Oh, the rigors of Competitive Eating.
Apparently the reigning Nathan's Yellow Mustard Belt holder, Kobayashi, has overtrained for the event and is suffering from an arthritic jaw. The much anticipated match up between Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut on July 4th may not happen. Chestnut set a new world record a few weeks ago by downing nearly 60 hot dogs in 12 minutes.
I've watched the hot dog eating championship for the last couple of years now. The sheer gluttony and disgust level apparently appeals to me. I like the fact that the organizers of this "league" don't take themselves very seriously and it's done just for the fun of it. I guess that's all well and good until somebody loses an eye. And eats it.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Rare Brewer Performances
I know this is about a week late, but I thought it was interesting enough to pass along. Using the 50 years of play-by-play data available from Retrosheet, SABR member John Jarvis created a histogram showing the number of times a team has been no hit, one hit, etc. The data shows 129 no hitters, or about 2.6 per year on average. What is interesting, though, is that the 22 hit performance the Brewers had against the Rangers is actually more rare than the no hitter! A team has blasted 22 hits in a game only 111 times during the last 50 years.
So, if you are still embarrassed about your team being held without a hit by a guy with positively nasty stuff, perhaps that little tidbit can cure what ails ya.
Oh, on the other end of the hit spectrum is an August 28, 1992 game in which Milwaukee pounded out 31 hits while beating Toronto 22-2. That's the highest total in the Retrosheet data. If you are interested in the complete breakdown, just let me know.
So, if you are still embarrassed about your team being held without a hit by a guy with positively nasty stuff, perhaps that little tidbit can cure what ails ya.
Oh, on the other end of the hit spectrum is an August 28, 1992 game in which Milwaukee pounded out 31 hits while beating Toronto 22-2. That's the highest total in the Retrosheet data. If you are interested in the complete breakdown, just let me know.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Steve Dalkowski
Minor league baseball history is a passion of mine. The fact I just spent a perfectly fine three-day weekend writing about 10,000 words on the 1886 and 1887 seasons of Eau Claire baseball probably bears that out a bit. The sheer volume of minor league teams and players throughout the years means there are thousands of fascinating stories out there, and thousands more to be told.
My favorite minor league story is the sad-but-true tale of Steve Dalkowski. I first read about him in the early 1990's when this man who once had a lightning bolt in his arm was now scraping by working intermittantly as a field laborer whenever he was sober enough. The Hardball Times has an article here that tells Dalkowski's amazing tale. Like the article says, if you've heard of him, it's still good to be reminded of his amazing feats. If you haven't heard of him, just be prepared to be in awe of the stats and the stories. I love the attempt at timing his pitches--93.5 mph on flat ground after throwing at his maximum for 40 minutes AND following a 150+ pitch game the night before.
Don't miss the tail end of the article (after the references) for "something you may not know".
My favorite minor league story is the sad-but-true tale of Steve Dalkowski. I first read about him in the early 1990's when this man who once had a lightning bolt in his arm was now scraping by working intermittantly as a field laborer whenever he was sober enough. The Hardball Times has an article here that tells Dalkowski's amazing tale. Like the article says, if you've heard of him, it's still good to be reminded of his amazing feats. If you haven't heard of him, just be prepared to be in awe of the stats and the stories. I love the attempt at timing his pitches--93.5 mph on flat ground after throwing at his maximum for 40 minutes AND following a 150+ pitch game the night before.
Don't miss the tail end of the article (after the references) for "something you may not know".
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
The Price is Right
In about a month, Bob Barker will tape his last "The Price is Right" episode. Most people reading this probably do not know TV without Bob Barker, who has been hosting the show for nearly as long as the Brewers have been in existence. I know I am not alone when I say I don't think I even want to know "TPIR" without Bob (I call him "Bob" because it feels like he's a member of the family). TPIR doesn't rely on glitzy lighting, dramatic music, or contestants that are complete lunatics to bring in millions of viewers every day. It's a simple show that takes the contestants for who they are. Sure, producers interview the audience ahead of time but the chosen ones still seem to represent the "common person". And there's Bob, presiding over it all and expertly conducting an entertaining hour of TV time and time again.
Hank Stuever at the Washington Post writes a great story today on Bob and the show. I think it hits on the reasons why many of us love the show to this day.
Oh, and my favorite game was "Cliffhangers".
Hank Stuever at the Washington Post writes a great story today on Bob and the show. I think it hits on the reasons why many of us love the show to this day.
Oh, and my favorite game was "Cliffhangers".
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Baseball Predictions
Considering my wife and seven year old son fared better than I did on the annual family NCAA bracket contest, my predictions for the upcoming baseball season probably shouldn't be something you take to the bank as collateral for a loan. Nonetheless, here goes:
In the NL Central, it seems obvious there is no one dominating team. The spread between first and fifth (and possibly even sixth) place will be such that a hot two week stretch could vault any club three or four spots in the standings. Conversely, a cold snap could take a first place team down the cellar in a hurry. The key, I think, will be to avoid the long cold streaks and play consistent ball. And of course, the way to do that is more often than not on the shoulders of the pitching staff. The Brewers have the depth in starting pitching that no other team in the division can touch. I hate sounding like I have beer-colored glasses on here, but I think the Brewers have just enough to win this division with 86 wins. I wouldn't be surprised to see the sixth place team have 72 wins. It's going to be a roller coaster year, so hang on.
Elsewhere, I like the Braves to slug their way back into an NL East title and the Dodgers will grab the NL West. Wildcard goes to Philly. I think the Mets' pitching staff is going to completely offset the incredible offense they have, and they will drop to third in the tough East. In the AL, I like Boston to ride its pitching staff to the East crown. The A's might slip a bit, but still should have enough for the West. And the Royals will shock the world and win the Central. No--April Fools. I like the Tigers to repeat, with the wildcard going to Cleveland.
So there you have it--that and about $.60 will buy you a refreshing can of soda.
In the NL Central, it seems obvious there is no one dominating team. The spread between first and fifth (and possibly even sixth) place will be such that a hot two week stretch could vault any club three or four spots in the standings. Conversely, a cold snap could take a first place team down the cellar in a hurry. The key, I think, will be to avoid the long cold streaks and play consistent ball. And of course, the way to do that is more often than not on the shoulders of the pitching staff. The Brewers have the depth in starting pitching that no other team in the division can touch. I hate sounding like I have beer-colored glasses on here, but I think the Brewers have just enough to win this division with 86 wins. I wouldn't be surprised to see the sixth place team have 72 wins. It's going to be a roller coaster year, so hang on.
Elsewhere, I like the Braves to slug their way back into an NL East title and the Dodgers will grab the NL West. Wildcard goes to Philly. I think the Mets' pitching staff is going to completely offset the incredible offense they have, and they will drop to third in the tough East. In the AL, I like Boston to ride its pitching staff to the East crown. The A's might slip a bit, but still should have enough for the West. And the Royals will shock the world and win the Central. No--April Fools. I like the Tigers to repeat, with the wildcard going to Cleveland.
So there you have it--that and about $.60 will buy you a refreshing can of soda.
Random Thoughts
**I was a big fan of Eddie "The King" Feigner of "King and His Court" fame. The first new glove I ever had was an Eddie Feigner model my mom bought for me when I was in fifth grade. Many years later, I tried to arrange to bring the Court to Eau Claire. I found his address and mailed a request, along with the hang tag from that old glove of mine for his autograph (unfortunately for a glove collector like myself, the glove was left at the park on the last day of my last Little League season, and I haven't seen it since. One just went for $70 on eBay a few months ago--too much for me). I was stunned to have a large box come to my home a few days later from Eddie himself. He wrote me a long letter and told me some stuff about his tour, some of his favorite places, the glove, etc. He sent along a bunch of old "Court" yearbooks, all of them signed, along with a press kit and some other photos that were all personalized. He also gave me his home phone number and asked me to call him. So I did. We spent about a half hour on the phone, just shooting the breeze and talking about softball. Unfortunately, the time he would be in Western Wisconsin didn't work on our end, so we just sort of left it there. We tried a few other times in subsequent years, but I'm not connected enough in the community to get things rolling and I didn't want to shoulder the responsibility myself. It never worked out.
