Category Archives: Beyond

Ballparks, Beyond

Day Set Aside to Honor Those Who Have Served, Sacrificed

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Today, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, also known as November 11th, is set aside as Veteran’s Day in America.

The holiday got its start on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War.

Commemorated as Armistice Day beginning in 1919, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938.

In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day, and became a holiday dedicated to American veterans of all wars.

While November 11th has long been a day set aside to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in the armed forces to protect the freedoms that we all enjoy, the way to honor those troops has changed in many ways through the years.

Americans still put out their flags on this holiday. Some towns still hold parades and the banks and post office are still closed.

The honoring of veterans has moved into the nation’s sporting events as well allowing thousands of people to celebrate and remember in mass.

Large American Flags have long beena tradition at sporting events. This past weekend stadiums across the country honored Veterans and America with flags and tributes. One tribute let a sour taste however. Photo R. Anderson
Large American Flags have long been a tradition at sporting events. This past weekend stadiums across the country honored Veterans and America with flags and tributes. One tribute left a sour taste however.
Photo R. Anderson

Watch almost any sporting event over the past weekend and there were displays of patriotism and honoring of the troops as far as the eye could see.

As troops have not always received warm welcomes on the home front, it was especially nice to see how the men and women of the armed services are respected and appreciated for their sacrifice.

Had the honoring of the troops stopped at the pregame ceremonies it would have been the perfect way to say thanks. Unfortunately many teams and in some cases leagues took things a tad too far for my taste.

Many teams added camouflage flourishes to their uniforms as an homage to the troops. These flourishes in many cases included camouflage wristbands and towels as well as camo windbreakers and caps for the coaches.

The “camouflagication” of the sidelines even went so far as putting a camo pattern on the headphones the coaches used to communicate.

While I agree that honoring the troops on Veteran’s Day is a good thing, I often cringe when I see people wearing camouflage without “earning it.”

Now, I know this is hunting season in most of the country, or at least down in Texas. So to be clear I am not trying to take away anyone’s right to wear camouflage and a bright orange vest while channeling their inner Elmer Fudd by going hunting for wabbits, deer, or ducks for that matter.

What I am saying is that over the past few years, I have become more and more sensitive to people wearing the current style of military camouflage when they are out and about in their daily lives.

Flyovers such as this one by the United States Navy's Blue Angels are perfectly good at sporting events. Players wearing camouflage, not so much. Photo R. Anderson
Flyovers such as this one by the United States Navy’s Blue Angels are perfectly good at sporting events. Players wearing camouflage, not so much.
Photo R. Anderson

I have no issues with people wearing old school green camo, since that can usually be determined not to be current issue and looks nothing like what the troops are currently wearing.

I even have a pair of camouflage cargo pants that are extremely comfortable. However, I made sure that I did not buy the “official” pattern when I got them.

I never served in the military. However I have many family members who did, including my late grandfather who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.

So, this weekend when I saw the various players with camouflage towels, and coaches with camouflage hats and headphones, I questioned once again if that was really the best way to honor the veterans.

By comparison, when sports teams honor police and fire fighters they do not don S.W.A.T. patterns or simulate a firefighter’s bunker gear, thus proving that one can honor our vets and first responders without dressing like them.

For years baseball players have worn camouflage uniforms a couple times a year to honor the troops. So, the trend is certainly not limited to football.

I certainly can be in the minority opinion here. However,  to me the camouflage the troops wear is earned through the sacrifice of making it through basic training and then further tested through battle.

Using a camouflage towel to wipe up sweat between plays on the field just seems wrong to me.

In one of the games I was watching one of the camouflage towels fell to the turf and was stomped on as the players moved to that area of the field.

I know that the towel was not dropped intentionally, but seeing the image of that fallen towel had the same reaction for me as if I was seeing an American flag on the ground.

I guess I look at the camouflage that the troops wear as an extension of the flag that they are sworn to protect.

It would be deemed highly inappropriate for a football player to have a sweat towel that looked like the American flag on the field. In the same way, the camouflage towels just seem equally inappropriate to the point of being offensive.

Again, I know that the intent of the teams and league is completely honorable and meant to pay tribute to the troops but the execution just strikes me as wrong.

Honor the troops with the 100-yard flags that are rolled out for the National Anthem and held by real soldiers in uniform.

Honor the troops by having people stand and cheer when a vet is on Jumbotron screen.

Honor the troops by thanking a veteran for their service.

These are perfectly fine ways to honor the troops without trivializing the uniform.

Again, I may be completely out on a limb here and perhaps the masses see no issues with the camouflage being used by athletes and coaches.

But to me, it screams out like a cheap gesture, and also a way to make money as the camouflage caps are often available for purchase by fans.

Since I have never served in the military, I do not pretend to be able to speak for the troops.

A few years back, I asked an Army reservist their thoughts on the uniform pattern being worn by non-soldiers and they said, “Camo is a uniform worn by the military and should be given the proper respect. Too many have died with the uniform on for it to be the latest fashion trend.”

And again before I get angry replies from hunters, neither I, nor the soldier quoted above, are referring to the camouflage cap you can get at Walmart with your hunting camouflage pattern and favorite team’s logo on it.

I am talking about the use of the current military camouflage pattern and nothing else.

So, on this Veteran’s Day if you see a soldier, make sure you thank them for their service which makes your freedom possible. For that matter, thank a veteran any time you happen to cross paths with them since thanks should not be limited to a single day of the year.

And if you see an athlete wearing camouflage, know that their heart is likely in the right place. But try not to go out and buy the same camouflage cap they are wearing. There was a price paid, and a sacrifice made every day by thousands of Americans in that pattern. Wearing it comes with a willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice for your country, and should not be warn to show allegiance to a sports team.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a flag to place on the patio

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Latest Leaks Shoot Holes in the Cloud

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Over the Labor Day weekend a hacker released dozens of photos taken from various celebrity’s personnel databases exposing a vulnerability in the move to cloud based data storage.

