Issues Facing Sports

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" ... Tiger's toe done got caught!

2009-12-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

It's a shame that Moses dropped that third tablet when coming down the mountain ... the one what said "Thou Shall Not Cheat!" Indeed, I think it belongs in the top 5!

For those who play golf, honor and integrity are among the game's revered tenets, its history is treasured ... breaking 90 on the Old Course at St. Andrews is a dream many of us have shared but few have realized!

A thorough knowledge of the rules is expected with strict adherence and their honorable application demanded ... the very thought of cheating is repugnant to any golfer. Indeed, players are expected to call penalties upon themselves when the rules are violated. Failure to knowingly so do is considered dishonorable, grounds for automatic forfeiture of the match, and expulsion from the competition.

Millions upon millions of folks play their games on both public and private golf courses using golf balls, tees and clubs ... treating those rules of which they're aware as general guidelines, adherence as a matter of convenience ... failing to count all strokes, taking so called "mulligans" and otherwise violating the rules when it is to their advantage and safe to so do. They see nothing wrong with it ... after all, it is but a game.

Yes it is that ... but the games they play aren't golf!

Certainly, the same can be said of some other sporting activities ... indeed the word "sporting" suggests that it is expected if not demanded that these same tenets apply to all ... but most certainly, they do not, at least not in their application.

Golf is a game reserved for the genteel ... demarcated not by breeding, birth or station in life, but rather by voluntary and strict adherence to a demanding code of ethics and behavior involving honor, integrity, courtesy, and playing by the rules ... a gentleman carries himself so as to be well respected without so demanding.

Like gold and iron disulfide, acting like a gentleman and being one are not the same ... but unlike the assayer, the game is not in a position to distinguish between the two ...

The game is open to all who fall into either class ... closed to those who do not! However, those who dishonorably conduct themselves so as to be an embarrassment should be rejected as "fool's gold" ... permanently expelled for conduct unbecoming ... in the best interests of the game.

I recognize that mine has become a minority viewpoint ... don't fully understand, but do so recognize. My father worked but for one company during his entire working career ... he rose from the lowest of rungs to the highest. He was good at what he did and he was indeed a gentleman!

Unlike my father, I changed jobs several times during my career ... though I never accepted a position with a company unless I thought it would be permanent ... last forever. Daddy liked Sam Snead and I liked Byron Nelson ... however, we did share one thing in common ... we had 24 hour a day jobs!

While that may sound strange, it wasn't ... it was commonplace back then ... no, nobody worked 24 hours a day ... but, were you to have asked "for whom do you work?" ... the answer would have been the same, regardless of the time of day or night! That's IMPORTANT ... or at least it was; not so sure anymore. The point is that as employees, folks knew that in the mind's eye of the public, they were identified with their employers ... and that how they conducted themselves, regardless of venue or time, reflected upon those for whom they worked, and in a broader sense, the industry! It's much the same as when we visit some foreign place ... how we conduct ourselves reflects on where we're from! That's why I pretend to be from Kansas.

It should go without saying that we all knew that had we dishonorably conducted ourselves, more than our reputations would have suffered ... it would have severely damaged our careers, resulted in punishment, including possible termination for "cause" ... that is, for conduct unbecoming ... in the best interests of the game!

And rightfully so!

We're all flawed ... but regardless of what the bailouts of recent times might suggest, there are no mulligans, even for our high profiled heroes ... most especially not for them!

Given recent events, it may well seem that this was written in response to the unfolding Tiger Woods' drama ... but it was actually birthed some time back as a result of the many honor and integrity issues associated with baseball and football, suggesting the need for lifetime expulsions for cheating and conduct unbecoming.

Back then the "issue" was "cheating" ... and the false notion that "guilt" comes with proof rather than the doing of the deed. Tiger's situation is obviously different but the question of conduct unbecoming and the need for effective punishment have been answered.

The verdict is still out regarding Tiger's situation and his place in history but he has shown himself to be an enormous impassioned talent with the ability to generate excitement and perform well under pressure. One cannot help but admire that talent, passion and dedication ... his is indeed in rare combination ... but I think the notion that his personal conduct is not relevant is wrong, dead wrong!

His reputation has by his own hand been severely damaged and he will most certainly long suffer for his behavior ... but, it is incumbent upon the caretakers of sport and especially golf to proactively address the situation. It is sport and specifically golf that has provided him with fame, fortune and his life's station ... and it is sport that must decide his fate relative to his continued participation eligibility ... not the fans, not his family.

Simply put, it is not enough to allow such situations to resolve themselves. The caretakers of each sport must be held accountable for taking care of that sport ... a seemingly difficult notion for most to comprehend, but not exactly rocket science. To otherwise think is almost as misguided as the commonly proffered notion that disreputable behavior simply reflects the fact that one is human ... though not nearly as repugnant and insulting.

Tiger is not alone ... regardless of the sport or the wealthy superstar, one would think that condemnation and lengthy suspensions, if not lifetime playing bans, for conduct unbecoming ... would not only be the most effective means of addressing such situations but also be in the best interest of sport. Certainly, this sport of gentlemen and Mary, Queen of Scots ... where honor comes before all else, cannot afford to be so degraded ... and though seemly harsh to some, no other solution suggests itself as being the appropriate action for the PGA.

Unfortunately, technology and business considerations combine to directionally undermine, if not ultimately destroy, the integrity of all sports ... from the Olympics to the sport of kings and it's highly unlikely that such action will be taken but that doesn't change its propriety.

To what would you have your kids aspire?

2009-09-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

Back when I was growing up, I remember wanting to be a soldier so I could kill Nazis and Nips ... nobody told me they made cars, computers and TVs!

Over the years, I've been indeed fortunate to have many Germans and Japanese include me among their friends.
At different times, I wanted to be an Engineer so I could blow the steam engine's mighty whistle ... farmer, cowboy, fireman, policeman, teacher, doctor, test pilot, explorer ... I wanted to be all them too!

Unfortunately, Mama made me take dancing lessons and study hard ... 'cause she wanted me to be the Mayor of Atlanta or President of the United States!

Daddy said to be honorable in all that you do and always strive to be the very best ... but, be satisfied if you are the very best that you can be!

I became an actuary ...

Kids is different and time changes 'bout everything ... including that to which they aspire ... and, what their folks want for them too, methinks.

If you're a parent what had your druthers, to what would you have your kids aspire? If you're a kid what's still aspiring, please excuse my misuse and abuse of our language and tell us what you want to be!

in addition to participating in the poll, please offer any relevant comments and then join us in the General Discussion Area of the Shop.

If you twitter or are on Facebook, please invite your friends or followers to visit and vote too!

All on the list pay a fair wage for an honest days work!

As you might have guessed, doctors do pretty good financially as a group ... as they rightfully should, healing folks and such ... especially surgeons.

Of course, you might want to consider Sports ... I don't know what they do to earn it but the Commissioners don't do too bad neither! Don't have the 2009 numbers but here's the skinny for 2007.

Sports Commissioners - 2007 Salaries ($ Millions)
Sport	Commissioner	Salary
MLB	Bud Selig	18
NFL	Roger Goodell	11
NBA	David Stern	10
NHL	Gary Bettman	6
PGA	Tim Finchem	5

Just drink your milk and don't worry about the "Cream" ... it'll cure what ails you kid. Forget your homework, go work on fielding them grounders and hitting sliders!

