42

From IMDb

The movie 42 is based on the true story of how Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to break the baseball color barrier. In 1945, Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey searched for a player who had the skills, talent, and courage to help him end segregation on the baseball diamond.

The discrimination and treatment that Jackie Robinson suffered at the hands of white umpires, players, other owners and managers, fans, and even hotels when traveling is well-known. I felt like the movie approached the racism with a light touch, not really getting into the true cruelty and evil.
I got the feeling, though, that may have been because Writer/Director Brian Helgeland wanted the movie to focus elsewhere. Instead, he told a story of courage and sportsmanship and love that is far more powerful than ignorance or hate could ever be.

I have long thought that all African-American athletes owe a little bit of their career to Jackie Robinson. If it wasn't for the road he paved, many careers would have been much shorter, or even non-existent.

After seeing the movie, and reading a bit about Mr. Robinson, I have changed my mind. He did more than just break baseball's color-barrier. He represented hope and encouragement to people who, until that point, were told they couldn't. He stood up and said he wouldn't be told no, and that he wasn't there to fight - he just wanted a chance to play. He didn't ask for anything to be handed to him, he just asked that he be treated with the respect he earned.

Jackie Robinson is a hero to anyone who has ever doubted, lost hope, or wondered if he could achieve his dreams. He is a hero to anyone who has ever been told he wasn't good enough, or that his goals were out of reach. He is a hero to anyone who has ever had to make a choice between turning the other cheek, or defending himself in a fight. He is a hero to anyone who has ever tried to make a change for the better, to right a wrong, or to simply make a difference.

Jackie Robinson is a hero to everyone.

I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me. All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.

Dribs and drabs

When I'm nervous, I talk a lot, and really fast. That's a formula for disaster. When your mouth gets ahead of your brain, there's no telling what you might say.

The rest of the time, I'm quiet. Until I get on a roll. That's confusing sometimes - makes people think I'm dull or have nothing to add. Really, I'm just listening and observing, waiting for my chance to say something helpful, and intelligent.

Sometimes that translates over here...and I'm left with not a lot to blog about. Or at least, nothing that will make a whole post - right now, anyway.

I checked out the NaBloPoMo prompts for April, but the theme is environmental issues (which makes sense for the month). It's important, but not something I can talk about for very long, or particularly well.

I was going to write about my dislike for April Fools Day, and practical jokes. But my comment over on Baking Suit's post and my last tweet pretty much say it all. I just think there are some things that aren't funny - like failing health or marriage. Why does something so awful elicit laughter?

Last week I burned the roof of my mouth, on hot cheese of all things. My mouth is still sore, which is making me cranky.

As I get older, I realize I have less and less desire to spend time with people who make me anything less than happy. This includes my family (all except my dad, whose like the only person on Earth who I always like).

Today is Opening Day for Major League Baseball. Thank goodness. Though there's no Derek (yet) I'm still happy to see the Yankees play. Of course - it looks like we're in for a rough start to the season. Hey - at least there's baseball.

I have decided that by my fortieth birthday (July 15, 2014 - sigh) I would like to have sold my house and moved. I think the next decade of my life needs to start with a new address. Everyone tells me 40 is when life really begins. I'd like my life to begin with a little more money and fewer worries.

Along those lines...my requirements wishlist for an apartment is pretty specific. I found one complex in the area that could give me everything I want - but it'll come at a high cost (basically no less expensive than my mortgage plus other monthly cost of living at the house). Availability will be tight, and of course timing is everything.

Guess we'll see what happens.

Thirty Days of Me: Day Seventeen

The challenge for day seventeen.... Your celebrity crush.

Hardly a challenge.

Always my number one.

No Words Wednesday: Fabulous long weekend

Classy fan is Jeter-worthy

A-maz-ing.

On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit as a major league ball player - a feat that will surely secure his place in the Hall of Fame (on the first ballot, natch). His hit? A home run (he's only the second player to do that - Wade Boggs was the first). He went on to go 5 for 5 on the day, even hitting in the winning run.

Sigh.
Source

Like I said - a-maz-ing.

One of the first things I thought (in my car, with my phone buzzing) was, what will happen to the ball?