Victims of the hacking ranged from singers, to models, to actresses, and to athletes.

Within hours of the release of the stolen items, the internet was abuzz with news of the latest celebrity hacking. Some people denied that the photos were real, and others admitted that the photos were of them while threatening legal action for their release.

Legal actions may be limited though. Once anything is let out of the internet bag and released for all to see, it never really goes away, and can be found in some dark corner somewhere meaning that the violation of privacy never really goes away.

Among the victims of the release are Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander.  Instead of being completely focused on the race to the postseason, Verlander is now facing questions about photos with his girlfriend, Kate Upton, .

To his credit, Verlander stated that he does not let things like this distract him when he is pitching. However, it is hard to believe that someone could totally tune out such a violation of privacy.

And make no mistake, it is a complete violation of each of the hacked celebrity’s privacy that the information and photos that they considered private were released for the world to see.

While celebrities are public figures, they still have just as much of a right as the rest of us to keep aspects of their lives private and to choose what to share with the public.

It used to be that if an individual or a a company had data to protect they would lock them away in a safe or vault. Photo R. Anderson
It used to be that if an individual or a a company had data to protect they would lock it away in a safe or vault.
Photo R. Anderson

This is certainly not the first instance of celebrities having their photos released, and it will certainly not be the last in this digital age in which we find ourselves.

And while such celebrity hackings make the headlines each day, there are likely thousands of lower level hackings that occur whether through individuals cracking a cloud account, or data breaches of consumer credit card data.

Each breach shows how fragile each of our identities really are.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that shoppers of a certain depot for the home may have had their information leaked. This follows credit card breaches at a variety of retailers this year from Target to Albertson’s and many in between.

This is not to say that computer networks are not safe, or that hacking is anything new, but a move to computerized systems makes it much easier for someone to succeed.

Consider if you will the world as it was before the internet and the cloud. If a company had data to protect, they would lock it away in a safe or vault. And if they wanted to ensure that the information was secure in the event that the vault was swallowed up by a giant sink hole, or other unforeseen disaster, they would store a copy in a second vault for redundancy.

The vaults that hold the recipes for Coca Cola and Colonel Sander’s 11 secret herbs and spices for fired chicken are still safe to the best of my knowledge in their vaults.

I am not pointing this out to make you thirsty for a soda and some chicken, but merely to observe that in this store everything in the cloud world sometimes low tech solutions are the best.

In many science fiction movies such as the Terminator and Matrix franchises the future is depicted as one where the machines have taken over and mankind is left to fight the technology that they created. Photo R. Anderson
In many science fiction movies such as the Terminator and Matrix franchises the future is depicted as one where the machines have taken over and mankind is left to fight the technology that they created.
Photo R. Anderson

While someone might have needed to crack a safe to steal sensitive information in the past, with the information superhighway one need only an internet connection and some time to crack even the most sophisticated computer systems.

While I am not advocating that we all trade in our cars for a horse and buggy and shun all technology, there is something to be said for not putting one’s trust in electronic systems that can fail.

In many science fiction movies, such as the Terminator and Matrix franchises, the future is depicted as one where the machines have taken over and mankind is left to fight the technology that they created.

I do not foresee a future where Neo and John Connor need to save the human race from robots, but I do see a future where perhaps someone needs to save society from their faith in the cloud.

The last time I looked at a cloud in the sky I did not think wow a cloud looks like the strongest structure there is for storing my important information. Instead I saw the cloud for what it was a fluffy floaty thing that traveled at the whims of the wind and sometimes was shaped like a bunny rabbit. Photo R. Anderson
The last time I looked at a cloud in the sky I did not think wow a cloud looks like the strongest structure there is for storing my important information. Instead I saw the cloud for what it was a fluffy floaty thing that traveled at the whims of the wind and sometimes was shaped like a bunny rabbit.
Photo R. Anderson

Perhaps it should not be a shock that, despite the best efforts of many smart computer programmers and security firms, the cloud seems to be porous and an easy target for hackers.

The last time I looked at a cloud in the sky I did not think “wow, a cloud looks like the strongest structure there is.”

Instead, I saw the cloud for what it was, a fluffy, floaty thing comprised of water vapor that traveled at the whims of the wind that sometimes was shaped like a bunny rabbit and sometimes got dark and made me wet on the way to my car.

Does that really sound like the most secure place to put your most private data and vacation photos?

Perhaps a certain commercial for an auto insurance company had it right and the wall where we post our photos should be made of stucco and not binary code.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to go stare at some fluffy clouds and see what shapes they make.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Time Traveling through Baseball’s Present

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When last we left this time and space, we discussed certain key moments to visit in baseball’s past given the chance of time travel in honor of the return of Doctor Who.

Today, we will turn our attention on the present and what the ability to time travel within a single day would allow. Think of it as Groundhog Day meets Field of Dreams with a Ballpark view.

For several years, I have thought that it would be fun to visit each of the 30 Major League Ballparks on consecutive days.

In developing my dream itinerary of the order of Ballparks to visit, I learned that I was far from alone in this dream. In fact, there are countless sites dedicated to the 30 Ballparks in 30 days quest.

The level of detail with each of these plans varies. However, if one is so inclined, and has the means to do so, there are resources available to plan the perfect month long baseball odyssey.

While visiting all 30 Ballparks in a month is the stuff of legend for many super fans, now consider that you did not need to leave home, job and family for a 12th of the year while taking out a loan to follow your dream.

What if you could see all of the games on a single day?

Okay granted there would not be more than 15 Ballparks hosting games on any given night making it impossible to visit all 30 in one night, but one could at least see all 30 teams in action on the same night through the joys of time travel.

While the internet, and other media sources, makes it possible to watch all games on a given night from the comfort of one’s home, there is certainly nothing like being in the Ballpark to see the games in person.

