When I was about 8 years old or so, I remember turning on the television. Baseball was on, and I was a baseball fan then, playing in a youth league. I was an Angels fan but my grandma was a Dodgers fan, so I knew both teams pretty well. Outside of that, I didn't know the players or the history. I was 8. It was 1983.
Happened to turn it on a few minutes before a very emotional scene, the announcers were getting emotional. An older man was shown walking to the plate. Carl Yastrzemski. It was his last game. I had no idea who he was, but everyone else did so I was entranced.
I don't know why I remember that so clearly, Carl Yastrzemski's last game, but I do. It really stuck with me.
I'm not really a baseball fan anymore. But I'm in that same place. I turned on the television and they were just about to start Jeter's last game. How little I know is summed up in my reaction, "the Yankees didn't make the playoffs?"
I don't follow the sport, but I think it's still a big deal, after so many scandals and problems over the course of just the last quarter century. It's amazing to see someone who symbolizes the best of the sport, the best of sports.
It was fucking hot here today and I went to the dog park with the rare clumber.
I saw women in tankys, no bras, with pink nips suffesed to sweaty tank. Every now and then the nipple would release itself from the shirt and I saw a sweaty nip, with drops on it.
Do you know one of the largest gay cruising areas (the fens) is a block from Fenway. The lights shine down on the Fens when the Sox are playing.
Last week I fell in the Fens Swamp and almost drowned-how gay is that? I had a difficult time finding a cab because I smelled fishy. I thought those Fens Swamps were shallow, but no, I fucking went over my head in one step. Afterwards, I stole a tomato from someone's "Victory Garden".
Great story, Paddy. Yaz was a God in New England in the 60's/70's. Gary Cooper type guy. Came from a blue collar, potato farming family on Long Island. Played hard, hit in the clutch, and kept his nose clean and mouth shut. Almost single handedly took the Red Sox to the WS, winning the Triple Crown.
What pleasant post among all the tripe of today. Thanks Lem. And Thank Trooper for taking notice.
Jeter is a class act, even a non-fan like me paid attention when I chanced upon a Yankees game or a Tigers/Yankees game on cable. As a kid I was a fan, and in my grade school years those of us who played at school, got one or two trips to a real game at Briggs Stadium (a Dad's Club outing or something like that) ...Al Kaline was my hero then.
My last year of paying attention at all, because I'd met a few of the players socially, was 1984. There was just something about Lance Parish and Kirk Gibson that was magnetic. Aurelio López was another (aka Senior Smoke) who could capture all attention when he showed up at Armandos in Detroit....a place I regularly hit on Friday nights in those days, Mexican food and live entertainment to boot. Great place. Those last days at Tiger Field (old Briggs Stadium) were the best for me...tickets still reasonable and even in banner year like 1984 you could get good seats on short notice.
Now at "Comerica Park" a large lovely place, I have yet set set foot...parking is obscene and seats cost what a root canal should. My kid lives literally across the street from it and we've yet to venture in side.
Derek Jeter was a class act and in my non-fan non-expert mind, I'll just place him alongside Al Kaline in my memory bank.
Look at the Trooper - givin' mad props to some Orioles!
"O!" Say Can You See! (making the O sign with one's arms) - it was better at Memorial Stadium than at the new place, but what are you going to do, eh?
Even the Durham Bulls upgraded after they became stars and moved from single A to triple A.
Guy walks into the place Saturday, has a hat that says "T B". I asked "What's that stand for, tuberculosis?" Guy next to me says "Not a baseball fan, eh?"
I listen to the Bulls games, but had no idea they were the farm team for TB. That's nothing to cough at.
Aridog, I made a point of going to Tiger Stadium the last year. Serendipitously, it was clinic day for kids and adults. You went down on the field and they had coaches/players teaching hitting, pitching, infield, etc. What shit luck! I took my daughter to a weekend series @ Comerica to see Jeter. Nice, but nothing special. I loved Tiger Stadium.
24 comments:
A Baltimore Chop!
A great end to a great career. Not a home run. Just getting on base any way you can to help your team win.
I also want to congratulate the Red Sox players and fans for all of the class that they showed today.
To see the respect and affection they showed a worthy opponent is the epitome of class and style.
Very well done.
I salute Red Sox nation.
Hi praise... thanks Troop.
No. Thank you Lem for hi-lighting Jeter the way you have done the last few days.
You are a true Baseball fan.
I can't think of a better accolade.
For a month.
Let's not get crazy here.
lol..
I'll be on a Jeter protection program.
That was a beautiful moment.
Red Sox fans chanting "Derek Jeter!"
