What Jeter and Harry Wright have in common
 

I am tired of fighting the good fight for understanding on three different threads.

I understand the concerns of the vintage memorabilia collectors, obviously as I am one myself. But to hate the game as a business today, when it has been a business since 1869, in my view, is an oversimplification. So much of your gut feeling on this was expressed by fans in 1869. But people continued to love the game, and support it as wholesome entertainment, when it has been a money-driven industry for nearly 150 years.

My favorite quote in support of my philosophy is this one:

"As an amusement enterprise baseball today is scarcely second to the theater. It caters to millions of spectators and represents an investment of perhaps $100,000,000 in property and players. The property holdings of the National and American Leagues alone represent an investment of about $15,000,000. The sixteen major league clubs pay over $1,000,000 a season in salaries to players and spend nearly as much in securing and trying out new players. Add to this the salary lists of thirty-eight minor leagues, and the wages paid by thousands of semi-professional clubs, and the immensity of the baseball business as an amusement enterprise may be imagined."

-John J. Evers, Touching Second, 2nd Ed., May 16, 1910, page 24.


My appreciation for the history of the game accepts The Steiner Phenomenon as just another chapter. I may not agree to spend $600 on a Jeter ball, but I don't hate any of the participants... Neither the fans, the teams, the players, the sellers of memorabilia, etc.

What Jeter and Harry Wright have in common?

Neither ever heard of the other.

Not only are your critical thinking skills amazing, but you're quite the joke teller. You must be fun at cocktail parties.

Here's a few for you:

How many Derek Jeters does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

None! Steiner does it for him and charges a fan $600 to turn it on!

Why did Derek Jeter cross the road?

Because he gets paid $20M a year to do it!

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Brandon

Brandon Who?

Brandon Steiner... Hey do you wanna buy some dirt?

Derek Jeter, Brandon Steiner and Christian Lopez are stuck on a deserted island and a can of food washes up on the beach. None of them have a can opener, so they sat around trying to figure out how to open it. Jeter tried to catch the can, but he couldn't because his range factor is terrible. Lopez was going to open it, but he decided to just give it to Jeter because he thought he deserved it. Ultimately Steiner had an idea: "I'll sell the sand and BUY a can opener!"

I don't know what you do for a living, T, but as a practicing PhD theoretical physicist, my critical thinking skills are pretty good. (If I do say so, myself.)

And most folks think I'm a pretty funny guy, too.

Oh, right, the Skidmore professor that Bruce is in love with. Maybe you can answer these questions for me: what is Dark Matter, and does it have anything to do with the fact that Jeter only has 3 home runs this year?

Cold Dark Matter, or Hot?

I'd say that Jeter's HR production has to do with what we physicists call "the Arrow of Time."

Dark matter could be a black hole, right? If it was a black hole, would it be hot?

A black hole is an example of a MACHO (Massive Compact Halo Object), and would be a particular type of Cold Dark Matter (CDM).

I always loved physics. My major advisor in college was a physics professor, initially, until I took my first economics course, at which point I knew physics was not to be in the cards for me.

Do you two mind for a few minutes if you don't act like babies? This isn't a kids board, is it?

Just finished Flatland. Thought it was a very interesting book.

If you liked that, try Sphereland. I forget who wrote it, but I'm sure you can find it on Amazon.

Actually, that's not bad...