Alex Rodriguez makes but about $200,000 per game, based on 162 ... rookies make less.

Hitting sliders ain't everything kid ... drink your milk ... Roger Clemens started 17 games in 2007, going 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA ... think he made about $1.05 million per start!

Some brain surgeons make $10,000; maybe a bit more ... for an especially long, difficult and delicate operation ... think about it!

Well Alex and Roger may be special cases ... not many make more than the Commissioner, it wouldn't be fair! And like other jobs, they labored long and hard ... paid their dues!

2008 Amateur Draft - Top 25 signing bonuses ($ Millions)
6.20	6.15	6.00	6.00	4.55
3.50	3.47	3.00	2.60	2.30
2.07	1.91	1.84	1.78	1.75
1.73	1.70	1.57	1.54	1.50
1.48	1.50	1.42	1.38	1.35

It all starts with the "Amateur Draft" and then they have to work their way through the Minor Leagues ... a tough road to hoe, much the same as a doctor, accountant or lawyer ... only a little different.

The signing bonuses for 10th round picks (293-322) averaged $140,000.

Imagine starting off your career with a million or 6 in your pocket ...

The MLB Minimum Player's Salary is now $400,000 per season ... same as the annual salary of the President of the United States of America!

Our Supreme Court Chief Justice makes $217,400.

Congress' rank and file make $174,000, with party leaders getting $193,400, topped by the Speaker of the House's $223,500.

Not sure, but I think that salaries in the armed services top out at about $20,000 per month for the Joint Chiefs' Chairman ... privates make less.

Bud Selig's salary is over 45 times that of the President of the United States ... that's more than all 100 U.S. Senators combined! I love the Grand Old Game ... but this insanity has become far more that an issue facing baseball ... WHAT SAY YOU?!

Well, whatever your aspirations ... for yourself, your children or theirs ... I hope it encompasses and supports Daddy's three notions! Be Honorable ... strive to be the best ... be satisfied with being the very best you can be!

I hope too that you'll enjoy the grand old game for what it was intended to be, not the big business it's become!

Barbershop BOB

And so it goes, The Grand Old Game

2009-09-08T08:19:00.001-07:00

Well, for us baseball fans, winter is for daydreaming about what might have been and what might yet be ... early spring hails the annual rebirth of the Phoenix when the boys of summer head south or west for Spring Training ... followed by april showers and opening day.

The summer is filled with game after game ... our'n agin' their'n ... and may the better team win, unless they're better than us! Then comes the fall and the cream of the crop face off against each other in order to determine the World Champions, just as another winter set in!

And so it goes, the grand old game!

I saw neither "Babe", the "Georgia Peach", nor the "The Big Train" play ... but, my money is on them as being the best ... they didn't know about "the cream" and "the clear" ... some boys are just better than others.

All but forgotten are the events leading to establishment of the Office of the Commissioner ... it all started with the National Agreement of 1903 that made peace between the National and American leagues and evolved from there ... we got our first "Commissioner" ... Kenesaw Mountain Landis, following the 1919 Black Sox Scandal and public perception that the sport was crooked ... a lot has changed, but the more things change ...

It's true that the Judge played judge and jury ... and perhaps "Shoeless Joe" told 'em it wasn't so ... but, the fate of the game was at stake ... as it may well be today.

We had the breaking of the BALCO investigation and scandal back in 2003, the "Senate Steroids in Baseball Hearings" in 2005 ... the Mitchell Report in December, 2007 ... then there's been the ongoing "Roger Clemens - Brian McNamee" drama, the indictment of Barry Bonds ... and all those unguided missiles aka shattering bats ... and like Yogi said, "it ain't over 'til it's over" ... and it ain't!

With such scandalous things grabbing media attention, it's little wonder that the silence surrounding the other serious issues besetting the game is so overwhelming.

The list is long ... very long, indeed ... including, but certainly not limited to, conglomerate ownership, the roles and influence of the media and advertisers, outrageous salaries and salary caps, competitive balance, ticket prices, season's length, interleague play, designated hitters, the All Star Game, unions for multimillionaire players with agent negotiated individual contracts .... not to mention $5 Cokes and cold hot dogs!

With your help, we hope to identify and discuss these issues, among ourselves and hopefully with others throughout the land ... blogging fans primarily, but sports writers, players and management ... at all levels ... majors, minors, college, kindergarten ... big cities and small towns too. We're all in this together and we hope so doing will allow us all to gain greater perspective, make some new friends, and perhaps a difference.

Fans everywhere face similar problems methinks, but many issues and situations are indeed team and location specific ... and thus different perspectives. For example, I imagine ticket prices are indeed an issue and concern everywhere ... at Turner field, the 2009 dugout season tickets run $4,316, while at the new Yankee Stadium, I understand the best seats range from from $500 to $2,500 ... per game! Like Jimmy Smith, our residing dean of journalism says ... the same, only different ... oh, the humanity!

We're on the outside looking in ... and while that shall always be, I truly believe that those who love the game have different perspectives that the casual fan to whom the business of baseball seems most concerned.

We want the issues addressed and resolved as they emerge, and in its best interests ... so as to preserve the game and its integrity for our enjoyment, and that of generations yet to come ... winning, losing and money are but parts of this complex but grand old game!

Baseball is a sport, one of very best ... but the operation of the leagues and the teams is a structured business that has become increasingly complex over the last hundred years ... few seriously question that, methinks. However, my view is that there needs to be better separation of Church and State ... the business may be well but the sport is truly sick, methinks.

It appears that the business is redefining the game in what it perceives as the best interest of the business ... and though promoted as in the best interest of the sport, is being so done at the game's and our expense!

So, from your perspective, what's the skinny regarding each of the issues with which the game is being faced? That is to say: stripped of the fat, ... "what's the real issue? ... why is it an issue? ... what caused it to become one? ... why has it not been resolved? what's being done? ... what should be done?

A Colored Past ... In Honor Of Jackie Robinson Day - April 15 ...

2009-04-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

It is well-documented in the history of baseball's storied and colorful past that it's once longstanding color barrier was soundly shattered on April 18, 1946, the day Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson, born in Cairo, Georgia to a sharecropping family on January 31, 1919, was signed to play with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization by owner Branch Rickey, becoming the first African-American of the 20th century to join Major League baseball. Robinson made his first appearance with the Montreal Royals in the International League, and after just a single season with Montreal, the gifted athlete made his big league debut as a Brooklyn Dodger on April 15, 1947, when he played first base against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field. Jackie Robinson helped catapult the Dodgers to the National League Pennant, and earned National League Rookie Of The Year honors.

During those early years, Jackie Robinson endured hardhearted mistreatment from fellow ball players and baseball fans alike, all with quiet dignity, but his entrance into America's favorite pastime had served to spin rusted tumblers in the doorlocks of prejudice thereby enabling access by other players of color such as Don Newcombe, Roy Campanella, Joe Black and Larry Doby, the first black star of the Cleveland Indians. By 1952, more than 150 black players comprised of the "cream of the crop" from Negro League rosters had been enticed to join organized baseball's integrated majors and minors. However, few people have given much thought as to how Robinson came to the attention of major league scouts, where he had played before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, or what the nature of baseball might have been in the black community before integration in the major league. I would like to take a brief journey back in the history of American sports and society to the fascinating era of the Negro Leagues, and explore the events that brought about the great Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers ... and white America.

