Furman Bisher: Where Have The Good Times Gone?

Bisher? Kinks? (which reminds me…time to put the finishing touches on “Nothin’ in the World Can Stop Me Worryin’ ‘Bout Marlo Thomas” for future comp)

From the first of May until the 7th of September the Braves lolled about in first place. A lot of us kept waiting for the crash, but none came. Trades were made. Alex Gonzalez came to play shortstop, and equally as much to brighten the clubhouse atmosphere, so they say. Derrick Lee came to brighten up first base. Troy Glaus is getting old and tired, but so is Lee, and there hasn’t been much brightening up there.

...Then the Bravos suddenly couldn’t handle the lower-class members—Florida, Pittsburgh and lately, right here at home, Washington. They lost seven of ten games and awoke Sept. 16 to find themselves three games out of the lead. The Nationals required only one swing of the bat, by a .132 hitter named Justin Maxwell in one of those daylight “Businessmen’s Special” games to let the air out of their balloon. Bases-loaded home run in the second inning, and there was nothing special there. A Maryland alum wiped out the Braves’ Vanderbilt alum, and Mike Minor tasted his first major league beating.

You have never seen a drearier Braves clubhouse. Beaten by another of the league’s worst teams—again. Just hold it there. Heaven knows what can happen next in Flushing, an untidy destination next on their datebook.