One of the biggest problems I have during "the season" and "our season" is that I miss baseball games by my beloved San Francisco Giants. Does anyone else suffer from the missing baseball games disease????

"Does anyone else suffer from the missing baseball games disease????"

I've got a real bad case of it, Ken. I miss 'em all. :)

"Does anyone else suffer from the missing baseball games disease?"

Well, since it's worded as an open question... ummn, no, not at all.

Awwww Tom, you're not fun (wink!)

Ben, you made me smile, and Chuckle!

Guys I love baseball and I am always perplexed while hiking wondering what is happening to my team. That is why I bring a am/fm radio to check in. Does not detract from my hike. Nothing more, nothing less

Edited by kennyhel77 on 04/02/2009 21:01:05 MDT.

Well, Ken, we all have our likes and dislikes, etc. Glad you brought your radio with you. Enjoying nature and keeping up with the game -- the best of both worlds. Very nice.

I used to love baseball. Starting in 1959 when the Dodgers arrived in LA, and 1961 when the Angeles were the AL expansion team; I attended hundreds of games during the '60s. You name a major star during the 60's and I saw him play. Starting in the 5th grade thru the 8th grade - every year I scored every Dodger game (which often required skipping school). I learned long division by calculating batting averages and ERA's after every game. I was the walking encyclopedia of baseball. My card collection included Wagner, Cobb and Ruth.

Since the strike of 1981 I have attended 2 games. Once with my father and 3 brothers, as a family baseball reunion of sorts. The other was a required business function. Other than that I have not watched or listened to a game since.

So the long answer to a short question, I don't miss or suffer anything.

Since the strike of 1981 I have attended 2 games.

I've lost my enthusiasm for several sports but I can't imagine what'd take to put me "off" the "game". Even more so with a daughter that'll no doubt be a season ticket holder once she has the disposable income. On the other hand, my brother (who'll drive/walk/bike out of his way to see what a little league team is up to) hasn't seen a major league game in his adult life.

But I take as little as possible of the artificial world with me into the back country. No baseball there unless you count a game of catch with a pine cone.

Do they still play that?

Ken,

When you've smelled the dirt diving back to second, stood back in the box after a little chin music, won and lost big games by a hair's breath, you're hooked for life. I've played as a kid, coached and raised ball players and still love a little "toss" with my grown boys.

Other than a live game the best way I can think of to take in a game is in a boat, fishing. But sorry, I wouldn't dream of taking a radio packing to check on my Tigers.

But Ken, if I run into you on the trail you can be sure I'll ask for an update :)

oo

Edited by sethtan on 04/06/2012 20:19:32 MDT.

My DVR can collect anything I would want to watch while on the trail (although I'm not a big baseball fan).

I cannot, however, DVR the trail and watch it after watching some TV.

What do I actually miss on the trail?

- Beer
- Good Food
- My bed

"Awwww Tom, you're not fun (wink!)"

I know, Ken. That's one of the things I love about this community; It's all in good fun, 99.9% of the time. Actually, there was a time when I, too, was addicted to baseball, but that was when I was playing the game. It helped that my team, the Tigers, who were the AL doormat back in the 50's had a pitcher named Frank Lary who was known as "The Yankee Killer". My Dad used to take me to games when the Yankees were in town and Lary was pitching. We'd get seats right behind home plate(I was a pitcher) and watch the fur fly. I got to see Mantle, Berra, Ford, Rizzuto, et al, along with Kaline, Wertz, Triandos, et al, playing their hearts out for the sheer "love of the game". It shaped my expectations of what baseball should be. After I stopped playing baseball, two things happened that cured me of my addiction: I found out I wasn't much of a spectator and the kind of people playing the game was different. It wasn't fun for me any more. But I still remember, and I know pretty much how you feel. So I hope you get good reception from that radio. Rock on!

Tom -

Even though you are partial to pitchers, you made a mistake in your list of players "I got to see..." I would have started with Kaline! What a ball player!!

I got to see Koufax dozens of times. Talk about a Yankee killer. In game one of the '63 series, he struck out the first 5 Yankees he faced and ended up with 15 Ks.

You are absolutely right on, Nick. I mentioned the Yankees first because those names are better known but, yeah, definitely, Al Kaline. A great play comes to mind: Mantle at the plate; Kaline in right in his rookie year; Mantle drills a single to right and trots toward first base; Kaline charges the ball, scoops it up, and rifles it on a line as only Kaline could to the first baseman; Mantle sees Kaline charge the ball and takes off like a rocket, as only Mantle could; He slides head first into first and beats the throw by a whisker, maybe; some still think he was out; The whole stadium is roaring with laughter as he gets up and glares out at Kaline while he dusts himself off; Kaline just smirks, stares at him for a moment or two and trots back into right. Everybody knew right then and there that we were looking at a future Hall of Famer. I'll never forget it.

Edited by Tom

P.S. Koufax was a just about everybody killer. What a pitcher!

Edited by ouzel on 04/03/2009 17:30:59 MDT.

Another interesting tid bit was that Koufax and Drysdale did not report for spring training in 1966, as they both were holding out for $167,000 per year. Willie Mays was the highest paid player at the time at $125K. Koufax ended up signing for $125K and big D for $110K. Peanuts by today's standards. But most of these guys had no problem signing autographs and were very patient and kind to us kids. Too bad many of today's millionaire players won't sign an autograph unless they get paid for it.

Sometimes the Dodgers would practice at Dodger stadium on off-days. I would ride my bike (Schwinn Stingray and later a Schwinn Continental) 40 miles round trip to the stadium to watch them, and had the autograph of everyone on the team.

Those were the days.

"Those were the days."

Ain't that the truth. But we still got the hills...

Err Sorry folks, I have seemed to forget that I started the same post a few weeks apart. Sorry for the lack of memory. Way too much work and home stress has made things crazy.

Please excuse my gaff!

On a better note, I am off for a weekend of being in Yosemite with a bunch of us from this site. I love baseball, but there are more important things in life to enjoy. Peace, quiet, and serenity. A nice warm fire and good conversation.

Ken,

I totally agree with you! Although I love the Angels since I am an Orange County, CA resident, I really don't care who is playing...I'll watch it all anytime I get the chance! I also like baseball highlights on ESPN. I don't even turn on ESPN until baseball season is full in swing!

Since I live in Dallas and we don't have professional baseball, no, I really don't miss it while hiking (or any other time, really).




(for the curious, we don't consider the Texas Rangers to be a professional team although they do try to resemble that from time to time)

The Texas Rangers occasionally kick the Angels butts (ands visa-versa) depending on the year.