Of course, Eddie passed away just a few months ago. He had a book out called "From an Orphan to a King", but I never ordered it for one reason or another. After Eddie died, I ordered the book, hoping that it might help out his wife who was struggling with the medical bills. I wanted to report here that the book is a phenominal read full of amazing stories. Well, I guess it is. But I don't know that it's not full of something else, too. The stories, by and large, just sound like they were the work of someone who had an awful lot of travel time to think of things. I have no doubt that Eddie had a number of incredible, unbelievable experiences in his years of touring. I just don't believe everything the book says. One example: he recognized some Olympic pole vaulter or something like that at a hotel, but didn't recognize later on that weekend he was riding in an elevator with Harry Truman. It's still a nice read, and proceeds of books bought at kingandhiscourt.com will help out "The Queen", Anne Marie. But I suggest you read it with some skepticism.
**I recently volunteered to do preliminary judging for a few presentations and posters for the upcoming SABR convention in St. Louis. I was given abstracts from nine different projects and asked to score them on a 50 point scale. Now, those of you that know me (all two of you) know that I'm not a huge stat-based person. I belong to SABR for the stories, not the numbers. That said, of the nine abstracts I was given I only gave one perfect score. It was for a presentation titled "How Valuable is Strike One?". Of course, it's widely known that getting ahead in the count on the first pitch is important. The abstract mentions a 1986 Stanley Katz article that supported this. However, it was noted there were several factors that couldn't be studied due to small sample size, such as game situations. Now there is available data from over 30,000 games since 1988. This new study will show the effects of pitch sequence including situational analysis, ballpark factors, pitcher "types" (predominantly ground ball or fly ball, power or finesse, etc.), hitter types, etc. Stuff like this could turn me into a numbers guy after all. Once I get the study, I'll post here about it. Or better yet check out www.sabr.org for yourself and consider joining this wonderful organization. There's something for everyone in SABR.
**I want to send my congratulations to Al of Al's Ramblings fame on the amazing weight loss so far. It's Gleeman-esque!
I, too, am on a quest to get into better shape. At one point, I was planning on hitting LA Weight Loss but decided if I could do it on my own I would put the money that would cost into something fun, like partially funding a trip to Brewer fantasy camp or something. Well, I've dropped 28 pounds--nearly 10% of my starting weight--since the beginning of the year. I've enjoyed lifting weights for quite some time, so I make sure to incorporate weight lifting in with my cardio. I've never been stronger or had more endurance with my cardio--even when I was lighter. One day I watched the NFL combine and saw some lineman doing 22-25 bench press reps at 225. I went down to my bench, without warmup, and did 24.
I'm happy with my pace, too. It's not fast, but that has to do with my dietary choices. I'm very light for the work week--around 1,000-1,200 calories a day. On the weekends, I usually let go a little bit and one of the weekend days I go all out with whatever I want. It helps me mentally because I know I'm never more than six days away from my favorite foods. Plus, it jolts the system and reminds my body that maybe I'm not starving myself. So far, so good.
Of course, Eddie passed away just a few months ago. He had a book out called "From an Orphan to a King", but I never ordered it for one reason or another. After Eddie died, I ordered the book, hoping that it might help out his wife who was struggling with the medical bills. I wanted to report here that the book is a phenominal read full of amazing stories. Well, I guess it is. But I don't know that it's not full of something else, too. The stories, by and large, just sound like they were the work of someone who had an awful lot of travel time to think of things. I have no doubt that Eddie had a number of incredible, unbelievable experiences in his years of touring. I just don't believe everything the book says. One example: he recognized some Olympic pole vaulter or something like that at a hotel, but didn't recognize later on that weekend he was riding in an elevator with Harry Truman. It's still a nice read, and proceeds of books bought at kingandhiscourt.com will help out "The Queen", Anne Marie. But I suggest you read it with some skepticism.
**I recently volunteered to do preliminary judging for a few presentations and posters for the upcoming SABR convention in St. Louis. I was given abstracts from nine different projects and asked to score them on a 50 point scale. Now, those of you that know me (all two of you) know that I'm not a huge stat-based person. I belong to SABR for the stories, not the numbers. That said, of the nine abstracts I was given I only gave one perfect score. It was for a presentation titled "How Valuable is Strike One?". Of course, it's widely known that getting ahead in the count on the first pitch is important. The abstract mentions a 1986 Stanley Katz article that supported this. However, it was noted there were several factors that couldn't be studied due to small sample size, such as game situations. Now there is available data from over 30,000 games since 1988. This new study will show the effects of pitch sequence including situational analysis, ballpark factors, pitcher "types" (predominantly ground ball or fly ball, power or finesse, etc.), hitter types, etc. Stuff like this could turn me into a numbers guy after all. Once I get the study, I'll post here about it. Or better yet check out www.sabr.org for yourself and consider joining this wonderful organization. There's something for everyone in SABR.
**I want to send my congratulations to Al of Al's Ramblings fame on the amazing weight loss so far. It's Gleeman-esque!
I, too, am on a quest to get into better shape. At one point, I was planning on hitting LA Weight Loss but decided if I could do it on my own I would put the money that would cost into something fun, like partially funding a trip to Brewer fantasy camp or something. Well, I've dropped 28 pounds--nearly 10% of my starting weight--since the beginning of the year. I've enjoyed lifting weights for quite some time, so I make sure to incorporate weight lifting in with my cardio. I've never been stronger or had more endurance with my cardio--even when I was lighter. One day I watched the NFL combine and saw some lineman doing 22-25 bench press reps at 225. I went down to my bench, without warmup, and did 24.
I'm happy with my pace, too. It's not fast, but that has to do with my dietary choices. I'm very light for the work week--around 1,000-1,200 calories a day. On the weekends, I usually let go a little bit and one of the weekend days I go all out with whatever I want. It helps me mentally because I know I'm never more than six days away from my favorite foods. Plus, it jolts the system and reminds my body that maybe I'm not starving myself. So far, so good.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Congrats!
A big congratulations and good luck go out to the Eleva-Strum Cardinals, who are heading to state for the Boys High School Basketball Tournament this week. The Cards were there last year, but lost in the first game. It will be a tough road again this time around, as the other teams in the field appear to be absolutely loaded with offense. E-S prides itself on shutting down the opponent, though, so hopefully they'll be up to task.
And yes, of course, E-S is my alma mater (1990--incidentally, the last time E-S won a game at state. I'm sure it had something to do with the wonderful stat guys they had!)
And yes, of course, E-S is my alma mater (1990--incidentally, the last time E-S won a game at state. I'm sure it had something to do with the wonderful stat guys they had!)
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Sorry For Being Away
I really thought I'd get into this blogging stuff, but I guess not. I'll try to update a little better as we go along.
Updates:
*Still haven't heard for certain about the publishing of the Burleigh article. It's actually probably a good thing--no news is good news. I'm 95% sure it will be picked up either in this edition or next.
*Finally have started actually writing down some Eau Claire baseball history rather than just researching. I'm nearly finished with the 1886 season. My goal is to finish all pre-Northern League seasons by the end of the year. Not a very aggressive goal, but it's a lot more progress than I've made in the last few years.
*I've been able to get a few images of some of those 19th and early 20th century players through a source familiar to me--baseball cards. I've never really been into the vintage cards, but I found a great site that now has me hooked: www.oldcardboard.com . Go into the "VBC Forum" and you find a whole bunch of collectors that are willing to help out with images. I've got a few nice ones of some obscure players that I plan on using in the book when it's ready.
*Shifting gears--there's a nice little fluff piece on Cuban defector and Brewer prospect Yohannis Perez here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBN_BREWERS_PEREZ?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
*The Eau Claire Baseball History Committee is in the process of raising funds for refurbishing the area around the Hank Aaron statue. It's going to be a nice addition, with a "Walk of Fame"-type thing for other major leaguers who played with Eau Claire and a "Wall of Fame" honoring the people that made Eau Claire baseball happen through the years. I guess I consider the wall to be out "true" Hall of Fame, as without their contributions to baseball there is no way the history of the sport in our area would have been as rich. If you wish to contribute to the project, go to www.eauclaireexpress.com and click on the "Eau Claire Baseball Hall of Fame" brochure for more information.
