July 4th. Two epochal, world-changing events have fallen on July 4th. The first comes on July 4, 1776. In Kent that day, Horatio Hornblower was born, and he would become one of the Royal Navy’s greatest heroes, distinguishing himself at an early age and playing a significant role in the defeat of Napoleon. The secondContinue reading “On My Independence Day Plans”
Tag Archives: Chicago Cubs
On Baseball’s Sad Lexicon
Exactly one hundred years ago today — July 12, 1910 — one of the most famous poems about the Chicago Cubs :cubs: was published in the New York Evening Mail — Franklin P. Adams’ “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”: These are the saddest of possible words: “Tinker to Evers to Chance.” Trio of bear cubs, and fleeterContinue reading “On Baseball’s Sad Lexicon”
On a Tale of Two Baseball Teams
As I write this, the Chicago Cubs :cubs: have a record of 35 wins, 46 losses. The Washington Nationals have a similar record — 36 wins, 46 losses. The Nats are 12 1/2 games back in the National League East, the Cubs :cubs: are 10 1/2 back in the National League Central. And yet. AndContinue reading “On a Tale of Two Baseball Teams”
On Baseball Excitement
Watching last night’s Cubs :cubs: game, this is how I felt: I’ve always said Charlie Brown was a Chicago Cubs fan, after all… 😉 It wasn’t just that Theodore Roosevelt Lilly (or as I saw him called on Bleed Cubbie Blue today, Maximus Tedimus Meridius) was back on the mound and threw shutout ball againstContinue reading “On Baseball Excitement”
On Baseball, the Harbinger of Spring
I look out from my office window at the glacier that still lays across Maryland, and a thought brightens my seasonally-affected spirits. The knowledge that pitchers and catchers have reported in Florida and Arizona. Soon, on fields of green, the boys of summer will be back. The crack of the bat, the smell of theContinue reading “On Baseball, the Harbinger of Spring”
On the Born Chicago Cubs Fan
I’ve thought for a long time that I was born to be Beatles fan. The reason? The number one song on the charts the day I was born was George Harrison’s “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth),” which followed (or was followed by) two weeks of Paul McCartney’s “My Love.” Between you andContinue reading “On the Born Chicago Cubs Fan”
On Fixing Baseball
Dear Bud Selig, Today, or possibly tomorrow, but certainly by Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates will set a record for baseball — and a record for the four major sports in North America. Pittsburgh will have its seventeenth consecutive losing season. Seventeen years. Their last winning season was in 1992. There are probably people reading thisContinue reading “On Fixing Baseball”
On the Week That’s Been
Six weeks ago, give or take, I decided that I didn’t have to write a blog post every day. I’d written something every day from the end of March 2007 to April 2009, a run of some 750 straight days. I can’t promise that every day was quality, but every day had something. Ever sinceContinue reading “On the Week That’s Been”
On WGN, the Cubs, and the Sox
I sat down to watch today’s Cubs/White Sox game. I was looking forward to two of my favorite announcers, Bob and Len, in the booth, talking about the Cubs and baseball. Instead, WGN put the Sox broadcast team — “Hawk” Harrelson and some other guy — on the game. I realized that while I’ve heardContinue reading “On WGN, the Cubs, and the Sox”
On Fox’s Baseball Decisions
Dear Fox, What the hell is wrong with you? You are continuing to broadcast this Yankees/Indians game. It’s twenty-two to four. Is there any reason at all that you can’t switch to a real game? The Cubs/Cardinals game is tied in the eleventh. Don’t you think your audience would be more interested in seeing someContinue reading “On Fox’s Baseball Decisions”