Friday, October 21, 2005

Roger Clements, Shoeless Joe, and Ray Kinsella

How many of you knew that Roger Clements mom died here recently? Before she died she told Roger that he was going to get a 10 to 2 win next time he pitched. He looked at her and said that the team hadn’t given him that much offense all season, how were they going to win 10 to 2? Well the next time Roger pitched was the day his mom died. He said he couldn’t disappoint his mom and not pitch the game. We won that game by a score of 10 to 2. What makes this even more amazing is that the day she died she mentioned Shoeless Joe Jackson three times to Roger’s sister. Did she somehow have a premonition that we would be playing the White Sox in the World Series? I wish she would have told us who won. I think it is an awesome story. I bet she is up there in heaven, with Shoeless Joe, watching this all transpire.

My dad loved baseball. When my little brother was 8 years old, he was on a little league team and my dad was his manager. My two sisters would wait on the other side of the fence for foul balls. When they retrieved one, they would take it to the concession stand and get a free snow cone. My mother was the official score keeper and I would go up in the booth and help her keep score. We kept count of everything that happened. If anyone needed to know what happened, in a game, all they had to do was look at the official score book and see every move. This is how I obtained my love for baseball. I have to say that those were some of the best summers of my life. We worked together as a family and it made us happy. I kind of hope Mom and Dad are up there in heaven watching all this too. Dad especially would have loved it. I miss my dad.

I woke up this morning thinking of James Earl Jones in the movie “Field of Dreams”. He was at the ball field as the “ghost” players were out there playing ball and he was talking about baseball as America’s favorite pastime. I don’t have this down in correct order but here is what he said: The one constant in life is baseball. It has marked the test of time. America is ruled by it like an army of steam rollers, it has been erased and rebuilt over and over again. . The memories will be so fresh that we can brush them away like flies….Baseball gives us memories of our past and it reminds us of all that was good. Yes, people will come…. Yes, baseball does give me memories of my past and it was good. I love it!

A little later in the movie, all the players, except one, go back into the corn and Ray Kinsella has a chance to talk to his young father and make amends for things that happened in his past. I cry every time I see this part of the movie. Ray had left home at the age of 17 and never talked to his dad again. He had said things that hurt the relationship and he never got a chance to make amends with his dad before he died. It had bothered Ray most of his life and we find this out during the movie. When he sees his dad he says to himself, "ease his pain, go the distance." He knows what he must do, he makes the first move. I know that there are many people out there that have strained relationships with family members. What can you do to resolve things before it is too late? My husband and son don’t agree on many things but my husband tries to remain friends with our son. One thing they can do together is throw a baseball. They really do try to see eye to eye. I know that they love each other, but it’s not easy. I think it is worth it.

Well, now that I delved a little deep, let’s get back to: GO ASTROS….KILLER BEES…, Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman, Burke, and the gang. Go Clements, Pettitte, Oswalt and Backe..Go Bullpen! Go Team! We are here cheering you on.

Tip of the Day: Margarine vs. butter: Which is better for your heart?
http://articles.health.msn.com/id/100096514

Update: Game one is down the drain by a score of 5 to 3 . No offense, fair pitching and mental mistakes. Wrong DH. Berkman should have been the DH not Jeff Bagwell. Enough said.

Update: Game two is down the drain by a score of 7 to 6. Astros didn't play well. Some clutch hitting to keep us in the game. Brad Lidge lost another one in the 9th. giving up a home run. Disapointing to say the least.....Game 3 in Houston on Wednesday.....Hopefully we will do better.
Update: Game three is down the drain by a score of 6 to 4 in the fourteenth inning. It ended up being the longest game, by time, in World Series baseball. I can't even describe this game. Same old problem, Could get runners, in scoring position, home.......

Update: Well, it's over. The White Sox took game 4 with a score of 1 to 0. Brandon Backe pitched a sparkling game. No Offense again. It think the best team won, it's just ashamed we couldn't win at least one game. I'm proud of the Astros. They made it to the World Series for the first time ever, coming from a 15 and 30 record on June 1st. We beat out the Atlanta Braves and the Cardinals, who had a better record than the Stros. Those two series were really fun.... Well, as they say, "Wait till next year."

17 Comments:

At 11:26 AM, Blogger Paul said...