One could have dinner at home and then hop in their time machine and go from Ballpark to Ballpark. When one game ended simply set the time and destination to the start time at the next ballpark and away you go.

One could start on the east coast and work their way west or vice versa depending on their preference. With a time machine, one need not be constrained by time zones for other factors in planning the perfect night of baseball watching.

With an average game time in the two to three hour range, were one to go from game to game it would require them to be awake for 30 to 45 hours to catch all 15 games. This means that the souvenir cup size filled with Dr. Pepper is your best friend along the journey.

After those 45 hours of watching baseball thanks to the wonders of time travel, one could return home and sleep as long as they wanted since they could always just use the time machine to make sure they got to work on time.

As an aside, with the average souvenir cup clocking in at 32 ounces, one would end up drinking 480 ounces of soda if they got a souvenir cup at each Ballpark. Add in the free refill option at some Ballparks, and one is looking at downing a serious amount of cola during their night of Ballpark bliss.

How serious of an amount of cola? Considering that there are 128 ounces in a gallon, one would consume around 3.75 gallons of soda if they went with the souvenir soda at each of the 15 Ballparks.

If one had the chance to visit 15 Ballparks in a single night, and got a cup to take home as a memento, they would have a lot of soda to drink. With the average souvenir cup clocking in at 32 ounces, one would end up drinking 480 ounces of soda if they got a souvenir cup at each Ballpark. Add in the free refill option at some Ballparks and one is looking at downing a serious amount of cola during their night of Ballpark bliss. How serious of an amount of color? Considering that there are 128 ounces in a gallon, one would consume around 3.75 gallons of soda if they went with the souvenir soda at each of the 15 Ballparks. Photo R. Anderson
If one had the chance to visit 15 Ballparks in a single night, and got a cup to take home as a memento at each one, they would have a lot of soda to drink. With the average souvenir cup clocking in at 32 ounces, one would end up drinking 480 ounces of soda if they got a souvenir cup at each Ballpark. Add in the free refill option at some Ballparks and one is looking at downing a serious amount of cola during their night of Ballpark bliss.
Photo R. Anderson

Realistically, there will probably never be a way to simultaneously see every first pitch on a given night in person, nor should anyone drink that much soda in the course of a day, but it is certainly a nice thing to think about.

Another benefit of the traveling within the same day form of time travel would be the increased ability to catch balls in the ballpark.

There are people who try to catch as many foul balls, batting practice balls, and home run balls as possible when they attend a game.

Through the use of time travel, these Ball Hawks could watch a game in advance and know exactly where the balls were going to land and then position themselves to catch them instead.

This of course would get into that grey area of changing the future and crushing someone else’s timeline that originally caught the ball. Surely changing the recipient of a foul ball would not start the process that dooms the entire planet by creating ripples through space and time and butterfly effects. Then again, that is the tricky thing about time travel.

How small of a change in the past does it take to totally ruin everything that follows?

Perhaps it is best just to watch the games without interfering. Of course, that does not mean that one cannot have some fun with it along the way.

Since every game is televised these days, and with highlights living on the internet, one could make it their mission to be on camera in each of the games they visited on the same night.

It could be a fun sort of Where’s Waldo moment to scan the crowd shots and find yourself. Extra points could be given for wearing a hat from the home team at each of the games. Although I guess in true Waldo fashion the same outfit would be best.

So, there are just a few of the things one could do on any given night of the baseball season if they had all of time and space at their disposal.

A Groundhog Day full of baseball games certainly seems more exciting than waiting to find out if a furry rodent can see his shadow or not.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to tweak my plan to visit all 30 Ballparks in 30 days in case I ever win the lottery.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Time Traveling through Baseball’s Past

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For fans of a certain British television show about a guy and his companions who travel around in a bigger on the inside blue police box, today marks the start of a very important week.

The week is important for fans of Doctor Who in that it marks the final countdown to the new season of time traveling adventures Saturday night.

In honor of the countdown to the new season of the show, I thought it would be fun to focus on time travel here as well.

In particular, the focus this week will be on time travel as it relates to baseball in the past, present and future.

Today we will start our journey through baseball time and space in the past.

Consider if you will, all of the historic moments that have occurred in baseball.

From Babe Ruth, to Shoeless Joe Jackson, to Jackie Robinson, and every player in between, baseball is full of larger than life players who for many baseball fans exist only as black and white news reel images or statistics on a page.

With Babe Ruth having made his professional debut 100 years ago, there are few people still around who were alive then, let alone old enough to have been there to witness it.

Now consider that time travel was possible, and you had the means to visit any past moment in baseball history, including the Bambino’s first game. What moments would you visit?

I have often pondered that very question and have come up with some definitive moments that given the chance I would love to see in person.

The moments are divided up into the categories of Ballparks, Ballplayers, and Ballgames.

First let us focus on the Ballparks.

Many books are dedicated to the must see sights in baseball. But what if time travel was a reality and one could visit events as they occurred instead of reading about them afterwards? Photo R. Anderson
Many books are dedicated to the must see sights in baseball. But what if time travel was a reality and one could visit events as they occurred instead of reading about them afterwards?
Photo R. Anderson

While I have had the pleasure and opportunity to visit many Ballparks, including several that have since been torn down, there are a few of the classic Ballparks that were torn down before I had the chance to see them that I would have loved to catch a game in.

With the ability to travel back to the golden age of baseball and visit any Ballpark, I would visit the Polo Grounds, Ebbett’s Field, and the first Yankee Stadium.

While many new Ballparks such as Oriole Park at Camden Yards have brought back a piece of that classic Ballpark feel, there would be nothing quite like traveling to see the ones that started it all.

It would also be fun to travel to an era where people dressed up in their Sunday best to catch a game. Although, I could probably go without the grandstands full of cigarette smoke since I am allergic.