Most people would see a payday. After all - if you catch a ball that flies into the stands, it's yours. So, the person who caught this ball had every right to leave the stadium and keep the ball for himself, or put it up on ebay, or lock it in a safe deposit box.

But he didn't do any of that. Instead, Christian Lopez told security personnel that all he wanted was to give the ball to Jeter.

"He deserves this; he worked hard for it."  

This seriously cool guy ended up meeting Jeter; he was also given some autographed merchandise and luxury box tickets by the Yankees. So he made out pretty well. Could he have gotten more? Sure. He could have named his price and maybe Jeter would have paid it. The thing is - who does that? Who looks at someone else's achievment and sees only what could be in it for him?

Not a real fan; not Christian Lopez. He saw the chance to create a memory for a lifetime, and the chance to do the right thing, no matter what. 

That's class. It's class even worthy of Jeter.

No Words Wednesday: Dad's Day Love

Before the game.

Play ball!!

Follow Friday Fun: Big League Stew

In keeping with the baseball theme I accidentally created for this week, I thought I'd direct you to my favorite baseball blog. There are actually quite a few out there, and this one really needs no help in gaining followers - being a part of Yahoo Sports.

But it's my favorite.

Big League Stew is edited by Kevin Kaduk (who posts as Duk). He has several contributors, including Dave Brown. Dave's an incredibly cool guy, who not only knows his baseball, but who once helped me make a purse-buying decision on twitter. We all know how important purses are to me.

Big League Stew is a fun blog, written by authors who not only know baseball - they know what fans want to talk about. They don't just talk stats and standings - they talk about what matters. Plus, occasionally, Curtis Granderson contributes. What could be better? (Besides Jeter, who as far as I can tell, does not have a blog.)

If you're into baseball, or even just sports, you really must check this out. You can also follow Duk on twitter here and Dave on twitter over here.

Other blogs of note:

Pinstripe Alley

Blogging the Bombers (NY Daily News)

MLBlogs

Thursday Thirteen - Favorite baseball games

I seem to be having a baseball-themed week, so I figured I'd stick with that for the Thursday thirteen. I asked my twitter and facebook friends to name their favorite baseball games - ever. In no particular order:

May 17, 1998 - Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees - David Wells pitched a perfect game that day.

July 18, 1999 - Montreal Expos at New York Yankees - David Cone pitched a perfect game this time.

No beautiful faces were harmed
in the making of this play.

July 1, 2004 - Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees - Derek Jeter makes his famous leap into the stands.

October 17, 1999 - Atlanta Braves at New York Mets - Game 5 of the National League Championship Series (Mets won).

June 30, 2000 - Atlanta Braves at New York Mets - Mets won.

June 16, 1997 - New York Mets at New York Yankees - Mets won.

October 6, 2010 - Cincinnati Reds at Philadelphia Phillies - Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series, Roy Halladay pitches a no-hitter!

July 13, 1993 - All-Star Game, John Kruk vs. Randy Johnson - I had to google this - hysterical. You can see it here.

May 17, 2000 - Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs - Fan stole a player's cap, and a brawl ensued.

September 16, 1978 - New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox - One-game playoff, necessary when the teams finished the regular season tied for first. It's the famous Bucky Dent game.

October 1, 2007 - San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies - One-game playoff to determine first place on the season.

October 6, 2009 - Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins - One-game playoff to determine first place on the season.

September 21, 2001 - Atlanta Braves at New York Mets - This was the first game played after the September 11, 2001 attacks. It was played in New York, and the Mets won, thanks to a two-run home run by Mike Piazza (SN: my favorite Met ever). Baseball helped bring a city, and a nation, back to life. 

Everyone had a different reason for remembering the game they mentioned. Some appreciate the intensity and finality of a one-game playoff, others recalled a fond memory, some simply loved the game because they saw it live. Others remember their team winning - whether it was a trophy, or just bragging rights. Some because it was funny, or silly, or just plain stupid.

We may be fans for different reasons, but baseball fans know what true love and memories are.

Special thanks to Angelos, Sassy, Meagan, Lee, Kelly and Patrick for helping me out.

Higher standard

So, I was talking about how we put celebrities on pedestals - and how I think one particular celebrity is perfect. I've often said that Jeter has never done anything to let me down - he carries himself with such class that I can't help admire and respect him. In fact, I said as much in a comment on this blog, and was quoted in this article.