Yeah, I like baseball too. I guess a lot of people today find it too slow, but to me, it has, I don't know, almost an esthetic quality - so many nice sounds, how the ball field looks, the crack of the bat, the slap of the ball in the mitt...

 
At 1:54 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm not a big baseball fan, and i always thought butter, the real stuff, was better for you. it's what i eat anyway.

 
At 8:41 AM, Blogger Danny Sims said...

GO ASTROS!

I was there last year at game 5 of the NLCS, gave my ticket to this year's game 5 to my brother-in-law, and wish I could somehow squeeze a ticket to the series, but it just isn't likely to happen... But still,

GO 'STROS!

 
At 6:55 PM, Blogger Running2Ks said...

That is the most romantic baseball description I have heard since "Field of Dreams" and "The Natural". It sounds like a great bonding time!

 
At 8:00 PM, Blogger BarbaraFromCalifornia said...

Not a baseball fan in the least, I too will hope that the Astros win, since Astro is the name of my dog!

 
At 5:29 AM, Blogger Live, Love, Laugh said...

Great Post! I hope they win too and butter is definately better for you!

 
At 7:12 AM, Blogger Nerdine said...

Strangely enough I too have developed a love for Baseball even though it's not shown on Norwegian TV. I think I've seen three baseball matches in its entirety, on cable in the middle of the night when I'm visiting someone with cable.
It takes quite an effort to be a baseball-fan in Norway!
:)
I'd love to go to the states and see a game live. Get the atmosphere, maybe even catch a ball? Do the whole baseball experience.

 
At 7:24 AM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

Nerdine, It gets into your blood. There's nothing like a live game.

 
At 8:07 AM, Blogger Ileana said...

This post really takes me back and I came away with a "Where have the years gone?" kind of feeling. Nostalgia, too. BTW, the answer is butter. Butter makes it better! :)

 
At 8:15 AM, Blogger PBS said...

We were a football family, but I still can relate to much of what you wrote!

 
At 9:59 AM, Blogger Fred said...

Thanks for the baseball memories. I was so into baseball as a young kid, I used to watch the Mets every weekend and actually keep the box score. Every birthday, Dad used to take me into the city to Shea Stadium. To this day, I still follow the Mets every year.

I just wish the league would take a stance on steroids once and for all. It bothers me that the union has resisted calls to clean up the whole mess, and the government has had to take the lead to get them to do it.

As far as I can tell, the policy to rid the league of steroids is still not tough enough.

Sorry I've been absent for awhile - once I catch up with my new AP class, I'll be back on a more regular basis!

 
At 11:42 AM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

Yes Fred, They should take a stance on steroids. What they have now is a slap on the hand. They need to tackle it in all sports, as well as baseball.

 
At 1:26 PM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

PB....I put our name in for the lottery but didn't win a chance for tickets. We will just watch it at home in front of our TV..

Hopefully they will regroup and do better at home. Game two was weird. I can't believe Lidge gave up another home run. I bet he feels pretty low right now. Would you believe that right before I woke up this morning, I could see the faces of Brad Lidge and Chad Qualles? It woke me up.

 
At 3:31 PM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

PB - Roy Oswalt pitching. Yes, I'm feeling the pain. I knew it wouldn't be easy but I sure wish our relief staff weren't so shakey. I'm sure Brad Lidge and Qualls are feeling more pain than me.

Interesting how some plays go your way and others don't. You know what I mean. The ball hit the bat not his arm.

 
At 4:28 PM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

Hey PB, Did you hear the lastest? Bud Selig says we have to open the roof tonight. What ever happened to home field advantage? Our team likes playing with the roof closed. Oh well, I don't think it will make much of a difference. With Roy O. pitching, we have a pretty good chance of winning.

 
At 2:54 PM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

PB - You missed the best scene in the game if you went to bed in the 12th. When Asatico gave up the home run to Blum, Scrapes got so mad he threw a chair. It shattered all over the dug out wall. I was so dissappointed when Tavares stole second, then third, with one out and they could not get him home. Too bad Roy O. had one bad, bad, inning. I guess that's just baseball.....Let's see what happens tonight.

 
At 4:33 PM, Blogger Lucy Stern said...

PB, Thanks for all the fun... I have to say, that the Sox are a great team. As they always say, "Wait till next year." Good luck to your Pirates and your Cardinals. Go Astros!

 

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