While visiting Ballparks from the golden age would be fun, another Ballpark that I would love to visit is technically still standing but no longer hosts baseball, or much of anything else for that matter. That Ballpark is the Astrodome.

I covered a high school football game in the Astrodome. However, by the time I moved to Houston, the Astros had moved to Minute Maid Park (technically Enron Field at the time) and the days of baseball in the Dome were done.

Granted the Astrodome begat many carbon copy domed stadiums that hosted baseball in Seattle, Minnesota, and St. Petersburg. But, there would be something hard to miss about being at the very first indoor baseball game under a dome.

Whenever I find myself at Tropicana Field, I often try to picture what a culture shock it most have been for those first Houston fans to see a game without knowing what the weather was like outside or being able to see the sky.

After Ballparks, the next item to travel through time to see would be Ballplayers.

I would use my time machine to travel to see Babe Ruth play a game along with Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Shoeless Joe Jackson to name a few.

Speaking of Shoeless Joe, an interesting time traveler’s paradox comes into play. Would one warn Shoeless Joe and his Black Sox teammates about being banned for life for the World Series fixing scandal, or just let history go on as predicated?

While time travel in science fiction books and films often show negative results to the future through the butterfly effect whenever the past is changed, it does pose an interesting question of what one would do in that situation.

There are people who would use time travel to their benefit through betting on games when they know the outcome. However, for our purposes here, let us go with the belief that all who travel back are merely going as fly on the wall observers to soak in the events without altering the outcomes or fattening their wallets.

So, with that philosophy of observe, but don’t interfere in mind, the Chicago White Sox would still throw the World Series, just as Pete Rose decades later would still be banned from baseball for betting on games he managed.

As a certain British time traveler would say, some points in history are fixed points in time.

The third area of our journey to baseball’s past would be specific Ballgames.

From the first World Series game, to Lou Gehrig’s luckiest man alive speech, there are countless moments in Ballgames that would be worth traveling to.

For me, some of the games I would need to see in person would be when Hank Aaron broke the home run record and when Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken Jr. played their first games.

To see the start of the two longest consecutive games played streaks and to see a home run record fall would be truly historic events.

There are more Ballparks, Ballplayers and Ballgames that could be revisited given the ability to travel to any point in time. Each historic moment in baseball would be at the time traveler’s disposal to visit time and time again.

While realistically time travel to that degree will remain a mere wish and the stuff of film, television and literature, it is certainly fun to consider the big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff now and then.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for travels through the present.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Robin Williams’ Death Leaves a Void

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Monday afternoon the world found out that actor/comedian Robin Williams died at his California home at the age of 63.

While that news hit each person in a personal way, the overall collective grief reached the point of the President of the United States issuing a statement on the matter.

When the POTUS is commenting about your death, that is when you know that you have reached the status of national treasure.

Robin Williams’ case portrayed presidents in several films. So, perhaps that helped garner the Oval Office tribute.

Like many fans, I never met Robin Williams and only knew him through his body of work which seemed to hit the mainstream right around the same time that I became aware of my surroundings enough to make and maintain memories.

One of those earliest Robin Williams memories involved Mork of Mork and Mindy fame. In addition to watching the show, I was given a Mork figurine that had a backpack with a pull string that would playback numerous Mork sayings. I do not recall what happened to that figurine, but I did enjoy it during the time I played with it.

From Mork came the move from the small screen to the big screen. One such movie was Popeye. I remember my mom and I spent a whole day traveling from record store to record store trying to find the soundtrack to the movie because I had enjoyed the songs so much.

Sadly we never found the album that day, or any day since for that matter. But the search was just as fun and created a lasting memory of an afternoon spent with my mom trying to give her son what he wanted.

Robin Williams played many rolls throughout his career from a genie to a president but my best memories of him are when he was a sailor man. Photo R. Anderson
Robin Williams played many rolls throughout his career from a genie to a president but my best memories of him are when he was a sailor man.
Photo R. Anderson

While my Robin Williams memories began in the late 70’s, every generation since has had a movie or a memory that they can cling to and call their own.

For some, the first memories of Robin Williams came in the form of a genie in a bottle from Aladdin.

For others Robin Williams is Teddy Roosevelt from the Night at the Museum trilogy.

Others still may have first discovered him in Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, Hook, or Jumanji.

Such is the transcending nature of Robin Williams and his career. He knew how to make us laugh and through is dramatic roles in Dead Poet’s Society, What Dreams May Come, and Good Will Hunting he knew how to make us cry.

That dramatic turn earned Williams three Academy Award nominations and a Best Supporting Actor win for Good Will Hunting. Personally I think it was Dead Poet’s Society where he was truly Oscar worthy.

Robin Williams also was a fixture in the world of Major League Baseball taking to the field before Game 1 of the National League Division Series in 2010 to cheer on the San Francisco Giants. The pep talk seemed to work as the Giants went on to win their first World Series title in 56 years.

While Robin Williams never really did a baseball movie per se, it is during Good Will Hunting that his character talks about the Boston Red Sox and when it is necessary to chase after what is important no matter the cost.

The bench where that scene was filmed has turned into a memorial as many fans share their grief showing that Robin Williams has the power to makes us cry once more with his unexpected passing.

There will likely never be another actor/comedian like Robin Williams. Thankfully through the art of the movies his work will continue to entertain for generations to come. Photo R. Anderson
There will likely never be another actor/comedian like Robin Williams. Thankfully through the art of the movies his work will continue to entertain for generations to come.
Photo R. Anderson

While fans are certainly entitled to their grief, I plan to focus on the laughter that Robin Williams brought me and many others throughout his life.

With such a large group of movies to his name, and four more scheduled for release after his death, future generations will continue to experience the craft of Robin Williams long after the sadness of his passing has faded.

In that way, Robin Williams will never leave us, just as the greats who passed before him still live on through their work captured on film.

