Category: Sports

Renaming things is not enough

Businesses and governments are trying to avoid making real changes that would make things fair for African Americans and Native Americans by doing superficial things like changing names and taking down statues. Animated TV shows won’t have white actors voice black characters, The Redskins and Indians may change their names, and the NFL will play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” before games. Mississippi will take the Confederate flag out of the state flag.

These are changes that should be made but they are nowhere near enough. The NFL only has two black GMs and three black coaches. Colin Kaepernick still is not on an NFL roster. There is rampant inequality in income, assets, health care and education. That’s where the changes need to be made. The people with the assets figure throwing them a bone will be enough. It’s not.

Trump is a racist and still objects to renaming military bases named after Confederates. Sad!

This is a terrific tweet and comments mocking the renaming ideas. Make sure to see the great comment by my neighbor (Dread MD).

Bill Lee

Bill Lee, best known as a Red Sox pitcher, is nicknamed “Spaceman” for his unique personality. His autobiography was titled The Wrong Stuff, (not The Right Stuff). Lee called his manager, Don Zimmer, the gerbil.

Warren Zevon wrote and recorded a song about him in 1980.

The effect of climate change on baseball

I think Baltimore, where I live, will have this problem eventually.  It was sure hot this summer. Rain could be a problem too. You also have to wonder how it affects the players and the game. Doesn’t the ball travel further in hot weather?

I am guessing that the next Baltimore stadium will have a dome (and be in the suburbs).

I think you will see more domed stadiums in the future to counteract the heat and rain.

Could Climate Change Affect the Future of Baseball?

How Will Rising Temperatures Change Baseball?

76ers attendance

I attended several 76ers games a few years ago when they stunk. At the 2015 game in the photo, announced attendance was about 10,000 but I bet it was less than half of that. This year, now that they’re good, they led the league in average attendance.

Mr. Celery

Mr. Celery is a mascot for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (minor league baseball Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals). He comes out and dances whenever the Blue Rocks score. There are lots of fan videos on YouTube.

An interview with Mr. Celery from Deadspin

MILB article on Mr. Celery

Sportslogos.net article on his origins

Update: Starting in 2021, Wilmington is affiliated with the Washington Nationals.

The first time I saw him, I wondered if Delaware produced a lot of celery and I just didn’t know. The official story is that the team wanted another mascot and had an extra costume from an eating healthy promotion. The guy who plays him told Deadspin he found the costume dumpster diving. That’s a better story but I doubt it’s true. The Blue Rocks store has a page of Mr. Celery merchandise.

part of my Mr. Celery collection
how can you fit a mask over his nose?
copied from the Blue Rocks website – I do own one of the shirts
copied from the Blue Rocks website – I do own one of the shirts
https://twitter.com/WooHooCelery/status/1156268015379505154?s=20

Baltimore Colts moved 35 years ago today

Bob Irsay moved the team in the middle of the night. When I moved to Baltimore in 1976, the Colts games sold out. By the early 1980s, the team stunk and attendance was low. I saw a few games then. In one game, the only Colts touchdown was on a broken play when the running back (Joe Washington) threw a TD to a receiver (Mike Siani).

The Blu-ray of ESPN’s 30 for 30 on the Colts marching band has a supplement featuring Irsay’s apparently drunken press conference at the airport. He said he wasn’t going to move the team.

You never know what Bill Walton will say

Walton was one of the best college basketball players ever but he’s not as good as a commentator. He is entertaining though because he says such weird things. My guess is too many Grateful Dead concerts and too much LSD.

Last night, the other announcer, Dave Pasch noted that Arizona State coach Hurley had coached at Buffalo which was now doing well under coach Oates. Walton asked him if it was spelled with an “e”. Pasch wanted to know why. Walton said he had never heard of him and was going to look him up. Pasch said something like “I’ll pretend you didn’t say that”.

Here are some Walton lines:

https://twitter.com/Matt_Fortuna/status/1106798854995931137

https://twitter.com/trav02011/status/1106770528810033152

Frank Robinson

The great Frank Robinson passed away yesterday. He did so much that these are just some of the highlights:

Two time MVP – only player to win in both leagues

First African-American manager

Triple Crown in 1966

Statues outside stadiums in three cities – Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati

Manager of the year

He was the only player to hit a home run out of Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. There was a flag that said “HERE” marking where it went out.

The only time I am sure I saw him play was in 1962 when I saw the Reds play the Mets at the Polo Grounds.