*Lastly, snow sucks.
Updates:
*Still haven't heard for certain about the publishing of the Burleigh article. It's actually probably a good thing--no news is good news. I'm 95% sure it will be picked up either in this edition or next.
*Finally have started actually writing down some Eau Claire baseball history rather than just researching. I'm nearly finished with the 1886 season. My goal is to finish all pre-Northern League seasons by the end of the year. Not a very aggressive goal, but it's a lot more progress than I've made in the last few years.
*I've been able to get a few images of some of those 19th and early 20th century players through a source familiar to me--baseball cards. I've never really been into the vintage cards, but I found a great site that now has me hooked: www.oldcardboard.com . Go into the "VBC Forum" and you find a whole bunch of collectors that are willing to help out with images. I've got a few nice ones of some obscure players that I plan on using in the book when it's ready.
*Shifting gears--there's a nice little fluff piece on Cuban defector and Brewer prospect Yohannis Perez here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBN_BREWERS_PEREZ?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
*The Eau Claire Baseball History Committee is in the process of raising funds for refurbishing the area around the Hank Aaron statue. It's going to be a nice addition, with a "Walk of Fame"-type thing for other major leaguers who played with Eau Claire and a "Wall of Fame" honoring the people that made Eau Claire baseball happen through the years. I guess I consider the wall to be out "true" Hall of Fame, as without their contributions to baseball there is no way the history of the sport in our area would have been as rich. If you wish to contribute to the project, go to www.eauclaireexpress.com and click on the "Eau Claire Baseball Hall of Fame" brochure for more information.
*Lastly, snow sucks.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Burleigh Update
After checking through some census records, I have found that Burleigh's father did not die "when he was a lad", as his write up in "Spitballers" said. Charles Clark told me that his dad would send Burleigh slippery elm bark from Wisconsin when he was playing in the majors, and I believe him. The census shows he was still alive in 1920, which was several years after Burleigh made his major league debut. I don't blame the authors of the "Spitballers" book at all, as it was a minute detail overlooked in what is otherwise an incredibly great read.
Thus, I left some stuff in the article that Charles had told me. I also included a blurb about Happy Felsch, who played shortstop in the only exhibition game Eau Claire had in 1912. He failed to make the team (and interestingly enough, Burleigh didn't play and still made his pro debut with the team a few days later--playing shortstop). Yet, Felsch's obituary in the Sporting News referenced the "brief trial" in Eau Claire, so it must have had some sort of impact on him.
The article is with SABR now, and hopefully I'll learn the fate of it relatively soon.
Thus, I left some stuff in the article that Charles had told me. I also included a blurb about Happy Felsch, who played shortstop in the only exhibition game Eau Claire had in 1912. He failed to make the team (and interestingly enough, Burleigh didn't play and still made his pro debut with the team a few days later--playing shortstop). Yet, Felsch's obituary in the Sporting News referenced the "brief trial" in Eau Claire, so it must have had some sort of impact on him.
The article is with SABR now, and hopefully I'll learn the fate of it relatively soon.
Friday, December 15, 2006
'52 Bears Batboy Passes Away
Riley Connell was a batboy for the fabled 1952 Eau Claire Bears squad. In later years, Riley recounted a story of a time when he bought a hot dog for Henry Aaron but didn't get reimbursed. So when Aaron came back for the statue dedication at Carson Park, Riley said, he would see if he could collect. I need to do some digging to find the actual story, and I'll share it with you once I do. I'm sure there are a few items I'm leaving out.
I wrote to Riley a few years ago, hoping to meet up with him so he could share some of his stories from the Bears dugout. As with so many other people, it never came to be.
Sadly, Riley passed away this week at the way-too-young age of 67. Here is his obituary as it appeared in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:
Riley E. Connell of Baraboo died Monday, Dec. 11, 2006, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, at the age of 67, after a sudden illness.
He was born to Charles “Eddy” and Catherine (Prissel) Connell in Eau Claire on March 24, 1939. He graduated from Regis High School in 1957. After serving his country in the U.S. Army, he returned to Eau Claire and was employed by Peters Meats. He married Mary Kay Craemer in 1964. They had two children, Riley John and Claudine, both of Eau Claire. In 1972, he married Sandra (Hering) Berghand, and moved to Janesville where he was a salesman with Baraboo Sysco Foods. They had a daughter, Catherine, of La Crosse. He retired from Baraboo Sysco Foods in 2004.
In addition to his wife and children, Riley is survived by his stepchildren, Ron (Nancy) Bergh of East Grand Forks, Minn., Vicky (Ken) Wright and Cindy Bergh, both of Janesville; a half-sister, Jeanie (Bruce) Cameron of Tampa, Fla.; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
Riley was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Dan Connell.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006, at the Redlin Funeral Home, 401 Madison Ave., Baraboo, with Father Larry Bakke officiating.
Friends may call on Friday, Dec. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from noon until the time of services at the funeral home.
My deepest sympathies to Riley's family.
I wrote to Riley a few years ago, hoping to meet up with him so he could share some of his stories from the Bears dugout. As with so many other people, it never came to be.
Sadly, Riley passed away this week at the way-too-young age of 67. Here is his obituary as it appeared in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:
Riley E. Connell of Baraboo died Monday, Dec. 11, 2006, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, at the age of 67, after a sudden illness.
He was born to Charles “Eddy” and Catherine (Prissel) Connell in Eau Claire on March 24, 1939. He graduated from Regis High School in 1957. After serving his country in the U.S. Army, he returned to Eau Claire and was employed by Peters Meats. He married Mary Kay Craemer in 1964. They had two children, Riley John and Claudine, both of Eau Claire. In 1972, he married Sandra (Hering) Berghand, and moved to Janesville where he was a salesman with Baraboo Sysco Foods. They had a daughter, Catherine, of La Crosse. He retired from Baraboo Sysco Foods in 2004.
In addition to his wife and children, Riley is survived by his stepchildren, Ron (Nancy) Bergh of East Grand Forks, Minn., Vicky (Ken) Wright and Cindy Bergh, both of Janesville; a half-sister, Jeanie (Bruce) Cameron of Tampa, Fla.; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
Riley was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Dan Connell.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006, at the Redlin Funeral Home, 401 Madison Ave., Baraboo, with Father Larry Bakke officiating.
Friends may call on Friday, Dec. 15, from 5 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from noon until the time of services at the funeral home.
My deepest sympathies to Riley's family.
Grimes Article Update
I submitted the finished Burleigh Grimes article to Charles Clark several weeks ago, but haven't heard back. Now I'm going to go on the assumption that everything is okay, and will send it off for possible publication. I was thinking of sending it to Elysian Fields Quarterly first. Maybe I can submit it to both EFQ and SABR at the same time, and whoever says "yes" first gets it. I'll check on that and keep you posted.
There were some last-minute adjustments that needed to be made in the article. I'm very confused over Burleigh's father. I was told (and read) that he gave Burleigh money to head for Eau Claire and later on he would send slippery elm bark to his son in the majors. However, in other places I have found that Burleigh's father died while Burleigh was very young. Before submitting the piece, I need to either (1) verify the date of death or (2) not focus on his father too much.
There were some last-minute adjustments that needed to be made in the article. I'm very confused over Burleigh's father. I was told (and read) that he gave Burleigh money to head for Eau Claire and later on he would send slippery elm bark to his son in the majors. However, in other places I have found that Burleigh's father died while Burleigh was very young. Before submitting the piece, I need to either (1) verify the date of death or (2) not focus on his father too much.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Andrew and Camryn Christopherson's Christmas List
Dear Santa-
It was very cool seeing you yesterday. I got to sit in your lap and you knew my name. I've been good so far this year. Here's a list of stuff I would like for Christmas:
Zero gravity
Pirrana Panic
Buckaroo
Madden 07 for Playstation 2
Any Spongebob movie that I don't have
Video rocker
Cars game for Playstation 2
Spongebob games for Playstation 2
Bowling table
Criss Cross Crash
And that's about it.
