Posted By:
Frank WakefieldHey Ted,
You're right... Slagle and Strang are listed in Burt Sugar's book, and that is what I looked at. 6 sounds right.
Opening Day in Cincy was great... super conversation up and back with the regular guys. Beautiful weather, it was cold, damp and windy last year. I've been there when it snowed! I think that was in 1986, or so. Got tickets and got right in. 106 box seats, but way down left field. Got an autograph on my scorecard during BP, #47, Scott Eyre. Dunn homered in 1st and 2nd at bats, that was neat. Saw Junior play, that seldom happens on opening day, seems he's usually hurt. Saw Josh Hamilton's 1st big league at bat. But for a diving catch he would have had a hit. Aaron Harang did his usual dominant performance. He's quite a pitcher. The President was NOT there this year, so no waiting in long lines for metal detectors and searching, no bomb dogs around, no snipers out on the roof in center field looking for someone to shoot... so that was good. Pete Rose was there, and mentioned by the announcer going into the top of the 9th, he waived to the crowd... Pete is idolized in Cincy. None of the umpires died, so that was good. Sat beside a pretty hot blonde, but I behaved. Got the slightest bit of sunburn, which I deserved. I'm still grinning over the day, so thanks for asking! Baseball is not a game, not just a season... it is a continuum, wherein the activities from years past, generations past, can be associated with the present. It can be passed on from father to son, grandfather to grandson...
I'm not much of a fan of 26 million dollar shortstops, domes, steroid records, unions, strikes, and all of the crap... but if you block all of that out and just watch the pitcher work the outside of the plate, the runner getting a lead, the relay throw, and going first to third on a single... it's still a pretty enjoyable game.