Just Give the Kid a Ball!

      In the game of baseball there are certain unwritten rules that the players follow.  A certain etiquette that makes the game great and provides added respect and admiration for the men on the field.  Whether they win or lose they can say that they played the game the way that it was meant to be played, and can hold their heads high knowing this.  The same is true for the fans when they purchase a ticket and attend a game.  They are also subjected to a set of unwritten rules that the "true" fans of the game would follow.  Some examples of these rules include but are not limited to; not interfering with the game being played, not heckling the players about their personal lives, and older fans giving  a ball tossed into the stands to a crying toddler sitting next to them.  The last rule mentioned seems like common sense to most adults, but sadly common sense is not very common in this world that we live in.
   During the eighth inning of Wednesday's game between the Yankees and Rangers a foul ball was picked up by Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland and tossed into the stands toward a young fan in an adult's arms.  The ball landed on the ground and was scooped up by the fan sitting next to them.  Instead of giving the ball to the child he handed it to the woman sitting to his right.  This prompted the young fan to burst into tears when he realized that the ball was not going to be his.  Then the seemingly innocent story became worse.  The fan with the souvenir ball simply ignored the crying child and proceeded to take photos of his lady friend with the ball.  Michael Kay, the Yankees play-by-play announcer became understandably angry at what he had just witnessed and even pointed out the total lack of compassion to the viewers at home.  Kay used the descriptive words awful, cold, and oblivious to describe what was happening.  Then someone from the Texas dugout saw the child crying and tossed another ball into the stands which immediately put a smile on his face.  As this was happening, however, the couple next to them leaned in to kiss each other completely oblivious to what was going on.
   The story ended well for the crying child because he too went home with a souvenir, but what about the adults sitting next to him.  They didn't break any posted stadium rules, but morally they should be ashamed of themselves.  As was stated earlier there are certain unwritten rules that are associated with attending a ballgame, and if there was a kangaroo court for fans these two people would without doubt be found guilty and fined.  Just give the kid a ball!  When Moreland tossed the ball into the stands it was probably meant for the child anyway, as is usually the case when players look into the stands for someone to give a ball to.  Getting a baseball at a ballgame is understandably an exciting experience but the fact that these adults didn't feel even a little obligated to share that experience with a child is just ridiculous and selfish.  That would make the child's night, and he would walk away from that game with a memory that will last forever.  The two fans felt the need to, as Michael Kay pointed out, actually rub it in the kids face by taking pictures and laughing as the child looked on and cried. 
   To be fair to the couple, however, they stated that they were just caught up in the moment and even took the time to speak to the adults with the toddler.  They said that they have children of their own and would never do anything to intentionally hurt a child.  It is certainly understandable to be caught up in the moment, but how could someone be that "caught up" to completely ignore the situation.  I would hate to be driving next to these people the next time that they get "caught up" in a moment because I might just end up in a ditch.

