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Gentlemen:
This is a short
From the Bullpen for your viewing pleasure, before we take a
short sabbatical from publications as our Executive Director and
Senior Editor (Linda) goes in for a tune-up.
STANDINGS
THROUGH 11 WEEKS
|
1. |
Wahoos |
5474.6 |
|
2. |
Chiefs |
5346.0 |
|
3. |
Cubs |
5238.7 |
|
4. |
Bombers |
5211.5 |
|
5. |
Bums |
5095.6 |
|
6. |
Skipjacks |
4982.0 |
|
7. |
Senators |
4854.4 |
|
8. |
Redbirds |
4755.4 |
|
9. |
Blues |
4679.3 |
|
10. |
Bears |
4590.4 |
|
11. |
Tigers |
4582.2 |
|
12. |
Monarchs |
4428.2 |
|
13. |
Tribe |
4159.6 |
With two weeks to
go before the All-Star break, it is looking more and more like a
two-horse race between the Wahoos and the Chiefs.
However, with all of the innings that Possum is stockpiling for
later use, the 2015 Season could end up being a runaway for the
’Hoos. God help us all.
AT THE BALLPARK
WITH THE MAYOR
A trip to T.D.
Ameritrade with Bender on Monday night for Game 1 of the
Championship Series was like accompanying a six-term politician
to a Democratic fundraiser. Even before we got into the
ballpark for the Vanderbilt-Virginia rematch of last year, it
was some balding tan guy barking out: “Hey, Johnny, how’s
retirement?” And then the lightening-like, immediate response
from J.T.: “Hey, Sport, couldn’t be better. Tee time at 10
tomorrow.”
Then, mere moments
later, as we barely reached the concourse, another entreaty,
“Hey, J.T., what’s happening? Looking good, buddy! What’s your
handicap these days?” Without a moment’s pause, it was:
“The wife and the money-sucking three rugrats. How yew
doin’, Slick?”
Ridiculous. I
mean, you can’t walk six steps with this guy without somebody
recognizing him and hailing him from near or far. Even in the
bathroom, at the urinal: “Hey, Big Johnny,” came the cry from
across the powder room. “How’s it hangin’?” J.T.: “That’s
what your old lady keeps asking me, Chief. What do you know
that’s new?”
Then on to the
concession stand, where it was more of the same. “Hey, Thielen,”
came the voice from behind us in line. “How’s your golf game?”
J.T.: “Same as your sex life, Champ. Subpar.”
I soon came to
realize that our beloved Foster seems to know just about
everyone in town, or rather, they know him, and he
recognizes their faces but hasn’t a clue about their names, so
he relies on his old salesman’s trick of calling them all by a
generic and male-accepted sobriquet. Come to think of it, just
about everybody that we saw at T.D. Ameritrade that night
looked, acted and sounded a lot like J.T., a back-slapping,
flesh-pressing, baby-kissing reincarnation of Willy Loman.
Hmm, so maybe every other unemployed Omaha salesman in his late
50s, deeply tanned, slightly balding, a few extra pounds around
the middle, chose to go to the same College World Series game
that we were attending because they can, because they
have no other great matters demanding their attention. I can
only think how fun it would have been to have gotten all of
these entertaining fellows together in the same room, to watch
them all try to outdo each other with the jokes, gags, insincere
compliments and other traits of the trade. Fascinating.
THE TRIP
Details of our
Trip to Denver and Coors Field, August 14-16, are now nearly
finalized, and it promises to be an excellent adventure. As
Itchie and I were reminiscing about past Trips, we were having a
little bit of trouble remembering what years we went where, so
to help all of you recall our past adventures, we publish
hereinafter our updated list of HSL trips. You’re welcome.
