Category Archives: Sports

A PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE INSIDE FLY RULE (COMMENT).

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Philip

PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE INSIDE FLY RULE (COMMENT). Buddy Van Alstyne proposed in a comment here that the infield fly rule should be changed to provide that if the fielder drops an infield fly, the batter is awarded first base … Continue reading →

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MONEYBALL AND THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD.

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Philip

MONEYBALL AND THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD. In the comments, Nick, Dick Weisfelder and Elmer are continuing the debate over whehter Miguel Cabrera or Mike Trout was more valuable this year. The Most Valuable Player award is one of the … Continue reading →

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CABRERA OR TROUT?—IT’S STILL BASEBALL SEASON (COMMENT).

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Philip

CABRERA OR TROUT?—IT’S STILL BASEBALL SEASON (COMMENT). Dick Weisfelder asked in a comment on my post on football referees: “Cabrera or Trout?” Talking about baseball is more fun than talking about football, much less football referees. The question is which … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Football, Sports | 12 Comments

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES AS SPORTING EVENTS.

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Philip

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES AS SPORTING EVENTS. I posted several times four years ago about how much I dislike the format of the presidential debates. For example, I pointed out here that, unlike in France, the debates are joint press conferences where … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Journalism, Politics, Sports | Leave a comment

ARE THE REGULAR REFEREES AS BAD AS THE REPLACEMENT REFEREES?

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Philip

ARE THE REGULAR REFEREES AS BAD AS THE REPLACEMENT REFEREES? I have long maintained that a selection of the referees from the thousands who referee high school games across the country could do as well as the National Football League … Continue reading →

Posted in Football, Sports | 1 Comment

SPAGHETTI WESTERN BASEBALL BROADCASTS.

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Philip

SPAGHETTI WESTERN BASEBALL BROADCASTS. Spaghetti Westerns were known for their lavish use of close ups, often extreme close ups. Two gunfighters staring each other down. A series of tighter and tighter close ups. Sweat pouring down their faces. Baseball broadcasting … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, Journalism, Sports | 1 Comment

PIANO PRODIGIES AND ATHLETIC ABILITY.

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Philip

PIANO PRODIGIES AND ATHLETICS. I have been conscious of the athleticism of many musicians at least since— as I posted on here— I encountered the basketball coach saying about the piano virtuoso Van Cliburn, “Six foot four and hands like … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | 1 Comment

THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS—BASEBALL.

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Philip

THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS—BASEBALL. Mary Jane heard Nick and me happily discussing the careers of baseball player from the 1940’s and commented: “The religion of baseball has its saints.”

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BASEBALL HISTORY AS AN INTERNET GAME.

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Philip

BASEBALL HISTORY AS AN INTERNET GAME. Nick surprised me recently by mentioning Red Schoendienst. Nick is currently participating in an internet game in which he drafts a team made up of baseball players from the past. His team is then … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball, History, Sports | 1 Comment

MONEYBALL HAS NOT YET COME TO TENNIS.

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Philip

MONEYBALL HAS NOT YET COME TO TENNIS. I have posted from time to time on the increased use of statistics in baseball (as in MONEYBALL), basketball, football and soccer. This article in the Wall Street Journal by Tom Perrotta argues … Continue reading →

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