The original National Association of Base Ball Players, which formed in 1867, had banned all black athletes, but by the late 1870's, many African-American players were on active rosters of white, minor league teams. In the North, between the end of the Civil War and 1890, a good number of African-Americans played alongside their white counterparts on major and minor league teams, but following brief stays with white teams, most of these players felt the hurtful sting of regional prejudices, along with an unofficial color ban. However, there were some notable exceptions who built long and successful careers in white professional baseball.

In 1884, John W, "Bud" Fowler, an African-American with more than a decade of experience as an itinerant, professional player, was signed by the Stillwater, Minnesota club in the Northwestern league. Fowler preferred to play as a second-baseman, but played virtually every position on the field for Stillwater, further heightening the reputation that had brought him to the attention of white team owners. Bud Fowler's baseball career continued through the close of the 19th Century, much of which was spent on the rosters of minor league clubs in organized baseball.

In 1883, Moses "Fleetwood" Walker, a former Oberlin College star, began his professional baseball career with the Toledo club, also in the Northwestern league. Almost from the beginning of his career, Walker was a better than average hitter, and was considered by many to be among baseball's finest catchers. In 1884, the Toledo club joined the American Association, and Walker became the first black player to play with a major league franchise. By 1886, many black players were playing with teams in the "outlaw" leagues and independent barnstorming clubs along with Fowler and Walker, including George Stovey and Ulysses Franklin "Friendly Frank" Grant. The best black players found a measure of tolerance, if not acceptance, in white baseball in the North and Midwest until the end of the 1880's. But that situation made an abrupt change in 1890.

In 1890, as the season began in the International League, the most prestigious of the minor league circuits, there were no black players. With no formal announcement having been made, a "gentlemens' agreement" was made which barred black players from participation for the next fifty-five years. For a time, African-Americans were able to find work in lesser leagues, but within only a few short years no team in organized baseball would accept black players ... the color barrier was firmly in place by the turn of the century.

As Walker, Fowler and Grant, along with many others struggled to find a spot (and keep it) in organized baseball, other black players were pursuing careers with the more than 200 all-black independent teams that performed throughout the country from the early 1880's forward. Through the close of the century, powerful Eastern teams such as the Cuban Giants, Cuban X Giants and Harrisburg Giants played both independently and in loosely organized leagues. Professional black baseball had began to blossom throughout America's heartland, and even in the South by the early 1900's.

The emergence of potent black teams during the early years of the 20th Century, such as the Chicago Giants, Indianapolis ABC's, St. Louis Giants and Kansas City Monarchs, rose to prominence and presented a legitimate challenge to the claim of diamond supremacy made by Eastern clubs such as the Lincoln Giants in New York, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Cuban Stars and Homestead (Pa.) Grays. Black baseball was also thriving in Birmingham's industrial leagues in the South, and teams like the Nashville Standard Giants and Birmingham Black Barons were establishing solid regional reputations.

Black baseball had become, perhaps, the number one entertainment attraction for urban black populations throughout the nation by the end of World War I. It was then that one of black baseball's most influential personalities, Andrew "Rube" Foster, owner of the Chicago American Giants, determined that the time had arrived for a truly organized and stable Negro league. In 1920, under Foster's leadership, the Negro National League was born in Kansas City, fielding eight teams comprised of the Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Cuban Stars, Dayton Marcos, Detroit Stars, Indianapolis ABC's, Kansas City Monarchs and St. Louis Giants ... "We are the ship; all else the sea" was how Rube Foster described his new league ... that same year, Thomas T.Wilson, owner of the Nashville Elite Giants, organized the Negro Southern League, with teams in Nashville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Montgomery and New Orleans. Just three years later in 1923, the Eastern Colored League was formed, featuring the Hilldale Club, Stars (East), Brooklyn Royal Giants, Bacharach Giants, Lincoln Giants and Baltimore Black Sox ... the Negro National League continued on successfully throughout most of the 1920's, until ultimately succumbing to the financial hardships of the Great Depression and sadly dissolving at the close of the 1931 season. In 1933, Pittsburgh bar owner Gus Greenlee organized the second Negro National League, quickly taking up where Foster's league left off, and became the dominant force in black baseball from 1933 through 1949.

From 1920 through the 1940's, the Negro Southern League was in continuous operation and held the position of black baseball's only operating major circuit for the 1931 season. The Negro American League was formed in 1937, bringing into it's fold the best clubs in the South and Midwest, and stood as the opposing circuit to Greenlee's Negro National League until the latter disbanded after the 1949 season ... the three major Negro League circuits had steadily built what was to become one of the largest and most successful black-owned enterprises in America, despite having weathered the storms of the difficult economic challenges thrust upon the entire nation by the Great Depression ... the existence and success of these leagues stood as a testament to the determination and resolve of black America to forge ahead in the face of racial segregation and social disadvantage.

Gus Greenlee had firmly intended to field the most powerful baseball team in America when he organized the Negro National League in 1933 ... and he may well have achieved his goal. In 1935, his Pittsburgh Crawfords lineup showcased the talents of no less than five future Hall-Of-Famers, including the likes of Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Judy Johnson and the great Oscar Charleston. During the mid-1930's, the Pittsburgh Crawfords were black baseball's premier team, but by the end of the decade that title was wrested away by Cumberland Posey's Homestead Grays, winning 9 consecutive Negro National League titles from the late 1930's through the mid-1940's. The Grays had bolstered their lineup with Hall-Of-Fame talent such as that of power-hitting first sacker Buck Leonard, along with featuring former Crawfords stars Bell and Gibson.

During the 1930's and 1940's, the East-West All-Star game, which was played annually at Chicago's Comiskey Park, contributed greatly to the ever-growing national popularity of Negro League baseball. Conceived originally in 1933 by Gus Greenlee as a promotional tool, the game rapidly became black baseball's most popular attraction and biggest money maker. From the first game forward, the East-West Classic regularly packed Comiskey Park while showcasing the Negro League's finest talent ... the demands for social justice had swelled throughout America as World War II came to a close, and many felt that it could not be long until baseball's color barrier would come crashing down. African-Americans had not only proven themselves on the battlefield and seized an indisputable moral claim to an equal share in American life, the stars of black baseball had also proven their skills in venues like the East-West Classic and countless exhibition games against major league stars ... the time for integration had arrived.

Virtually all of the Negro Leagues' best talent had either left the league for opportunities with integrated teams or had grown too old to attract the attention of major league scouts during the four years immediately following Jackie Robinson's debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Black team owners witnessed a financially devastating decline in attendance at Negro League games as a result of this sudden and dramatic departure of talented ballplayers. The handwriting was on the wall for the Negro Leagues as the attention of black fans had forever turned to the integrated major leagues ... after the 1949 season, the Negro National League disbanded, never to return ... after a long and successful run, black baseball's senior circuit was no longer a commercially viable enterprise. Though the Negro American League continued on throughout the 1950's, it had lost virtually all of it's fan appeal, along with the bulk of it's talent. The league closed it's doors for good in 1962, after a decade of operating as a shadow of it's former self ... the era of Negro League baseball had ground to a halt ... "the ship" had sank ... however, it's rich and colorful history had a profound impact, not only on our national pastime, but on America's social and moral character.