The Cursed Cubs

   This weekend the Chicago Cubs will face the Phillies for a four game series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.  For a team so rich in history, "The North Siders" haven't won a championship since 1908 and haven't even appeared in a Fall Classic since 1945.  This is currently the longest drought in Major League Baseball, but the loyal army of fans still don their blue caps with the red "c" each season in hopes that this will be the year to witness something that so many lifelong Cubs fans have died waiting for.  Year after year however, "The Lovable Losers" have found a way to live up to their nickname and leave grown men crying into their frosted mugs of Old Style brew.  Each October they reluctantly accept their fate and gather at Harry Caray's to watch some other team represent the National League in the World Series.  Cubs fans have been through a lot, and the stories of Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Harry Caray, Ryan Sandberg, and a kid named Steve Bartman are enough to last until the snow melts and the ivy is once again green on the brick walls at Wrigley.  The warmth of spring is usually a sign of new beginnings, but on the North Side of Chicago the beginning of spring signifies another season of skeptical hope and the feelings that they are rooting for a cursed team. 
  A cursed team is the only way to explain the years of bad luck that has haunted the Cubs.  It all started in 1945, the last World Series appearance for the club, and is known as the Curse of Billy Goat.  That season, the Cubs played the Detroit Tigers in the Series, and Billy Sianis the owner of Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago purchased two tickets for Game 4 at Wrigley Field.  The Cubs were leading the Series 2 games to 1, and Billy took his goat to the game for good luck.  The ushers at the gate, however, did not grant the goat entrance to the stadium, and this prompted Billy to protest the decision to the team owner P.K. Wrigley.  Wrigley's response to the complaint was to let Billy in but not the goat.  When Billy asked why not the goat, Wrigley's answer was because the goat stinks and he didn't want to bother the other fans.  This upset Billy and he stated "The Cubs ain't gonna win no more.  The Cubs will never win a World Series so long as the goat is not allowed in Wrigley Field."  The Tigers went on to defeat the Cubs 4 games to 3 and the Curse of Billy Goat was set.  This change of luck inspired the tavern owner to send a telegram to P.K. Wrigley stating, "Who stinks now?"
   There have been many attempts to break the curse set in 1945, but as of now the Curse of Billy Goat still casts a dark shadow over "The Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field.  Other curses in the game have been lifted such as The Curse of the Bambino in Boston, but the Chicago Cubs still remain "The Lovable Losers".  The fans are still waiting for that moment in October for the white flag with the blue 'W'  to be raised, and instead of crying because of sadness the "Bleacher Bums" can celebrate together and sing "Go, Cubs, Go!" as the Curse of Billy Goat is reversed forever.

Unique Home Run Features at the Ballpark

   On Sunday afternoon, Omar Infante of the Miami Marlins smashed a J.A. Happ fastball over the left-field fence in the second inning.  Not only was this the first home run ever hit at the new Marlins Park, but it was with that blast that the huge, multi-colored sculpture in the outfield was put into motion for the first time.  As Infante circled the bases, the sculpture in center field was "lit-up" like the J.A. Happ fastball down the middle of the plate.  Marlins leaped, seagulls flew, fountains sprayed water into the air, and lights flashed, all in a manner that would make Dock Ellis proud.  It was an impressive display, and one that the Marlins fans only had to wait until the eighth inning to witness again.
   The home run display brings back memories of the first "exploding" scoreboard that was introduced in 1960 by the Chicago White Sox.  When a White Sox player hit a home run, the scoreboard would light up, pinwheels would spin and the fireworks display would sometimes be more amusing for the fans than the actual home run.  This was the beginning of the home run displays in Major League Baseball and it was all thanks to the ultimate entertainer in the game, Bill Veeck.  In Milwaukee, the Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer would slide down a twisted yellow slide into a huge beer mug to celebrate home runs.  Today, the beer mug has been replaced with a platform in the shape of home plate, but Bernie can still be seen above the bleachers in left field cheering for the hometown Brewers.
   The New York Mets introduced the huge, red apple in 1980 at Shea Stadium.  The apple with the Mets logo in the center would light up and rise out of a magicians hat inscribed with "HOME RUN" in white block letters.  Today, the Mets call Citi Field home but the home run apple is still a part of the Mets' celebrations.  Located in center field, the magicians hat has become part of the history of Shea Stadium, but the apple is much larger and still includes the Mets logo in the center.
   Then there is the home run train in Houston that runs along a track on top of the outside wall in left,  the illuminated Liberty Bell at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and even the "old-fashioned" idea of fireworks that remains a staple for celebrations throughout the league.  From Bill Veeck's original "exploding" scoreboard in Chicago to the Marlins colorful sculpture in Florida, the idea of putting on a show for the fans remains the same.  As stated by Veeck himself:  "We can't always guarantee the ballgame is going to be good, but we can guarantee the fan will have fun." 

