Ten Baseball Things We’re Thankful For This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is upon us, a time of family and friends and turkey and stuffing and fall leaves and one of America’s vastly inferior sports, football. Baseball season, sadly, is on its annual winter hiatus but even still, there are things baseball fans should be thankful for.
Here at OTBB, we’ve compiled our list of the Ten Baseball Things We’re Thankful For This Thanksgiving:
1. Vin Scully
Earlier this week, Scully was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to the very fabric of the game. He was baseball for a great number of Dodger’s fans and his send off this year was beautiful in every aspect. We’ve written about Scully many times here on Off The Bench, but this from Max before the year was the most poignant:
88 year old Vin Scully has been calling Dodger games since 1950, 67 years. For context, when Scully first started working play by play for the Dodgers in Brooklyn, Dwight Eisenhower had just taken office as President of the United States, Bill Clinton was 4 years old, John Kennedy was two years from becoming a US Senator, and Barack Obama wouldn’t be born for 11 years. But its certainly not his remarkable longevity that makes Scully a legend. It is the fact that he is, objectively and unequivocally, the best sports announcer there has been and the best there will ever be. He is the only man to still work games alone, carrying the entire weight of both TV and radio broadcasts simultaneously while telling stories of the players that only he could possibly know. How, after nearly 70 seasons and thousands and thousands of players he can still remember the details of individual players lives and weave them so effortlessly into a broadcast is amazing.
There is no one like Vin Scully. If baseball is the soundtrack of summer, Scully is the soundtrack of baseball. 2016 will be his final season in the booth before a well deserved retirement. Soak up as much as you can.
2. David Ortiz
Similarly, David Ortiz announced his retirement before the year started. The lefty-DH was so much more than a hitter for Boston. His charisma and honesty matched perfectly with the city that he brought a World Series. Ortiz crushed it this year, reminding everyone why we love him with each double and smile. It is not too far to say that Ortiz (and the effect of his magical 2004 ALCS upon an impressionable 13 year-old) is the reason why I love baseball as much as I do.
3. Baseball writing that’s not about Baseball
Over the last few weeks, America has been going through an introspective and difficult time. Many fear that hate, misogyny, and social progress will revert to 1960’s levels. But baseball writing is always there; BBWAA writers dutifully distracting us from the difficulties of life with stories of baseball. They continue to carry out the good-natured Hall of Fame worthiness discussions, continue to provide an example of how to disagree in civility. Baseball writing is at its best when it’s only peripherally about the sport. It’s at its best when it subtly touches on social issues and frames life in a way that might make Yadier Molina, the game’s top pitch framer, proud.
4. Trades!
Nothing is better than a good trade. Late Wednesday, the Mariners and Diamondbacks swapped a few players that the average fan probably doesn’t know. Dave Cameron called it a “fascinating trade” and I tend to agree. Trades are just fun. Trades have been fun since we swapped erasers in grade school. The idea of trading players, with real lives and families? That’s like double fun.
5. Awesome Player Names
Baseball has so many great players, but also so many great player names. MLB ran a story with the top 100 Minor League names in the Spring. The list is fantastic. Joey Pankake, Dash Winningham, and Sicnarf Loopstok were the top three, but I think they were remiss in leaving Rowdy Tellez off the list. How great are player names in baseball? Imagine being a 5 year old and being able to yell “Pooo Holes.” Also, Icezack Flemming is a pitcher in the Yankees organization.
6. Being at the Ballpark
Let’s face it: the ballpark is really the reason we all love baseball. I’m not sure why it took me until number 5 to get here. I’m thankful for the chefs who dutifully man the grill, the groundskeepers who unleash the smell of fresh cut grass, and the chirps of birds and fans and teammates who watch the game with me. I’m thankful for the sunlight and dirt and chalk.
7. The History of the Game
Baseball has long loved its own history. It has remained essentially the same game since 1871. Want to know what else happened in 1871? Ulysys S. Grant signed the Civil Rights Act. Orvil Wright of Wright brother’s aviation fame was born. It was a long time ago. Baseball knows that history unlike any other sport. It cherishes it. The Cubs winning the World Series this year was all the more meaningful because the team hadn’t won in 108 years. We had had multiple World Wars since the last time the Cubs won a World Series.
8. Stolen Bases
I don’t need an explanation for everything. Stolen bases are fun. Baseball would be less fun without them.
9. Curveballs and Trickeration
You’re welcome.
10. Our Readers
Love you. You make me feel like running a blog is fun. You the best.
-Sean Morash