And Camryn is here too. She wants:
Dora Cash Register
Dora Car
Dora or pony Castle
Dora Shirt
Ariel's Talking Kitchen
Puppy that wakes me up in the morning
Amazing Amanda and Allison
The baby that talks to you and says "I'm stinky".
Dora CD
Dora game for the computer
Dora pants
Dora ring
Stroller
I hope you come to my house on Christmas Eve. Camryn and I will leave some cookies and Coke for you by the fireplace.
Love,
Andrew (and Camryn, too)
It was very cool seeing you yesterday. I got to sit in your lap and you knew my name. I've been good so far this year. Here's a list of stuff I would like for Christmas:
Zero gravity
Pirrana Panic
Buckaroo
Madden 07 for Playstation 2
Any Spongebob movie that I don't have
Video rocker
Cars game for Playstation 2
Spongebob games for Playstation 2
Bowling table
Criss Cross Crash
And that's about it.
And Camryn is here too. She wants:
Dora Cash Register
Dora Car
Dora or pony Castle
Dora Shirt
Ariel's Talking Kitchen
Puppy that wakes me up in the morning
Amazing Amanda and Allison
The baby that talks to you and says "I'm stinky".
Dora CD
Dora game for the computer
Dora pants
Dora ring
Stroller
I hope you come to my house on Christmas Eve. Camryn and I will leave some cookies and Coke for you by the fireplace.
Love,
Andrew (and Camryn, too)
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Injury Ends Ryan Klosterman's AFL Season
Some bad news for Ryan as he broke his knuckle on a bad hop and his Arizona Fall League season comes to an abrupt end. He was slated to play in the "Rising Stars Showcase" game and made the most of his opportunity. When I spoke with him he mentioned he would be splitting time with the Devil Rays' shortstop, Ben Zobrist. He didn't seem too concerned. He didn't have an extra base hit in his limited time there, but I think the experience was a good one for him and he'll be back and ready next season.
Link: http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=189&p=2&c=584069
Link: http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=189&p=2&c=584069
Silas Simmons
I have to admit that I didn't know who Silas Simmons was until a few weeks ago. Through SABR's Listserve, members were notified that Mr. Simmons would be celebrating a birthday and encouraged all to send cards. Lots of professional ballplayers have birthdays that come and go every single day. Silas was special, though, because he's had so many.
Earlier in October, Silas turned 111.
A peculiar habit of mine with the older generation is to imagine if they would have heard Babe Ruth play baseball (assuming they had any interest in the sport whatsoever). That's a bit of a laugh in Silas' case. Silas was born only a few months after Ruth, and he retired as a pro ball player seven years before The Bambino did.
When he was interviewed for a TV story, he certainly looked and sounded great. Here's a link to that story:
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?s=search&storyid=41824
Sadly, there was a follow up story just a few days ago. Silas passed away on Sunday, October 29. Maybe the "sadly" part is just for us--he sounds like he was tired and ready to go, according to this report:
http://www.tampabays10.com/sports/article.aspx?storyid=42726
Rest in peace, Silas.
Earlier in October, Silas turned 111.
A peculiar habit of mine with the older generation is to imagine if they would have heard Babe Ruth play baseball (assuming they had any interest in the sport whatsoever). That's a bit of a laugh in Silas' case. Silas was born only a few months after Ruth, and he retired as a pro ball player seven years before The Bambino did.
When he was interviewed for a TV story, he certainly looked and sounded great. Here's a link to that story:
http://www.tampabays10.com/news/local/article.aspx?s=search&storyid=41824
Sadly, there was a follow up story just a few days ago. Silas passed away on Sunday, October 29. Maybe the "sadly" part is just for us--he sounds like he was tired and ready to go, according to this report:
http://www.tampabays10.com/sports/article.aspx?storyid=42726
Rest in peace, Silas.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Al's Rambling Roundtable
My buddy Al has a wonderful website for Brewer fans (http://albethke.blogspot.com/). I've known Al since we worked together at Toys R Us back in the early 90's. He really, really knows his stuff about baseball. I was honored that he asked me to participate in his annual year-end "roundtable" discussing certain questions about the Brewers past season and future plans. I'm not a numbers guy, per se, but that's what Al was looking for, I guess. There are plenty of others in the rountable that ARE numbers guys, so I offer a possible different opinion. Keep checking Al's site for the final posting. I'll give you a sneak peak at my answers, though:
AL: It is my continued contention that a healthy Brewers' team that finished the season on the 25 man roster and the DL is more talented than the NL's World Series representative, the St. Louis Cardinals. What's your feeling on that view?
JASON: I know, Al, that you and many folks do not believe in intangibles, so let's just call it "luck" that the Cardinals are in the World Series in 2006. Your argument is entirely plausable. Let's go through by position.
Catcher: Edge-Milwaukee. The situation as is is just fine with me. Nothing spectacular either way, but the offensive productions of Miller and Rivera I feel more than offset the defensive advantage Molina brings. I'm not certain about the future, but that's not the question here.
1B: Edge-St. Louis. Pujols is my pick for best player in the game right now. While Prince couldn't have had a much better rookie season, Albert has to get the nod here.
2B: Edge-Milwaukee. A healthy Weeks makes a comparison to St. Louis' group laughable. Belliard was a nice pickup, but Weeks was really starting to put together his complete game.
SS: Edge-Milwaukee. This assume Hall would be/should be the starting SS all along. Hall was among the best shortstops PERIOD, and ranked right up there on historical levels for hitting as a SS, though Mr. Sutton might disagree as Eckstein's hustle makes him the best ever.
3B: Edge-St. Louis. Rolen is worth nowhere near his big contract, but I would take him over a healthy Koskie in a heartbeat if money isn't a consideration.
OF: Edge-Even. The OF situation really was thrown into a tizzy with injuries and the Lee trade. While overall I think the Cards may have a bit of an advantage, properly managing the players the Brewers had could have made a difference. This was perhaps my biggest knock on Yost this year. Platooning Mench and Jenks in right while giving Hart left and the healthy or hot stick between Clark/Gwynn/Nix in center could have optimized the situation.
SP: Edge-Milwaukee. The Cards have the bigger names, but the Brewer starters really did well and if completely healthy for the season I believe would have outperformed them. The overall pitching stats for the season are quite close (Brewers WHIP, I believe, was slightly better), and we know of the struggles many of the Brewer relievers had.
RP: Edge-St. Louis. Hands down. There are some bright spots for the Brewers (Shouse was one, and of course CoCo was as well), but the Cards seem to be much more consistent. So, overall, yes, I think the Brewers certainly were at least on par with the Cardinals.
AL: Do you see the Brewers as 2007 contenders or not?
JASON: I saw them as contenders for 2006, and there isn't a whole lot that is changing my mind about this team for next year. I'd like to see the outfield situation stabilized and the addition of a mid-level reliever or two. But if nothing changed from this moment on (I know, impossible with free agents, etc.) and everyone comes back healthy I would still believe the playoffs are well within reach.
AL:Jenkins/Turnbow/Ohka...what would you do with them if you were in charge?
JASON: I keep Jenkins as the outfield is a bit of a jumbled mess right now. Never, ever have him face a lefty starter and he will be set up to succeed. If that happens, the Brewers have the option of flipping him at the deadline depending on their situation.
I'm not ready to give up on Turnbow long term just yet. If another team wants him, fine, but I'm not actively shopping him. I keep him in a middle relief role until/if his confidence and slider return.
I like Ohka a lot, but he's going to command more money than I think he is worth. For a fraction of the price we could get probably lesser, but similar production from Villanueva or Jackson. Use the money savings to improve the bullpen.
AL: He's so good, he derserves his own question...what would you do with Bill Hall, and what will the Crew do?
JASON: I think it's important to keep Hall happy, and if I recall correctly he indicated he would like to have one position if possible. Does JJ Hardy have the ability to play third or second? I have this feeling that Koskie will not be back, and Hardy is a better fit of the typical "super-sub" type player. So, ideally I'd like to have Hall as my starting shortstop with Koskie at third and Hardy as my utility guy. I don't see Graffy back, so Hardy fills his role along with Cirillo. If Koskie doesn't come back, I put Hall at third and JJ at short.