No. Thank you Lem for hi-lighting Jeter the way you have done the last few days.
Sports is one of the last places where is still safe to give a guy his due.
In the days when highlighting the bad of the few is most of what we hear, a story like Jeter's couldn't be more opportune, to show the way.
His quiet dignity and composure is what won me over.
You don't see that these days.
Jeter? I thought you were talking about purple lipstick wearing A-Rod.
That was his 154th game @ Fenway. An entire season of games.
Put an asterisk on that, Spins.
When I was about 8 years old or so, I remember turning on the television. Baseball was on, and I was a baseball fan then, playing in a youth league. I was an Angels fan but my grandma was a Dodgers fan, so I knew both teams pretty well. Outside of that, I didn't know the players or the history. I was 8. It was 1983.
Happened to turn it on a few minutes before a very emotional scene, the announcers were getting emotional. An older man was shown walking to the plate. Carl Yastrzemski. It was his last game. I had no idea who he was, but everyone else did so I was entranced.
I don't know why I remember that so clearly, Carl Yastrzemski's last game, but I do. It really stuck with me.
I'm not really a baseball fan anymore. But I'm in that same place. I turned on the television and they were just about to start Jeter's last game. How little I know is summed up in my reaction, "the Yankees didn't make the playoffs?"
I don't follow the sport, but I think it's still a big deal, after so many scandals and problems over the course of just the last quarter century. It's amazing to see someone who symbolizes the best of the sport, the best of sports.
It means there's still hope.
It was fucking hot here today and I went to the dog park with the rare clumber.
I saw women in tankys, no bras, with pink nips suffesed to sweaty tank. Every now and then the nipple would release itself from the shirt and I saw a sweaty nip, with drops on it.
tits.
Do you know one of the largest gay cruising areas (the fens) is a block from Fenway. The lights shine down on the Fens when the Sox are playing.
Last week I fell in the Fens Swamp and almost drowned-how gay is that? I had a difficult time finding a cab because I smelled fishy. I thought those Fens Swamps were shallow, but no, I fucking went over my head in one step. Afterwards, I stole a tomato from someone's "Victory Garden".
tits.
Great story, Paddy. Yaz was a God in New England in the 60's/70's. Gary Cooper type guy. Came from a blue collar, potato farming family on Long Island. Played hard, hit in the clutch, and kept his nose clean and mouth shut. Almost single handedly took the Red Sox to the WS, winning the Triple Crown.
Spike Lee was a few rows behind the plate.
What pleasant post among all the tripe of today. Thanks Lem. And Thank Trooper for taking notice.
Jeter is a class act, even a non-fan like me paid attention when I chanced upon a Yankees game or a Tigers/Yankees game on cable. As a kid I was a fan, and in my grade school years those of us who played at school, got one or two trips to a real game at Briggs Stadium (a Dad's Club outing or something like that) ...Al Kaline was my hero then.
My last year of paying attention at all, because I'd met a few of the players socially, was 1984. There was just something about Lance Parish and Kirk Gibson that was magnetic. Aurelio López was another (aka Senior Smoke) who could capture all attention when he showed up at Armandos in Detroit....a place I regularly hit on Friday nights in those days, Mexican food and live entertainment to boot. Great place. Those last days at Tiger Field (old Briggs Stadium) were the best for me...tickets still reasonable and even in banner year like 1984 you could get good seats on short notice.
Now at "Comerica Park" a large lovely place, I have yet set set foot...parking is obscene and seats cost what a root canal should. My kid lives literally across the street from it and we've yet to venture in side.
Derek Jeter was a class act and in my non-fan non-expert mind, I'll just place him alongside Al Kaline in my memory bank.
Al Kaline was a great player and a class act. He belongs in an arch with guys like Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripkin, Tony Gwyn and Derek Jeter.
A real class act.
Look at the Trooper - givin' mad props to some Orioles!
"O!" Say Can You See! (making the O sign with one's arms) - it was better at Memorial Stadium than at the new place, but what are you going to do, eh?
Even the Durham Bulls upgraded after they became stars and moved from single A to triple A.
Guy walks into the place Saturday, has a hat that says "T B". I asked "What's that stand for, tuberculosis?" Guy next to me says "Not a baseball fan, eh?"
I listen to the Bulls games, but had no idea they were the farm team for TB. That's nothing to cough at.
Aridog, I made a point of going to Tiger Stadium the last year. Serendipitously, it was clinic day for kids and adults. You went down on the field and they had coaches/players teaching hitting, pitching, infield, etc. What shit luck! I took my daughter to a weekend series @ Comerica to see Jeter. Nice, but nothing special. I loved Tiger Stadium.
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