BASEBALL TRADITION – A TREASURE TO ENJOY

Baseball lives from generation to generation

Watching MLB.com as my beloved Phillies scratched and clawed to a season ending victory  last evening the memory tape rewound again and again as to how  fortunate we are to be a nation of traditional baseball fans. In the mid 194o’s my grandfather  sat next to me as the Phillies announcer  read the ticker tape account of the games from Shibe Park in Philadelphia..  Legends were born with  Robin Roberts, Richie Ashburn, later Mike Schmidt.  TRADITION , honoring those who went before.  Sixty five years later  we locker room jocks originally  from Central Pennsylvania are now feverishly tweeting about the upcoming playoffs. Amazing the continuity of loyalty which was planted in our psyches as a child.

45,000 screaming  Brewer fans watched their long maligned heroes capture home field advantage in the playoffs  yesterday..  A new TRADITION  for a team playing in a 21^st century park with Fielder and Braun potential Hall of Famers.  Fans remember 20 years ago when the legacy  let by Robin Yount brought home the bacon. The beat continues in brew city. Loyalty runs deep in Milwaukee and West Allis and on the banks of the Fox River.

Then there is the collapse of the Red Sox – What are Yastremzki and Ted Williams thinking?  How could decades of pride and TRADITION crumble in September?  Tears are streaming from the shadows  of the Green Monster. Alas,  Fenway park will shake again with cheering fans when spring comes in April.

The grainy pictures of Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth hitting balls into the seats in New York.  Sandy Koufax and Bob Feller throwing hard strikes barely i to the naked eye.  No matter where your loyalties lie, what your station in life, baseball binds us all together since the 1800’s.

And now it is October ( remember Reggie Jackson).  Face book and Twitter are humming with  good natured partisan discussions.  We are joined together by the social media as never before.  It used to be 4-5 guys at the local bar discussing who would win what.  Now there are thousands joining in the chat.

We are reminded of that song from “  Fiddler on the Roof”.  TRADITION.  The game is now international. Players from Dominican Republic, South Korea, Japan, Venezuela ,  etc.  Politics is a non factor –can he hit? 

Anyone checking the  nationality of the great Manny Rivera? – nah, the question is can anyone get a hit off him in the 9^th with the bases loaded.    It’s about wins and losses: Home Town Pride: and for Brewer fans – Bob Uecker and Uzinger Sausage. 

The leaves are falling here in the Midwest.. and cases of Miller Lite are being consumed as we lustily cheer for our October heroes.  While the politicians pontificate, procrastinate, and pander, the rest of us sit back and enjoy a true American  treasure – Baseball TRADITION.

 

 

SOUNDS OF OUR LIVES

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which  your sound recollections. Add to the list…

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurdle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

 

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

 

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

 

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

 

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

 

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

 

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which envelope your sound recollections. Add to the list…

 

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurtle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

 

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

 

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

 

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

 

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

 

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

 

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

 

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

 

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

 

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

 

 

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

 

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

 

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

 

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

 

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

 

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

 

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which envelope your sound recollections. Add to the list…

 

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurtle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

 

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

 

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

 

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

 

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

 

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

 

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

 

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

 

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

 

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

 

 

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

 

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

 

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

 

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

 

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

 

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

 

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which envelope your sound recollections. Add to the list…

 

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurtle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

 

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

 

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

 

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

 

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

 

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

 

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

 

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

 

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

 

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?