Watching The Kid

Well,, Ken Griffey Jr is, has he had to be, in the Hall of Fame.

In the early 90′s, the Mariners were a pathetic franchise. They played their games in a gray mausoleum and in general performed with a level of excitement and talent consistent with their sarcophagus of a ball park. I, however, bought season tickets. Why? Ken Griffey Jr.

Whatever else would happen in the course of a game, Junior, or The Kid, would very likely do something amazing, something impossible, something wonderful that you had never seen before. 

In 1993, Junior hit home runs in 8 consecutive games, still the record. I was at one of those games with my son Ben, and I remember that we both saw the amazing confidence with which Griffey walked to the plate when he hit his homer in that game. It wasn’t as showy as a swagger, but he exuded complete confidence and a feeling of total control of the situation. The pitcher never stood a chance.

I remember him chase down a ball hit to deep right center field with a game situation of 1 out and men on first and second. He was about to the warning track when he caught the ball, and his sprint to make the catch was taking him away from the infield. Every high school ballplayer knows the correct base for Griffey to throw to in that situation, he had to throw to second to keep that runner on first, and concede third base. But Griffey wheeled and fired to third, a terrible play, an insane play, a play that could get a lesser player benched. The runner was out by a whisker. His glove and arm were unequaled until I saw Ichiro make those same kinds of plays.

And, of course, I remember him scoring from first base with the run that won the division series for the M’s over the Yankees. Blazing speed, but of course what every one remembers is the picture afterwards of Griffey at the bottom of a pile of Mariners, smiling as broad and true and happy a grin as a child at Christmas with a new bike. I saw that game on TV, gave my tickets to my son Nathan--Nathan you still owe me for that one.

Natural Bridge State Park in North Adams, Massachusetts. The little town of North Adams is nestled in the North end of the Berkshire hills in Western Massachusetts, and few towns are more beautifully situated.

Five Positive Things

I was tagged with a challenge to say five positive things about myself. It’s a challenge worth accepting for myself,I’ve had a lousy self-image lately.

1. I’m a fast learner. I can generally grasp even complex issues more quickly than most.

2. I love honestly and deeply,even if I am not always wise about it.

3. I cook a mean jambalaya.

4. I can speak in public without being nervous (as long as I am reasonably well prepared). I’m pretty good at it, and I can run a meeting efficiently and effectively.

5. There are those who love me. 

The More Things Change...

So,I’m watching the Home Run Derby and thinking about baseball players and my thoughts go to Jackie Robinson. I think about all the crap he had to endure to be major league ballplayer,gratuitous insults, disrespect, maltreatment from little ballplayers, now long forgotten and unworthy of carrying Robinson’s bat. I see players like Prince Fielder, retired players like Ken Griffey Jr., who are so popular, so respected, so widely admired, and I think wow, we’ve come a long way.

Then I think of how Barack Obama is being treated by small minds, minor league politicos who will be forgotten before their careers are over and so-called journalists who are an embarrassment to their profession. And I think we haven’t moved an inch.

Fourth of July fireworks from my apartment window in downtown Springfield. Great way to watch the display without the hassle of the crowds.

Shame!

I was deeply ashamed to read that the current governor of Massachusetts supported flying the flag of the Confederacy. His knowledge and understanding of American history must be extremely limited if he does not remember the number of Massachusetts men who died to bring down that flag of treason,error, and violence against humanity. That flag continues to be an anti-American symbol of hatred, racism and evil. Flying that flag was, and is, treason.

 Don’t bullshit me with talk about your heritage. For any of us there may be parts of our heritage of which we cannot be proud (e.g., how many of my ancestors participated in the slave trade?). One should not make the errors of their family’s past the cornerstone of their “heritage.”

Sacrifices on the Altar

Is there a limit, a specific number, a measure of some kind that will spell enough? Or do we just have to keep piling the bodies high on the altar of the false god of the gun? 

Send in the Clowns

The well-named Republican clown car of Presidential Candidates is now more crowded than a Filipino jeepney. Sadly,any random jeepney on the streets of Manila would yield at least a half-dozen better candidates for President of the USA. 

The sad and scary thing is that one of these clowns will have at least a puncher’s chance of being President, despite the fact that whole slate of them would be poorly qualified to serve on the city council of even a small town. 

Rose Garden at Forest Park, June 14, 2015

Roses in June