Black Sox Faction

The King of the South Side

say, um, what's the score?

History beckons again

Been progressively obsessively engrossed in Sox history. Took a giat 1000p encloypedia of Sox history, and have been becoming blitzedout with the 1951 - 1967 Sox, when they were one of the best teams in the majors after being such a sucky franchise from 1921 -1950. And man, that 30y period after the Black Sox scandel were terrible.

Funny how great those teams were. Appracio, Fox, Minoso, Pierce, Peters, Klu we all know about. 1959, the pennant winners. 1964, one game out. And the 1967 team that took it into the last weekend. We know about those teams and players and all that 88 years of frustration or whatever others call it.

Those teams had the bad luck of bucking their heads against the Yankee's (or Cleveland, but mainly the Yanks) in that period - no World Series wins for them. But those teams were also amongst the best in baseball during that period. There is no culture or worship of losing other frachises use to sell their teams, but these teams of the middle period* of Sox competitiveness are still worshipped by Sox fans. Among the older Sox fans (like my Dad), these are the greatest teams ever ( 'till 2005. Impossible to argue). I'm getting old enough and cranky as well - enough to start arguing "Mike Squires" -v- Jim Spencer" as the best fielding first baseman of all time.

But the progression of the team, the duels w/ NY and Cleveland through the 1950's and Red Sox and Twins in the late 1960's, and all the other pre Harry Carey years are fascinating. Names and stories are familier, but they have to be put into a proper context.

And yes, I still get very angry whenever I see "Eight Men Out".

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*= 1900- 1920, 1951- 1967, and 1990 -2008

2008 Fire

The Cubs Crew.

In Wrigley Field for the Cubs -v- Reds game on Tuesday nite. Jackson and Rocky and I were to meet in front of the Mac D.'s on Clark, but they'd already entered to reserve the seats. I was gonna see GF @ her werke, but time got the best of me and I had to go straight to 22d near the Chinatown El stop and El'd it to Wrigley. Again, I do so like riding the El from time to time.

Those fucks flew the coop - I was 5m late -so I decided to walk a little around wrigleyvilles alleys and discovered a funny thing - so many people rent out their garages for visiting fans that every alley has 6-7 very open garages. Smart $ makers w/ such a little effort.

Easil found the boys -we were in left field, near the curve in the wall. Pretty good game - the Cubs were obviously superior and had the upper hand the whole game. There were some great defensive plays on both sides. Aramis Ramirez in particular made several spectacular plays. I'd brought my radio -which - the Sox are so good this year and I have fallen into the obsession mode. So- yes I was watching the game in front of me, but on my transistor was the game that really mattered.

Oh - and up on the scoreboard. As I saw the Twins take a 5-2 lead on Boston @ Fenway (FINALLY the Twins were going on the road -and to Boston - the thinking went that the Sox mite pick up some games while playing K.C.). So -@ a certain point -the Sox were down 4-1 and the Twins leading byt ghat 5-2 score late. But it all worked out, @ least for this nite.

AH - but there was more than baseball this nite:

"He's working where??"

"Hey - I know the story of the first night they were to-gether"

"WHAT??"

"5000 hits!?!?!"

"So- compare this old girlf with this old girlf w/ this old girlfriend -which was the best?"

"Listen, listen -I got that story - listen"

etc etc etc...

The crowd around us was fine. Cub fans have a reputation as meatheads, but these ones were pretty mellow. We were heckling Adam Dunn, the Reds left fielder. I have the loudest voice of anyone that nite, but I didn't put in too much effort. I jabbled out a few warped Monty Pythonish bizarros, but it was mainly for my edification. Even I didn't get what I was yelling out.

Though the nite threatened rain -angry skies foto's by Rocky -whenever he flixx' them y'll see - it held off. I worked this day @ school, so I came in nice pants and tie to the game- and it was hot. Not opressively hot, but off the shirt. Was I mocked more for my shirtlessness or my Sox hat?

Dunno.

Rocky drop of Jaxx @ the Capital Ship, then me near 22d, and then we drove down to my crib so Rocky could crash over. But before we crashed...

Black Sox Faction

Many mite, but I have no real problem with the Sox only getting two All Stars this year despite being surprisingly having a top record. The team with the best record in baseball - Tampa - also has only two. And the Cubs? Seven. A bit of over kill, despite their best in the NL record.

Like I notioned above - I don't have a major problem with it. Every year there are many great choices to make the team. The fan vote and the rule that every team has to be repp'd severely tie in a roster set @ 32. It happens every year and makes for tough decisions and much arguments.

So- Carlos Quientin, near the AL lead in HR's and RBI's, deserves spot. He has slowed from his lightning start when he really carried the team early on - but he's consistently on base and driving in runs. Joe Crede? OK, that's kool. No way ever did I expect or even thnk to hope it. He also keyed the Sox beginning with a giant start to the season before slowing down, but remains playing well. 16 errors are uncharacteristic.

But there are more deserving elements of the team not in the game - well, not yet.

Jermaine Dye has similar numbers to Carlos Quentin - but the consistency!! He has not had a bad week - and the last three weeks he has been giant. And here is that ambivilence: I feel glad that even one or the other -in this case Quentin - got in - there were many other contenders. And the added cavet is that Dye can be still voted in by fans on the internet. I'm busy with that as I write this.

But the real loss is in the pitching. Three potential Sox All sStas and they are all batters. Jenks and Gavin Floyd had the best shots - but there other stoppers and starters as deserving. Shit -the AL Staff is loaded. And the most consistent Sox pitcher all season - Danks - only won 6 despite the low ERA. Tere is just no room for every deserving player. It's nice we got two and lets vote for another.

Although the Cubs may be a bit over represented -some years it just goes this way. Although Fukedome's spot is a gift, the other six all were well deserving.

OREVUA

There isn't a good word for it in English.

We'll see you again.