Bill's Baseball Thread [Experts ONLY]

[volfanbill]

He might’ve been even better as Mr Mertle

 

[NorCalVol67]

“Ray, people will come, Ray.

They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway, not knowing for sure why they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past.

"Of course, we won't mind if you look around," you'll say. "It's only twenty dollars per person." They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it. For it is money they have and peace they lack.

And they'll walk out to the bleachers, and sit in shirt-sleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game, and it'll be as if they'd dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick, they'll have to brush them away from their faces.

The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball.

America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.

This field, this game -- it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.

Ohhhhhhhh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.”

-RIP to an absolute legend with one of the greatest voices to ever do it…

I’ve been arched this movie dozens of times.

‘You’re from the 60s’.

 

[volfanbill]

I’ve been arched this movie dozens of times.

‘You’re from the 60s’.

Are you using Lil Joe’s play phone?

 

[NorCalVol67]

Are you using Lil Joe’s play phone?

Good lord, just noticed that. I guess so.

 

[volfanbill]

Good lord, just noticed that. I guess so.

I’ve watched dozens of times and I’ll watch that speech on its own about once a month during baseball season. “The memories will be so thick, they'll have to brush them away from their faces,” gets me every single time. Then the “one constant” just nourishes my soul.

I truly think this movie and this monologue played a big piece in my love for this game. And no one could’ve delivered it remotely close to how James Earl Jones did.

 

[volfanbill]

And I don’t need any smarty pants coming here to tell me about the importance of playing catch with your dad. I know. I know

 

[NorCalVol67]

I’ve watched dozens of times and I’ll watch that speech on its own about once a month during baseball season. “The memories will be so thick, they'll have to brush them away from their faces,” gets me every single time. Then the “one constant” just nourishes my soul.

I truly think this movie and this monologue played a big piece in my love for this game. And no one could’ve delivered it remotely close to how James Earl Jones did.

I’m a wee bit older than you obviously, this movie reaffirmed my love of baseball.

It is not a baseball movie, but baseball is such an integral part of the movie.

 

[NorCalVol67]

And I don’t need any smarty pants coming here to tell me about the importance of playing catch with your dad. I know. I know

I certainly did not relate to that, my Dad always played catch with me. And he was my coach for a lot of years.

 

[volfanbill]

I certainly did not relate to that, my Dad always played catch with me. And he was my coach for a lot of years.

I grew detached from my mother for a number of years but obviously came back as I matured. Always stayed close to my dad and he was an assistant early in my playing days, but he isn’t a major sports fan. But adult me cherishes the fact that he never missed a game. Mom took my sister to her things so she missed a few by no fault of her own, but dad saw every baseball and basketball game and even the tennis matches. But I still got the context in the movie.

I did a book report on the Black Sox the year this came out, so everything about this movie fascinated me

 

[NorCalVol67]

I grew detached from my mother for a number of years but obviously came back as I matured. Always stayed close to my dad and he was an assistant early in my playing days, but he isn’t a major sports fan. But adult me cherishes the fact that he never missed a game. Mom took my sister to her things so she missed a few by no fault of her own, but dad saw every baseball and basketball game and even the tennis matches. But I still got the context in the movie.

I did a book report on the Black Sox the year this came out, so everything about this movie fascinated me

I’ve said it before, I’m a Vols fan and a Cardinals fan because of my Dad.

Shoeless Joe should be in the Hall.

 

[volfanbill]

I’ve said it before, I’m a Vols fan and a Cardinals fan because of my Dad.

Shoeless Joe should be in the Hall.

I’m a Vols fan because of my Papaw (mom’s dad) and the only thing I think I ever did to disappoint my Grandma (mom’s mom) was denounce the Braves. But my Dad is such an absolute behemoth of a dad that he follows the Vols and A’s just to be able to bring it up in conversation with me.

 

[82_VOL_83]

I’m a wee bit older than you obviously, this movie reaffirmed my love of baseball.

It is not a baseball movie, but baseball is such an integral part of the movie.

If you think about it, it is the quintessential baseball movie. It's about the institution that is baseball, just not about the game.

 

[VOLLeeann]

I certainly did not relate to that, my Dad always played catch with me. And he was my coach for a lot of years.

My Mom told my Dad to "get your ass outside and play catch or you will never get laid again. " From that day on he never flinched when i grabbed the gloves.

 

[volfanbill]

Shohei creating the 50/50 club is wild. But its insane to think his best offensive seasons so far are only at best as good as Bonds’ lifetime averages.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Shohei creating the 50/50 club is wild. But its insane to think his best offensive seasons so far are only at best as good as Bonds’ lifetime averages.

He is special though.

 

[NorCalVol67]

And Bill, pouring one out for the last weekend at the coliseum.

 

[NorCalVol67]

Green Day and Rancid, two East Bay bands, played at the Giants park the other night and both rippped on John Fisher.

 

[volfanbill]

Green Day and Rancid, two East Bay bands, played at the Giants park the other night and both rippped on John Fisher.

I knew Green Day did. Did not know Rancid joined in on thrashing of Fisher

 

[volfanbill]

If you watch the video at the bottom, there’s, um, language

Green Day Frontman has some Words for A's Owner John Fisher

Green Day has been on tour for the past month or so, playing primarily in MLB ballparks, and frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has been doing some redecorating at a

www.si.com

 

[NorCalVol67]

I knew Green Day did. Did not know Rancid joined in on thrashing of Fisher

Rancid got it started.

He and Wolff should be put in a Public stockade.

 

[volfanbill]

Rancid got it started.

He and Wolff should be put in a Public stockade.

Billie Joe has been doing it all year… but I see rancid was first at this show.

 

[NorCalVol67]

@volfanbill

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www.washingtonpost.com

 

[volfanbill]

@volfanbill

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www.washingtonpost.com

I’ve read so many articles on the last week of the Oakland A’s. I know there’s so many other far worse things that people are going through, but I’m definitely bummed and sad by it all. The anger, despair, vitriol etc is just replaced by sadness.

 

[volfanbill]

We make the jokes about choosing a team as a kid and letting their play dictate our mood for the rest of our lives, but this takes the whole team away.

 

[NorCalVol67]

I’ve read so many articles on the last week of the Oakland A’s. I know there’s so many other far worse things that people are going through, but I’m definitely bummed and sad by it all. The anger, despair, vitriol etc is just replaced by sadness.

It’s getting to me. A team I was not a fan of but always liked, except for the late 80s version. Always loved the Unis and the characters and the drums. Charlie O’ was awesome.

Oakland fans were as passionate and loyal as any fan base, A’s, Raiders and Warriors. They all got screwed, though the town does share some blame for the A’s and Raiders. Screw Lacobs and the Warriors.

It is getting to me because how much I love Oakland and how much I loved living there. It is one of my favorite towns. It had issues but is a punching bag for the ill informed.