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14-Cycle Notes - Little Known Baseball History
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Little Known Baseball History
Back in the day, the major leagues had a special umpire. His job was to help the officials posted at home plate and each base. He moved around the diamond and gave a special mobile perspective to supplement what each of the others could see from his stationary post.

It was a good idea. Unfortunately it never really caught on with players, fans, or the sports announcers. It was all a problem of marketing really - people just couldn't bring themselves to use the official title for this very useful official. So eventually the leagues phased him out. Which is why today you read about the Decline and Fall of the Roamin' Umpire.
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ishtar_artemis From: [info]ishtar_artemis Date: July 5th, 2008 03:19 am (UTC) (Link)

More sports trivia

Why Athletes Can't (Shouldn't) Have Real Jobs
(a blatant over-generalization, of course, but funny nonetheless)

1. Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson on being a role model "I wan' all dem kids to do what I do, to look up to me. I wan' all the kids to copulate me."

2. New Orleans Saint RB George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."

3. And, upon hearing Joe Jacobi of the 'Skins say: "I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl, "Matt Millen of the Raiders said: " To win, I'd run over Joe's Mom, too."

4. Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins: "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."

5. Football commentator and former player Joe Theismann, 1996: "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."

6. Senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh: "I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes" (now that is beautiful)

7. Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach: "You guys line up alphabetically by height." And, "You guys pair up in groups of three, and then line up in a circle."

8. Boxing promoter Dan Duva on Mike Tyson going to prison: "Why would anyone expect him to come out smarter? He went to prison for three years, not Princeton."

9. Stu Grimson, Chicago Blackhawk's left wing, explaining why he keeps a color photo of himself above his locker: "That's for when I forget how to spell my name, I can still find my clothes."

10. Lou Duva, veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of heavyweight Andrew Golota: "He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the morning regardless of what time it is."

11. Chuck Nevitt, North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: "My sister's expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt." (I wonder if his IQ ever hit room temperature in January)

12. Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player: "I told him, 'Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.'"

13. Shelby Metcalf, basketball coach at Texas A&M, recounting what he told a player who received four F's and one D: "Son, looks to me like you're spending too much time on one subject."

14. Amarillo High School and Oiler coach Bum Phillips when asked by Bob Costas why he takes his wife on all the road trips, Phillips responded: "Because she is too damn ugly to kiss goodbye."

weirdodragoncat From: [info]weirdodragoncat Date: July 5th, 2008 07:42 am (UTC) (Link)
Oh groan!!
ishtar_artemis From: [info]ishtar_artemis Date: July 5th, 2008 08:19 am (UTC) (Link)
Yes, groan indeed! But it serves to highlight that most highly compensated athletes are not being paid the big bucks for their superior intellects. Perhaps a sad commentary on our priorities and on what we value as a society. I'm sure this will ruffle the feathers of staunch sports fans--so be it. The athletes and the owners of their sports clubs will still be laughing all the way to the bank.
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