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."