Category Archives: Sports

JAPANESE FANS. One of my correspondents reported recently on attending a Japanese baseball game between the Hiroshima Carp and the Yomiuri Giants. There was standing room only so there was a choice between the Carp section left field and the … Continue reading →

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION. I have always liked trivia questions that require some guessing. In this case, the player is probably a good defensive player at an important defensive position, but one who was not a good enough hitter to … Continue reading →

FUNDAMENTAL PARTICLES ARRANGED BASEBALLWISE. In the division of labor in our marriage, Mary Jane does all the philosophy, and especially, all the metaphysics. The Times Literary Supplement for June 6 has a review by Terry Horgan of ORDINARY OBJECTS by … Continue reading →

JEAN SHEPHERD AND LUKE APPLING. Jean Shepherd, who wrote and narrated A CHRISTMAS STORY, was a White Sox fan (The father in A CHRISTMAS STORY is a White Sox fan). Shepherd said that if he had to go over the … Continue reading →

A TRIVIA QUESTION. I watched the White Sox series with Colorado and concluded that the Colorado announcers are the best I have ever heard. One example: they showed how the ways that two of the pitchers hid the ball from … Continue reading →

LUKE APPLING AND MY FATHER. Because the batter is usually at a big disadvantage when he has two strikes on him, being able to foul off pitches is an important skill. Luke Appling was famed for being able to foul … Continue reading →

POKER AND PITCH COUNTS. Because the real advantage in the contest between batter and pitcher comes when there are two strikes or three balls, each at bat is a little contest between batter and pitcher, each trying to get to … Continue reading →

THREE CHEERS FOR PITCH COUNTS. ESPN on its Sunday night broadcast has been showing what a batter’s performance has been this year with that pitch count (e.g., with a two ball, one strike count, what his batting average has been … Continue reading →

POPULAR DISSATISFACTION WITH UMPIRING. ESPN had a poll during lst week’s Sunday night game on whether there should be instant replay for questionable home run calls (e.g., near the foul pole). There were a couple hundred thousand responses and 82% … Continue reading →