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Monday, July 21, 2008

MLB.com: White Sox honor Baines with statue

Following up on the thread from the other day… Baines sportin’ the early ‘80s Sox uni, which I have to admit a nostalgic fondness for, ugliness and all.

But on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field, surrounded by friends, family and former teammates for possibly the greatest honor of his career, Harold Baines briefly broke down.

“I knew he was going to break up,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf of his close friend and former employee. Baines delivered his emotional speech after a statue of the White Sox legend was unveiled in the right-center field concourse prior to Sunday’s series finale with the Royals.
...
Fisk, Ron Kittle and Robin Ventura represented Baines’ former teammates who held the outfielder/designated hitter in such high esteem. Rusty Kuntz, Kansas City’s first-base coach, showed up in his Royals uniform to honor Baines. The entire White Sox coaching staff made the trip from the clubhouse to right-center, led by manager Ozzie Guillen, one of Baines’ closest friends.

NTNgod Posted: July 21, 2008 at 09:03 AM | 22 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
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1. Craig Calcaterra Posted: July 21, 2008 at 09:24 AM (#2866239)

Wow, they even had the statue wear that uni. Interesting choice. Reminds me of downtown Columbus, where the statehouse grounds have many statues of 19th century presidents and civil war soldiers. Across the street sits a statue of James Rhodes (of "four dead in O-HI-O" fame) wearing a 1970s-era business suit. Just seems, I dunno, off somehow.

2. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: July 21, 2008 at 12:05 PM (#2866272)

Jerry Reinsdorf speaks only for himself when he does this. Sox fans do not have any kind of deep abiding love for Harold Baines or the Harold Baines era. He was a good player, that's all.

3. Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: July 21, 2008 at 12:12 PM (#2866277)

Dr Memory,

I think your wrong. There was always a strong fanbase for Baines. His trade was hugely controversial. His return to Comiskey spawned one of the loudest ovations I've ever heard. One fan even draped a "Baines 3" sign over the OF wall that looked just like the real retired numbers they had. The Trib had a 1-year anniversary section on the Bainse trade. They retired his moment on the spur of the moment to mollify fan discontent.

4. Carlo Paz Posted: July 21, 2008 at 12:40 PM (#2866309)

I agree with Doc Nabbit. Harold was my favorite almost the entire time he was with the Sox. Amazingly consistent as a hitter, and a fairly complete player until he hurt himself. He didn't have a star power personality, but I never wanted to miss one of his at bats.

5. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: July 21, 2008 at 01:03 PM (#2866341)

Dedicating a statue to the longtime DH? The jokes practically write themselves.

I DO love the "scouting Harold Baines" story in Dollar Sign on the Muscle.

6. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: July 21, 2008 at 01:14 PM (#2866351)

I think your wrong.

I know in large part I speak for myself, but seriously, he played a long time here and regularly clocked in 90 RBIs plus or minus, so that's why he gets the applause, but I never heard anyone subsequently compared to Baines, or say what the Sox needed is a guy like ol' Harold Baines again, or say now how glad they are he's manning the first-base coaches' box, and after he was traded...

They retired his moment on the spur of the moment to mollify fan discontent.

...I insist few were pining for his return. I remember the number retirement as coming right out of the blue. Even Baines thought it was kind of funny that they did this.

If there is one quality you can ascribe to Jerry Reinsdorf, it is loyal to the people below him who do well for him. Baines would be one of those and has reaped the benefits.

7. Duffy Duff Posted: July 21, 2008 at 01:29 PM (#2866366)

Even if Baines HAD been a supersar player, I'd still have a problem with this. The idea of making statues of people as though they're gods or saints strikes me as right out of the dark ages.

8. Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: July 21, 2008 at 01:30 PM (#2866367)

I insist few were pining for his return

Disagree massively. The trade was one of the most controversial things I've seen in Chicago sports.

It wouldn't have been so controversial if they got a big leaguer name in return, but that they got him for some nobody minor leaguers like Wilson Alvarez & Sammy Sosa outraged everyone.

I don't think the Cubs took as much heat when Maddux left. At least Himes could point to the offer he made him.

9. Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: July 21, 2008 at 01:32 PM (#2866369)

The idea of making statues of people as though they're gods or saints strikes me as right out of the dark ages.

The Dark Ages aren't the entire Middle Ages. Virtually no statues were made during the Dark Ages.

Statues have always been made when society is organized enough to pull it off.

10. Eraser-X is emphatically dominating teh site!!! Posted: July 21, 2008 at 02:38 PM (#2866425)

“I knew he was going to break up,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf of his close friend and former employee.

What, did they fire him?

As to Baines' popularity, I remember how angry the fanbase was when Baines was traded. Reinsdorf might as well have torched a barrel of puppies.

He was the face of the White Sox from 1981-1989, and loved beyond that.

11. Jundt Posted: July 21, 2008 at 04:50 PM (#2866555)

The idea of making statues of people as though they're gods or saints strikes me as right out of the dark ages.