Not only was Jack Roosevelt Robinson, son of a sharecropping family from Cairo, Georgia the first African-American to play on a Major League baseball team in the 20th Century ... Robinson was also the first recipient of the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947 ... the first African-American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 ... the first Major League baseball player to be honored on a U.S. postage stamp in 1997 ... the first baseball player to have his uniform number (42) retired in perpetuity across all teams by the Major League in 1997 ... the first UCLA student to earn a varsity letter in all four sports: baseball, basketball, football and track in 1948 ... the first African-American baseball player to receive the Congressional Gold Medal in 2003 ... and the first African-American to serve as Vice-President of a major American corporation, Chock Full O' Nuts 1957-1964 ... Jackie was also a recipient of the NAACP Spigam Medal in 1956 ... received an Honorary degree from Howard University in 1957 ... recipient of the Presidential Medal of Honor in 1985 ... and the Rookie of the Year Award was renamed the Jackie Robinson Award in 1987.

Despite a myriad of impressive collegiate and professional, athletic accomplishments over the course of Jackie Robinson's extraordinary and outstanding career, his integrity, courage and character off the field were indispensable attributes, not only in the life of the man, but more importantly in the melioration of the fragmented moral fabric of American society ... he not only possessed the courage to stare racism and hatred directly in the eye--he bravely defied it! ... while serving in the U.S. Army, Robinson was court-martialed for refusing to sit in the back of a segregated military bus ... he was later acquitted and honorably discharged from the Army ... Jackie Robinson endured unspeakable mistreatment, abuse and threats while playing the game he loved ... but endure he did ... the many black players who came before him were genuine pioneers, true Americans (America must never forget them) ... they were steppingstones that led the way from the intolerance and discrimination of the Jim Crow era to the threshold of racial equality and integration in organized, professional baseball ... amid those stones lies a mighty cornerstone ... Jack Roosevelt (Jackie) Robinson (1919-1972) ...

"There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free." --Jackie Robinson

--sja

Sacks Of Silver ...

2009-02-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Jose Canseco ... "The Bad Boy of Baseball" ... "The Godfather of Steroids" ... one of the infamous "Bash Brothers" ... in his 2005 book entitled, "Juiced," Canseco claimed widespread use of steroids in Major League Baseball, and he named names, some of them superstar players. He also discussed Alex Rodriguez, saying that the perception that A-Rod was "the clean boy" was false, referring to his politically correct personality with reporters as being "insincere" ... Canseco wrote of Rodriguez: "He's not the saint he's perceived to be. Eventually the media will find something nasty to write about Alex Rodriguez, because trust me, they're looking for it." More than 80 players were named in one capacity or another in the Mitchell Report, one of which was Jose Canseco, who was surprised not to see A-Rod's name included in the report. "All I can say is the Mitchell Report is incomplete," Canseco said. "I could not believe that Alex Rodriguez was not mentioned in the report."

"Juiced" has put it's author and Major League Baseball on the hot seat ... Canseco writes about his 16-year career as a Major League Baseball player, and says that from his first season, to his last in 2001, he continuously used illegal anabolic steroids and human growth hormone ... those illegal drugs helped fuel a larger-than-life career for Jose Canseco, whose many home runs were "monster shots" ... in 1988, he hit 42 home runs and stole 40 bases ... a feat never before seen ... by age 37, Canseco's career wound down, he had played for seven different teams, and hit a total of 462 career home runs ... many of which were likely due to his being "juiced" ... does he have any shame that illegal drugs fueled his career? ... "That's a tough question. Because I tried everything possible to become the best player in the world," said Canseco. "Do I believe steroids and growth hormones helped me achieve that? Yes. Were there a lot of other players doing it that I had to compete against? Yes." Canseco claims he knows more about steroids than most trained physicians, and that he actively counseled other players about using anabolic steroids and human growth hormone.

But Jose, what were your intentions when you were detained for more than nine hours at a San Diego Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in October of 2008 after border agents caught you trying to bring human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) across the border from Mexico? ... a drug that helps produce testosterone in athletes who are cycling off steroids. According to anti-doping expert Dr. Gary Wadler, a prescription is required to use hCG, and Canseco did not have a prescription. HCG is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in males only, and is considered a Schedule-III controlled substance in New York ... so Jose,were you intending to use those illegal drugs in some sort of anti-doping, educational presentation during your many counseling sessions with other wayward cheaters and illegal drug users and abusers such as yourself?

Just recently, Jose Canseco's attorney Greg Emerson said that not only does the Alex Rodriguez steroid report act as "substantial confirmation" of Canseco's past claims--but that there are going to be future revelations regarding A-Rod and others. "According to Jose, there's a lot more that will be forthcoming," added Emerson, who said that he had spoken to Canseco following the recent revelations concerning A-Rod, and that Canseco reiterated that his claim of steroid use by Rodriguez was "pretty clear to him [Canseco]. " In Canseco's second book, "Vindicated," he indicated that he had introduced Rodriguez to a steroid dealer late in the 1990s. "Obviously it's something that is substantial confirmation of what Jose has said in the past," Emerson said. "It was pretty clear to him that A-Rod was taking them. Of course, A-Rod denied it on 60 Minutes." Emerson added that Canseco continues to look more and more reliable. "And certainly each time these revelations come out, it just provides more vindication for him just in terms of what he said, and the veracity of what he said. I think he has tremendous credibility."

Among Jose Canseco's other prolific accomplishments is a 1989 arrest in California for carrying a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his vehicle ... a 1992 charge for aggravated battery for allegedly ramming his then-wife Esther's BMW with his Porsche ... a November 1997 arrest and subsequent jailing for allegedly smacking his estranged bride of one year ... a November 2001 arrest with his brother after a fight in a Miami Beach nightclub in which he attacked two tourists, leaving one with a broken nose, and the other with 20 stitches in his lip ... and the beat goes on ... thanks to the "juice?"

Alex Rodriguez may never again be viewed as a "saint" or "the clean boy" ... and there may be much truth to Jose Canseco's many allegations as far as naming players who most likely are guilty of using illegal anabolic steroids or human growth hormone is concerned, and maybe that truth should have rightfully been exposed ... but what gives a person such as Jose Canseco the right to blow that whistle and ultimately ruin the lives of countless individuals, even if some are deserving of such? ... his entire career has been based exclusively upon cheating to gain as much money and notoriety as he possibly could ... he has profited immensely from the use of illegal performance-enhancing substances ... now that his baseball career is over, he continues to profit handsomely, albeit indirectly, from that very same thing ... what Jose Canseco has done has absolutely nothing to do with helping to eliminate illegal drug use, at any level, from the game of baseball ... it's all about the cash and the fame, both of which clearly motivate Jose's actions ... but perhaps somewhere down the line, when the sacks are riddled with holes and the silver lies scattered upon the temple floor, when the dusty books no longer sell, when the eager media no longer comes calling with fists full of dollars, when the good looks no longer cast their reflection in the mirror and he's left sitting all alone in the darkness--Jose may then regret those actions ... Jose Canseco may be overflowing with "tremendous credibility"--but he has nary an ounce of trust .. reliability .. honor .. loyalty .. dignity .. or respect ... Jose said he tried everything possible to become the best player in the world ... but did he simply end up being one of the most despised .. narcissistic .. opportunistic .. self-serving snitches of our time? ... a far cry from those who expose wrongdoing for no purpose other than the welfare and preservation of their fellow man.

--sja

Wise Up Wise Guy ...