|
Year |
Dates |
City |
Ballpark |
Games |
Attendees |
|
1985 |
08/3-4 |
Kansas City |
Royals Stadium (1) |
2 Royals/Red Sox |
Skipper, Shamu, Possum, B.T. (4) |
|
1986 |
08/16-17 |
Kansas City |
Royals Stadium |
2 Royals/Yankees |
Skipper, Shamu (2) |
|
1987 |
10/4 |
Kansas City |
Royals Stadium |
1 Royals/Twins |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder (3) |
|
1988 |
08/13-14 |
Chicago |
Wrigley Field (2) |
2 Cubs/Cardinals |
Skipper, Snickler [Shamu], McBlunder [Brother?],
Magpie, Jigger, Underbelly (6) |
|
1989 |
07/20
07/21-22
07/23 |
Kansas City
Milwaukee
Chicago |
Royals Stadium
County Stadium (3)
Wrigley Field |
1 Royals/Indians
2 Brewers/Twins
1 Cubs/Giants |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Sandjigger, WhiteSot,
Underbelly, Pipsqueak (7) |
|
1990 |
07/4
07/5
07/6-7 |
Kansas City
Arlington
Arlington |
Royals Stadium
Arlington Stadium (4)
Arlington Stadium |
1 Royals/Yankees
1 Rangers/Orioles
1 Rangers/Red Sox |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, B.T. (4) |
|
1991 |
08/31-
09/1 |
Chicago |
New Comiskey Park (5) |
2 White Sox/Indians |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Pipsqueak, Underbelly,
Sandjigger (4) |
|
1992 |
06/11
06/12
06/13-14 |
Toronto
Cleveland
Detroit |
Sky Dome (6)
Cleveland Stadium (7)
Tiger Stadium (8) |
1 Blue Jays/Red Sox
1 Indians/Yankees
2 Tigers/Orioles |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, B.T., Magpie, Itchie,
WhiteSot (7) |
|
1993 |
08/5
08/6 (DH)
08/7 |
Anaheim
San Diego
Los Angeles |
The Big A (9)
Jack Murphy Stadium (10)
Dodger Stadium (11) |
1 Angels/Royals
2 Padres/Rockies
1 Dodgers/Reds |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Mouse, Curby, B.T.,
Itchie, WhiteSot, Jim Ed (9) |
|
1994 |
07/7
07/8
07/9
07/10 |
Kansas City
Boston
New York
Baltimore |
Kaufman Stadium
Fenway Park (12)
Yankee Stadium (13)
Camden Yards (14) |
1 Royals/Brewers
1 Red Sox/Mariners
1 Yankees/Angels
1 Orioles/Athletics |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Underbelly, Jim Ed,
Itchie, Big Guy (drove to K.C. and back to be part
of the Trip), B.T. (8) |
|
1995 |
07/7-9 |
Denver |
Coors Field (15) |
3 Rockies/Expos |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Itchie, Underbelly,
SloPay, Jim Ed, B.T., Tony (9) |
|
1996 |
06/21-22
06/23 |
Cleveland
Detroit |
Jacobs Field (16)
Tiger Stadium |
2 Indians/Yankees
1 Tigers/Twins |
Skipper |
|
1997 |
06/28-29 |
Atlanta |
Turner Field (17) |
2 Braves/Phillies |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, B.T., Itchie |
|
1998 |
07/7 |
Denver |
Coors Field |
1 All Star Game |
Skipper, Shamu, B.T., McBlunder |
|
1999 |
05/15-16 |
St. Louis |
Busch Stadium (18) |
2 Cardinals/Dodgers |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Itchie, B.T., Jim Ed and
Tony |
|
2000 |
06/3-4 |
Houston |
Enron Field (19) |
2 Astros/White Sox |
Skipper, Shamu, Stretch, Itchie, B.T., Mouse, Tony |
|
2001 |
06/2-3 |
Milwaukee |
Miller Park (20) |
2 Brewers/Cubs |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Itchie |
|
2002 |
08/3-4 |
Pittsburgh |
PNC Park (21) |
2 Pirates/Giants |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Itchie |
|
2003 |
08/16-17 |
Cincinnati |
Great American Ballpark (22) |
2 Reds/Astros |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Underbelly, Mouse, B.T.,
Possum, Screech, Magpie, Itchie (10) |
|
2004 |
08/21-22 |
San Diego |
PETCO Park (23) |
2 Padres/Marlins |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Magpie, Jim Ed, Itchie,
Screech, Mouse, Possum, Big Guy (10) |
|
2005 |
08/19-21 |
Philadelphia |
Citizens Bank Park (24) |
3 Phillies/Pirates |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Big Guy (4) |
|
2006 |
06/16-17 |
St. Louis |
Busch Stadium II (25) |
2 Cardinals/Rockies |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Itchie, Jim Ed,
Underbelly, Magpie, Screech, Mouse (missing one)
(10) |
|
2007 |
08/24-25 |
Detroit |
Comerica Park (26) |
2 Tigers/Yankees |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, B.T., Itchie, Jim Ed,
Mouse, Big Guy (8) |
|
2008 |
06/6-8 |
Washington D.C. |
Nationals Park (27) |
3 Nationals/Giants |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Magpie, Screech, B.T.,
Possum, Itchie (8) |
|
2009 |
06/18
06/20 |
New York
New York |
Yankee Stadium II (28)
Citi Field (29) |
1 Yankees/Nationals
1 Mets/Rays |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Magpie, Screech, B.T.,
Possum, Itchie, Mouse, Big Guy (11) |
|
2010 |
08/20-21 |
Minneapolis |
Target Field (30) |
2 Twins/Angels |
All 13! |
|
2010 |
08/21 |
St. Paul |
Midway Field (1) |
1 Saints/Saltdogs |
All but B.T. |
|
2011 |
08/19-20 |
Denver |
Coors Field |
2 Rockies/Dodgers |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, B.T., Big Guy (5) |
|
2012 |
04/27-28 |
Miami |
Marlins Park (31) |
2 Marlins/Diamondbacks |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Itchie and Mouse (5) |
|
2013
|
03/22-24 |
Scottsdale |
Salt River Falls at Talking Stick |
1 Rockies/Padres |
All 13 |
|
2014 |
05/30-31 |
Chicago
Milwaukee |
Comiskey Park
Miller Field |
1 White Sox/Padres
1 Brewers/Cubs |
Skipper, Shamu, McBlunder, Big Guy, B.T., Mouse (6) |
Running
Totals: Not yet seen:
30
TRIPS
24 CITIES
31 BALLPARKS
(Major League)
2 MINOR LEAGUE
BALLPARKS
30 TEAMS
70 GAMES
Skipper
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