Ozzie Guillen: Leave Politics to the Politicians

   Ozzie Guillen, the outspoken manager of the Miami Marlins, was suspended for five games yesterday for the comments that he made regarding Fidel Castro.  Guillen stated to Time Magazine that he loves and respects Castro for his ability to stay in power for so long.  This understandably upset many people in Miami, and especially in the neighborhood of Little Havana.  When the Miami Marlins hired Guillen last September they thought that he would be a perfect fit and relate to the Spanish population in that area.  They opened a brand new, $515 million stadium this season, and Guillen was their guy to attract people to fill the stands.  This all backfired last week when the Time Magazine article became available, and Guillen's notoriously outspoken personality stirred the community into a frenzy.  Now there are protesters, boycotts planned, and even the Mayor of Miami-Dade, Carlos Gimenez, has told the Marlins "to take decisive steps" to extinguish the fire started when Ozzie Guillen struck the match. 
   Ozzie Guillen, born in Venezuela and now residing in Miami, will have a very difficult time surviving this disaster.  He has upset an entire community whose support is essential to the success of the Miami Marlins Baseball Club.  The front office that hired Guillen has done everything possible to generate passion, and excitement for baseball in South Florida and counted on their manager to put all of the pieces together.  Now, the season is hardly a week old and they are forced to suspend their manager only to buy time and see what the next form of action will be.  If the animosity doesn't settle down around Little Havana, the Marlins will have no choice but to terminate Guillen and hope that it will be enough to satisfy the fans at ticket windows. 
   Guillen has always been a very outspoken, and energetic personality in the game.  He says what he wants, and never seems to mind the consequences.  This all changed recently, and Guillen appeared obviously upset and embarrassed when he addressed the media at Marlins Park yesterday.  His teary-eyed apology seemed sincere, and he stated that he will never talk about politics again.  Why is a lifelong baseball man talking politics to the media in the first place?  In Guillen's case, the combination of such a sensitive subject along with the broken translation from Spanish to English is a sure disaster waiting to happen. When people buy Time Magazine they aren't checking the week in sports, and similarly readers of Baseball Digest aren't looking for world news.  To many fans of the game, Ozzie Guillen's political views are less intriguing than his starting lineup for that nights game. Athletes in general should learn to leave their views on sensitive subjects, such as religion and politics, away from the media because it rarely turns into a good situation for all involved.  Although Ozzie Guillen's comments were out of line and wrong for a high profile celebrity, would they create such a stir if he was managing anywhere other than in Miami, Florida?  A five game suspension is a good start to rebuild the relationship between the community and the Miami Marlins, but once that is over Ozzie Guillen needs to go back to what he has always known.  Time will tell, but if  the community can find a way to forgive Guillen, he can go back to being a fun-loving baseball personality, and the manager experienced enough to lead the Marlins into the playoffs this year.

A Piece of Baseball History on Display Today

   When fans, either on television or at the ballpark, watch a game most of their attention is centered on the pitcher's mound, or at home plate.  The dirt mound at the center of the infield, and the area of dirt where home plate is located are the places in the field that gets everything started.  The game pauses momentarily until the pitcher hurls the ball toward the plate, the batter connects, and all of a sudden everyone on the diamond springs into motion.  Bases are being covered, positions are being backed up, and when that play is over the ball is returned and the fans anxiously watch for the pitcher to start it again.  In Detroit and Arizona, however, fans might notice something different in the infield.  Connecting the bottom of the pitchers mound and the cutout at home plate is a strip of dirt.  Although this was common in the past, and especially in the 19th Century, the only two stadiums in the Major Leagues currently with this feature are Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Comerica Park in Detroit.
   The dirt cutout in the infield, known as a "keyhole" for its shape, was common in 19th Century baseball.  In the 1800's the game of baseball was in the beginning stages and often played on cricket fields.  On a cricket field the central point of action is called the pitch.  This is a clay or dirt strip in the center of the field where the "bowler" and the "batsman" face eachother in a fashion similar to baseball.  The concept of the dirt strip between the pitcher and batter probably just remained part of the early stages of the game as newer stadiums were built. 
  As the game evolved into the 20th Century another theory for the "keyhole" was to protect the high traffic area of the diamond.  As stated earlier the pitcher's mound and home plate area are the focal points during a game, and most of the action occurs there.  In the early 1900's teams had limited funds to pay the players, run the team, and keep the field presentable to the fans.  The dirt strip eliminated the grass from getting worn out during the long season that included many visits to talk with the pitcher, and the fielding of many bunts, as was common during baseball's "Dead Ball Era".  Today groundskeepers are paid a lot of money, and operate advanced machinery to make a professional field look perfect.  The teams have more money to spend, and some ballparks even use artificial turf for the playing surface.
   By 1960, the dirt strip known as a "keyhole" was phased out and became part of the history of  Major League Baseball.  Then, beginning in 1992 with Camden Yards in Baltimore, new stadium designs included features from the past ballparks.  This "retro" look and feel is the reason for the dirt strip in Detroit and Arizona.  It was part of the design of Comerica Park and Chase Field to pay tribute to the throwback diamonds of a different era.  The next time that you catch a game from Arizona or Detroit take notice of the dirt strip between the pitcher's mound and home plate, because this is a piece of baseball's past resurfacing in the game today.