The passing of Robin Williams, which has been attributed in early accounts to a struggle with depression, highlights a bigger societal issue. As much as TMZ and trash journalism programs try to feed the public every sordid detail about celebrities, there is no way to know everything about them. Nor should we know every detail about celebrities.

We live in a society where most people know more about people they have never met than their own neighbors. While a certain degree of knowledge is good, even all of the information about celebrities does not cover the hidden struggles that many of them face.

Robin Williams is not the first comedian to battle depression, and he will not be the last. It is a cruel fact that many studies have shown that often times the people who makes us laugh the most, such as Robin Williams, are quietly crying on the inside.

Other studies have shown that the more creative a person is, the more likely they are to suffer from depression. It is almost like they need to have that internal strife in order to fuel the creative juices.

Creativity and depression are certainly not limited to the field of comedy. In the world of music there are people like Kurt Cobain, who used his battles to make great music that inspired a generation, but ultimately fell victim to the depression that no amount of external success could quench.

If there is some good to come out of the death of Robin Williams, perhaps it is an awareness of the perils of depression and perhaps a call to find ways to help those who suffer from it.

Another lesson to take to the Ballpark, or the cinema, is that as much as fans think they know the athletes or actors that they admire and cheer for there are other sides that are hidden from view.

Often times, these other sides are no different than anyone else. Celebrities still have to navigate personal relationships and put their pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of us; even if they have way more pairs of pants and assistants to help with that.

The point is, to never elevate celebrities to such a high pedestal as to make them appear invincible, or to the point of believing that money buys happiness.

By all accounts, Robin Williams, much like Kurt Cobain and others, was a wealthy man who was rich with talent and adored by millions. But even with all of that going for him, he could not overcome his depression.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think it is time for a Robin Williams movie marathon.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Tis Better to Appreciate than to Just Participate

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Last weekend, an organization I am actively involved with held an event to honor individuals who had helped make a recent keynote event a success.

In addition to providing each of the attendees with a hot lunch of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with all of the trimmings, we were each presented with a certificate as a token of thanks for our efforts that helped make the event a success.

They could have easily stopped with just the hamburgers and hot dogs, but the inclusion of individualized certificates was certainly a nice gesture on the part of the organization.

When I looked at the certificate though I noticed some wording that I had not expected.

Instead of it being a certificate of appreciation, the certificate was worded as a certificate of participation.

While it is true that each of us participated in the event, I had never really seen a certificate worded that way. I am more accustomed to receiving a certificate of appreciation. In fact, the certificate the organization gave out for the previous year’s event was worded as a certificate of appreciation.

At the end of the day, it did not really matter what word was placed on the certificate. I know that all of the hard work was appreciated with or without a piece of paper saying so. It was a nice gesture and my name was spelled correctly. So, I am definitely not complaining.

However, the certificate did raise some interesting general observations about appreciation versus participation and how they relate to sports and society as a whole.

Consider the world of Major League Baseball where nine players participate on the field and in the batting order. Despite all of them participating in the game, a quick scan around the grandstands shows that a few of them are appreciated by the fans more than the rest.

If Major League Baseball, and other sports for that matter, were set up in an all are equal manner, there would not be fans dressed in a certain player’s jersey and cheering louder when they came up to bat or made a great play.

If professional baseball was run like some youth leagues no one would keep score and players would be appreciated equally just for showing up at the Ballpark each day. Photo R. Anderson
If professional baseball was run like some youth leagues no one would keep score and players would be appreciated equally just for showing up at the Ballpark each day.
Photo R. Anderson

Instead, everyone would be wearing team jerseys without a player name on the back and cheering equally for everyone from the 12-time All-Star to the 12-year journeyman when they came up to bat.

Of course, that is not the case. The stars of the sport get the big contracts, endorsement deals and screaming fans, while the rest of the players are just happy to be on the ball club.

That is not to say that all of the other participants on a team are not important. Even the biggest superstars in the sport need a team around them to succeed. However, the fact remains certain players on every team rise up above the rest and are appreciated more than their teammates.

While professional sports continues to show that some players are worth more to a team and its fan base then others, amateur sports seem to be going in an entirely different direction.

I am referring to the participation medal which has made its way into youth sports. The idea behind a participation medal is that everyone, regardless of talent, should be recognized for their participation in said sport instead of medals only going to a couple of people. Some youth sports have even stopped keeping score in games so that there are no winners or losers at the end of the game.

If one never feels the agony of defeat in life how can they appreciate the highs of success?

A few years back, I participated in a 5k event where each person received a shirt and a medal just for showing up. Medals were also available for certain categories once the event started.

While I could have just decided that a medal for showing up was good enough, I worked hard, fought through some leg cramps, and was rewarded with a second place medal for my classification.

A few years back I took part in a 5k where everyone who showed up received the medal at the top. I earned the medal at the bottom through hard work and sweat and to me it is much more valuable than the other medal because it is something earned and not just handed to me. To much of society today seems to settle for just the showing up medal. Photo R. Anderson
A few years back I took part in a 5k where everyone who showed up received the medal at the top. I earned the medal at the bottom through hard work and sweat and to me it is much more valuable than the other medal because it is something earned and not just handed to me. To much of society today seems to settle for just the showing up medal.
Photo R. Anderson

This is not being mentioned in any way to toot my own horn or suggest that I am a great 5k athlete. I am not.

I was just successful on that particular day and just as easily could have fallen out of contention on any other day.

The point of the story is, I tried for more than just participating knowing there was a chance that I would not succeed in my quest for a podium finish.

I understand that some people were happy just getting a medal and a t-shirt. For me however, even though I was huffing and puffing at the end of the race, the second place medal I earned felt much better around my neck than if I had just settled for the one everyone else received.

