On the TUNNEYSIDE of Sports July 13, 2015 #549 Up next…Move the game along!
After further review…The 88th “Midsummer Classic,” Major League Baseball’s observation of the halfway point in this 2015 season, will be played tomorrow at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio—a classic place for this classic. The All-Star game always reminds me how much I loved playing baseball until dark on a dirt playground each summer as a kid. With no TV in those days, one of the few interruptions in our ever-unfolding sandlot game was to listen to the All-Star game on the radio.
My early ambition was to pitch for the New York Yankees. The Dodgers were still in Brooklyn; the Angels were a minor league (Pacific Coast League) T*E*A*M played at Wrigley Field in South Central Los Angeles; the Giants had not yet moved from New York; the Athletics were in Philly; and the Padres and Mariners were still a dream. Being in California, I listened to Red Barber, Mel Allen and Marty Glickman with great interest.
I played high school baseball, followed by a very brief and non-paying tenure as a summer semi-pro. My college playing days were shortened by injury, though as a senior at Occidental, I was fortunate to coach a terrific frosh T*E*A*M (again no pay) which won the league championship. I then coached the Lincoln High School (LA) Tigers for four years, helping them earn two league titles. I have paid my dues to that pastime, and while baseball is still of great interest to me, I’m one of those who’d like the game to move a bit faster. Here are a few ideas (probably shared with others) that may help baseball hustle up the clock. So if you’ll bear with us:
- The Intentional Base on Balls. While it is sound baseball strategy to “walk” a strong hitter by pitching four balls outside the strike-zone, why not just announce to the home plate umpire, “We’re gonna walk this batter,” and allow him to proceed to first base?
2) What in the world is a “walk-off” home run? Every ball hit out of the park in fair territory is a home run. The hitter can jog or sprint, or cakewalk if he wants, but he must touch all four bases. Why not just let the HR hitter take bow at home plate? If there are runners on base, he waits until all have touched the plate — then bows!
3) Re-Velcroing gloves! I’m not sure that’s even a verb, but it ought to be; it happens incessantly. How about limiting a batter to one “re-Velcro” during his time at the plate? One time only!
Will you submit your ideas how to speed-up our wonderful pastime?
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