AL: OK, what moves do you feel Doug and Gord will make this offseason?
JASON: I think we're going to see a relatively quiet offseason, as I think they are under the impression that injuries were the real downfall of this team last year. I alluded to it previously that I would like to see some relief help come in, but I'm torn between getting proven relievers or giving kids like Eveland, Sarfate, and Hendrickson a shot. Well, maybe the "shot" for those guys will be with another team as part of a trade. An outfielder with some thump would be nice, but I don't see the Brewers overpaying for one as much as they would a reliever or PERHAPS another starting pitcher if Okha goes. Can you imagine a Sheets/Cappy/Schmidt/Davis/Villy rotation?
It's fun to dream, but I think outside of some minor moves it's going to be silent.
AL: Finally, are you as optimistic as I am about the next few years? I feel this team is on the brink of a half-decade long run of success.
JASON: I never thought I would be compelled to follow the "Minor League" forum on Brewerfan.net more than I do the "Major League" forum, but that's exactly what has happened over the last couple of years. The true stars of the major league squad are young, and the talent is still bubbling up from the minors. It's amazing to think about how good this team could be for a decent amount of time if the injury bug doesn't take it all away. We begin to change realistic expectations (like if Yo gives up a run or two in a start), and that's when optimism takes a back seat to all-out excitement. Fans of this team have suffered for a long time, but that makes the reward that much sweeter.
AL: It is my continued contention that a healthy Brewers' team that finished the season on the 25 man roster and the DL is more talented than the NL's World Series representative, the St. Louis Cardinals. What's your feeling on that view?
JASON: I know, Al, that you and many folks do not believe in intangibles, so let's just call it "luck" that the Cardinals are in the World Series in 2006. Your argument is entirely plausable. Let's go through by position.
Catcher: Edge-Milwaukee. The situation as is is just fine with me. Nothing spectacular either way, but the offensive productions of Miller and Rivera I feel more than offset the defensive advantage Molina brings. I'm not certain about the future, but that's not the question here.
1B: Edge-St. Louis. Pujols is my pick for best player in the game right now. While Prince couldn't have had a much better rookie season, Albert has to get the nod here.
2B: Edge-Milwaukee. A healthy Weeks makes a comparison to St. Louis' group laughable. Belliard was a nice pickup, but Weeks was really starting to put together his complete game.
SS: Edge-Milwaukee. This assume Hall would be/should be the starting SS all along. Hall was among the best shortstops PERIOD, and ranked right up there on historical levels for hitting as a SS, though Mr. Sutton might disagree as Eckstein's hustle makes him the best ever.
3B: Edge-St. Louis. Rolen is worth nowhere near his big contract, but I would take him over a healthy Koskie in a heartbeat if money isn't a consideration.
OF: Edge-Even. The OF situation really was thrown into a tizzy with injuries and the Lee trade. While overall I think the Cards may have a bit of an advantage, properly managing the players the Brewers had could have made a difference. This was perhaps my biggest knock on Yost this year. Platooning Mench and Jenks in right while giving Hart left and the healthy or hot stick between Clark/Gwynn/Nix in center could have optimized the situation.
SP: Edge-Milwaukee. The Cards have the bigger names, but the Brewer starters really did well and if completely healthy for the season I believe would have outperformed them. The overall pitching stats for the season are quite close (Brewers WHIP, I believe, was slightly better), and we know of the struggles many of the Brewer relievers had.
RP: Edge-St. Louis. Hands down. There are some bright spots for the Brewers (Shouse was one, and of course CoCo was as well), but the Cards seem to be much more consistent. So, overall, yes, I think the Brewers certainly were at least on par with the Cardinals.
AL: Do you see the Brewers as 2007 contenders or not?
JASON: I saw them as contenders for 2006, and there isn't a whole lot that is changing my mind about this team for next year. I'd like to see the outfield situation stabilized and the addition of a mid-level reliever or two. But if nothing changed from this moment on (I know, impossible with free agents, etc.) and everyone comes back healthy I would still believe the playoffs are well within reach.
AL:Jenkins/Turnbow/Ohka...what would you do with them if you were in charge?
JASON: I keep Jenkins as the outfield is a bit of a jumbled mess right now. Never, ever have him face a lefty starter and he will be set up to succeed. If that happens, the Brewers have the option of flipping him at the deadline depending on their situation.
I'm not ready to give up on Turnbow long term just yet. If another team wants him, fine, but I'm not actively shopping him. I keep him in a middle relief role until/if his confidence and slider return.
I like Ohka a lot, but he's going to command more money than I think he is worth. For a fraction of the price we could get probably lesser, but similar production from Villanueva or Jackson. Use the money savings to improve the bullpen.
AL: He's so good, he derserves his own question...what would you do with Bill Hall, and what will the Crew do?
JASON: I think it's important to keep Hall happy, and if I recall correctly he indicated he would like to have one position if possible. Does JJ Hardy have the ability to play third or second? I have this feeling that Koskie will not be back, and Hardy is a better fit of the typical "super-sub" type player. So, ideally I'd like to have Hall as my starting shortstop with Koskie at third and Hardy as my utility guy. I don't see Graffy back, so Hardy fills his role along with Cirillo. If Koskie doesn't come back, I put Hall at third and JJ at short.
AL: OK, what moves do you feel Doug and Gord will make this offseason?
JASON: I think we're going to see a relatively quiet offseason, as I think they are under the impression that injuries were the real downfall of this team last year. I alluded to it previously that I would like to see some relief help come in, but I'm torn between getting proven relievers or giving kids like Eveland, Sarfate, and Hendrickson a shot. Well, maybe the "shot" for those guys will be with another team as part of a trade. An outfielder with some thump would be nice, but I don't see the Brewers overpaying for one as much as they would a reliever or PERHAPS another starting pitcher if Okha goes. Can you imagine a Sheets/Cappy/Schmidt/Davis/Villy rotation?
It's fun to dream, but I think outside of some minor moves it's going to be silent.
AL: Finally, are you as optimistic as I am about the next few years? I feel this team is on the brink of a half-decade long run of success.
JASON: I never thought I would be compelled to follow the "Minor League" forum on Brewerfan.net more than I do the "Major League" forum, but that's exactly what has happened over the last couple of years. The true stars of the major league squad are young, and the talent is still bubbling up from the minors. It's amazing to think about how good this team could be for a decent amount of time if the injury bug doesn't take it all away. We begin to change realistic expectations (like if Yo gives up a run or two in a start), and that's when optimism takes a back seat to all-out excitement. Fans of this team have suffered for a long time, but that makes the reward that much sweeter.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Aaron in Eau Claire-Back Home Again
Henry Aaron was in town today campaigning for Gov. Jim Doyle. The scheduled start time was 12:15, and I was nervous when I left at 11:30 or so from work that I wouldn't get a parking spot.
Maybe because it's political in nature, or maybe because it's a Thursday in the middle of the day with school in session, or maybe because it was WAY too cold for October, the parking lot was nearly empty. Here we are, about a half hour before Wisconsin's governor and the All-Time Home Run King (and by "all-time", I mean ALL time, Barry) were about to speak, and hardly anyone was there. I stood on the outside of one of those signs they use when they block off traffic, no more than 20 feet from the Aaron statue. I started to wonder if I was allowed to be there. Slowly, people filled in. I come to find out later that a radio station reported the duo was running about an hour late. That would explain the lack of crowd, I guess. As we waited, more and more people showed up and in the end I would say several hundred were there.
Anyway, the report was dead-on and at 1:15 the program started. I told a friend of mine a few minutes earlier that if it didn't start by then, I just had to get back to work. I was very glad it did, though. State Senator Ron Kind, who did a wise thing by hob-nobbing with the crowd rather than his compadres who stayed behind the barriers apparently congratulating themselves, opened the event with a few fine remarks with humor built right in. He concluded in maybe a little more than five minutes, and he intoduced Doyle's son, Doyle, and Aaron.
