Re-learning the lesson of 1986

As exciting and incredible as this year’s World Series was, there was a lesson to be taken from it by anyone who was paying attention. In a nutshell, it’s that the game isn’t over until the final out is made. In football, you can take a knee to run out the clock. In basketball, you

Baseball’s first professional player

In 1936, the first ballots for the newly-created Baseball Hall of Fame were mailed out for voters to consider. As with modern Hall of Fame balloting, there were two ways to be elected: the Baseball Writers Association of America (or BBWAA) was allowed to vote for contemporary players from the 20th century, while the Veteran’s

It’s a tribal thing

The first night of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge was yesterday, and the made-for-ESPN event will wrap up this evening. The Big Ten is off to a 4-2 lead so far, and has to win at least two of tonight’s games to claim victory for the season. And a tie goes to the Big Ten, since

The death of a ballplayer

Bob Forsch died today at the age of 61. It was shocking news, as it was just a week ago that he was at Game seven of the World Series, throwing out the first pitch and helping to inspire the Cardinals in the way that Stan Musial did earlier in the Series. Two weeks ago,

Thoughts about Game Sevens past

Game time is almost here, and I wanted to get these out there before the first pitch. There hasn’t been a Game seven in the World Series since the Rally Monkey Angels beat Dusty Baker’s Giants back in 2002. The nine-year stretch without a Game seven is the longest in the history of the World

This one just had to go seven games

Tonight’s baseball game–more than any other I’ve seen in my lifetime–was a transcendent affair. If you weren’t riveted by this game–or by this World Series–you just can’t like baseball. Come to think of it, you may not even have a pulse. Go back to obsessing over the Kardashians or something. What can you say about

I could never root for the Rangers

Game six of the World Series is tonight and, if all goes as I hope it will, there will be a Game seven, winner-take-all, ultimate baseball showdown in St. Louis tomorrow night. The series to this point–and this year’s postseason in general–demands nothing less. I’ve already gone on the record as being a Cardinals supporter, for

Advantage, Rangers (maybe)

I haven’t missed writing a wrap-up during the Series, and I’m not starting now. Texas had to win tonight if they were going to take the title, and they did it. But stealing a game in St. Louis is not a given on their part. They can probably smell it now, but they can’t taste

I can hear their sighs of relief

The St. Louis economy received a significant jolt tonight. The Rangers’ win in Game four means that there will be a Game six next week, and so parking revenue, concession sales, sales tax from ticket prices, hotel bookings, bar receipts, and a whole bunch of other monies will be changing hands in St. Louis next

The pendulum swings toward Texas

When the FOX announcers began talking about how the Cardinals had never been involved in a 1-0 game in their previous 100+ games of World Series play, I knew the final score wouldn’t be 1-0. I’m going to suggest that jinxes do exist, and talking about a 1-0 game is the quickest way to make