Farewell to One of South Amboy's Heroes

   On Monday, the close knit community of South Amboy, New Jersey lost one of their heroes.  Allie Clark, the two time World Series Champion with the Yankees and Indians passed away at the age of 88.  Clark played seven seasons in the big leagues between 1947 and 1953 with four different teams, and was a career .262 hitter during Baseball's Golden Era.   He was the first Major League baseball player from the City of South Amboy that also produced Ed and Johnny O'Brien, Jack McKeon, and Tom Kelly.  Allie Clark played in the 1947 World Series with the New York Yankees, and in Game 7 he collected an RBI as a pinch hitter for Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra.  The next season he was traded to the Cleveland Indians, which made him one of the last players ever to wear number 3 for the Yankees, and once again found himself in the Fall Classic.  Even with two World Series rings Allie Clark never forgot the place where it all began for him, and would return to South Amboy where he worked as an iron worker in the off season.  After his playing career, Clark remained in South Amboy and could always be found at Mass on Sunday at St. Mary's Church.
   Growing up in South Amboy, I have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Clark, on many occasions.  He was very accommodating and always took the time to talk with me and ask how I'm doing.  One of my best memories, since I became a fan of the game, was when I was 12-years-old.  I wrote Mr. Clark a letter asking for his autograph, and a couple of weeks later I was at the library when his wife presented me with an envelope that included two 8x10 pictures and a baseball card.  One of the pictures was a team photo of the 1947 New York Yankees, and the other was a picture of him with the Cleveland Indians that I have framed in my living room.  This was a great thrill for me and I ran as fast as I could to get home and show my parents the pieces of memorabilia that I was lucky enough to have in my possession.  I wrote him another letter to thank him, and included tickets to the South Amboy Little Fellas awards picnic.  When he arrived at the picnic, I had the opportunity to thank him in person and get my picture taken with the great hometown hero.
   In the city that spans just over 1 square mile, Allie Clark will always be a hero to those who had the opportunity to meet him.  He is inducted into the Cardinal McCarrick High School Athletic Hall of Fame, and the youth fields near the bay are appropriately named the Allie Clark Sports Complex.   He was a steady ballplayer for seven seasons divided between the Yankees, Indians, Athletics, and White Sox and his teammates included such names as Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, Larry Doby, and Bob Feller just to name a few.   Clark was one of the few players in the game to win two consecutive World Series Championships with two different teams but never forgot about his hometown where he lived his entire life. 
   On April 14, 2012 the Allie Clark Sports Complex will host the Opening Day ceremonies for the South Amboy Youth Baseball League.  Maybe that day will be the start of another young players journey to the big leagues, and follow in the footsteps of the great baseball players from South Amboy that was started by the man the fields are named after.  Perhaps, for Mr. Clark he will be playing ball somewhere again too.  On a field where there are no rainouts, Bob Feller is throwing 100 m.p.h. again,  DiMaggio's streak never ends, and Allie Clark is tracking down flyballs in right wearing the Yankee pinstripes.