hiway29

I'd agree with most everything said so far. I'd add whatever pet rant 'leadership' was on that month. In a way home once, we were forbidden to watch TV unless the corpse dude ok'ed it , because HQ was touting the book '4 arguments for the elimination of television',and it became the flavor of the month. We were also forbidden to bring beer into the house, though same corpse dude would go on an ouzo binge about every 5 weeks when the pressure got to him. Oh yes, in another house I was once 'caught' with a Playboy magazine and had to rip it up and feed it to the fireplace. Way people never are into anything relating to sex, of course. This is opening a floodgate of memories. I'll stop for now.

I scored highest on 'artist', then' thinker'. Lowest on 'reformer', which based on how I read the questions, means I'm not concerned in telling people how to run their lives, which is true. I'm not sure I equate a 'reformer' with being a leader, though it's a fair description of what passed for a 'leader' in the way.

Not a baseball day goes by that I'm not thankful for Vin Scully. One of these days he's not going to be there, and I fear it will be sooner rather than later. Jeff Kent made no friends a couple of weeks ago , when he dissed Vin, saying he 'talks too much'. Kent was hitting over .400 batting ahead of Manny. My 7 year old granddaughter could tell you he was getting better pitches to hit because of it, but Kent threw a tantrum, contending that no one gives him credit for 'improving his game'. When he heard Vin refer to Manny hitting behind him as an aid, he got indignant. Of course the big question was how Kent was hearing Scully in the first place, while the game was on. The fan reaction was as expected. You don't disrespect Vin Scully.

"Frank goodness"-gotta love it I envy you having seen the Angels play at Wrigley Field. That was real close to the Farmers market , wasn't it ? The Big A was way cool before they enclosed it. I remember it as games watched on tv in Connecticut at 11 pm, when I should have been in bed for school. The big A outside the the park was great. When they closed it in, with those awful red seats, it became dreary. Especially with most of those red seats empty. Disney did a great job of renovating, though I still don't get the rock formation in center field. It's a whole different Angel world now. Hardcore fans who are enjoying the best team in LA. I honestly don't know what is going to help the Dodgers.

I'd like to hear the 'Briggs better Franks' jingle. Where I lived, it was Yogi Berra and Yoo-Hoo, with the cheesiest commercial you ever saw. A b&w photo of Yogi's head on a badly animated body running up a Yankee Stadium flagpole to catch a fly ( by this time, Yogi was playing a lot of left field) A jingle forever in my head from back then is 'Baseball and Ballantine",played before Yankee games, which was not quite as memorable as 'My beer is Rheingold, the dry beer".

hmmm... I really didn't intend any double entendre. Make it clam chowder instead-uh.. that's not any better is it.

Since I'll be seeing the Dodgers-Dbacks next weekend here, it would be nice if the Dodgers weren't eliminated by then so I can at least pretend there's a 'pennant race', so I'm hoping they win a game or two in AZ. Jamie Kotsay is of course lovely, but looks about as thin as the baseball bat she's swinging. Feed her a couple Fenway Franks.

I said IF the Dodgers got lucky. I didn't think they WOULD. I also didn't refer to the Dodgers as winning in AZ by timely hitting, crisp defense, and great pitching. They are still the Dodgers. Manny can't do it by himself.

Tom, there's nothing I'd rather do this weekend, than be at Angel Stadium. Unfortunately it's not looking good due to other commitments. I'm still holding out a sliver of hope for Saturday, but it's slim. My next scheduled game is the following Saturday -Dodgers vs Dbacks. Let's see, the Dodgers have lost 7 in a row, and I think are still only 3 games back. It's not the NL Worst for nothing. If they get lucky in AZ this weekend they'll be tied for first.

On the rare occasion when I get back to Connecticut during baseball season, I love going to Bridgeport Bluefish games. The Bluefish are part of an independent league, that I don't quite understand, but am glad it's there. Rickey Henderson played for them for a spell, I think, during one of his comebacks, when he was only 49 or so. The Bluefish park is a little beauty, built just down the street from where I went to college. At the time, you couldn't go through that part of Bridgeport without taking your life in your hands ( of course, I walked those streets for years in college, without incident). The improvements in the area are impressive. The park overlooks Long Island Sound, and you can see every mode of transportation, trains, cars, ships,(including the LI Ferry) going by just past the outfield wall. Just musing while I put the final nail in the Yankees coffin, and watch the Dodgers disintegrate. Let's face it, no matter how successful, baseball is easily as much about dealing with losing, as glorying in winning. Just like life.

Yeah, that was interesting Simon. According to the record books, Griffey will now have played in 2 cities on the same day ! I'm with you on the noise, Mstar. Those strips they've put up in many parks that run around the loge, exhorting you to make some noise, or to tell you that strikeout was brought to you by Taco Bell......

