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Monday, August 31, 2009

Ernie Harwell: Dash of pepper can add spice

Seattle players are trying to bring back the wonderful game of pepper. They are playing it again before every game. Let’s hope the comeback will last.

Like pepper, there are others parts of the game I miss. Don’t get me wrong. The players of today are super-skilled and better coached. The diamonds are better kept and fans accommodations much improved. Baseball has survived a lot of bad things off the field. I truly believe that the game as it is played between the lines today is just as good and exciting as ever.

Still, I rue that, over the years, technical progress has erased many colorful sidelights. Here are some of them: Ladies Day ... many fans keeping score of each game… bleachers ... knot-hole gangs ... long train rides with the teams ... typewriters in the press box and Western Union operators to work with the writers ... recreated broadcasts ... the newspaper extra editions for sports events ... afternoon World Series games… and—even more recent—whatever happened to the game-winning RBI as a stat?

Ok…9 outta 10 ain’t bad.

Repoz Posted: August 31, 2009 at 11:20 AM | 15 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Baseball-Birthdays.com Posted: August 31, 2009 at 11:32 AM (#3309532)

Ok...9 outta 10 ain’t bad.

true enough, but, given my druthers... they should've dumped saves before GWRBI.

saves are the antichrist...

2. Jose Can You Seabiscuit Posted: August 31, 2009 at 11:36 AM (#3309533)

I keep score at every game I go to. I find it ironic that something solitary that requires attention after each pitch results in me getting into more conversations than anything else I ever do. I can't remember the last time I went to a game where I wasn't asked a question about something whether as simple as "how many Ks does the pitcher have" to some rule book question by a complete stranger.

3. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 31, 2009 at 11:44 AM (#3309537)

true enough, but, given my druthers... they should've dumped saves before GWRBI.

If GWRBI's had caught on, Keith Hernandez would be in the HOF. I think Topps had a League Leader card for GWRBI's for a year or two and then even they realized how useless a stat it was.

4. Chase Utley, Shooty's Favorite Robot (Joey Belle) Posted: August 31, 2009 at 11:51 AM (#3309539)

What's the matter with GWRBI?? I though all you stat-zombies loved new stats? If it was an easily pronouncable acronym would you like it?

5. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 31, 2009 at 11:57 AM (#3309540)

What's the matter with GWRBI?? I though all you stat-zombies loved new stats? If it was an easily pronouncable acronym would you like it?

Gwibbers?

6. dejarouehg Posted: August 31, 2009 at 12:24 PM (#3309542)

GWRBI would have had more merit if it were limited to 6th inning or later. Driving in the first run of an 8-0 game doesn't seem to be statworthy. Perhaps there should be an award for BA RISP. (I'm guessing Hernandez would be pretty good here as well.)

I enjoyed keeping score at a game more when the programs were a couple of bucks or less. Paying $5-$10 isn't worth it to me.

I'd like to bring back the organ to ballgames. Not that I love the organ, although it is cool when I go to Wrigley, but I can't stand listening to rap or other crappy current blaring music at the games now.

7. Fly, the most judgment-free human being on Earth Posted: August 31, 2009 at 12:43 PM (#3309551)

I'm confused...why wouldn't someone want more stats about baseball? Just because they're meaningless doesn't mean they're not fun.

8. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: August 31, 2009 at 12:45 PM (#3309554)

I enjoyed keeping score at a game more when the programs were a couple of bucks or less. Paying $5-$10 isn't worth it to me.

I'd like to bring back the organ to ballgames. Not that I love the organ, although it is cool when I go to Wrigley, but I can't stand listening to rap or other crappy current blaring music at the games now.

A two word solutions to your problems: Extra Innings. You can always grill hot dogs if you miss the ball park odors, and pay your neighbor ten bucks to wedge your car in your driveway.

9. phatj Posted: August 31, 2009 at 12:50 PM (#3309560)

I'm confused...why wouldn't someone want more stats about baseball? Just because they're meaningless doesn't mean they're not fun.

As long as they're just fun, that's fine. But the save statistic has greatly influenced the way that the game is played, and to its detriment.

10. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 31, 2009 at 12:56 PM (#3309565)

I'm confused...why wouldn't someone want more stats about baseball? Just because they're meaningless doesn't mean they're not fun.

Baseball tried to hype it, but no one thought it was a fun stat and it died from fan indifference.

11. Craig Calcaterra Posted: August 31, 2009 at 02:18 PM (#3309630)

Baseball tried to hype it, but no one thought it was a fun stat and it died from fan indifference.

Yeah, I remember that. There were warehouses full of unsold GWRBIs, and once they started showing up at Odd Lots and Marshall's, any residual cache they had was lost.

12. Crispix Attacks Posted: August 31, 2009 at 02:21 PM (#3309636)

I keep score at every game I go to. So far strangers have approached me about it, I believe, 1 out of 40 games. Maybe it's just my scowling countenance.

13. Crispix Attacks Posted: August 31, 2009 at 02:24 PM (#3309640)

There were warehouses full of unsold GWRBIs, and once they started showing up at Odd Lots and Marshall's, any residual cache they had was lost.

This sentence is a golden opportunity to learn the difference between "cache" and "cachet". A teachable moment, if you will.

There was a cache of unsold GWRBIs, and once they started showing up at Odd Lots and Marshall's, any residual cachet they had was lost.

14. Bob Dernier Cri

Posted: August 31, 2009 at 02:38 PM (#3309661)

I think the main problem with the GWRBI would come up when you were keeping score. Unless it was something obvious like a walkoff hit, you had to go back and determine what the GWRBI was after the game was over. In that respect it was like trying to figure out which of four middle relievers was the winning pitcher, another thing nobody cares about. A save, OTOH, well, a guy comes in in a save situation and he gets it or he doesn't. It may end up being a minor part of the game, but at least you're looking right at it knowing what it is while it's happening.

15. Craig Calcaterra Posted: August 31, 2009 at 03:21 PM (#3309695)

This sentence is a golden opportunity to learn the difference between "cache" and "cachet". A teachable moment, if you will.

Yeah, I totally meant to set it up like that. No need to thank me.

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Monday, August 31, 2009

Ernie Harwell: Dash of pepper can add spice

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