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We’ve reached a fork in the road in
New York City, as July 2020 finds some folks venturing out to dine
al fresco at improvised sidewalk cafes, while others refuse to break
quarantine.
COVID lockdown continues for most, but
the summer will not be denied as the most famous sports address in
the world—Yankee Stadium in the Bronx—switched on the
bright lights yesterday. Ace pitcher Gerrit Cole (above) took the
mound, winding up to show that the delay of baseball season hadn’t
affected his pitching game.
 A
shortened baseball season begins in 19 days all over the United States.
Having baseball back feels like a blessing
at this time.
Now we can think about
the boys of Summer.
Now we can think
about the game.
Today July 4th the New York Yankees
will hold their first full team workout in three months. Now the real
countdown begins. Blessed baseball is coming back and The Boys of
Summer will move through the remains of the year until Fall with that
particular poetic grace. Watching baseball again will hopefully have
the power to lift millions of cooped up, stressed out Americans.
We realize that many
of our readers around the world may not follow baseball and certainly
U.S. football carries a much bigger audience.
 The
late, great George Carlin defined why baseball is so special:
“Baseball is different from
any other sport, very different.
“For instance, in most sports
you score points or goals; in baseball you score runs.
“In most sports the ball, or object,
is put in play by the offensive team; in baseball the defensive team
puts the ball in play, and only the defense is allowed to touch
the ball.
“In fact, in baseball if an offensive
player touches the ball intentionally, he's out; sometimes unintentionally,
he's out.
“Also, in football, basketball,
soccer, volleyball and all sports played with a ball, you score with
the ball, and in baseball the ball prevents you from scoring.
“In most sports the team is run
by a coach; in baseball the team is run by a manager.
“And only in baseball does the
manager or coach wear the same clothing the players do.
"In baseball the object is to go
home!
“And to be safe!
“I hope I'll be safe at home!
“Baseball is the only major sport
that appears backwards in a mirror.
“Baseball has no time limit:
“We don't know when it's gonna
end - might have extra innings.”
Baseball Versus Football
George Carlin hits the “home
run” here:
“In
football you wear a helmet.
“In baseball you wear a cap.
“Football is concerned with
downs - what down is it?
“Baseball is concerned with
ups - Who's up?
“In football you receive a penalty.
“In baseball you make an error.
“In football the specialist
comes in to kick.
“In baseball the specialist
comes in to relieve somebody.
“Football has hitting, clipping,
spearing, piling on, personal fouls, late hitting and unnecessary
roughness.
“Baseball has the sacrifice."
 Leaves
of Grass
Walt Whitman, an American poet, essayist,
journalist and humansit in his 1855 book of poems, titled "Leaves
of Grass" said this about baseball:
“I see great things in baseball.
It's our game, the American game.
“It will repair our losses and
be a blessing to us.”
Now let the fabled words echo
through the land.
Happy Fourth. Play Ball 2020!
Geoffrey
This one is
for Emily. Youngest daughter Emily Parker (pictured above) enthuses,“I'm
so pumped for baseball to be back. I don't care that it's going
to be short and strange."
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