But I have to admit, his reaction to the Jorge Posada situation last week sort of disappointed me.

I'm not an athlete (which is undoubtedly the biggest understatement you'll probably ever see on this blog), so I can't relate to a team mentality, or what it feels like to be the captain, or how it feels to have your role on a team diminished. I don't know what it's like to be in the club house, or understand the bond that's formed after playing with someone for 15 years.

I may not know any of that - but I sure know what a temper tantrum looks like. Posada behaved the way I did as a child, when I didn't get the doll I wanted at my friends house; he stamped his foot, and said he wanted to go home. That's not cool - it's not cool to the fans, to the management, or to his teammates

To his credit, Posada realized that, and apologized. I feel like Jeter should have left it at that - maybe said that he understood how Jorge felt, that things haven't been falling into place, but that he respected the offer of an apology, and that he thinks the team is ready to move on. Period.


Usually, Jeter seems prepared for this sort of thing. It's not as though he doesn't know when he'll be asked about something - it's pretty predictable. Usually, he seems ready. I suspect he has someone (or several someones) who draft a response, so he has an idea of what to say - and what to avoid saying.

But not this time; this time, it was more raw, more emotional. Maybe because, as was pointed out to me in a bar the other night - Derek knows that this will be him soon. He'll start moving down the lineup, and his role will be diminished.


I suppose we're all guilty of that - we let something get too personal, and react emotionally instead of rationally. Work is work - but everyone has their limits.

People will say it's not fair to hold Jeter to a higher standard  than the rest of us. He is, after all, just a guy. But the thing is - he's not just a guy to me. Like I said in my comment - Jeter is everything that's good about baseball. He's the class we all want to see, that's missing from the game.

Do I hold Jeter to a higher standard? Yes. Is that fair? Maybe not. But it works both ways. If he wants the admiration and respect - he has to keep up the image that earned it in the first place. The Jeter I know (and love) would agree.

Thursday Thirteen: Yogi-isms

Isn't he cute?

I love baseball; I love the Yankees; and I love good quotes. So, Yogi Berra is like the best of all worlds for me. If you're not familiar with Yogi-isms - you really should be. They're silly, of course, but if you stop and think about them - there's also a little bit of truth.

Here are just a few of my favorites - click here to read more. (And thanks to Cute~Ella for tweeting this list!)

- It's like deja vu all over again.

- You can observe a lot just by watching.

- If the world was perfect, it wouldn't be.

- The future ain't what it used to be.

- When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

- Never answer anonymous letters.

- Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.

- Half the lies they tell about me aren't true.

- It gets late early out there.

- (On baseball) 90% of the game is half mental.

- It ain't over til it's over.

- If you don't know where you're going, you might end up someplace else.

- I really didn't say everything I said.

*********

PS:

Happy Birthday to my Dad and my Cousin!!

The big day!!

It's here!! The big day - the day we've all been waiting for. All the planning and excitement comes down to this. We can stop the silly countdown, and get down to celebrating. The glamour, the romance - the thrill of it all!!

New York Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training today! Finally - the baseball season can get under way. We're closer to ballpark hot dogs...warm, summer game-nights....and Derek Jeter taking the field as a our captain - still.

****huge sigh of relief****

Wait - what day did you think I was talking about?

New Horizons

It's no secret that I love baseball. What a lot of people might not realize is that the whole reason I like baseball is a guy. No not him. X taught me to love baseball. More to the point - he informed me I would either learn to love it, or I'd be a baseball widow from April to October.

So, I started watching games, I read a little, and I asked questions. I was able to really step up my knowledge by listening to radio broadcasts, rather than just TV broadcasters. Radio personalities have to give you more information; they have to fill the air for the whole game because they have no image to use as a crutch.

So, that was 1995. Know what happened at the end of the season in 1995. Derek Jeter was called up from the minors. Now, why didn't anyone tell me baseball players looked like that!? I'd have been a fan the whole time. Good grief. (It's worth noting that Mr. Jeter played for the Albany-Colonie Yankees early in his career, while I was in college. My college baseball team played at the same field where the Yankees played. I knew players on the college team, but never went to a game. Timing is everything people - don't forget that.)