One could certainly spend hours debating whether this move to the philosophy of everyone gets a medal actually creates a weaker society by dulling the competitive edge and rewarding all regardless of level of effort, thereby creating a world where no one keeps score and everyone gets orange slices at the end of the game; and many people have.

Personally, I think the reward everyone approach weakens society and I am very concerned that we will just settle on participating as a way of life.

This country was built on the backs of men and women who did more than just participate. They innovated and they strived to excel in various fields while never settling for good enough and understanding that sometimes failure is an option that one can learn from and come back stronger as a result.

For that example of people doing more than merely participating, and realizing that the juice is worth the squeeze, I will be forever appreciative.

I just hope that the spirit of innovation and being willing to fail does not get lost by a generation raised on the philosophy that they will be rewarded just for showing up and someone else will always be there to cut their orange slices for them.

I am sure that the people who chose to put participate on the certificates last weekend had no idea about the debate it would cause, but it certainly was a good stepping off point for some societal retrospection.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I am suddenly craving some fresh squeezed orange juice.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Beyond

Monty Python Says Goodbye in a Most Python of Ways

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And now for something completely different.

Normally, this space would be reserved for some observations and witty commentary on various happenings from within the world of baseball.

There are certainly many baseball tales that need to be covered as the non-waiver trade deadline approaches on July 31 and teams prepare for the final months of a grueling season.

We will certainly get to all of those stories and more in the coming days and weeks.

But in honor of the end of an era, today we will take a break from covering baseball to focus on Monty Python.

Much like the Spanish Inquisition, I am sure that no one expected that.

So sit back in your comfy chair, and fry up some Spam in your best lumberjack flannel while considering the meaning of life and whether a swallow could or could not carry a coconut.

Monty Python has likely hung up the Spam for good after a farewell performance Sunday in London. Photo R. Anderson.
Monty Python has likely hung up the Spam for good after a farewell performance Sunday in London.
Photo R. Anderson.

These are just a few of the plethora of items that became part of the pop culture landscape over the past 45 years or so thanks to the six members of the Monty Python comedy group, who showed that their impact on pop culture was much more than just a flesh wound.

That 45 year comedic chest of drawers was on full display when the five surviving members of Monty Python performed the final show of a 10-day residency “Monty Python Live (Mostly): One Down, Five to Go” at the O2 Arena in London on Sunday in front of a 16,000-strong audience.

In addition to the London audience, the show was broadcast live in theaters across the globe.

While I was not yet born when Monty Python first burst onto the scene with the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow, like many people of my generation, and those that followed, I discovered a love of Monty Python through reruns on television and by watching their big screen movies.

During high school, hardly a day would go by without someone uttering some catch phrase from a Monty Python skit.

With the works of Monty Python playing such an integral part in shaping my comedic sensibilities, it was a given that I would don my “Holy Grail” inspired killer rabbit shirt and attend the live simulcast at my local cinema to be part of the history.

Throughout a roughly two and a half hour show, skits and songs from throughout the Python catalog were performed by Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.

Graham Chapman, the sixth Python, who died in 1989, was certainly there in spirit and he also appeared on film clips, along with some of the original television footage of Python sketches shown on a huge video display.

The performance started by paying homage to another British import that recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, as the Pythons entered the stage in a blue police box that looked an awful lot like that time and space traveling time lord Doctor Who’s TARDIS.

While long considered international comedy geniuses who inspired countless comedians who came after them, the members of Monty Python first garnered fame through “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, which aired in England from 1969 to 1974.

The Flying Circus landed in America thanks to support from local Public Broadcasting Stations who introduced Monty Python to the American masses in rerun form starting in 1974.

With their place in popular culture so well established, it is hard to believe that there were only 45 episodes of The Flying Circus ever made.

Following the success of the television show, Monty Python made a number of films, including “Monty Python and The Holy Grail” and “The Meaning of Life”.

It would be nearly impossible for any single live performance to cover every single joke from a 45 year career. Instead of trying to cover it all, the live show took the most memorable skits from the television show and the movies to blend together a retrospective that spanned the entire catalog from lumberjack to spam.

There was even room for a few new interpretations of old classics, as well as a prerecorded skit with theoretical physicist, Stephen Hawking, who at 72-years-old, is roughly the same age as the five surviving members of Monty Python.

After bringing to life so many laughs, the performance ended in the only way that it could really, with the five Pythons, dressed in white tuxedos, belting out “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” as a sort of prearranged spontaneous encore.

Following the encore, the video display flashed “Monty Python 1969-2014”, indicating that this was likely the end for the group.

Only time will tell whether there is still life left in the old Norwegian blue parrot that allows Monty Python to fly once more and show that they still feel happy and aren’t dead yet.

Regardless of whether or not Monty Python ever performs again, they will continue to live on through reruns and the internet inspiring countless more generations with their quotable potables, silly walks and philosophers playing on the pitch.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go in search of a shrubbery.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Celebrating Independence in a Most American Way

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Today is the Fourth of July, which is a day set aside to celebrate America’s independence from the occupying British forces.

With a roaring declaration in 1776 proclaiming independence, the American forefathers set in motion many of the freedoms and truths that we hold self evident to this very day.

That independence from British rule established principles regarding life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Today is July Fourth which means the skies from sea to shining sea will be filled with firework shows. Photo R. Anderson
Today is July Fourth which means the skies from sea to shining sea will be filled with firework shows.
Photo R. Anderson

Each year as part of that pursuit of happiness, I try to take part in as many staples of American life as possible.

One of those yearly patriotic pursuits is trying to spend part of my July Fourth in a Ballpark watching some baseball.

This year, the baseball scheduling powers saw fit that both of my local teams, the Houston Astros and Sugar Land Skeeters, were playing away games today, which meant for the first time in several years, I would not be able to watch live baseball on America’s birthday.

But, when the baseball schedule taketh, it also occasionally giveth.

This giving came in the form of televised Tampa Bay Rays action.