Doyle's son took the mike for just a moment or two before turning it over to his dad. Gov. Doyle entertained us with a light-hearted talk that seemed to focus more on the event that day rather than the election. He turned things over to Henry after no more than 6-7 minutes. Henry mainly spoke of how proud he was to get his start here and giving back to the community, which was a smooth segue to his pitch for Doyle. Again, I didn't feel overwhelmed with political speak and I really appreciated the fact that he made the trip here. Doyle then closed the short program with a "get out and vote" chat.
After the applause died down, it was apparent that we would even be able to get closer to the two. The barricades were no more, basically, and people began streaming toward Aaron and Doyle. I figured security would put an end to it quickly, but much to my surprise they almost welcomed it. It was almost like they were glad the formal stuff was done so they could meet the public. Rather than a nice line, though, it was chaotic. But I think Henry made every effort to shake everyone's hand. He seemed a little overwhelmed, but nothing that kept him from smiling. After only a few moments, he shook my extended hand. I thanked him for coming back, and he thanked me for coming out. It was a great moment for me, and something I wasn't expecting. I almost felt sorry for our Governor, who didn't have near the mob that Aaron had. I went over and thanked him, too.
I sure am glad RCU is such a great company to work for. I'm sure the fact that many other companies aren't nearly as flexible with their employees certainly kept the crowd low today.
Maybe because it's political in nature, or maybe because it's a Thursday in the middle of the day with school in session, or maybe because it was WAY too cold for October, the parking lot was nearly empty. Here we are, about a half hour before Wisconsin's governor and the All-Time Home Run King (and by "all-time", I mean ALL time, Barry) were about to speak, and hardly anyone was there. I stood on the outside of one of those signs they use when they block off traffic, no more than 20 feet from the Aaron statue. I started to wonder if I was allowed to be there. Slowly, people filled in. I come to find out later that a radio station reported the duo was running about an hour late. That would explain the lack of crowd, I guess. As we waited, more and more people showed up and in the end I would say several hundred were there.
Anyway, the report was dead-on and at 1:15 the program started. I told a friend of mine a few minutes earlier that if it didn't start by then, I just had to get back to work. I was very glad it did, though. State Senator Ron Kind, who did a wise thing by hob-nobbing with the crowd rather than his compadres who stayed behind the barriers apparently congratulating themselves, opened the event with a few fine remarks with humor built right in. He concluded in maybe a little more than five minutes, and he intoduced Doyle's son, Doyle, and Aaron.
Doyle's son took the mike for just a moment or two before turning it over to his dad. Gov. Doyle entertained us with a light-hearted talk that seemed to focus more on the event that day rather than the election. He turned things over to Henry after no more than 6-7 minutes. Henry mainly spoke of how proud he was to get his start here and giving back to the community, which was a smooth segue to his pitch for Doyle. Again, I didn't feel overwhelmed with political speak and I really appreciated the fact that he made the trip here. Doyle then closed the short program with a "get out and vote" chat.
After the applause died down, it was apparent that we would even be able to get closer to the two. The barricades were no more, basically, and people began streaming toward Aaron and Doyle. I figured security would put an end to it quickly, but much to my surprise they almost welcomed it. It was almost like they were glad the formal stuff was done so they could meet the public. Rather than a nice line, though, it was chaotic. But I think Henry made every effort to shake everyone's hand. He seemed a little overwhelmed, but nothing that kept him from smiling. After only a few moments, he shook my extended hand. I thanked him for coming back, and he thanked me for coming out. It was a great moment for me, and something I wasn't expecting. I almost felt sorry for our Governor, who didn't have near the mob that Aaron had. I went over and thanked him, too.
I sure am glad RCU is such a great company to work for. I'm sure the fact that many other companies aren't nearly as flexible with their employees certainly kept the crowd low today.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Best Seller? Eh, Not So Much...
Oh, yeah. I almost forgot another component to make that Monday a great day. I received a royalty check from Arcadia Publishing. For a reason I can only assume was a mistake, we sold an amazing 119 copies of "Baseball in Eau Claire" during the first six months of 2006. If my estimations are correct, I would guess that puts the overall number of books sold at somewhere around 1,000-1,100. I was told at one time that 1,200 copies were printed, so we're getting close to selling out. I would doubt a reprinting will be in order, but if we keep going at a 20 book per month pace (3 years after release), I suppose it could happen. In any case, my dreams of having a basement full of unsold books seems to be coming less and less likely.
Not that that's a bad thing...
Not that that's a bad thing...
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Back to Back Great Days!
So on Sunday the first of October I had a great baseball day. Monday, October 2 proved to be nearly as good.
My wife's grandfather's brother's grandson (I've been told that's a second cousin) is Ryan Klosterman, an up and coming shortstop in the Blue Jays organization. I have been following his progress since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 04 draft. He is moving up the ladder and finished this season in double A ball and was selected to go to the Arizona Fall League!
Earlier in the season, just after his promotion to double a, I wrote him a note congratulating him. He apparently enjoyed this letter, as he talked with his grandfather the same day he got it. His grandfather, a guy affectionately known for years as "Uncle Eddie" to me, is just as nice of a person as Ryan is. In fact, before the season even started I got to talk with Ryan thanks to Uncle Eddie. It kind of took me by surprise, but it was wonderful that Uncle Eddie thought of me when Ryan was in town.
Anyway, back to the story. Uncle Eddie stops by my house on Monday, the 2nd, with a bag. He said Ryan sent him some stuff that he wanted me to have. "Cool," I thought. Eddie pulls out a team set of baseball cards with Ryan in it. Amazingly, I didn't have this particular card of him. I believe I have a copy of every card that had a circulation of at least 25 of Ryan so far. The next item was even better. He gave me a team-issued cap with his signature on it! But even that didn't prepare me for the last item. Ryan gave me one of his game-used gloves. I have several hundred gloves, but none that are more important than this one. Not one of those other gloves was ever used in a pro game, to my knowledge. Ryan signed the glove beautifully. It is now displayed prominantly in my den downstairs.
And amazingly enough, I don't think Charles Clark has one!
Ryan, if you are reading this, thanks so much, buddy!
My wife's grandfather's brother's grandson (I've been told that's a second cousin) is Ryan Klosterman, an up and coming shortstop in the Blue Jays organization. I have been following his progress since he was drafted in the fifth round of the 04 draft. He is moving up the ladder and finished this season in double A ball and was selected to go to the Arizona Fall League!
Earlier in the season, just after his promotion to double a, I wrote him a note congratulating him. He apparently enjoyed this letter, as he talked with his grandfather the same day he got it. His grandfather, a guy affectionately known for years as "Uncle Eddie" to me, is just as nice of a person as Ryan is. In fact, before the season even started I got to talk with Ryan thanks to Uncle Eddie. It kind of took me by surprise, but it was wonderful that Uncle Eddie thought of me when Ryan was in town.
Anyway, back to the story. Uncle Eddie stops by my house on Monday, the 2nd, with a bag. He said Ryan sent him some stuff that he wanted me to have. "Cool," I thought. Eddie pulls out a team set of baseball cards with Ryan in it. Amazingly, I didn't have this particular card of him. I believe I have a copy of every card that had a circulation of at least 25 of Ryan so far. The next item was even better. He gave me a team-issued cap with his signature on it! But even that didn't prepare me for the last item. Ryan gave me one of his game-used gloves. I have several hundred gloves, but none that are more important than this one. Not one of those other gloves was ever used in a pro game, to my knowledge. Ryan signed the glove beautifully. It is now displayed prominantly in my den downstairs.
And amazingly enough, I don't think Charles Clark has one!
Ryan, if you are reading this, thanks so much, buddy!
Charles Clark
Wow. Has it really been since the All-Star break or so since my last post? I thought I'd get into this a little more. Maybe I will now that I know I have at least one reader (Hi Art!).
Hopefully this story will somewhat make up for the lack of posts. This is a description of my incredible baseball day on October 1, 2006. But first, let's get a little background.
