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Thursday, December 22, 2011

CBC: Alberta shooting victim’s baseball-themed funeral draws 600

Farewell to the ballplayers…

The mother of Mitch MacLean — a ballplayer from P.E.I. who was killed in an Alberta murder-suicide last week — read her poem called Last Time at the Plate during her son’s funeral that was attended by hundreds.

Cars were lined up along the road by Winsloe United Church, just north of Charlottetown, for the service. An overflow room was set up for those who could not get one of the 220 seats in the chapel. An estimated 600 attended.

A former girlfriend of MacLean’s, Melia Thompson, said after the service it was “exactly what Mitch would’ve wanted.”

MacLean was a promising young baseball player, and the sport played a prominent part in the service.

The poem read by his mother was one she had written herself. His casket left the church to the tune of Centerfield by John Fogerty.

Repoz Posted: December 22, 2011 at 07:10 PM | 24 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: obituaries

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1. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) Posted: December 22, 2011 at 07:52 PM (#4022040)

I can. It's kind of a crummy song.

And I say that not as a Fogerty hater. CCR was a major, major band. "Centerfield" is just a swing and a miss.

2. Bob Evans Posted: December 22, 2011 at 08:04 PM (#4022048)

exactly what Mitch would’ve wanted

I want to be alive for my funeral.

3. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: December 22, 2011 at 08:07 PM (#4022050)

His casket left the church to the tune of Centerfield by John Fogerty.

Put me in (the ground), coach! I'm ready to decay!

Sounds like a hell of a service. Hope it brought the family some comfort.

4. Old Man James Posted: December 22, 2011 at 08:22 PM (#4022063)

Yea, centerfield is as lame as that baseball bat guitar that he plays.

5. Uncle Willy Posted: December 22, 2011 at 08:30 PM (#4022075)

exactly what Mitch would’ve wanted

I want to be alive for my funeral.

When I die (now don't think I'm a nut), don't want no fancy funeral, just one like old King Tut.

6. depletion Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:02 PM (#4022095)

I want chocolate ice cream served at my funeral. Led Zeppelin and Little Richard music. Silly Strings and water balloons. Movies of nuclear tests projected on the wall.

7. Mark Edward Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:06 PM (#4022097)

murder-suicide

I don't have any stats to back me up, but does this seem like a thing that is happening more & more frequently (I mean, as opposed to just murder or homicide)? Here in suburban Illinois a woman killed her boyfriend & 3 children before shooting herself.

It might just be that these stories are making the headlines more often.

8. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:17 PM (#4022109)

I don't have any stats to back me up, but does this seem like a thing that is happening more & more frequently (I mean, as opposed to just murder or homicide)? Here in suburban Illinois a woman killed her boyfriend & 3 children before shooting herself.

And they really piss me off.

You're gonna off yourself? Fine. You can burn in hell if you're a murderous prick. But leave your ####### kids alone.

9. Swedish Chef Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:21 PM (#4022116)

I want to be alive for my funeral.

I think the novelty of being buried alive will wear off fast.

10. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:21 PM (#4022117)

His casket left the church to the tune of Centerfield by John Fogerty.

That might have been enough to make those 600 mourners wish they had joined him.

For whatever reason I really don't like "Centerfield" at all. Can't explain it.

Every time I hear it I picture myself back in Little League, being replaced in the last inning by some .023 hitter who's the beneficiary of the "everyone gets to play" rule, and who's been nagging the coach for the last five innings by singing that song through an amplifier.

11. Crispix Attacks Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:26 PM (#4022120)

"The Old Man Down The Road" is definitely a better song, but maybe not suited for a funeral.

12. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:29 PM (#4022126)

"The Old Man Down The Road" is definitely a better song, but maybe not suited for a funeral.

The definitive fuenral song is Amazing Grace, on bagpipes.

13. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:46 PM (#4022146)

The definitive fuenral song is Amazing Grace, on bagpipes.

Nah, this is the one and only way to go. Anything else is just bush league.

14. Double-Spin Mechanic Posted: December 22, 2011 at 09:52 PM (#4022153)

I think the only proper baseball-themed funeral song would be "The Greatest".

15. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 22, 2011 at 10:00 PM (#4022165)

I think the only proper baseball-themed funeral song would be "The Greatest".

"There Used to be a Ballpark" has the right tone.

16. Darren

Posted: December 22, 2011 at 10:07 PM (#4022177)

You people are baseball fans who don't like the song Centerfield? Okkkaayyyyy.

17. depletion Posted: December 22, 2011 at 10:09 PM (#4022185)

This might be at my funeral. I want to go out rockin'.

18. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: December 22, 2011 at 10:13 PM (#4022189)

This might be at my funeral. I want to go out rockin'.

And at that point, it will literally be true.

19. morineko Posted: December 22, 2011 at 10:26 PM (#4022204)

I think the joys of "Centerfield" wore off for me in junior high when we did social dance in PE and the (male) PE teachers decided to use it to teach us the Lindy. After a week of hearing nothing but that song while trying to dance with some guys whose tools for stepping on feet should be rated an 80, it took me about 10 years to be able to listen to the entire song again.

20. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: December 22, 2011 at 10:36 PM (#4022224)

You people are baseball fans who don't like the song Centerfield? Okkkaayyyyy.

You people who like "Centerfield" are baseball fans? I don't believe it.

Sesame Street fans, that I can believe.

21. spike Posted: December 22, 2011 at 11:17 PM (#4022288)

Oh, good heavens - Sleepwalk is what you want for a funeral. People in the next time zone would feel bad.

/oh and Centerfield blows. So contrived, and made even worse by considering the obvious immense talents of the author

22. Random Transaction Generator Posted: December 22, 2011 at 11:22 PM (#4022296)

It's this song or nothing at my funeral.

23. asinwreck Posted: December 22, 2011 at 11:37 PM (#4022316)

Peter Sellers had "In the Mood" play as the pallbearers hauled his casket. Not bad.

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

CBC: Alberta shooting victim’s baseball-themed funeral draws 600

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