mstar1

Both sets of my grandparents were Nana and Buppa. I think that goes back a ways on my mothers side. My parents inherited it when the next generation came along. My mother has since died, but after 30 years just about everyone everywhere (even us kids, friends, business associates etc) now call my father Buppa. I'm a long way off since I don't even have kids yet

This was forwarded to me from a friend whose daughter was vacationing in Sri Lanka when the tsunami hit--

Yup they have the ties and the Red suit jackets (this year), the game is alot simpler -no pitch counts, no clocking of pitches, no endless replays, hardly any shots in the stands, only about 3 cameras. The announcers have to fill up the air time with substance(!) instead of endless special effects. Its great to hear Gowdy again (I had forgotten how enjoyable he was..)and in what is a brilliant stroke that should be reintroduced, they have the the teams announcers join the NBC crew....it makes baseball look like---well--baseball. I've seen the Fisk homerun replay about 1,326,645 times over the years(the movie was Good Will Hunting btw)but the the series itself was equally exciting with 4 games being decided in the ninth or extra innings. The Big Red Machine is formidable (Rose, Morgan, Bench, Perez at the top of the lineup). Fred Lynn for the Sox looks like a young Joe Dimaggio. I'm still po'ed at Larry Barnett for blowing an interference call in the 10th inning of game 3 which cost the Red Sox the game...but we got the interference call this year against ARod so even though I had to wait 29 years things do eventually balance out.... Mark your calendar June 10-12 Red Sox @ Cubs and o yea-thought you might like to see this little gem

I missed it thankfully, too bad we arent in the old days when a veteran linebacker would have 'explained' to him that that type of behaviour was unacceptable the next time he was on the field. Showboating used to be for numbskulls or people looking for a quick exit from the league--well in truth its still for numbskulls, I only wish there were more Ray Nietshke's and Dick Butkus's around for educational purposes.

:)--> too cool! maybe God did hear your prayers a very long time ago... ...Theyv'e been showing reruns of the 1975-RedSox-Reds Worlds Series around here and boy is it refreshing. Its amazing to me how small, everybody looks,even Bench looks small by todays standards, none of that body armor anywhere (only a few batting gloves) pitchers going nine and each game much closer than my memory had remembered them to be. None of those infernal graphics all over the screens, no advertisements all over the ballpark or commercials every 15 seconds either, just Curt Gowdy, Tony Kubek and two great teams. Its interesting rewinding the clock 29 years. The Sox could be up 3-0 easily enough but are down 2-1 Game 4 (Luis Tiant vs Don Gullett) tomorrow. Its a good way to spend a cold winters night

Hell I don't know, its all over the papers here and has been blown way out of proportion due to the hot stove goin a little cold, dang people need something to complain about. Menkiewiez has had it for months and no one even bothered to ask him about it, until a goofball sportswriter (Shaugnessy) made him sound bad. He said he is willing to loan it out to the sports museums in Red Sox land and the Hall, I can't really fault him for wanting to keep ownership of it...on the other hand it is like the holy grail or the shroud of Turin it would be a grand thing if he donated it....I just hope it doesn't progress into something ugly..... PS-How did you learn to spell so well, Ive taken to calling him Eyechart, and...how are those Cubs shaping up?

Thats why I nominated him for The Mark Fydrich Wing of The Hall of Renown. The place for those a just tad bit off. I love This Page about Dock at the Baseball Reference site

You may have noticed the Red Sox cut Pedro Martinez loose, for his salary they picked up 5 other pitchers. I wouldn't call them so-so but they certainly haven't got his name. I think that management made a very smart calculated risk..5 guys with relatively low financial risk and possible high return, at the very least they should be able to eat up alot of innings between them or at least more than Martinez would. and no StrangeOne I dont really think it takes bucketloads of money (although it can help). The A's have been doing well for years with one of the smallest payrolls in the game. The Red Sox have to spend alot of money, since the Yankees are in the same division and the fanbase would skin them if they weren't close, but even though they spend alot-I can see that they are trying to bring it down and not continue to pay the overpriced guys. I think the trend will be to move back to fiscal sanity and play smarter and tighter not richer---

WB StrangeOne- I have a lot of laleo'ing in me on that subject but I'll leave it for Simon-- I will however post this from Luis Tiant that I found today:

Wow he disappeared into thin air, just like people at TWI used to. Well known leaders and other people would be as if they never had existed or fallen off the map--is that the mark of some secret society? The numerology business that they used to define or I should say twist the meaning of words was always very strange...(this word is used 49 times, which is 7 times 7 which connotes in its meaning..blah blah blah...) As were the levels of 'secret knowledge' that would never be revealed until you attained that level. ie..wait until you take the class-then you'll get your answers. WOW--you gotta go to know. Same thing with the Advanced class--the material was always guarded until you paid the cash and sat through it It was a slow indoctrination over a period of time much like a secret society, by the time they reached 'the top' many were apparently so seered that anything was permissible and any vestiges of christianity except the veneer had long disappeared...

