LITERATURE AND BASEBALL. Tony Phillips and Mike Marshall, who had long distinguished careers in major league baseball (they faced each other in the 1988 World Series), got into a fight in an independent league game where Phillips is still playing at the age of 52. Here is an article about the fight with a video of it. Nick posted the following on his favorite sports web site:
“I was a Flower of the leadoff yes when I put the walks in my slash line like the Henderson boy used or shall I wear a red yes and how he pitched to me under the Fenway wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my batting eye to pitch again yes and then he pitched to me would I yes to swing yes my strike zone and first I swung my arms at him yes and took the bastard down to me so he could feel my punch all Jeff Sparks yes and his pitch count was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.”
You will recognize the reference to Molly Bloom’s last lines in ULYSSES.
Phil – I think Mike Marshall retired in 1981….
Yes, Mike Marshall had retired before Tony Phillips had started his career. The mistake was in the article I linked, but i missed it. At some point, all the years run together, but not that much.