Another Ruth, Same Gehrig

[DOUGHBOYS]

Miguel Tejada hit a home run today at Wrigley Field. Running between second and third base, his home run ball, thrown by a fan, went bouncing behind him. As he crossed home, the ball was retrieved by the next Giants to hit and given to Tejada before entering the dugout. Tejada jammed it in his back pocket. The first time I've seen a home run hitter (it was Tejada's second hr, he would LOVE to be called a home run hitter) have possession of the very ball he hit before sitting down in the dugout.

That made me laugh.



Players are pointing to the heavens now more than ever. I saw a player do it after a walk.

A WALK!!

Before I go on with my thoughts here, I was supervising at the softball park the other night. A pitch came into a hitter, it was called a ball, and somebody yelled, "Good eye!"

IT WAS SLO PITCH!





Any way getting back to the pointing, players usually do this to honor a loved one, or God, or whatever strikes their fancy. I think it amusing that they only do this after a good thing has happened after their at bat.

I never liked my Aunt Ruth much. She had old lady smell and while other relatives spoiled us, she would put us to bed early so she could watch her 'programs' by herself.

It got me to thinking, if I were a Major League player, maybe every time I made an out, I could point down to the grounds or extend the middle finger just a little after a k in remembrance of Aunt Ruth.



Is older better because we keep getting older?

I have a friend who is somewhat of an expert on both the Revolutionary War and Civil War. I like learning from him about the trevails that people went through during those times.

So, I asked him, politics aside, who has been America's best President?

Without hesitation, he replied Washington. I told him he sounded like a school kid. He explained that Washington never had a blue print. Rules were still being written as and while he was taking office. He could have gone on a power trip and ruined a beautiful country from the get-go, but didn't.

In turn, he asked me who is baseball's most beloved ballplayer.

An excellent question.

I immediately dismissed current players since we don't know yet how they'd be perceived after their careers.

Well liked players like Santo, Killebrew, Zimmer, and Christy Mathewson came to mind, but they were more well known on a regional stage, more than national.

I told him I had two answers.

To a normal baseball fan who goes to games, follows the local team, and not much else, I guessed that Yogi Berra would be the most beloved player by these folks.

They've heard the quips. Probably seen him on tv.

But, for the die hard baseball fans, it would be Lou Gehrig.

Gehrig led the league in every category at one time or another during his career. Played with a teammate that garnered 90 percent of the press. Set a working man's record for playing in 2,130 games. Made the most stirring speech in baseball history. And was the man we all want to be while facing death.

Washington and Gehrig.

Maybe older is better as we get older.

[Raskol]

Berra and Gehrig would be hard to beat for most beloved Dan. Great stats, no felonies, long careers. Baseball sure has changed.

[GoodnGodless]

Who knows what the average fan of average age leans toward in terms of their knowledge in different eras. I guess Yogi would have it over Gehrig in terms of popular culture although Gehrig does still get good airplay. In the 70's a poll of most beloved might have been topped by the self declared best living player in baseball - Mr. Coffee due to all those commercials. In the 90's Buck O'Neil was sure a lovable old grandpa type in the Ken Burns documentaries. And lets not forget Roberto Clemente.

[Walla Walla]

[ October 14, 2011, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: Walla Walla ]