After the 1912 research was completed, I turned in the results to a few folks in the baseball research field. The work was very well received and appreciated, which made me feel like a "contributor" to baseball research again, rather than the normal "consumer". Anyway, the bug to get something else published and relatively soon struck again, and I thought maybe I should expand on this 1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League season to give everyone a solid background on Burleigh Grimes' first professional experience. All the copies of newspapers were already printed off. It was just a matter of filling in some blanks on Burleigh's young life.
Enter Charles Clark.
Now, it's 2006, so you don't normally expect the best friends of baseball players who got their start in 1912 to still be alive. Charles is the special and wonderful exception. Still seemingly in his prime in his early 70's, Charles befriended the ex-ballplayer Grimes in the mid 1950's. Both were from the tiny town of Clear Lake, WI. Charles was a huge baseball fan, so the match was perfect. Eventually, Charles became Burleigh's agent, but he was always, ALWAYS, a friend first. I first heard of Charles in Jerry Poling's superb book "A Summer Up North", and meant to write to him for years. It finally happened this summer. Charles called back and said it would probably be best if I visited with him in person to get the answers to the questions I sent about Burleigh's early life. Clear Lake is about ninety minutes away, so on a beautiful Sunday afternoon (soon made even more beautiful after the Vikings lost to lowly Buffalo) I drove to Charles' house to spend maybe an hour.
Heh. Yeah. An hour.
Charles met me before I could even get in the door. He said, "Let's get in your vehicle". Hmm. Okay. So we drove out to the new high school, built near the grounds where Burleigh first played baseball as a child. A newly erected plaque detailing Burleigh's contributions to baseball and the community was there. Obviously, and rightfully, proud, Charles told me the money all came in from private funding. Another plaque honoring Clear Lake's other famous resident, Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, was on the horizon, Charles informed me.
We then set off for the cemetary where we visited Burleigh's grave site. Burleigh once asked Charles if he should put something on the headstone about his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Charles emphatically stated it needed to be done, so a small logo is there. Later on at Charles' house he showed me the only picture of Burleigh standing next to the headstone. I must admit, I was a little creeped out by this. Oh, and Burleigh's wife passed away exactly one month after Burleigh's election to the Hall. Charles' friendship meant more than ever after that. Every year after Burleigh's election in 1964 until his death in 1985, Charles accompanied him to the ceremonies. But more on that in a bit.
Our next stop was the museum, a place I had stopped by two years prior. Back then, I truly felt I was stepping back in time. The lovely husband and wife who opened the museum for me that day were just as sweet as can be. I would be looking at something and the wife kept looking for things I could purchase (I had mentioned I was a collector). She would come out with a plate, or a pin, or a poster, or a picture and ask if a dollar or two was too much to ask. I paid more than that, and later sent them a copy of my book. This time around, the museum was in a much more organized state. One room is devoted to Burleigh and one to Nelson. Again through private donations, Charles informed me they had made some major structural improvements to the old school building that now served as the museum, and they were now using monies to improve the displays.
Well, the hour I had planned was almost already up and I hadn't even set foot in Charles' house. Charles didn't seem to mind. We got back to his place and he showed me around a bit. It is the ultimate room for a person like me--a baseball history buff who also collects. Every square inch of wall space was covered with photographs of Charles with different baseball immortals. Joe DiMaggio. Ted Williams. Bob Feller. Basically name a Hall of Famer and there was a picture of Charles and/or his wife Ardyth with him. And nearly every photo was autographed. Again, he attended many Cooperstown weekends, and these people became his friends. Bob Feller even sent him a bronze cast statue of his hand--one of only ten made!
Books. There were hundreds of baseball books. Now, my book collection matched up pretty well with his. Except when you consider the vast majority of his books were signed by the players who were mentioned in it. He might have an "All Time Best..." book and each chapter is signed by the player. Absolutely remarkable! His den also had Burleigh's 1931 World Series ring in it, as well as his glove from that season, neatly bronzed as the base of a most unique lamp! Charles also brought me out to a work area around his garage--more signed books and other memorabilia. He would pull our a drawer and out would fall signed clippings, or a couple of baseballs--all signed. He honestly didn't even really know what he had. But the best part of all that was what he told me. He said he wouldn't take a million dollars for it all (I quickly thought that perhaps a million would be shortchanging him, considering the amazing pieces he had. But I understood what he was saying.). He said it might as well be worth nothing, because he would never think of selling it. What a great attitude!
If the memorabilia wasn't great enough, the stories he was able to tell were positively priceless. Writing about it won't help me explain it. You just had to be there. He called up Andy Pafko while we were there, and Bob Feller wasn't home or I would have gotten to say "hello" to him like a fellow would if he ran into a buddy at the grocery store. Was Charles just showing off his connections? Yeah, maybe, but who cares--it was AWESOME!
I strongly encouraged Charles to start getting his stories recorded. Whenever he would think of one, I suggested he get a recorder our and tape it. I would be honored to be able to compile these stories for him. I think it would make for a true best-seller of a book.
When I finally left nearly four hours later, Charles bade me farewell with a signed Burleigh Grimes index card and an extremely rare Grimes set made in the 1970s. He even signed one of the cards in that set for me. He said I should come back anytime and we could talk some more. He told me to bring a friend, too, if I wanted.
So, who's going with me?
Hopefully this story will somewhat make up for the lack of posts. This is a description of my incredible baseball day on October 1, 2006. But first, let's get a little background.
After the 1912 research was completed, I turned in the results to a few folks in the baseball research field. The work was very well received and appreciated, which made me feel like a "contributor" to baseball research again, rather than the normal "consumer". Anyway, the bug to get something else published and relatively soon struck again, and I thought maybe I should expand on this 1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League season to give everyone a solid background on Burleigh Grimes' first professional experience. All the copies of newspapers were already printed off. It was just a matter of filling in some blanks on Burleigh's young life.
Enter Charles Clark.
Now, it's 2006, so you don't normally expect the best friends of baseball players who got their start in 1912 to still be alive. Charles is the special and wonderful exception. Still seemingly in his prime in his early 70's, Charles befriended the ex-ballplayer Grimes in the mid 1950's. Both were from the tiny town of Clear Lake, WI. Charles was a huge baseball fan, so the match was perfect. Eventually, Charles became Burleigh's agent, but he was always, ALWAYS, a friend first. I first heard of Charles in Jerry Poling's superb book "A Summer Up North", and meant to write to him for years. It finally happened this summer. Charles called back and said it would probably be best if I visited with him in person to get the answers to the questions I sent about Burleigh's early life. Clear Lake is about ninety minutes away, so on a beautiful Sunday afternoon (soon made even more beautiful after the Vikings lost to lowly Buffalo) I drove to Charles' house to spend maybe an hour.
Heh. Yeah. An hour.
Charles met me before I could even get in the door. He said, "Let's get in your vehicle". Hmm. Okay. So we drove out to the new high school, built near the grounds where Burleigh first played baseball as a child. A newly erected plaque detailing Burleigh's contributions to baseball and the community was there. Obviously, and rightfully, proud, Charles told me the money all came in from private funding. Another plaque honoring Clear Lake's other famous resident, Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, was on the horizon, Charles informed me.
We then set off for the cemetary where we visited Burleigh's grave site. Burleigh once asked Charles if he should put something on the headstone about his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Charles emphatically stated it needed to be done, so a small logo is there. Later on at Charles' house he showed me the only picture of Burleigh standing next to the headstone. I must admit, I was a little creeped out by this. Oh, and Burleigh's wife passed away exactly one month after Burleigh's election to the Hall. Charles' friendship meant more than ever after that. Every year after Burleigh's election in 1964 until his death in 1985, Charles accompanied him to the ceremonies. But more on that in a bit.
Our next stop was the museum, a place I had stopped by two years prior. Back then, I truly felt I was stepping back in time. The lovely husband and wife who opened the museum for me that day were just as sweet as can be. I would be looking at something and the wife kept looking for things I could purchase (I had mentioned I was a collector). She would come out with a plate, or a pin, or a poster, or a picture and ask if a dollar or two was too much to ask. I paid more than that, and later sent them a copy of my book. This time around, the museum was in a much more organized state. One room is devoted to Burleigh and one to Nelson. Again through private donations, Charles informed me they had made some major structural improvements to the old school building that now served as the museum, and they were now using monies to improve the displays.