While the Rays are not exactly having a stellar season, opportunities to see them on television do not come along often in Texas. So, I will be watching them tonight, while also looking east to see the rockets red glare from the neighboring fireworks show on the bay.

Last year, I was able to see the Rays play live against the Astros in Minute Maid Park during an afternoon game. This year, my patriotic watching of the Rays will take place with the help of ESPN.

As part of my observance of July Fourth each year I try to eat a Nathan's hot dog in honor of the annual Coney Island contest. Photo R. Anderson
As part of my observance of July Fourth each year I try to eat a Nathan’s hot dog in honor of the annual Coney Island contest.
Photo R. Anderson

In addition to trying to catch baseball games on July Fourth, another All American tradition I try to include each year is eating a Nathan’s hot dog.

For about a century now Coney Island, New York has hosted the Nathan’s Famous July Fourth International Hot Dog Eating Championship.

And while competitors come from nations all over the world to take part, the item remains All-American in that it occurs on July 4th.

Last year, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut ate 69 hot dogs in 10 minutes to win another title on his path to establishing himself as one of the best competitive eaters of all time.

To honor this achievement of man concurring frankfurter, I stage my own mini hot dog eating contest on the Fourth of July each year.

While I never eat anywhere near 69 hot dogs, I do venture to my local Sam’s Club to get an authentic Nathan’s hot dog each and every Fourth of July.

Nathan’s was one of the brands I grew up with on the east coast, and they are hard to find here in Texas.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some very nice hot dog choices here. However,  to me a hot dog on July 4th has to either be a Nathan’s, or an Esskay hot dog. I am sure there are people that feel the same way about whichever hot dog they grew up with as well.

A Fourth of July with a hot dog lunch and one of my favorite baseball teams playing on television is about as close to a perfect celebration as I could imagination.

Between those two events, I will also catch a concert of patriotic music and a midway full of junk food. So, my day will be about as American as can be.

Were it not for the Founding Fathers declaring independence so long ago, we would likely drink way more hot tea and enjoy sports such as cricket instead of the good old American Pastime of baseball. Photo R. Anderson
Were it not for the Founding Fathers declaring independence so long ago, we would likely drink way more hot tea and enjoy sports such as cricket instead of the good old American Pastime of baseball.
Photo R. Anderson

I doubt the founding fathers had hot dogs and baseball diamonds in mind when they decided to break away from the British, but I am certainly glad that they did declare independence to allow such things to occur in the centuries that followed.

Otherwise activities today might be filled with watching cricket and shouting “pip, pip” while sipping Earl Grey tea, hot.

Not that there is anything wrong with cricket or Earl Grey tea mind you. However, I definitely prefer the American customs that have developed over the past 238 years or so.

Now if you’ll excuse me, all of this talk about patriotism and American traditions has me craving some All-American apple pie.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beaches, Beyond

D-Day Remembered 70 Years Later

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Today marks the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, which is the name given to the World War II battle involving over 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landing on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region in one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history.

Led by Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Allied forces stormed beaches at Normandy code named Sword, Juno, Gold, Utah and Omaha.

The storming of the beaches was met by German machine gunners and artillery who tried to hold back the invasion force. The Germans almost succeeded at Omaha costing the Allies more than two thousand casualties in the opening hours.

For an idea of just how gruesome this type of frontal beach assault is, one need only watch the opening of “Saving Private Ryan.” It is easy to forget in this era of drone attacks and smart bombs that war was once much more hand to hand leading to much higher casualty rates among its participants.

The guns on the USS Texas provided cover for the troops storming the beaches during D-Day. The flag that flew on the ship during the battle will be on public display starting today. Photo R. Anderson
The guns on the USS Texas provided cover for the troops storming the beaches during D-Day. The flag that flew on the ship during the battle will be on public display starting today.
Photo R. Anderson

In total, the Battle of Normandy lasted from June 1944 to August 1944 resulting in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control and has been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.

During the D-Day invasion, all scheduled baseball games were canceled on June 6, 1944, marking only the second time in history that games were cancelled league wide.

The first cancellation of baseball games happened on the day U.S. president Warren Harding died in 1923, and the third time was when Commissioner Bud Selig stopped play for six days from Sept. 11-16, 2001, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

While baseball games were cancelled stateside on D-Day, two future Hall of Famers, Yogi Berra and Leon Day, were participating in the battle.

Shortly after being drafted by the New York Yankees Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra was drafted by Uncle Sam. Berra witnessed D-Day 70 years ago today as a member of the U.S. Navy. Photo R. Anderson
Shortly after being drafted by the New York Yankees Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra was drafted by Uncle Sam. Berra witnessed D-Day 70 years ago today as a member of the U.S. Navy.
Photo R. Anderson

According to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, 35 Hall of Fame members and more than 500 Major League players served in World War II.

Many celebrations are planned today to mark the anniversary. In France various heads of state are visiting Normandy

Closer to home, the people of Houston, and the surrounding areas, will have their own chance to see a piece of D-Day history starting today.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science will give the public an opportunity to see the 17-by-9 foot battle flag that was waving on the USS Texas during D-Day.

Although the USS Texas itself has been on static display for many years, the exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science marks the first time since World War II that the flag has been on public display.

Whether one travels to see the beaches of Normandy, or the Stars and Stripes, it is important to remember the sacrifice of all of those veterans who stormed those beaches to help ensure the freedom that is enjoyed to this day.

After serving in World War I the USS Texas was called into action on D-Day. Seventy years after that battle the ship remains as a monument to the people who fought and died to help bring the freedoms we know and love. Photo R. Anderson
After serving in World War I the USS Texas was called into action on D-Day. Seventy years after that battle the ship remains as a monument to the people who fought and died to help bring the freedoms we know and love.
Photo R. Anderson

Unfortunately, the time to thank a World War II veteran in person is vanishing rapidly.