2009-02-21T09:28:00.000-08:00

Word is that Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) intends on recommending to the congressional committee, which has previously hosted current and past MLB baseball players, that Alex Rodriguez receive an invite to testify about his use of steroids. "I think we're going to have to see what Rodriguez will tell us," Cummings said in a phone interview with Newsday. "He is in a confessing mode, so maybe he needs to put his apology into some meaningful action by cooperating with the committee so we can see if there are things we need to reopen to make sure baseball is doing all that it can to rid itself of this kind of practice."

But Rep. Cummings, hasn't Congress already wasted too much valuable time and taxpayer dollars on this issue? If Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association were serious about ridding the sport of illegal performance-enhancing substances, all that would require is an all-inclusive and panoptic testing program, of which the consequence of any player's clear and definite positive test would result in that player's permanent, lifetime ban from professional baseball ... period. However, we're all aware that when foxes are allowed to guard the henhouse, the outcome can be easily foreseen and expected. The fact is, neither MLB nor the MLBPA have yet to get serious concerning this issue, although the majority of the blame for it lies squarely upon their obviously narrow shoulders. That being a well established fact, along with the evident reality that many of these professional athletes possess neither the morals nor the character to refrain from committing such unlawful or licentious acts under their own volition, some entity somewhere must assume the responsibility of policing them. That entity should be Major League Baseball.

Rep. Cummings, how many more congressional hearings and oversight committees will be needed before Congress simply passes legislation that would essentially force MLB and MLBPA to clean up their acts and forever end the steroid era? It has been irrefutably evidenced that they are not yet willing to accomplish that, and this shameful mess has been permitted to continue far too long. What more could a now proven liar such as Alex Rodriguez possibly tell Congress that would be of any positive value? Anything he might say would merely serve to add to the endless pages of testimony from other cheats and liars already at your disposal. It's time for Congress to either move swiftly and with firmness to resolve this issue, or get off the pot! ... Don't waste another minute or another dollar, for our country is presently facing far too many serious and pressing problems for that. The economy is in shambles, folks are losing their jobs, their pensions, their savings and their homes ... unemployment is rising, the dollar is falling ... folks have to choose between a bottle of medicine or a month's worth of food ... thieves in government and on Wall Street are robbing us blind ... more than a trillion tax dollars are being given to God-knows-who with little to no oversight ... ridiculous rules and regulations are being forced down our throats until common sense no longer has a place in our society ... the list is endless ... the point is, this is not the time for Congress to be wasting time on MLB or steroids, you've had sufficient information and plenty of opportunities to have already dealt with it ... either enact and enforce laws that would compel MLB to wholly get rid of illegal performance-enhancing substances, or drop the subject altogether and move on to solving our country's real problems ... our nation needs your undivided attention ... by the way, Rep. Elijah Cummings, you've been in Congress for several years now, maybe you are one of the many that should be apologizing for the poor condition our country is in today.

Lastly, although he deserves whatever he gets for his use of illegal drugs .. cheating .. lying .. and theft ... I have a piece of advice for Alex Rodriguez ... Alex, when and if you receive that invitation from Rep. Cummings to come before a congressional committee to tell your story ... you should respectfully decline, but if not, by all means keep your mouth shut when you get there ... because if the government can't get you any other way, they will resort to setting you up for a federal perjury charge ... just ask Miguel Tejada, Barry Bonds and soon to be Roger Clemens ... so A-Rod, you need to find a cure for stupid real fast ... so wise up.

--sja

Not So Shiny Now ...

2009-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Alex Rodriguez! ... you've just been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Shame! ... along with the infamous likes of Barry "Barroid" Bonds, Roger "Never Happened" Clemens, Rafael "Finger Pointer" Palmeiro, Mark "Don't Want To Talk About The Past" McGuire, Andy "Pretty Boy" Pettitte, Jason "Mustache Man" Giambi ... and the list seems to grow longer by the minute ... isn't it interesting how some of our most lilliputian of indiscretions seem to always come back to haunt us in Brobdingnagian ways?

Now don't you fret none A-Rod ... you're no stranger to controversy, and quite adept at squirming out of close situations ... I'm sure you'll find a way to skirt around these latest embarrassing "false allegations" with the greatest of ease ... that's what high-priced lawyers and unions are for, right? ... after all, none of the names of the 104 players who tested positive for performance enhancing substances in Major League Baseball's 2003 testing "survey" were to ever be revealed to the public, including Alex Rodriguez, who tested positive for two anabolic steroids (testosterone and Primobolan) during his 2003 American League MVP season with the Texas Rangers, and that after allegedly being tipped off by officials of the MLB Player's Association that tests were forthcoming ... tests conducted to determine if MLB should impose random drug testing for the 2004 season ... when asked if there was any explanation for his positive test results ... A-Rod's reply was to be expected, "You'll have to talk to the union" ... "I'm not saying anything."

Although there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003, MLB's drug policy had expressly prohibited the use of steroids without a valid prescription since 1991 ... testosterone can be taken legally with an appropriate medical prescription ... however, Primobolan is not an approved prescription drug in the United States, nor was it in 2003 ... a drug popular with baseball players because it could help to improve strength and build lean muscle without creating an exaggeratedly bulky appearance, and with fewer side effects than other steroids ... the drug is also detectable for a shorter period of time.

So Alex, don't get too upset ... there's not much that law enforcement officials, Bud Selig and Major League Baseball or the New York Yankees can do about those positive drug tests at this juncture ... the cash will continue to flow into your pockets, maybe not as much as you've been accustomed to (somewhere in the neighborhood of $200+ million thus far), but cash will flow ... and there will always be that certain type of fan that will continue to pay good money to watch you strut your stuff for the camera, and buy merchandise and memorabilia with your name printed all over it ... but the thing that will eat away at your soul more than anything else is the knowledge that your image, your most delicate and treasured asset, has been forever tarnished and irreparably damaged in the eyes of true and honest baseball fans worldwide ... the man most likely to surpass MLB's all-time home run record currently held by Barry Bonds, and restore integrity and honor to that record, and to the sport ... what a joke! ... what A-Fraud!

Slide over Barry, you've got company!

BREAKING NEWS: February 9, 2009--Alex Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs to ESPN's Peter Gammoms.

--sja

But For The Love Of The Game ...

2009-01-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

The young man had raised the now enormous black Angus steer since it's weening as a small calf, caring for it faithfully each day, and had won numerous ribbons and awards at various county fairs and livestock shows ... the powerful bovine seemed almost like a part of the family, even like a friend at times ... but today things were different ... the boy's father had loaded the majestic animal onto a cattle hauler in which it would be carried away to the stockyard for auction, then on to a slaughterhouse to be butchered for beef ... most likely ending up on someones' dinner plate in New York City or Boston.

The brooding teen stood there leaning against the rough rail fence as he watched the big semi pull away from the farm and vanish tauntingly from sight, warm tears streaking down his freckled cheeks ... his father reassuringly placed a calloused hand on the young lad's slumping shoulder, and while reaching him a thick wad of cash with the other he said ... "boy, you know this is a business, we're not in it for fun, we're in it for money, and that steer was worth a lot of it ... so take this cash, and go buy yourself another one ... but remember what I said, this is a business!"

