This weekend the Fall Classic slides into view, it is the baseball super bowl – the World Series. I have heard it said that the US wouldn’t have much interest due to the teams involved…are you kidding me? Anyone that loves baseball, the all-American sport, will love this series.
Who can forget the 1919 World Series, which resulted in the most famous scandal in baseball history? Eight players from the Chicago White Sox were accused of throwing the series against the Cincinnati Reds. To this day, no one really knows the complete story and baseball fans still feel sadness in not knowing how the great "Shoeless" Joe Jackson’s career might have played out. White Sox haven’t been in a series since 1959 and their last championship came in 1917.
This is the first World Series for the Houston Astros, an organization 44 years young, from a city that opened its arms wide for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Oh and they have…Roger Clemens…not to mention Houston is the hometown of one of my Mr. Bigs. So yeah I am torn as to which team to root for. I love Chicago, and loved training there. I hate the Houston airport and every airplane flight I have ever missed was there.
How do I know about baseball? I am an Irish lass and it runs in my family. Remember, one cousin played for the Yanks the other for the Twins way back in the early big hair days of the 80’s. Frankly, I would prefer Brian played baseball over football, since it a sport his dad can’t coach…
I am not a big fan of baseball on TV. I think it is a sport that needs to be felt and experienced within the walls of a baseball stadium. What I love about this series (besides the fact the Yankees aren’t in it even though Derek Jeter is a hunk and a half) is the two teams out of nowhere - the lost but not forgotten. It is the American story: stick around long enough, work hard enough and don’t let go of a dream for eventually you just might make it to the big league of your life.
I enjoy stories of redemption. The White Sox, formally nicknamed the Black Sox are back trying to erase the stigma of their baseball forefather's past. It is the story of a second chance … I love second chance comeback stories. As we all know… I am working on my own.
Let’s play ball.
“There have been only two geniuses in the world. Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare”. ~Tallulah Bankhead
C
SIDEBAR: There is my funny baseball story of how I got mad at Kent Herback, who was my cousin Larry's best friend. Larry pitched, and Kent was the first baseman. While having dinner with Larry and Kent (because Larry was excited for me to meet the up and coming first baseman) Larry kicked me hard under the Round Table Pizza table - you know, one of those 'play nice' kicks only a relative can give you. I still got mad at Kent anyways ... call it a redheaded thing.
[Kent liked talking about himself in third person, and after an hour of listening to him brag about himself in third person I got mad ...ok...so I wasn't completely mean]
After telling Kent he was a big bore and would never amount to much (oiy - me when I am mad), Larry would mail me success newspaper articles about Kent from the road, with his "the future x husband you passed up" markings accross the top.
Imagine my shock when he signed for 4 million one year. It was even front page SF Cronicle news. Still didn't make me like Kent better ... true redheads can't be bought ... at any price.
God how I adore my cousin Larry. He always understood just how to treat me. He would have been a great baseball idol for kids. I remember how I loved watching him, tired after a game, signing autographs for the kids. He really took the time to talk with them, take photos - whatever they wanted. I would stand there watching him, my own hero, so proud that he was my cousin. He was like my dad, fitting that he was my dad's youngest sister's son ... a son of a redhead ... my dad's nephew. Larry was always kind, even when we were little kids.
He told me later on that Kent got very sick with meningitis, which pretty much ended his pro career, and for some reason I felt bad, really bad. I know how much Larry liked him as a friend, so he probably was a good man, just needed the arrogance to play ball. Larry said for a long time Kent would say "How's your feisty cousin?" and they would laugh. Larry has a redhead for a mom and an Aunt - he should have warned the guy.
If I can find some photos of Larry and my other cousin Stacy, in their early pitching days, I'll scan them and post them here.It's been too long since I have had my dose of Larry. The series always brings the memories flooding back.
Happy guys? I actually wrote something very guy oriented ... yes ...I do like SOME 'guy' things.... I can think of one right now...