I don't go to many movies, and I like few of them. I went to this one with two friends who were in town to see it and it surprised me I more than liked it and it was very well done. I'll second what Pirate said right down the line-it is an amazing movie, Johnny Depp should get an award for this and perhaps Kate Winslet a well and interestingly told story and yes a few tear jerker moments

maybe---or they are of that strange breed of people who have yet to discover that baseball is a firm rock in the sea of speculation, an anchor in the ocean of doubt, the secret of life....the gift of God...the...the...O hell they probably have lives outside of baseball or have never waited a lifetime like you and me to see their team win

I think we are probably alot closer than you make me out to be, I just take a different route to things sometimes and it can get a bit (well more than a bit) taken the wrong way, and since I dont particularly relish the idea of writing incredibly long posts to explain all the details of why I view things the way I do only to have them ripped apart, I let alot of things that superficially may sound strange -just be-without a lot of explanation- I don't particularly like the 'headhunting' that goes on in there whether its my head or someone elses. I try to throw my pitch and stay out of that game but come to think of it I probably should throw inside a little more.. I'd probably stay in the game longer.. dam This horse just wont die--because baseball applies to everything.

I'm not sure exactly what the theory behind it is, I do know that sports teams generate an awful lot of business other than the games themselves, there is increase in money changing hands at hotels, restaurants, TV coverage, advertising, team memorabilia that sort of stuff that employs a lot of people, they bring more people and their money into the cities and are (or can be) source of civic pride. I actually don't agree with the idea either but I can understand the argument that a city and a team have a mutually beneficial relationship.

Speaking of beating a dead horse reminds me of The John Roseboro incident ( sorry that was an ugly leadin..boo me if you must), I think that was the ugliest I saw -when Juan Marichal clubbed Roseboro over the head with a bat, blood coming down the side of Roseboro's head..it was really really ugly....Yea I'm no fan of headhunting, so dont read me wrong. I saw Tony Conigliaro's career ended and there is nothing quite so sickening as that sound and then the deafening hush in a ballpark after a beaning-its spooky and scary. Even with all that I still think pitchers should take the inside of the plate --just stay away from the head. (is this horse officially dead yet??) I liked watching Campaneris,inspite of that story about him and inspite of Charlie Finley's clown uniforms during those years. He was sort of like a mosquito always bugging you in a thousand ways, I think there should be a secondary hall, maybe a Hall of Renown or something for players who dont make the Hall of Fame but should still be remembered for one reason or another, for players like Campaneris,Wilbur Wood, Reggie Smith and some of the others we've mentioned. ...maybe they could even have flakes wing with Mark Fydrich, Bill Lee, Dock Ellis and other notables..like.Jimmy Piersall...I'd definitely go.... That knuckleballer I told you about a few posts ago that used to bounces his pitches off my facemask 30 years ago, just emailed me this as a New Years Card. I like it, but maybe you gotta be Red Sox guy...anyway....Happy New Year.. The Sounds Of Fenway (to the tune of "My Favorite Things") We give no trade clauses with free agent signing, The World Series trophy is ours no more whining, Bullpen with Foulke, no fear of late innings, These are a few of my favorite things. On base percentage to fill Bill James’ doodles, we won’t have our hitters with bats like wet noodles Four pitches per at bat no more first pitch swings These are a few of my favorite things. Damon with power and stolen base dashes, Manny and Ortiz with their homerun smashes, No more ‘1918’ heard in Florida springs, These are a few of my favorite things. When the Sox lose, when the scribe stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad. Pitchers with cornrows and batters with whiskers, Fenway Park ushers who now have to frisk us, Admission price has become cheap for kings, these are a few of my favorite things. Even more seating and luxury boxes, Signage and scoreboards and aisles filled with hawkers. Cold beer and hot dogs with buffalo wings, these are a few of my favorite things. Schilling addresses and Francona pep talks, Lineups with power but also that take walks, Hot stove league winters that melt into springs, these are a few of my favorite things. When the Yanks win, when Roseanne sings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember 2004, and then I don't feel so bad.