America has endured many tough and heartrending times since her birth, such as the awful terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Day Of Infamy," the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Great Depression of the 1930s and numerous wars among other infamous troubles ... all unforgettable experiences, but how soon we do forget ... a few days ago Atlanta Braves fans experienced what could be characterized as their "Day Of Infamy," the day John Smoltz, for whatever reason, after 21 faithful years, was no longer a member of the Atlanta Braves organization and on his way to Boston ... this is in no way comparable in scope to the misery and suffering of the aforementioned national hardships and atrocities, but nonetheless shocking and disheartening to most genuine Braves fans ... the resulting affront of disgust and outrage being conveyed recently by scores of angry Braves fans on various blogs and other media outlets has been at Brobdingnagian proportions ... and this is some of what Atlanta Braves GM Frank Wren had to say about that, "It's not unlike talk radio, and I've stopped listening to talk radio. I don't think the average sports fan calls talk radio, nor do I think he goes on the blogs. That's a special group of fans ... someone who wants the experience of making a call or typing a sentence. I don't think that represents the masses" ... "if you go by those, you get a somewhat distorted view" ... in other words, Frank Wren doesn't give a tinkers' damn as to what fans think ... "you know this is a business" ... but how soon we do forget.

Now that I have had a day or so to contemplate and reflect upon these recent noteworthy happenings, the following observation could most likely be just another of my ofttimes distorted perceptions ... but I believe the predominant factor that has most folks so stirred with rage is not primarily the loss of the beloved, ol' standard #29, that's only part of it ... I believe it has more to do with the stark and sudden realization that Braves owners and management could care less about the desires of the fans, and have little respect for their thoughts or feelings ... enabling John Smoltz to walk has merely served to drive that fact home ... for some loyal, longtime fans it's extremely difficult to differentiate between the business end of baseball and the love of the game ... however it's quite another story as for the younger crowd, who mainly base their loyalty to certain players according to levels of performance ... do well and you're a favorite, not so well and you're a worthless bum ... immediate gratification at all costs ... this is the crowd that corporate, sports franchise owners and management are targeting with flashy advertising and slick marketing ploys ... this is the crowd with empty heads and full wallets who are willing to spend money on overpriced beer and overrated players, no matter the brand, no matter the name on the back of the jersey, as long as the beer is cold and the player is a winner ... this is the preferred crowd ... after all "this is a business."

The only voice fans have that is loud enough to be heard by greedy and arrogant team owners and management is their absence ... those rows of empty seats shown in these respective photos are the only thing that will get their attention ... but we all know that a true, efficacious boycott directed toward the Atlanta Braves organization will never come to fruition ... just as with most unpleasant occurrences, the steaming fervor which has erupted over the John Smoltz departure will soon cool and be all but forgotten by most of those "average" Braves fans ... and as warming beams of spring sunshine begin to leach the sting from the chilly breezes of our winter of discontent, the boys of summer will again take to the field for yet another season of play in the grand old game ... the game will continue, business as usual ... the '09 Atlanta Braves will have a new ace on the hill in place of the old one, and the 25-man roster will have been filled by warm bodies, whomever they may be ... and once again "the Braves take the field" ... not the Atlanta Braves of years gone by, those Atlanta Braves that folks had come to love, those Braves are gone forever ... no, this will be the corporate-friendly version of the Atlanta Braves ... and the preferred crowd will again be filling the seats ... and filling the pockets of bottom line-wary owners and management ... as they spend their money on overpriced beer and overrated players, no matter the brand, no matter the name on the back of the jersey ... and as the dust settles and the tears dry up, there will be a handful of others there too ... "that special group of fans ... those not representative of the masses" ... those loyal, longtime fans who have had their hearts crushed more times than they care to remember ... those fans who will never forget, but who are ever willing to forgive the sour moves of the past, including the obvious and brazen-faced disrespect shown to them relative to the inglorious treatment of future Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz ... those fans will be there ... and as an excited boy stands there peering through a chain link fence watching his favorite slugger drive the baseball over the centerfield wall to vanish tauntingly from sight, a broad smile streaking across his freckled cheeks ... his father reassuringly places a calloused hand on his young son's proud shoulder, and while reaching him his old baseball glove with the other he says ... "boy, some say this is just business, only played for money, but we're not here for that ... so take this ol' mitt, and go have yourself some fun ... and remember what I said!" ... but for the love of the game!

--sja

The Dirty Edge ...

2008-07-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

Baseball's policy for testing positive:

First violation: Mandatory random testing.

Second violation: 25-game suspension.

Third violation: 80-game suspension.

Fourth violation: Commissioner's option, with lifetime ban subject to arbitral review.

Steroids, right? ... No, we will save that subject for another day ... I am referring to "greenies" ... "beans" ... "speed" ... amphetamines ... synthesized drugs that stimulate the central nervous system and can create physical and psychological dependencies when overused or misused. Generally utilized to treat hyperactivity in children(and some big league ball players), narcolepsy and attention deficit disorder, and also used as an appetite suppressant. "Speed" is the common street name for amphetamines, which were eventually called "greenies" because of their green color ... already banned? ... old news? ... banned yes ... but not really old news ... I'll tell you why (in my opinion) I believe amphetamines (or rather the absence thereof) is possibly as efficacious in today's game as it was in the years before it's banishment by MLB in 2005 ...

The law according to the federal Controlled Substance Act of 1970 included amphetamine as a Schedule III drug that has "a potential for abuse that may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence." Penalties for violation of the act can range from up to one year in prison, to terms of 20 years to life and fines of up to $2 million for continual criminal activity ...

"Speed" was developed during World War II to assist defense workers and armed forces personnel in the prevention of fatigue. Subsequently, amphetamines found their way into the civilian population and became prevalent in baseball as expansion complicated team travel and schedules. Unless otherwise obtained by prescription, amphetamines had been made illegal by 1970, but it was too late for baseball, "greenies" were everywhere in the game. Many players relied on amphetamines to deal with the hardships associated with cross-country air travel, three-hour day games followed by three-hour night games, a 162-game regular season crammed into 182 days and lifestyles that often involved partying 'till sunup ...

According to former major-league left-hander Bill "Spaceman" Lee, he wrote in his book The Wrong Stuff, "Amphetamines were not being used for kicks, they were being used to sober up ... to get the pulse going on the morning after the night before." It was so rare for a player to go without help from chemistry by not using amphetamines, that he was said to be "naked". Every team had a full assortment of "beans" in the dugout, so it was to be expected that your team would also be made up of a number of "speed freaks". Former Boston Red Sox left-hander David Wells wrote in his book Perfect I'm not: Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches and Baseball, "Those little buggers will open your eyes, sharpen your focus and get your blood moving on demand over and over again. I won't ever object to a sleepy-eyed infielder beaning up to help me win." ...

The greatest players in the game did "greenies". All-time hits leader Pete Rose said in a Playboy interview that he had used them . Even more surprising to me, was the fact that Hall of Famers Willie Stargell and Willie Mays were described as amphetamine providers during the Pittsburgh drug trials of the 1980's. Good teams did "greenies". It was said during sworn testimony that World Series winners such as the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates and 1980 Philadelphia Phillies were to have been loaded with amphetamine users. John Milner testified that the legend Willie Mays had allegedly gave him the "red juice" when they were with the NewYork Mets, "I don't know what kind of speed it was, but it kept your eyes open," said Milner ...

