What You May Not Know About Me
Here it is quick and dirty. I really like baseball and in my youth I was a fan of Don Ho.
Sixty years ago today, Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play Major League Baseball (MLB) in the 20th Century. NPR has a great interview with his daughter, Sharon Robinson and looks at why less and less African-Americans are playing and following MLB. I want to acknowledge Mr. Robinson for all that he did to break down racial barriers and for his serious baseball skills. Thank you!
Dave Winfield is also interviewed and he talks about his new book, Dropping the Ball: Baseball's Troubles and How We Can and Must Solve Them. I haven't read it, but it sounds interesting.
I never seem to follow my demographic, so I guess I'd be the last one that you'd think would be writing about baseball, although I did write about it here. Living in Massachusetts, I'm a Red Sox fan, not hard-core like some people, but I like to go to games when I can and I follow how the Sox are doing. Just a few years ago, I realized that I like baseball in general and started going to PawSox games in Pawtucket Rhode Island. I grew up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, so Rhode Island was always very close by. Actually the television and radio stations came in stronger from Providence than from Boston.
Last year I went to a Brockton Rox game for the first time. Maybe it's just the atmosphere. Baseball is in the summer. Everyone is happy, well usually. The food is great and fun. There's nothing like a warm night in a baseball stadium as the sun sets and the lights come on. Hearing the crack of the bat, doing the wave, the cheering of the crowd. I need to buy some tickets!
Oh and I'm playing Fantasy Baseball for the first time! My team was just drafted. Some players I picked, others were drafted automatically. What do you think?
1. (10) Daisuke Matsuzaka SP
2. (11) Derek Jeter SS
3. (30) Doug Mirabelli C
4. (31) Tim Wakefield SP
5. (50) Nomar Garciaparra 1B
6. (51) Paul Konerko 1B
7. (70) Orlando Cabrera SS
8. (71) Édgar RenterÃa SS
9. (90) Rocco Baldelli OF
10. (91) Chipper Jones 3B
11. (110) Jeff Kent 1B,2B
12. (111) Nick Swisher 1B,OF
13. (130) Nick Markakis OF
14. (131) Mike Mussina SP
15. (150) Ervin Santana SP
16. (151) Roger Clemens SP
17. (170) Jorge Julio RP
18. (171) Josh Johnson SP,RP
19. (190) Marcus Giles 2B
20. (191) Ryan Freel 2B,3B,OF
21. (210) Curtis Granderson OF
And sadly, I just read that Don Ho died yesterday. I only knew one song - "Tiny Bubbles." Where I grew up, there was a pool for our apartment complex, so during the summers me and my brother and lots of other kids swam and played there all day and into the early evening. There was a cabana next to the pool with a ping-pong table, video games, snack vending machines, and a juke box. "Tiny Bubbles" was on there and for some reason we played it all the time. I guess it was a kind of fun, warm weather relaxing song. Whenever I think of it, I remember those carefree summer days and nights of my childhood. Rest in peace Mr. Ho.
Comments
i admit i hated playing softball as a youngster - too slow then when the action DID happen it was TOO much pressure. lol!
i never heard that one about a game where the object is to go home, nance - funny! i'll have to add that one to my baseball playing cousin's quote (regarding golf): "I don't chase the balls I knock out the park - OTHER people chase them." lol!
happy baseball season!
from a NY Yankees fan by default - i'd get run out of my 'hood if i was the fan of anyone else;-)
i played Little League Baseball for 5 or 6 years... and hated it! i think i got ONE HIT in all those years. i got on base alot because of getting walked, but i could never get the bat to hit the ball in play! and my teams had me play in the outfield, NO ONE ever hits it out there, so it was just me, the grass, and an occassional grasshopper! *smile*
great post, anyway!
That is sad about Don Ho he is Hawaii.
Living in the South Pacific every time we went to the States we dropped off in Hawaii. Loved the place... The other favourite Don Ho song is Pearly Shells
If you go to his website www.donho.com there is a rendition of Tiny Bubbles.
With beautiful pictures.
Anali I have posted the Brussel Sprout soup take a look.
have to chk out and make my own fantasy baseball team.
Anyhow thanks for stopping by! Good job on the muffins by the way!
