Quote of the day

The truth is that for those 86 long years when the Red Sox went without a World Series win, fans were not only in a recession, but trapped in a longstanding, deeply entrenched sports depression.

~Julianna Baggott

Julianna Baggott
juliannabaggott.com

The 2018 World Series begins

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The World Series begins tonight!  I think this will be an interesting one, featuring two old, old franchises currently located at opposite ends of the country.  There’s going to be a lot of flying going on during this Series.

It could be an interesting Halloween night in Boston if this thing goes to Game Seven.

Full World Series schedule

Game Date Day TV Time Location
Game 1 Oct. 23 Tuesday Fox 8:09 p.m. Boston
Game 2 Oct. 24 Wednesday Fox 8:09 p.m. Boston
Game 3 Oct. 26 Friday Fox 8:09 p.m. LA
Game 4 Oct. 27 Saturday Fox 8:09 p.m. LA
Game 5* Oct. 28 Sunday Fox 8:15 p.m. LA
Game 6* Oct. 30 Tuesday Fox 8:09 p.m. Boston
Game 7* Oct. 31 Wednesday Fox 8:09 p.m. Boston

*If necessary.

This day in baseball: RIP Ross Youngs

New York Giants rightfielder Ross Youngs passed away on October 22, 1927 of Brights disease.  The future Hall of Famer had a career batting average of .322, having batted over .300 for seven straight seasons, including reaching an average of more than .350 twice.  Youngs was also one of John McGraw’s favorite players, who said at Youngs’s funeral, “The game was never over with Youngs until the last man was out.  He could do everything a ball player should do, and do it better than most players.  As an outfielder he had no superiors, and he was the easiest man I ever knew to handle.  In all his years with the Giants, he never caused one minute’s trouble for myself or the club.  On top of all this, a gamer ballplayer than Youngs never played ball.”

Ross Youngs New York Giants

“Sandlot World Series,” by Daniel Turner

This poem was published in 2017 through Poetry Soup.  I love how this piece captures the fun details of playing sandlot baseball.  Leave it to the parents to force the game to end in a tie.

*

Some walked, others biked
As we gathered at the park
There was Jimmy, Peewee
Ricky, Billy and Mark
Neighborhood boys
From blocks around, they’d descend
For the Sandlot World Series
It was friend against friend

There were seven to a side
The bat was tossed to Bob
It was fist top of fist
’til a thumb crossed the knob
Back and forth went the score
Our pride made us care
The other team would storm back
And the tempers would flare

I was Mickey Mantle
Stuck out in right field
With a gun for an arm
Two bare feet for wheels
In inning number seven
And getting quite late
The tying run once again
Strode across the plate

After Tommy struck out
It was our turn to bat
We were cheering and yelling
Shaking our rally hats
Peewee lined a single
He was always big trouble
Then Steve, my brother
Lucked out with a double

It was second and third
With nobody out
When I stepped to the plate
Jimmy’s mom gave a shout
Then I heard my dad
Holler,”Time to eat”
The game ended in a tie
As none wanted to get beat.

In nineteen sixty six
On a hot August day
There were fourteen friends
Who gathered to play
Not the first nor the last
That ended a little teary
As supper time brought a tie
To the Sandlot World Series

Quote of the day

People are overlooked for a variety of biased reasons and perceived flaws: Age, appearance, personality. Bill James and Mathematics cuts straight through that. Billy, of the twenty thousand notable players for us to consider, I believe that there’s a championship team of twenty five people that we can afford. Because everyone else in baseball undervalues them – like an island of misfit toys.

~Peter Brand, Moneyball

Jonah Hill Moneyball
hollywoodreporter.com