I recently went to an Indians game, and I thought the statue of Bob Feller was nice. I am not old enough to have seen him play in person, so being able to get a 360 degree view of him in mid-delivery isn't a terrible substitute. Better than a banner on an outfield wall or a video played in the concourse. It's not like they had him riding a chariot, blazing a trail over his smitten strikeout victims.

12. Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: July 21, 2008 at 04:52 PM (#2866558)

I remember in 1999 when I first went online and started checking stats updated in real time (!!!!) at espn.com. Harold Baines had such an awesome first half it was hilarious. At age 40 he was on pace to have the best season of his career (by far). He trailed off badly later in the year, but it was a fun thing to track for a while.

He wasn't a Sox when it happened, but it's one of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of Baines.

13. Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: July 21, 2008 at 04:53 PM (#2866562)

It's not like they had him riding a chariot, blazing a trail over his smitten strikeout victims.

But if they did, it would be awesome!.

14. Brandon in MO (Yunitility Infielder) Posted: July 21, 2008 at 05:10 PM (#2866581)

Rusty Kuntz, Kansas City’s first-base coach, showed up in his Royals uniform to honor Baines.

Why is it relevant that the Royals first-base coach showed up in his uniform?

It's not like Rusty showed up in a Tigers uniform, or showed up naked.

15. Bob Dernier Cri

Posted: July 21, 2008 at 05:16 PM (#2866588)

The Baines trade is also commonly seen as one of the great disasters in Rangers' franchise history (there was yet another small item in the Star-Telegram recently decrying it as one of their worst trades).

As I like to point out, though, getting Baines & Manrique for Sosa/Alvarez/Fletcher was hardly a bad deal for the Rangers. Baines had many excellent years left. The disaster for the Rangers was turning around and trading Baines for Joe Bitker & Scott Chiamparino.

16. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: July 21, 2008 at 06:12 PM (#2866656)

I am not old enough to have seen him play in person, so being able to get a 360 degree view of him in mid-delivery isn't a terrible substitute. Better than a banner on an outfield wall or a video played in the concourse.

I hear you, but when I saw video of Bill Mazeroski making a double-play pivot, I nearly wet my pants seeing how fast it was. You probably wouldn't even believe it unless you saw it.

It's not like they had him riding a chariot, blazing a trail over his smitten strikeout victims.

RDF. Actually, the Michael Jordan statue shows him soaring over some outstretched hands and heads, kind of like in a Hieronymus Bosch painting.

17. Jundt Posted: July 21, 2008 at 06:47 PM (#2866710)

I hear you, but when I saw video of Bill Mazeroski making a double-play pivot, I nearly wet my pants seeing how fast it was. You probably wouldn't even believe it unless you saw it.

The final frontier would be to somehow interpolate this old footage into lifesize 3 dimensional holograms. Not as traditional, but much cooler. Less bird poop too.

Actually, the Michael Jordan statue shows him soaring over some outstretched hands and heads, kind of like in a Hieronymus Bosch painting.

http://evilvince.com/wp-images/Michael_Jordan_Statue_United_Center_2008.jpg

Very strange. It looks like he's dunking over John Carpenter's The Thing. I actually think the carbonite Bobby Hull Blackhawk statue on the other side of the United Center is much nicer.

18. Rodder Posted: July 21, 2008 at 07:14 PM (#2866747)

I like the Robin Roberts statue outside of CBP which its somewhat lifelike coloring (it actually looks like a black and white photo).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20246525@N00/195841969/in/set-72157594208339146/

19. Esoteric Posted: July 21, 2008 at 07:21 PM (#2866761)

I hear you, but when I saw video of Bill Mazeroski making a double-play pivot, I nearly wet my pants seeing how fast it was. You probably wouldn't even believe it unless you saw it.

Don't suppose there's anywhere I could see such a thing online, is there? I'm very intrigued.

20. The Good Face Posted: July 21, 2008 at 07:26 PM (#2866769)

It's not like they had him riding a chariot, blazing a trail over his smitten strikeout victims.

But if they did, it would be awesome!.

Seconded!!

Feller Invictus!

21. SoSH U at work Posted: July 21, 2008 at 07:31 PM (#2866774)

I hear you, but when I saw video of Bill Mazeroski making a double-play pivot, I nearly wet my pants seeing how fast it was. You probably wouldn't even believe it unless you saw it.

Don't suppose there's anywhere I could see such a thing online, is there? I'm very intrigued.

I think there's an entire websites devoted to Doc wetting his pants, but then again that could be some other Primate I'm thinking of.

22. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: July 22, 2008 at 11:41 AM (#2867699)

Don't suppose there's anywhere I could see such a thing online, is there? I'm very intrigued.

I saw it several years ago when the traveling HOF exhibit came to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

I think there's an entire websites devoted to Doc wetting his pants, but then again that could be some other Primate I'm thinking of.

LOL! Not me, although you're making me think I may be missing out on some $$. Where's a Coke...

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MLB.com: White Sox honor Baines with statue

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