318.7 is my longest so far, Im filing a grievance with the union though I think Geo. is using steroids

Link It and Welcome Back I have always thought that animals are much more tuned in to what is going on in the environment, but not for any mystical or spertchal reasons. Just logical reasons such as George said. Humans could be too but for the most part lifestyles separate from the rhythms of nature have kept us detached from the subtlties around us.

man you have a memory and ahalf, remembering what umpires umped which games, thats a feat way beyond me, I can remember the Oriole teams of those years and the Reds, and a few plays here and there (me jumping over the shortwall in right and back up to get a Boog Powell foul ball for one)In the AL those were some great Oriole teams---but umps in specific games? Hats off to you. I'm not worthy-you must have been brutal on retemories--- I remember a few guys batting without helmets, Cash always looked like a throwback- sort of what I pictured Babe Ruth may have looked like, sorta heavy and slow and the same sort of face that I saw in the old photos. He could hit the ball a mile too. Reggie Smith was the last guy I saw bat without a helmet and Mike Andrews was the first I saw to wear an earflap, it all changed when Tony Conigliaro got beaned and nearly killed, then it overnight became common practice and probably required to wear the flap. I of course have nothing against that,its good, its when these guys look like robotron coming up, with pads on there knees, legs, elbows, wrists, forearms and biceps that it gets a little much and takes away from the game. --good for those Cub pitchers for finding Bonds toe. Mays didnt have a helmet for along time and he seemed to do OK, and that in the days when brushbacks were expected. I don't know why the huge shift has occurred,but I don't like it.. some batters just expect to dig in and never be challenged and worse get bent out of shape if they do. ARod's the worst whining and bitching everytime a pitch is an inch inside-as if he is owed something, and shouldn't actually have to deal with it...to me its part of the game. It's part of he tools that make apitcher a real pitcher. If they are going to go overboard to protect hitters perhaps they should do something like raise the mound back up... or something... well...Rest in Peace Mr Burkhart and thank you and goodbye to 2004-it was a great ride, can we do it again next year?

..and O yea--Happy New Year--I hate to see this one go-the Patriots won the SuperBowl, The Red Sox won the World Series and Boston Rob finished second on Survivor but like a true Bostonian married the million dollars ;-) --Its been a good year

Kath click on the guy/snowman/bear/thing with the club, and then swing at the penguin when he dives your way. ...here comes the pitch...and theres a drive deep to center ...going WAYBACK....WAYBACK...its...287.5...here comes the throw in and mstar is standing on second with a penguin double deep to center.... dang I should put this in the baseball thread..

Its hard to believe that Ron Santo isn't already in, he was the third baseman of his generation, --well except for Brooks (who brought new light)--Its BOOLCHEET he's not in already. I found this: Im gonna dig up some stats and send them a letter on behalf of Tiant, Santo , Jim Rice and maybe Ryne Sandburg and Bert Blyleven Boggs looks like the only lock this year. Its hard to believe guys who started their careers when I was an adult, have started, , had a great career, retired and been inducted in the hall of fame. They're already done-half the time I still feel like I'm looking for my lifes work... Yea I agree with you the umpires are way too jumpy, I can understand controlling a game when people are 'settling scores' but to take away the inside of the plate artificially inflates the batting stats, and although in one sense it makes the game exciting with more hitting it takes away too many of the well played 1-0 and 2-1 games that you hardly ever see anymore... Dont get me started on body armor, I dont want to see anyone seriously hurt, but bumps, bruises and minor injuries also are also parts of the game that you used to be able to factor in, and the self preservation thought in batters heads kept them at least somewhat aware and honest. It is sort of somewhere between amusement at the circus outfits ( good one on the Darth Vader image) and genuine annoyance when i see these guys like Bonds come up in their full body titanium suits. It just doesn'tlook like baseball. It gives yet another advantage to hitters. I just cant see players from other eras-- Honus Wagner, or Joe Dimaggio, or Willie Mays( who spent half his life on his foot) ever even thinking like that--Mays was great and was knocked down 2-3 times agame, with no armor, and with the higher mound----I hope somewhere along the line, someone will adjust the records to the eras--and they take away all this goddamn football equipment...Its BOOLCHEET --tell your son to pitch inside anyway--I'm gonna go write aletter to the vets committee Edit: Luis facing center field before he gets ready to uncork a pitch:

Luis had the greatest windup, you never knew quite what direction he was going to release the ball from, I can still see him rotating his entire body 180degrees from the plate to the point where he was facing dead center field, hesitating for what seemed like an eternity then whirling and firing in. The nights Luis pitched were like a circus, he was agreat showman, and aside from the fact he was a great pitcher was a lovable guy with great quotes after every game in his broken English and always smoking a footlong cuban cigar. Luis was one of the good guys. There is a move now to try get him in the Hall on the vets thing, he has almost the same career numbers as Catfish Hunter, who is in, so I dont see why not. whatever happens he will always be a new England legend.... When I was 15 I was just plain wild which looking back worked to my advantage, and in those days of Drysdale, Gibson etc it was just part of the game to come inside and maybe plunk one or two a game. I think pitchers give up way too much these days and thats one reason the averages and homeruns have skyrocketed. The great ones like Clemens and Martinez aren't afraid to learn from their predecessors and come inside no matter how unPC it is. Too often its a lost part of the game, which is just as real and as important as a well executed relay or hit and run....sometimes mre so.... Fine...Steinmoneybags wants to get Johnson, that makes for about $100Million just on the pitching staff, I hope one day all of this implodes on them (as it soon might since they are now stuck with so many big and somewhat useless contracts)and there can be a return to some sort of equality among more teams. It would be good for the game and good for the fans. I have a gut feeling thats whats in the works behind the scenes ( I have no reason to think it--just do..) but it will take a few years to pull it off... ....and I dont care if he has the best stuff in the world, tell your son his runs will go down if he keeps 'em a tad nervous, and not leaning out over the plate...I'll stamp my personal guarantee on it...on second thought I'm sure Dad has already tried to explain that

Ok I actually read the post and see what you mean, I think I vaguely remember that day that Wood won two, although its drifting in the sands of time in my memory at the moment... My curve wasn't all that good, but I was young and strong and wild once so I probably kept most young batters scared enough to be able to sneak it in there from time to time. The last inning I remember pitching I walked 3 , and struck out 3. My main problem was consistently hitting the plate..but contact was rare..It was the fear in the heart and life of that batter that I inadvertently knocked down ( afew times) that let me sneak that curve over the outside corner I guess... 91 complete games?? ay carumba --those days are gone. I (vaguely again) remember a game when I was really young maybe Marichal vs Spahn that went about 15 shutout innings each until eventually it was won in the 16th. I doubt anyone will ever see another game like that one again I think that pitchers are too coddled too but if someones making millions a year I spose you have to protect your investment. Its a different game now unfortunately. With people like Bill James around there are new stats and new theories for everything,and things slowly change... I wouldve like to have seen those guys like Cy Young who pitched near everyday and won 35-40 games a year. I was reading a boxscore from 1975 yesterday at retrosheet( do I need to get a life??) where Luis Tiant threw 185 pitches. They'll give you all the meaningless statistics you could ever want having among other things every box score since 1901. I fill up the winter with about 10 sites like that and this year a bunch of books and DVDs on th past season. Steven Kings book is going good so far.. It just flashed across my screen that the Johnson deal is 98% done according to Gammons -but it wouldn't be the first time he jumped the gun... ...damn will this season hurry up and start already......

Holy Sh!t 13-3 in May? I remember Wilbur, but that part I didn't, Wilbur I think if my memory isnt failing me was from a few towns away(Belmont Mass), so alot of the High School kids were experimenting with knucklers. Me as a sometime catcher was taking the floater off the shoulders, toes , knees and forehead as often as I caught it -those knucklers are tough to predict...If I pitched one it usually ended up far far over a fence somewhere...I went back to the fastball and multiple variations of a curve...I'm still ready to be called up if they need a 49 yo reliever who hasn't thrown more than a few innings in a few decades... i'm well rested and my pitchcount for the last 30 years is extremely low.... 13-3 in May -- must've been long before the days of pitchcounts, thats gotta be a single month record. I saw McLain the year he won 31, win his 27th against Lonborg with stuff that exploded as it reached the plate. Later Denny exploded. The last I saw of him he weighed about 400lbs and was doing time....but for one year he had the some of the best stuff I have ever seen... I see Johnson is still whining to be traded to the Yankees , but the Yankees are asking the D'Backs if they can just borrow him once a week Next year i swear, i have to move to Mexico, or the Caribbean or someplace that has baseball for the winter, these offseasons just last too long....

So's I post here and quick check to see if the Red Sox have picked up that Japanese second baseman they've been looking at before I go to bed. Nothing quite like these Japanese Sportswriters to make things crystal clear Well Im certainly glad I read that article -it cleared up everything... " guerrila warfare is not definitely promised" ?? What kind of baseball are they playing over there? I'm gonna have to check out a Japanese game someday... time for bed