According to Dr. Charles Yesalis, a professor of health and human development at Penn State University, amphetamines and steroids have had markedly differing impacts on the game of baseball. Steroids generally enhance players' overall performance, while "greenies" enable players to simply get on the field and play at their expected level game after game. "It's the whole 'Chicks dig the long ball' thing ... balls going over the fences and records being broken," Dr. Yesalis said. "From a business standpoint, you could argue that anabolic steroids have a far greater effect than amphetamines." ... he added that what makes amphetamines so damaging is their threat to players' mental and physical health. Amphetamine users often get into a dangerous cycle in which they must use barbiturates such as alcohol to come down from the high of "greenies". If given the choice between taking steroids or taking amphetamines, he would choose steroids because amphetamines "can stone-cold kill you." ...

Rangers trainer Jamie Reed, who was also group president of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Association, said his organization had agreed with medical experts such as Dr. Yesalis, and pushed for the ban. Reed acknowledged that athletic trainers have had to battle amphetamine use as being an accepted practice. His group has attempted to educate players on the dangers of amphetamines, but he is not so naive as to believe that there is now complete abstinence. The Rangers have made their employee-assistance program available to players who have difficulty dealing with the high psychological dependence that is associated with amphetamine use. Other baseball clubs have taken similar steps. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said he was stunned by what athletic trainers had told him about the use of amphetamines, subsequently, their input is what prompted him to push for the ban ...

Dr. Yesalis believes that ultimately there will be more mental problems than physical problems. He also believes that some players are convinced that they cannot perform adequately without the help of amphetamines. "As with any drug, the physical addiction is never as bad as the mental addiction," Dr. Yesalis said. "If a guy is partying too much, and can't get his "beans", it is relatively safe to say his play will be diminished." ...

San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman said, "Coffee sales will be up." ...

Former manager of the San Francisco Giants Felipe Alou said, "It will be a lot more relaxed." ...

"No more playing three weeks in a row," said New York Yankees right-hander Mike Mussina ...

"Greenies" are gone ... or at least they are supposed to be gone as part of Major League Baseball's latest drug policy. Without those jars full of little green pick-me-ups readily available in dugouts and clubhouses, much of the steam appears to have escaped from many of baseball's previously high-energy and spirited players. Play on the field has become indolent and lackluster, more pop-ups are dropping in front of outfielders, more grounders are skipping past infielders and fewer batters are going all-out as they blatantly amble to first base ... starters seem to be unable to effectively pitch deep into games, and complete games are nearly unheard-of these days ... relievers are apparently becoming fatigued and grossly ineffective far too early in the season ... catchers can't seem to catch ... closers can't seem to close ... and many teams are having terrible outcomes when playing on the road ... it's not unusual for a player who took a red-eye charter the night before a game to nod off half way through the game the following day ... players have found it very difficult to adjust to performing at the big league level without their treasured "beans" ...

The most anticipated effect of the amphetamine ban was expected to be a harder time for relievers, some of whom had relied on a little extra lift after sitting idle for several hours before entering a game ... and more use of bench players ... these expectations have evidently come to pass. Anyone who plays all 162 games without the aid of amphetamines would be considered as a true 'iron man'. Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, "Obviously, some players have leaned on them. There has always been things that players have used." ...

Trevor Hoffman, emphatic in his opposition to using any type of illegal, performance-enhancing substances to gain an edge, pointedly said, "it will be interesting to see" when considering how players will adjust to not having amphetamines. Hoffman's coffee comment was only half in jest, there are now always two pots in the clubhouse, one regular, the other high-test ... there is also the mysterious "Dominican coffee" ... a thick and sweet liquid that some players gulp down shortly before each game. Users have said the beverage heightens senses so much that they can see the inscription on the baseball from the dugout ...

Thinking back on "Charlie Hustle" and his admitted revelation of amphetamine use in the Playboy interview ... Pete Rose was given the nickname "Charlie Hustle" because of his play "above and beyond the call of duty" while on the field ... even when being intentionally walked, Rose would run full speed, instead of the traditional 'walk' to first base, and was also known for his signature move, always sliding headfirst into a base ... at one time, I truly admired how hard the guy played the game ... until he was exposed for breaking the rules of baseball by betting on the game he supposedly loved ... was deemed permanently ineligible to play ... banished forever from professional baseball ... and destined to go down in history with the likes of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson ... in addition to betting on games, according to his own admission, "Charlie Hustle" apparently obtained much of that "hustle" from "greenies", as did many other great players ... I still admire Pete Rose's work ethic, but his character, to say the least, is questionable ...

So here's a novel idea ... former Atlanta Braves third base coach, and current manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, Ned Yost made the following suggestion, "How about a little mental intensity? ... how about substituting some of that if you get tired? ... Let's develop it ... It's a habit of giving all that you have three hours a night." ...

Players giving their all under the influence of nothing more than all-out determination ... strong will ... and total dedication to a sport they not only love, but depend on for their livelihood ... now that truly is a genuinely refreshing idea Mr. Yost ... I totally concur with your assertion ... but the search for a dirty edge continues ... and all those energy drinks and stout coffees just don't seem to be cutting it ...

--sja

Boys Of Summer ...

2008-06-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

The brumous August morning that dawned bearing a foreboding threat of rain had reluctantly given way to radiant sunbeams threading their way through billowy clouds floating proudly across a cerulean sky ... gentle breezes conducted the dulcet redolence of yellow honeysuckle intermingled with the delightful aroma of hot buttered popcorn, hot dogs, boiled peanuts, cotton candy and candied apples all throughout the old ballpark ... the temperature had risen to a pleasant 71 degrees ... a perfect day for baseball ... and for the boys of summer ...

There was nary a vacant seat in the place ... many folks were standing wherever they could gain a suitable view of the playing field ... excited fans had stocked up on food and cold drinks before settling in for the game ... a beautiful rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" had just concluded, players had all been announced, and the visiting nine had assumed their respective positions on the field as the pitcher took his final warm-up tosses ... the opposing hitter strolled into the batters' box as the ump gave the signal while shouting "play ball!" ...

Butterflies were dancing a frenzied version of the "Jitterbug Waltz" in the pit of the young ace's roiling stomach inducing waves of galling nausea, however this was not uncharted territory for the lanky right-hander as he posed on the mound, peering in with a sneer toward the catcher crouching behind home plate ... those butterflies had little to do with fear, but much to do with a desire to compete, and to win ... the husky catcher dropped the sign, and Gibson unleashed a beautiful bender far from the strike zone which danced back in painting the corner of the plate, freezing the stupefied batter in his tracks as the implacable umpire sternly bellowed "Stee-rike!" ... time to showcase the patented fast ball ... the scowling flamethrower let loose with a grunt, and you could hear the blistering sphere buzzing like an angry bumblebee as it approached the dish, veering in on the hands of the unnerved hitter, coercing him to swing through the pitch, then slapping the catcher's overstuffed mitt with an emphatic pop for yet another exigent "Steee-rike!" ... the now confident hurler received the fuming ball back from the catcher with a smart snap of his Rawlings glove before taking a leisurely stroll like a haughty peafowl around the dusty mound ... he was finally coming to the welcome realization that those fluttering butterflies were mercifully settling down ... and so was he ...

