Also, Harold Holzer's book, Lincoln At Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President was interesting, if a bit padded. The speech itself, nicely recited a few months back by Sam Waterson, is rather good. It was broadcast on C-SPAN, a sort of follow-up to their Lincoln-Douglas debates feature of a few years back. More of this sort of thing should be done; past oratory deserves such treatment.
If Bob Murphy's essence still survives in some realm, he was announcing today's game, supplying that extra bit of excitement when the Mets had one last shot at tying it in the ninth inning, after they were down 6-1 at the start of the frame. He, unlike I, would not have been depressed at the team being at the cusp of being swept once more. And, he would supply just the right bit of "tomorrow is another day" optimism when they went down to defeat, 6-2, ending the game as they begun it -- with one run.
But he was not announcing the game. He was not announcing it yesterday when the bases were loaded with Cards and the Mets needed just one more out, somehow, to go into extra innings. An out they did not get, even though they walked a dangerous hitter to get a better match-up. Well, not in any realm that I currently have access to. And, such is the shame, since those that are just aren't quite doing it for me.
Two people not in his class was announcing yesterday's Yankee game on the radio as well. The Yankee tag team really have to control themselves, all they will start sounding like little girls shrieking about how great Derek Jeter and company are. El Duque, the Cuban maestro back on the Yanks, dazzled once again. He is a sight to see or even hear about. A player that even a resident of Boston can admire (privately). All the same, calm down guys, okay? At least, Michael Kay is no longer on the radio side -- damn that guy grates on my nerves after awhile.
The game itself had a sense of deja vu about it ... for the third time in about so many weeks, El Duque of the Yanks was pitching against Ted Lilly of the Blue Jays, the Tom Glavine of the staff. In other words, he was an All Star that gets very little support, as shown by his last two efforts (thirteen innings, no runs, no decisions). He was human on Saturday, thus he lost, getting a bit of help from some rookie miscues and Yankee bats.
[I am no fan of Boston (slow ground ball ...), and am Bronx born, but all of this does get old after awhile. There is a comfort level in a game that you know doesn't matter -- win/lose, the Yankees will win the AL East. On the other hand, Lilly used to be a Yankee, disposed for a player now mostly forgotten (if one is lucky). So you feel for the guy too, remembering how he lost a game as a Yankee even though giving up but one hit. The no decisions were therefore appreciated.]
Lilly is the same guy who was involved in a playoff game during last year's playoffs in which the Oakland As went out of their way to find ways to lose, since the starting pitching and hitting wasn't enough do so. Thus, Ted did his part to bring forth the Red Sox/Yanks match-up, as the fates apparently required. If this isn't bad enough, he now has to pitch half of his games in one of the lamest ball parks I ever saw. The city is nice though and Niagara Falls not too far away. Good veggie hot dogs, fun money. So, not all bad.
Anyway, the fact he makes a few mil playing a little boy's game also leads one not to be toooo sorry for the guy.