Baseball

How thrilling to have baseball games in October. How joyous not to sit in the cold carrying a clip board. How miserable to sit through the angst of hope unfulfilled and yet, the joy of sports allows a complete renewal at the beginning of the next season, requiring only loyalty and a willingness to believe. So here we have the Giants (after 8 years of non playoffs, 8 years of low merchandise sales in October) and the mighty Philadelphia Phillies. Baseball fans will get a competitive series but fans of these two teams are knowing that for some, Heartbreak and Main is just around the corner.

The San Francisco Giants have been by the bay, relocated from New York since 1958. In these 52 years, the Giants have won a total of Zero World Series. Since 1958 the Phillies have won twice, and been in 5 World Series (the Giants have been in 3). This year both teams have excellent pitching which is the key to success (rare exception, Pittsburgh Pirates 1979) and if you were to tell the casual fan who was pitching for the Giants in game one, you could have said, "Jesus". Jesus, wow- that's pretty good. Who do the other guys have? "God". Statistically, that's how they matched up.

Getting past the Braves has meaning; a measuring mark in a tightly contested series.  The Braves seem always to be a good team and winning this nail biter informs the Giants that they below.  Also if this is the last game that Bobby Cox manages, then here's to one of the best managers of the game.  Baseball will miss him.The Giants stopping their celebration to salute Cox was a classy and correct thing to do.  Karma points!

I rather like the Phillies very much, and it is pretty cool to me that Andrew and I talked about this possibility at the beginning of the year, and here we go. For me, all the long standing bay area teams have won (49'ers-5 times, Warriors-'75, Stanford Basketball (women)-twice and in
other major college categories, etc.)- it's just the Giants that always seem to not quite get there.
One time, in my life, before my Dad checks out would be satisfying. This years Giants would seem the least likely team to progress and yet, we are hopeful.
Two crazy events have happened to the Giants when they were in the World Series: In 1989, just before the beginning of game 2 (5:07pm?) - 21 years to this day, a major earthquake, Loma Prieta occurred at the beginning of the broadcast. Because many people had left work early that day, or took it off completely to settle in at home or at a bar to watch it, the Bay Bridge was relatively empty- certainly not packed in usual rush hour traffic. People died, people were in peril but not to the numbers that normally would be driving across.

In 2002, the manager's son, Darren Baker, then all of 4 years old rushed onto the field to grab the bat of his favorite player, Kenny Lofton. Unfortunately he did this while the ball was in play. Runners and fielders were heading home. An outfielder would be throwing a baseball 90 miles an hour directly to where the boy was heading; players in heavy gear might be colliding, 400 pounds of bodies. All in seconds, the potential for real disaster would be seen by millions of television viewers. As the Giants JT Snow crossed home plate scoring one run, and a teammate running not far behind him from third base, Angels catcher Bengie Molina was bracing himself from both the incoming throw and impact from the next runner. Molina caught the glimpse of the little child running to home plate, and Snow who had begun to head for the dugout, quickly ran back, reached for young Darren- grabbing him by the scruff of his collar, pulling him out of harm's way just before the runner and ball arrived. Molina gave Snow just enough room to do this. It was a crazy moment.
After the game seven loss, cameras moved to Darren Baker's face and he started sobbing. My then four year old, Dexter saw this and he started crying too. Rooting for your team allows you to share joy and misery with others, builds an element of community but in the end, there is no real loss. You get back up and begin anew.

Here's to baseball, with all its statistics and rules. To baseball, where understatement is still appreciated (hit a home run and in most situations, keep your head down and jog around the bases. Celebrations are minimal, lest you tempt the pitcher to


photo of Johnnie Lemaster, unpopular Giant player of the '70's who once batted with this custom tagged jersey. Couldn't get away with this today, I think


bean you next time around). It seems that most of the other big sports in the USA, football and basketball you have guys celebrating every little good thing they do, several times a game. In baseball except on a game ending play, you pretty much hide your enjoyment with your glove covering your face.
As much as I enjoy watching football on television and have enjoyed watching great boxers practice their craft, it seems contradictory to enjoy sports where people are vowing to kill someone else ("kill the quarterback") until they actually succeed. Then they pray?

Football and boxing are two sports where participants are willing to give up 10-20 years of their lives, and if they are somehow able to make it to an older age, do so hobbled, physically and oft times, mentally. So owners, do ante up for these guys.

Because baseball series are longer (usually 4of 7 games), the team that is better usually will win. Football (1 game and out), a better coached team can steal any game, but try surprising the other team with 7 onside kicks; it won't work seven or even two times.

It's fun to high five the kids, Maria and Dad.
It's time to play every game, all nine innings. Let's go get 'em!