For the strapping batsman, his soul had also been seared amidst the raging flames of that same competitive fire, he had faced notorious pitchers of this caliber countless times in the past, many with great success, and was determined to thwart the efforts of this worthy opponent poised defiantly on the mound from getting the better of him ... not on this perfect day for baseball ... Williams believed that the crafty righty would in all likelihood deliver another filthy curve ... he dug in ... waggled his bat ... and waited ... but instead it was a hard scorcher, too high and called for a ball ... alright, maybe next pitch ... again he took the sizzling heat for a ball ... Williams was now wondering if Gibson had finally lost command of his "good stuff", and may be incapable of getting his fast ball over for a strike ... he was convinced that a breaking ball would assuredly be forthcoming ... he took a long, deep breath, firmly planting his nails in the sandy soil as he anxiously waited like a coiled viper stalking it's prey ... Gibson toed the rubber while coldly staring Williams squarely in the eyes, and with a scowl on his determined face, he propelled the baseball toward the plate with a menacing growl ... the seasoned slugger had gauged it just right, and the ball looked as large as a watermelon floating seemingly in slow motion toward him ... Williams unleashed his trusted Louisville Slugger as smoothly as a lumberjack laying the keen edge of a broadaxe to the root of a decaying jack pine as he made lethal contact with Gibson's meandering curve ball ... the clobbered orb arched skyward as it tauntingly disappeared over the left field wall before the eyes of the jeering throng ...

As Williams triumphantly rounded the diamond, he was showered with a deluge of stinging condemnation from the dispirited, hometown faithful ... Gibson stood motionless on the lonely mound, his head lowered toward the ground in humiliation ... the home team eventually went on to win the game that day 5 to 4 ... but there is a thin line between the thrill, and the agony ... at first glance you might think this story is touching on some fantasy match-up involving the great Hall of Fame pitcher Pack Robert "Bob" Gibson, born in 1935, or the incomparable Hall of Fame slugger Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams (1918-2002), also known as "The Thumper" ... far from it ... this brief narrative pertains to a game played by a ten-year-old pitcher by the name of Grant Gibson of the Pocahontas Warriors and an eleven-year-old slugger named Jackie Williams of the Clarksville Mudhawks, one in a series of games held in the Little League regional championship tournament in Nashville, Tennessee ... truly a perfect day for baseball ... and for the boys of summer ...

"Baseball gives every American boy a chance to excel, not just to be as good as someone else, but to be better than someone else. This is the nature of man and the name of the game" --Ted Williams

--sja

The More Things Change ...

2008-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

The seasoned old umpire just turned and walked away from the protesting ballplayer as he softly murmured to himself, "I'm almost certain Herman tagged him." Then it came to him, and he almost wept. For the first time in his long and stellar career, he only 'thought' a man was tagged! The 'Old Arbitrator', William J. Klem, dean of major league baseball umpires retired that afternoon ... Klem would often insist that he had never called one wrong, though in later years he would solemnly place his hand over his heart and add, "from here." ...

Klem worked a record 18 World Series Games, for a total of 104, including five straight from 1911 to 1915. His first World Series Game was 1908 (Cubs-Tigers) and his last 1940 (Reds-Tigers). Klem also umpired the first All-Star Game in 1933. During his 36 year career, he was behind the dish for five no-hitters, the last being Paul Dean's over Brooklyn (9/21/34). He also officiated a race around the diamond between Hans Lobert and a horse in 1914 at Oxnard, California ... Klem declared the horse to be the winner by a nose! ...

Among the many memorable games that Klem umpired was Opening Day at the Polo Grounds in 1907. A winter storm had left piles of dirty snow around the field. In the eighth inning, with New York leading the Phillies 3-0, unruly spectators began hurling snowballs at the visiting Phillies, umpires and each other. Klem promptly forfeited the game to Philadelphia because responsibility to keep order was up to the home team. Among other great Hall of Fame umpires such as Al Barlick, Nestor Chylak, Jocko Conlon, Tommy Connolly, Billy Evans, Cal Hubbard, and Bill McGowan -- Bill Klem was regarded as the greatest umpire in the game's history ... Klem umpired exclusively behind the plate his first 16 years because of his acknowledged superiority in calling balls and strikes ... Early in his career, Giants manager John McGraw threatened to have him fired. Klem politely replied: "Mr. Manager, if it's possible for you to take my job away from me, I don't want it." Klem's integrity helped secure the reputation of umpires as impartial and honest, bringing dignity to the game, along with pride and competence ...

Over the years, professional baseball has become less of 'America's Pastime', and more about corporate bottom line ... the emphasis has become less on the sport of baseball, and more toward alternative forms of entertainment and flashy gimmicks all designed for the purpose of generating enormous profits ... America's grand ol' game has become Corporate America's grand ol' gain! ... nevertheless, one of the constants in baseball has been it's umpires ... little has changed since the days of Hall of Fame umpire William J. Klem ... and although change in MLB usually comes about at the pace of an aged tortoise, unfortunately, due to a recent rash of 'blown calls', that could soon change at the blinding speed of a panic-struck jackrabbit ... Major League Baseball has announced that it is now earnestly pushing to put instant replay in use by August '08 ... in time to 'fine-tune' the system by the playoffs ...

Players, managers and umpires have mixed opinions as to whether or not instant replay is needed in our beloved game of baseball, but Major League Baseball and the umpire's union will have to reach an agreement before replay can be tried, and both sides are now talking. However, when all is said and done, Commissioner Bud Selig will ultimately decide when MLB wants to put replay in place. Selig has been a staunch opponent of instant replay in the past, but a spate of missed boundary calls last month -- fair or foul, over the fence or not -- left Selig leaning toward it's limited use. Veteran umpire John Hirschbeck, president of the World Umpires Association, said their organization would be willing to listen to whatever proposals MLB have ...

An unnamed person briefed on Major League Baseball's preliminary plan told The Associated Press that baseball wants to create an NHL-style "war room" in New York where video feeds would be reviewed by a supervisor. The umpire crew chief would not see replays -- instead, the supervisor would describe what he saw, but leave it up to the umpire to make the final call. It was unclear whether managers, umpires or the video supervisor would request a replay ...

Notwithstanding his apparent shortcomings, Bud Selig has always been one of the game's traditionalists, preferring the human element in baseball, which meant tolerating an occasional wrong call by an umpire. He has also been concerned about bogging down a sport which has been criticized for it's slow pace ... I tend to agree with Commissioner Selig's sentiments ... The NFL, NBA, NHL, some NCAA sports and major tennis tournaments all employ replay in various forms ... Major League Baseball does not need instant replay! ... many times I have watched video replays of close plays over and over again, in slow motion, without being able to make a definitive determination, while the majority of the time the umpire had made the correct call in real time ... their proficiency is indeed extremely impressive ... I believe instant replay would merely serve to add more confusion and length of time to the game ... if MLB decides to use instant replay, I hope it's in a very limited fashion, such as to determine whether or not a ball was a home run, that's all ... the umpires are also adamant that they do not want replay used to review close plays on the bases or ball-and-strike calls ... I reckon I'm just old school, but I prefer the human element when it comes to just about everything ... especially the game of baseball ... and along with the human element comes human error ... which is also part of the game ... it's always been that way ...

It started with QuesTech ... now it's instant replay ... I say no to both! ... and I would imagine that if Hall of Fame umpire William J. Klem were alive and umpiring today, he would wholeheartedly concur ... and as he wipes beads of sweat from his furrowed brow and warm tears from his gleaming eyes ... amid the chorus of the cheering crowd ... the 'Old Arbitrator' would most likely proclaim without hesitation to instant replay -- "You're outta here!" ...

"It is not up to the umpire, under the rules,
to point out a player's failure to touch a base.
The team on defense must spot that lapse.
That's why I allowed the tally (game 5 of the
1911 World Series)." - Bill Klem (1874-1951)

--sja