also a concept, and though it's about a sport, it's pretty interesting for other people, meaning those who do not know anything about baseball, can easily learn to understand.

Start here:

1) Yes, it's a team sport, but it's not a team sport. It's not like futbol (soccer), football, volleyball, or basketball. It's about an individual human trying to beat difficult odds.

2) You can root for a batter to do well, even if that player is on the opposing team.

3) You can root for a pitcher to do well, even if that pitcher is on the opposing team.

4) Baseball is about singular individuals doing exceptionally well. It's an Ancient Greek concept, but it pervades modern American baseball. Baseball is a transcendent sport. And, despite baseball's occasional marketing woes, it staggers a fan's mind when a player tries to hit a small ball hurled toward them at 90 mph (144.84 kph).

5) You will not find any boy who has ever watched this sport who did not day-dream about hitting that last home run to win the World Series.

[Foamy T. Squirrel]

It's about people with exceptional abilities, who at times will dazzle you with their great skill and daring.

But it's also about them, together, pulling for a victory, and that is what is called a great team.

A group of guys, well suited for the task, if they can just keep their heads in the game to make it all happen.

At least that's the way that I've always seen it.

Yes, and if you know the game, you've got a mint collection of bubblegum cards of every individual who played on that team and every other team they played with. And these cards are worth a fortune now.

It's kinda like having the first Don Drysdale card: same thing as owning private placement shares of Google at $2 per share.

I'm kinda sorta partial to certain teams, but only because they had exceptional people that inspired their fellow team members to be exceptional. I don't think it's necessarily more difficult to hit a home run than it is to catch it when your back is slammed against the wall, whilst stadium light blind you, and end the damn game right there when you catch it.

It's a great game.

[Foamy T. Squirrel]

I figured you'd get a chuckle out of that one.

Unfortunately, I didn't keep my baseball card collection, and I failed to secure shares of Google when it was privately traded.

That's two grievous errors on my part, but I was a great right fielder when the ball was not hit in my direction. I was proud and somewhat surprised that my three sons were so good at it. Maybe I'll be a lucky as an old man, and they'll buy shares on a private placement for the next Future Google., and support me in my old age.

Of course, one of the kids has a butt load of original Magic cards. Hummmm...

[StnCld316]

I figured you'd get a chuckle out of that one.

Unfortunately, I didn't keep my baseball card collection, and I failed to secure shares of Google when it was privately traded.

That's two grievous errors on my part, but I was a great right fielder when the ball was not hit in my direction. I was proud and somewhat surprised that my three sons were so good at it. Maybe I'll be a lucky as an old man, and they'll buy shares on a private placement for the next Future Google., and support me in my old age.

Of course, one of the kids has a butt load of original Magic cards. Hummmm...

I had a deck of those Magic Cards a few decades back.  OOps, I just about let my age out of the bag.  LOL

[StnCld316]

Tell him to hold onto them.  An old man need's to have a hope of some kind.  ;D

My only surviving brother never throws away anything.  He could start a museum of things gathered over time even dating back to the mid fifties.  Many times when over at his place I would pick up an object here and there and say,.. "Oh wow, isn't that something!" 

Me, I'm the exact opposite, never saved anything, except the memories.

All the good things I had as a child went to the landfill after I turned 16. Go to the sites now and collectors are searching for this stuff and willing to pay some big bucks. If I would have saved it all, I'd have a good nest egg for my retirement years. But back 45 years ago no one would have thought there would have been any value to them in later years.

[TBG 150]

I was a strange kid. I hated sports. My parents made me participate. When the ball was thrown or hit my way, I'd look away and watch it go by. It was the only way I knew to get thrown out.

In school, I skipped P.E. class. They made us wear these filthy clothes that sat in a stinking locker for a week, shower with a bunch of other guys. In wrestling these wannabe homos would climb all over you. I hated anyone's sweaty skin touching mine. It was simply gross.

I was very happy sitting alone in my room with my piano or in a church with a beautiful pipe organ making music that made me tingle all over.

But yet I would lay on my back in a puddle of oil and grease and pull a transmission. Go figure.

[rubberball50]

Tell him to hold onto them.  An old man need's to have a hope of some kind.  ;D

My only surviving brother never throws away anything.  He could start a museum of things gathered over time even dating back to the mid fifties.  Many times when over at his place I would pick up an object here and there and say,.. "Oh wow, isn't that something!" 

Me, I'm the exact opposite, never saved anything, except the memories.

All the good things I had as a child went to the landfill after I turned 16. Go to the sites now and collectors are searching for this stuff and willing to pay some big bucks. If I would have saved it all, I'd have a good nest egg for my retirement years. But back 45 years ago no one would have thought there would have been any value to them in later years.

woodworker... memories are priceless... and the storage space is minimal.  :)

stncld... I agree with you.  My collections of baseball cards and comic books would have fetched a pretty penny from today's collectors had I kept and protected them, but I didn't know better way back then.  If I knew then, what I know now...  :)

[TBG 150]

We all wish that we had that 20/20 hindsight.

[rubberball50]

Now... back to baseball. 

I'm not young and remember baseball when there were 3 teams in New York City.  To me, the men who played the game back then relied on exceptional natural physical skills.  Now, with supplements (both legal and illegal) and year round conditioning programs, the men who play are bigger, stronger and faster. 

Is the game better now than it was?

[woodworker]

I couldn't let this pass by.  For a man should never feel completely alone.

And, just like TBG, I and some of the other like minded guys were thrown out of gym, because I refused to take my clothes off or to jump into a shower and romp around with those towel slapping imbeciles there.  To me, it was about as queerish as one can get without dropping to your knees, and even the foul, dank smell of it all just gave me a case of the heavy jeevies. 

Soooooooo,.. "Your Out!"  As they say in the game.