The United States Veteran’s Administration estimates that a World War II veteran dies around every two minutes. That translates to a rate of approximately 555 veterans dying each day.

By the year 2036, the VA estimates, there will no longer be any living World War II veterans.

For comparison purposes the last World War I veteran, Frank Buckles, died in February 2011.

A reminder of the rapid passing of World War II veterans occurred Wednesday when, Chester Nez, died at age 93.

Nez was the last living member of the original 29 citizens of the Navajo Nation who were recruited by the Marine Corps to develop the legendary “unbreakable” code based on the Navajo language that was used for vital communications during battle.

Just as the sacrifice made on the beaches of Normandy saved countless lives by hastening the end of the war in Europe, the Code Talkers helped end the war on the Pacific front with their sacrifice.

There are countless other stories of bravery and sacrifice from the men and women of the “Greatest Generation” who served during World War II. Each story goes towards the patchwork on which the nation is built.

It is likely, and hopeful, that the world will not see another war of the scale of World War II. While there will always be a need for a certain amount of boots on the ground, advancements in technology have greatly reduced the number of boots required to conduct modern warfare.

But while the number of soldiers needed to protect freedom will continue to decline in the coming years, that does not minimize the level of sacrifice made by each of the soldiers who wear the uniform.

Take some time before the start of the hustle and bustle of the weekend to remember the sacrifice and reflect on the high cost of freedom paid by each generation that has gone before.

And by all means, if you happen to see a World War II veteran, or any other veteran for that matter, be sure to thank them for their service and their sacrifice.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a flag to visit.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson

Ballparks, Beyond

Memorial Day is Time to Honor and Remember

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Today is Memorial Day, which is a United States Federal Holiday that occurs each year on the final Monday of May.

It is a day of remembrance and a time to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

The Battle of Galveston is reenacted yearly. The Civil War led to what would become Memorial Day. Photo R. Anderson
The Battle of Galveston is reenacted yearly. The Civil War led to what would become Memorial Day.
Photo R. Anderson

Formerly known as Decoration Day, the holiday originated after the United States Civil War to honor soldiers on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line who lost their lives in battle.

Memorial Day was expanded in the last century to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.

While dating back to the war between the states, in recent years, Memorial Day has also marked the start of the summer vacation season with Labor Day acting as the second bookend in September to signal the end of the summer season.

Over the course of the past weekend, families traveled all over to enjoy time in the sun and surf as they officially left winter behind and embraced the feeling of summer.

This year around the shores of Galveston County, the outdoor celebrations of Memorial Day weekend included the added sights and smells of shores lined with seaweed and dead fish.

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who fought and died for our freedom. Photo R. Anderson
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who fought and died for our freedom.
Photo R. Anderson

As part of the holiday weekend, numerous television networks used the time to air marathons of their most popular shows to capture the attention of those viewers who were not out in the sun catching waves or barbecuing as their way of celebrating the weekend.

As with most other holiday weekends, Memorial Day also becomes a time when advertisers discount everything from dishwashers to pickup trucks in an attempt to rake in the dollars and lure shoppers into their establishments.

Large flags and camoflauge hats will mark Memorial Day across Major League Baseball today. Photo R. Anderson
Large flags and camouflage hats will mark Memorial Day across Major League Baseball today.
Photo R. Anderson

Major League Baseball will honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice by wearing camouflage on their hats and uniforms during their games today.

In keeping with true American capitalist values that tend to come to light during holiday weekends, versions of those hats and jerseys are available for purchase by the general public.

Thankfully, not every Memorial Day tribute includes direct commercial time-ins.

There is one Memorial Day tradition that still tends to get me choked up and seems to honor the fallen in the way the holiday was intended if not with a bit of a 21st Century feel.

I am referring to the Memorial Day Weekend NASCAR race. Each year the pre-race show includes a strong military presence, bagpipers, and Taps being played.

NASCAR has a long history of supporting the troops and offers a stirring tribute before its annual Memorial Day Race. Photo R. Anderson
NASCAR has a long history of supporting the troops and offers a stirring tribute before its annual Memorial Day Race.
Photo R. Anderson

NASCAR is arguably the most commercialized of the major American sports with advertisements seeming to cover every spare square inch of both driver and car.

But, when it comes to pausing to honor the troops, they tend to get it right year after year.

It is hard not to feel the sacrifice that was being made when watching the pre-race ceremony and hearing those bag pipes and lone bugle mournfully wail.

The part where they roll out the extremely large American flag, a staple of most sporting events these days, is another nice touch.

Americans owe their freedom to the sacrifice made by countless soldiers. I am glad that we have holidays, and pre-race ceremonies where we can be reminded of that.

Unfortunately, I fear that in the coming years the commercial aspects of holidays like Memorial Day will overtake the true meanings behind them.

Instead of being a time where Americans all pause to remember the sacrifices made by those that came before them, I fear that the holiday will complete its transformation into a holiday where travelers merely focus on the cars before them as they rush to their weekend getaways, or catch up on those projects that the extra day off from work allows them to finally tackle.

Ceremonial pitches honoring the troops and first responders. Photo R. Anderson
Ceremonial pitches honoring the troops and first responders.
Photo R. Anderson

So, while you are enjoying that extra day off of work, or grilling some meat on the grill, or even grilling your flesh on the sand today, take some time to think of the sacrifice of the fallen soldiers.

It is often said that freedom isn’t free and that it comes at a great cost. Days like Memorial Day allow us to remember that cost and appreciate the freedom a little more.

If you happen to come across a member of the Armed Forces today in your travels to and from the beach or that store with the huge sale on mattresses, take a moment to tell them thanks for doing their part to keep us free to enjoy those sandy shores and have the means to purchase that mattress with 90 days same as cash financing.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have the urge to cook something on an open flame and see if I can find a solider to thank for my right to make that burger extra crispy.

Copyright 2014 R. Anderson