Lisa
Now, my sons play T-Ball and/Little League for a number of years, OF COURSE I had to "like it" then, but thank goodness they have now latched on to basketball! :)
RIP Don Ho...wow, my Aunt will be crushed to hear that news!
nance - I really have to go over the rules for FB, because I'm not sure what I'm doing! I haven't done a lineup. This is not good. And I like the idea in baseball of going home too. It's all so Wizard of Oz! Although, I'm sure that's not what the players ever think about!
capcity - Welcome! I agree that baseball players are some of the best looking athletes! LOL! I played softball for a bit when I was a kid too. I wasn't very good, but it was fun. I was always better at swimming and gymnastics.
And I definitely understand about you being a Yankees fan by default. Who knows better than a Red Sox fan from Boston? ; )
plez - That must be tough choosing between two teams in NY. I always find it fascinating how people make their decision. Wow! Five or six years is a lot of time to spend on something you hate,but I'm glad you liked the post anyway! : )
so simple - I actually have a link from this post to his website. If you click on his name, the site comes up. It was nice hearing the song again! And the pictures are beautiful. I'll drop by your blog later for the recipe. Thanks!
lisa francisco - From what I was hearing on the show, it is basketball and football that are taking away African-American fans. My brother has always loved all sports though. He played soccer when he was a kid and he is even into NASCAR now. I'll still never understand that one.
tera - There's something about being at a game live that's different though. There's so much going on. And it is so sad about Don Ho. : (
nina - Everything does taste better at a baseball game! I've heard about people who take vacations where they visit baseball stadiums across the country. I think that would be kind of cool. I'd like to visit some different stadiums this summer.
I'd always thought, in my heart, that professional baseball should be played by everybody without regard for skin color or religion or anything else aside from talent. I've lived that out on my own fast-pitch softball teams - I've been manager, more often than not, and my teams have always been integrated, even those I managed in Southie. Not by design, but just because the players happened to be of many races and I would never shoot anyone down because of ethnicity.
I recall watching Ken Burn's film on baseball, though, and literally crying for shame. There were the Negro Leagues and their fine players. All they wanted was a chance to play a game I love, at the best level available. And MY people made arbitrary and capricious barriers that they couldn't cross. I'm still infuriated at the gross stupidity, even though it pretty much ended 60 years ago now. I see a guy like Buck O'Neil - what a grand ambassador for his sport! - and he never got to taste the big leagues even though he was emminently qualified. Just a damn shame.
And, when you mentioned a love for Don Ho's song, the first thought that popped into my head was "Huh. I never would have thought a black person would like that." How ignorant of me. I know better than to think that way, and I dismissed the thought quickly as ridiculous, but it was honestly my first thought.
I would like to think I grow as I mature, but sometimes it seems not.
tera- You're welcome and thank you for adding me too!
pom d'api - Uh oh! That can't be good.
lotus reads - LOL! You're so sweet! Hi right back at ya! ; )
sanjay - Now if the summer weather would just catch up with the boys!
wheresymymind - Good to see you back! You must be relieved to have finished your paper. I'd like some warm days too!
suldog - I haven't seen the Ken Burns film, but it sounds good. It is a shame. Everyone missed out, because the quality of baseball wasn't as good as it could have been had everyone been able to play together.
And for Don Ho, well it goes to show that you just never know. Hey I rhymed! : ) We're all individuals, so you can never predict what people like or don't like based on race. Don't beat yourself up over it. You are open to learning, which is what matters most.
david sullivan - Yes it is! : )
I like this post!
And I loved the song...Tiny Bubbles!
I did not know Don Ho had died!
May he rest in peace!
Anali, I want to thank you for all your kind visits to my blog!
I'm taking an extended break, but I'll visit you now and then.
Hope all is wonderful in your life !
Take good care!
Margie:)
You should put together the real dream team from all of baseball history. Which would include (sorry Yankee haters) Dave Winfield and Ricky Henderson. Although you might have Ricky go through some sort of self-awareness training first, that man could steal a base from the FBI. And of course Jackie Robinson, whose wife Renee was the best baseball commentator ever during Sunday's Dodgers/Padres game. Did you see that? That woman loved her husband, and she's smart, articulate, thoughtful and gorgeous at seventy-something.
And so many other. Anyway, you're the woman to field this team.
Baseball.
While I find the game to be a crashing bore (America's national passtime? Not anymore), I have to tell you that Ameirca's baseball team is the New York Yankees!
Anali, I hope we can still be pals... but, you've got to know that it is all about the Yanks!
gunfighter - We can still be pals! Derek Jeter and Mike Mussina are on my fantasy team!
suldog - Uh oh! I may have to moderate a Yankees vs Sox squabble here! ; )