Tuesday, March 06, 2001

OK, we got the "storm of the century"... actually we got about half of what was predicted-about 14 inches. Anyway, I got the day off work. Just finished shovelling the white stuff.

Spent the early hours of the morning watching part of the Ken Burn's Baseball DVD. I am not a big sportsnick, but something about the history of Baseball captures my imagination like nothing else. I watched the episode of the 50's. The Names, Casey Stengel, Jackie Robinson, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimagio, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snyder, Willie Mays... these are not "great men" by any means, but men whose characters are of mythical proportions. The Stories... Jackie Robinsons breaking the racial barriers in pro sports; Bobby Thompson's home run against Ralph Branca -the shot heard round the world; Yankee v Red Sox playoff game of 1949. The Places (shrines) Ebbets Field, Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park.

I realize that this is just Baseball... a silly game. But it is NOT "just" a game. It is a long season that plays out like a drama. It is a century of seasons with stories and characters that are more like fairy tales that were at one time an intricate part of Americana. It's a Wonderful thing.

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