Well, the hour I had planned was almost already up and I hadn't even set foot in Charles' house. Charles didn't seem to mind. We got back to his place and he showed me around a bit. It is the ultimate room for a person like me--a baseball history buff who also collects. Every square inch of wall space was covered with photographs of Charles with different baseball immortals. Joe DiMaggio. Ted Williams. Bob Feller. Basically name a Hall of Famer and there was a picture of Charles and/or his wife Ardyth with him. And nearly every photo was autographed. Again, he attended many Cooperstown weekends, and these people became his friends. Bob Feller even sent him a bronze cast statue of his hand--one of only ten made!
Books. There were hundreds of baseball books. Now, my book collection matched up pretty well with his. Except when you consider the vast majority of his books were signed by the players who were mentioned in it. He might have an "All Time Best..." book and each chapter is signed by the player. Absolutely remarkable! His den also had Burleigh's 1931 World Series ring in it, as well as his glove from that season, neatly bronzed as the base of a most unique lamp! Charles also brought me out to a work area around his garage--more signed books and other memorabilia. He would pull our a drawer and out would fall signed clippings, or a couple of baseballs--all signed. He honestly didn't even really know what he had. But the best part of all that was what he told me. He said he wouldn't take a million dollars for it all (I quickly thought that perhaps a million would be shortchanging him, considering the amazing pieces he had. But I understood what he was saying.). He said it might as well be worth nothing, because he would never think of selling it. What a great attitude!
If the memorabilia wasn't great enough, the stories he was able to tell were positively priceless. Writing about it won't help me explain it. You just had to be there. He called up Andy Pafko while we were there, and Bob Feller wasn't home or I would have gotten to say "hello" to him like a fellow would if he ran into a buddy at the grocery store. Was Charles just showing off his connections? Yeah, maybe, but who cares--it was AWESOME!
I strongly encouraged Charles to start getting his stories recorded. Whenever he would think of one, I suggested he get a recorder our and tape it. I would be honored to be able to compile these stories for him. I think it would make for a true best-seller of a book.
When I finally left nearly four hours later, Charles bade me farewell with a signed Burleigh Grimes index card and an extremely rare Grimes set made in the 1970s. He even signed one of the cards in that set for me. He said I should come back anytime and we could talk some more. He told me to bring a friend, too, if I wanted.
So, who's going with me?
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Canseco Comeback!
For the first time in five years, I'll be checking out of town boxscores a little more closely.
But, it won't be National or American League boxscores. In fact, I bet the boxes from the league I want will be tough to find them outside of your friend and mine, the internet.
It's the Golden Baseball League! I was seriously fired up when I heard that Jose Canseco had signed with the San Diego Surf Dawgs. He apparently has been playing some "semi-pro" (read: not really semi-pro, unless you define semi pro as someone who was once paid. I highly doubt anyone in the league he was playing in was actually paid. Semi-pro is a term thrown around way too loosely, if you ask me. But now I'm way off topic) and hitting some huge home runs. Of course, only after doing some digging do we find out the league uses aluminum bats. But all that doesn't matter. Jose is playing pro ball again!
Immediately, I purchased not one, but both of the brand spanking new San Diego Surf Dawgs t-shirts with "Canseco 33" on the back. They will be shipped on Friday or shortly thereafter.
Of course, by the time I type this, he's already demanded (and received) a trade--to the Long Beach Armada. I wonder if the shirts will magically change?
Still, this doesn't matter. I was a high school baseball player in the late 1980s, and my idol was Jose Canseco. I collected his cards, his posters, his t-shirts--everything Jose. I even tried to mock his batting stance and mannerisms. I developed a nervous twitch. Okay, not really. But I would move my head back and forth to "crack my neck" between pitches every once in a while. I loved watching "Baseball Tonight" or whatever "Sportscenter" was on to watch the latest titanic blast from #33's bat. I remember being positively crushed when I found out he was traded. I know exactly where I was when I heard it--probably like folks know where they were when JFK was shot.
Then the down years came. I stood by Jose, continuing my fandom. I was irked when he wasn't given a shot out of Spring Training in, I believe, 2002. I truly believed he had been blacklisted. But then the steriods issue came full boil. People mocked Jose for his pronouncements of all these players using. He threatened to write a book--people laughed more (one writer penned an admittedly funny line by saying you should be required to READ a book first before writing one). I was in O'Hare last winter, awaiting a flight with Shelley to the ProBowl in Hawaii, when I spotted his book at the airport. It wasn't supposed to come out until the following week, but there it was. I bought it and read it on the flight. While there are some idiocies in the book (like we all should be using steriods because they are "healthy"), the main point of the book was that it dropped names. Even then, there was a lot of people doubting Jose. I thought he was a hero again. Even moreso when Congress stepped in. Now, there are those that say it would have happened anyway--but would it have? Maybe, but perhaps Jose saved some lives by speeding up the process.
I have probably 2,500 total and 1,500 different Canseco cards in my collection. The t-shirts were sewn together to form one of the coolest quilts you could ever see. The posters, well, I did grow up a little bit and they are still rolled up. Except for one which has him and several other juicers, I mean, ballplayers of the era that is tacked up in the weight room.
Jose is back. Now, I wonder how those Surf Dawgs shirts would look as pillows...
But, it won't be National or American League boxscores. In fact, I bet the boxes from the league I want will be tough to find them outside of your friend and mine, the internet.
It's the Golden Baseball League! I was seriously fired up when I heard that Jose Canseco had signed with the San Diego Surf Dawgs. He apparently has been playing some "semi-pro" (read: not really semi-pro, unless you define semi pro as someone who was once paid. I highly doubt anyone in the league he was playing in was actually paid. Semi-pro is a term thrown around way too loosely, if you ask me. But now I'm way off topic) and hitting some huge home runs. Of course, only after doing some digging do we find out the league uses aluminum bats. But all that doesn't matter. Jose is playing pro ball again!
Immediately, I purchased not one, but both of the brand spanking new San Diego Surf Dawgs t-shirts with "Canseco 33" on the back. They will be shipped on Friday or shortly thereafter.
Of course, by the time I type this, he's already demanded (and received) a trade--to the Long Beach Armada. I wonder if the shirts will magically change?
Still, this doesn't matter. I was a high school baseball player in the late 1980s, and my idol was Jose Canseco. I collected his cards, his posters, his t-shirts--everything Jose. I even tried to mock his batting stance and mannerisms. I developed a nervous twitch. Okay, not really. But I would move my head back and forth to "crack my neck" between pitches every once in a while. I loved watching "Baseball Tonight" or whatever "Sportscenter" was on to watch the latest titanic blast from #33's bat. I remember being positively crushed when I found out he was traded. I know exactly where I was when I heard it--probably like folks know where they were when JFK was shot.
Then the down years came. I stood by Jose, continuing my fandom. I was irked when he wasn't given a shot out of Spring Training in, I believe, 2002. I truly believed he had been blacklisted. But then the steriods issue came full boil. People mocked Jose for his pronouncements of all these players using. He threatened to write a book--people laughed more (one writer penned an admittedly funny line by saying you should be required to READ a book first before writing one). I was in O'Hare last winter, awaiting a flight with Shelley to the ProBowl in Hawaii, when I spotted his book at the airport. It wasn't supposed to come out until the following week, but there it was. I bought it and read it on the flight. While there are some idiocies in the book (like we all should be using steriods because they are "healthy"), the main point of the book was that it dropped names. Even then, there was a lot of people doubting Jose. I thought he was a hero again. Even moreso when Congress stepped in. Now, there are those that say it would have happened anyway--but would it have? Maybe, but perhaps Jose saved some lives by speeding up the process.
I have probably 2,500 total and 1,500 different Canseco cards in my collection. The t-shirts were sewn together to form one of the coolest quilts you could ever see. The posters, well, I did grow up a little bit and they are still rolled up. Except for one which has him and several other juicers, I mean, ballplayers of the era that is tacked up in the weight room.
Jose is back. Now, I wonder how those Surf Dawgs shirts would look as pillows...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)