Why I love the game of baseball and other obscure facts

What I like about baseball

The affection for the game of baseball by this writer has often been expressed in this space over the years. It is with more than a slight irritation I hear people reflect on the game. It might be wise to say at this point that there will be support here for anyone’s preference of a given sport. The negative and ignorant attitude manifested by some with comments reflecting on another person’s preference is of special annoyance. It is not a bother that a person doesn’t like the sport I like; it is an irritation when reflection is cast on a person because one doesn’t embrace a given sport with great affection.

Lest I wander too far from the real intent of remarks in today’s column let me note that baseball is still a leading sport in America – and the world. One of the criticisms levied against baseball is one expressed with the great confidence that it supports the position of anti-baseball. The criticism is often made “nothing is going on in a baseball game.” Maybe the statement is “noth- ing is ever happening in a baseball game.”

The above appraisal reflects both ignorance and a lack of appreciation of all the unseen moves and tactics in a game that makes it the great game it is. The great answer someone made to that statement is “When nothing is going on, something is happening.” When a person realizes that fact they might appreciate the game more.

It was back in 1940 that Phil Harris, a recorder of many novelty songs, recorded “That is what I like about the South.” I borrow his expression with “That is what I like about baseball,” even though I don’t have enough space to write it all. Readers would do well to look Harris’s song up and listen to it – that is if you are a true Southerner— if not, you will enjoy it anyway.

The obscure facts that make the game great

Proof that there is so much to like about baseball are some of the obscure or non-recorded facts about the game and its history. One L. Rocky Brownlee, a girls’ softball coach for almost 40 years transcended his interest in his own game to share with us some outstanding facts with some slight personal comments. Read on:

1. In the over 140,000 games of the last 140 years, only 23 perfect games have been pitched. No pitcher has thrown more than one.

2. We are all familiar with the expression “hitting for the cycle.” That means a batter hits a home run, triple, double and single in one game. Now Rocky Brownlee introduces us to another expression and that is “Natural cycle.” That is getting the hits in the order of single, double, triple and home run. Only 14 times has a batter hit for the natural cycle. No batter has done it more than once.

3. Don Larsen, who threw the only perfect game in World Series history, was a career 81-91 pitcher.

4. Hall of Fame pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm hit a home run in his first Major League at bat but never hit another in the remainder of his 21-year career.

5. Joe Nuxhall was 15 years old when he played in his first Major League game. Satchel Paige was 42. Paige was well-known for asking the question “How old are you when you don’t know how old you are?”

6. Brownlee originally wrote that two of the greatest hitters in baseball history each had exactly the same number of hits. He later edited that statement to say he should have said each scored exactly 2,714 runs.

The six points above and many others give credence to why the game of baseball is interesting and exciting. The facts surrounding Ted Williams hitting a home run at Fenway Park in his official time at bat and ignoring the fans, with whom he never had a very cordial relationship, continuous applause and call for him to come out of the dugout to be recognized is not so obscure. Williams’ teammates urged him to acknowledge the support of the fans; Williams’ reaction was “The fans can go to (blank).” Williams did not come out of the dugout.

Another Obscure Fact

Our Sports Editor, Alex Farrer, has not seen the movie “The Natural.”

It is agreed here there are many novelty aspects of the movie. Still, it lends itself to a very interesting story with many heartfelt emotions. Since I saw the movie in the middle 1980s at a theater with Frank Mills and his young son Jared Mills, I have memorized the lines in the movie. I no longer watch the entire movie but if I see it is going to be on TV, a point is made to record the last 30 minutes.

A discussion with the crew at the Calhoun Times leads me to say there is one area of research I must do for a column. That research will allow for a listing of and comments on some of the great baseball and other sport movies. For instance, some in our discussion has never seen the movie “Brian’s Song” concerning the relationship between great football players Gale Sayers and a dying Brian Piccolo.

There is a later version but Times staff member Diane Durham Hall highly recommends the original 1971 version starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams. It will indeed touch your heart. Sport Writer J Milan of ix.netcom. com wrote a great overview of the whole matter when he said, “Gale Sayers joins the Chicago Bears and is befriended by Brian Piccolo, an overachieving running back.

Although they compete for the same spot on the team, and despite the fact Sayers is black and Piccolo white, they become roommates on the road and very close friends, especially when Sayers is injured and Piccolo helps his recovery. Later, they and their wives must both deal with the harsh reality of Piccolo’s cancer.”