Had a fine time at Angel Stadium on Saturday with the Twins. Exciting game, Vlad hit the cover off the ball, 2 circus catches by Torii, and a nice 7-5 win for the Angels. I was in the 'company seats' right behind home plate. At Angel Stadium, it's the 'vip' section, with an amazing restaurant attached, if you're idea of going to a ball game includes prime rib and wine. Mine doesn't, and though we were waited on, I found the hot dogs more than disappointing. I realized I don't know my way around Angel Stadium yet. Others around me came in with awesome dogs, and sausages that looked like they came right off the bbq. Turns out they did, and there's a stand for those who know, that serves up the good stuff. Next time. Couldn't beat the seats though. I have friends who much prefer Angel Stadium, to Dodger. I don't agree with them, but can't argue the point, as it's a heck of a ball park. The place was a hell hole before Disney renovated it in the late 90's. Now that Disney is gone, the ballpark thankfully remains. My biggest complaint is the ear racking noise pumped through the speakers. Can't have any 'down time', lest the fans get bored, I guess. Of course this goes for most ball parks these days. The Dodgers have actually toned down some of it this season.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Yastrzemski. There are players that define the era they played in, and Yaz is at the top of that list. He was always an example of class, and dignity, besides being a great player. Get well, Yaz.

I agree with you, Tom, about Posada. I'm not sure why, but I just think the perception is that he doesn't quite place in that 'class by themselves' category. I'm sure his numbers are as good or better than Elston Howard's, and Elston certainly belongs there. Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am.

Those retired Yankee numbers make a pretty good line up. Too many catchers though. As good as Jorge Posada has been, I doubt he'll be regarded as highly as that group.

I don't think the Yankees have a set criteria. Roger Maris certainly deserves it, though it was long in coming. He didn't finish his career there, and his credentials rest largely on 2 mvp years, and of course mostly on 1961. That's good enough for me. Reggie was there for just a few years, but what a few years. I can see an argument in this case, but Reggie did prove to be the 'straw that stirred the drink'. IMO , the Sox should bend the 'rules' with Manny. Hey, the Dodgers might retire Manny's number if he only stays 2 months !

I always thought the 100,000 number was stretching it. I can't deny that the way amassed quite a horde in the 70's, early 80's though. Especially when you consider that it was mostly by nomadic, unfocused in life, young people talking others into sitting through a frankly boring class that required 4 hours a night, several nights for weeks. Then of course there were the endless meetings, classes, events,programs, and whatever after you finished. That they could keep a great number of people that involved (often through fear, but that's another topic), is an amazing feat of sorts.

There's no reason to retire Babe's #3 throughout baseball. Almost all of the Yankee single digit numbers have been retired by the Yankees. As a kid, a single digit # was almost always associated with a Yankee ( at least where I lived), and I was proud to wear #8 , Yogi's #, on my little league uniform. 3-Babe Ruth, 4-Lou Gehrig, 5- Joe Dimaggio, 6 - ( old age has set in and I can't remember), 7- Mickey Mantle, 8- Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey-both cathcers , and both wore the number, I'm not sure if 1 is retired-Billy Martin , ( and Joe Torre) wore it. I'm certain that Derek Jeter's 2 will one day be retired. I'm not sure if 9 , Roger Maris, is retired.I recall Craig Nettles wearing it in the 70's. There are several other retired Yankee numbers. The Yankees love to retire numbers. Of course they've had a few pretty good players.

I realize schedules balance out-but it seems to me more home games in September are a bigger advantage than in April, especially in a tight pennant race. I figure to be retired before I can get to post 4000.

Nomar is always good when he comes off the dl- only problem is he's always coming off the dl.

I think the Yankees have something like 10 home games in September, with the last 10 on the road. Home field advantage in baseball matters, and I wonder how scheduling gets so lopsided. The Twins are going on the road for about 2 and a half weeks, and they're a totally different team on the road. Sorry about the tick, mstar, but at least you don't have Arod. I'm sure the nation will have much to crow about in the next 2 months, so that should help you recover.

I'm not missing Johnny Damon. Whoever makes it to the Series this year, I'm only hoping it's not another 4 and out.

when you're playing like the Yankees have been,it's understandable. Fortunately, Hank doesn't bat, and maybe the players will show some life yet.

Many thanks for the birthday greetings !!

I sometimes wonder why on earth I ran the bookstore in Cy for a year. Night after night, scurrying around the state , peddling 'Marxist Minstrels', "13th Tribe', that "Myth of the 6 Million' thing, to say nothing of the over priced Bibles( and of course, all the holy vpw works). It was bad enough going to work on 3 hours of sleep, but it really bothers me that I was a pusher for this stuff.