Anyway, my motivation to appreciate baseball was enhanced by Mr. Jeter. Because - well, because he makes me smile. *sigh* But I'll be honest - I just like the sport. Not to mention, it really was something X and I were able to share for a lot of years, and now I'm able to share it with my dad, and with other friends.

I tried applying the same effort into learning football. For several years in a row, I got as far as what a "down" is - then stopped. Because frankly - calling it a down just doesn't make any sense to me. But whatever. X's favorite team isn't local and are rarely on TV on this coast, and my dad doesn't follow football. I figured I was off that hook.

But nooooo.....

So, I've decided I am going to learn football. I have new people in my life who like sports; watching, and more importantly, talking intelligently about sports seems to be a good idea. Plus, it never hurts to expand your horizons, and learn something new. Thankfully, through the magic of the twitter, I have have some girlfriends who were able to help me identify the proper motivation for figuring all this nonsense out. Details (and photos) to follow. Thanks in advance, ladies.

Twelve Days of Derek Jeter

All I want for Christmas....

In high school, I worked at the mall, in a kiosk that sat in the middle of the food court. So, I heard the mall musak for my whole shift. At Christmas I heard The Twelve Days of Christmas at least twelve times a day. Horrifying.

To this day, I can't stand the song. But here's a version to which I could become accustomed.

*ahem*

On the twelfth day of Christmas, Steinbrenner gave to me:

Twelve million dollars (roughly)
Eleven All-Star games
Ten pinstriped jerseys
Nine double plays
Eight RBIs
Seven more years of A-Rod
Six Louisville Sluggers
Five World Series Rings
Four more where those came from
Three years (with an option)
Two is (still) our Captain
And a Yankee cap atop our tree!!

Happy Friday!!

See?

Home Run

Tough not to like, though.

I like baseball; and I'm a Yankee fan (but not an A-Rod fan). The first time I ever visited (old) Yankee Stadium, my heart skipped a beat when I stepped through the tunnel out onto the field level. 

Is it because I love sports? No. I'm not competitive, and there's a lot of rules (rules aren't really my thing). Is it because I like guys. Well... Wait, no that's a different post. Focus. 

I love the energy. Baseball is played everyday, and the real, true champions (see right) take the field hurt, tired or just plain frustrated. I love the history. When you visit a stadium, even if it's new, you can feel the history everywhere you go. I love the style. They stick with what works. Progress is great, but some things were meant to be left alone. Baseball is like that - classic and elegant. 

I love that when you go to a ballpark, everyone is on the same team (unless you're  a Red Sox or Mets fan, which is also another post). I once sat in the upper deck at Yankee Stadium when they were playing the Indians. Some poor soul was sitting in our section wearing her Indians gear proudly - even though they were losing. Big time. I believe the final score was 21-2. She took the loss well and never once stopped cheering. At the end of the game, her biggest hecklers walked over and shook her hand. That's baseball.



Not That kind of sharing - Ouch!



The other thing I love about baseball? Sharing. Sports like football are fun to watch, but everything happens so fast. If I don't pay attention, I miss something - so I'm forced to wear my tunnel vision glasses, and not interact with anyone. Baseball's not like that (well, not always). Sure, some plays happen lightening-fast, but it's usually more relaxed. It gives me time to catch up. (Which I need; I confuse easily. I still don't get the infield-fly rule and I can never remember all three save situations.) It also gives me time to people-watch. (Which may contribute to the confusion. Don't judge.)



$18 worth of stadium dining.
On the plus side? Mountain Dew.


Last week, I shared a game with my Dad. I had two tickets to a Yankee game. My Dad is a fan, and he hadn't been to the new stadium, so I invited him to join me.

We got there early, and had our pick of yummy, over-priced ballpark food (I tweeted endlessly about our choices, which included Johnny Rockets, BBQ, Sushi, Chinese, Italian, Carvel - and, of course, hot dogs.) We ate, and the my dad got busy taking photos with his phone in one hand and his camera in the other (that may be genetic). Even though they lost, we still had fun. We laughed, talked - and made some good memories that we'll always share.

That's what I love most about baseball. It's timeless fun, made up of memories, sharing and hopes for the future. What's better than that?     

Ghost of baseball future?