I'm late with this post. Wait...

...no, I'm not going to say it (you know where I was going, though, right???). I AM going to post a silly web comic, because when something sad or scary happens, I take comfort in humor. And this week something sad happened, so here's the silly before the big sad:

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Herb Score in 1958, from The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Tuesday morning Cleveland learned we lost a local sports giant. Herb Score, Indians pitching great and radio voice of the Tribe for decades, passed away at the age of 75.

He'd been retired since 1997, so we've been without his voice as a broadcaster for over a decade. Still, it seems a little less Cleveland-y right now.


Herb at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) in August, 2005 from MLB.com.

Enjoy your Endless Field of Dreams, Herb. I hope you get to pitch one now and again.

 

Aaarrgghh!! We need a pirate's 'tude!

We had a chance to plonk Gary Sheffield on the top of the 1st inning. While the option to NOT do it may be seen as good sportsmanship, and while I may approve wholeheartedly of that, the Indians *WHOPPINGLY MISSED* a strategic opportunity.

If Tribe pitcher Jeremy Sowers would have beaned Detroit batter Sheffield, he'd've reached on HBP, not by a double. No big deal right? Because nobody scored.

*HERE'S* the big deal: if Sowers had been the first pitcher to hit a batter, the Indians *and* the Tigers get a warning, and THE NEXT PITCHER GETS TOSSED.

How much you wanna bet Jim Leyland's coaching staff (mgr of the Detroit Tigers; though not he himself -- he's got a weekend 'discipline pass') took advantage of that as soon as White Hat Eric Wedge passed on it??

Wuss vs Puss.

 

It's Rob! It's Friendly Rob!

I wondered how long it would be before we would see someone we know! Daddy, he says a special 'hi' to you!

See Ya Later, Blue Sky

The lovely blue is retreating behind the velvety clouds, already releasing intermittent fluffy snowflakes. Nevermind; I didn't let myself get lulled into a false sense of early Spring. We can have blizzards as late as the end of April. (Last year, I sat snow-covered at Jacobs Field on Opening Day to watch our 'Boys of Summer'.) I just feel it is best to enjoy as much meteorological joy as is given in gray Cleveland.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you have a great day. I hope you bowl really well tonight! Happy, happy, happy, special day! I love you.

 

One Final View of the Jake Sign

Precarious, getting this shot with my camera phone in mid-intersection! Nevermind, rush hour is juuuuuuuuuuust about over...

The Signs They Are a'Changin'

Wow. Truly another end of an era. Sad, too, because the new Progressive Field sign is nowhere NEAR as classy as the Jacobs Field sign. More 'lite rock' design school reject rubish.

ALCS Game 4 Tribe v Boston

Every game of every playoff series becomes personal to every fan. My Mom is memorialized in Heritage Park in Jacobs Field, a place where the greats of the Indians organization are permanently ensconced in plaques, statues, and one memorial (see yesterday's post, "Boy of Summer Past, Present?"). Family dedications help us remember that this time spent at the ballpark is a family pastime shared. As sure as I am that my mom is in Heaven, watching and pulling whatever supernatural strings she can to help the Tribe, there are thousands of Boston fans believing their family members on The Other Side are doing the same. What my mom instilled in me is a love of the game and strong feelings about sportsmanlike conduct. I hope (against hope) that tonight's game will be played without "Manny sucks!" and "Boston sucks!" hollered, because clearly neither is true; also, both are abhorently vulgar and unneccesary. Last night's game was delightful because the crowd yelled favorable things boosting our players: "Ken-NY! Ken-NY!" and "Let's Go Joe!" I was absolutely tickled by the profound positiveness. There was no boo-ing (no real reason for it, either). THIS I can believe my mother would be behind! Go Mom!! Beat unsportsmanlike fans! Go Tribe!! Beat Boston!

What Time Is It?

It was worth missing Chuck and Heroes for some real life action on the diamond. I wish everyone could have been here. Just SO much fun.

Welcome Home Kenny

Kenny Lofton just returned to left field. The crowd around us is going berserk--berserk to a greater degree than usual--because he hit a 1st pitch 2-run home run last inning. Post season play ROCKS. Especially being here. This means *so much* to Cleveland. (The picture was taken before the game began. Things are too exciting to get a meaningful picture of anything near us or on the field.) (Late note: this post should actually be between "I SO Live For This!" and "Boy of Summer Past, Present?", but it somehow didn't get posted until Tuesday. Probably a battery power issue. Having forgotten to rejuice for the past 3 days, I watched with dismay the rapidly dwindling power icon as the evening progressed.)

Game Detail Replay

We're taking Sean home after the game now. So much to replay! I was thinking of a couple from Bradford, PA interviewed on WTAM as I drove to meet Rick and Sean. He (of the couple) was a Tribe fan, she was a Bosox fan. Both wore clothes to proclaim fealty. They had a sign to the effects of 'we're NOT talking!'. In the interview they admitted that yes, they were dating, and no, there's no future commitment, other than ONE of them will be talking on their long drive home. At the ticket gate, I happened upon this very charming woman, another Boston fan, with such a completely creative outfit! Wow. THAT is a fan with style. On closer inspection, as busy as the detail was, there was absolutely *nothing* chintzy or half-done about any of it. Just spectacular! In case you can't tell, the hat has an entire baseball diamond on it, complete with players, and the sides are covered with small batting helmets. Her jacket was hand-painted and embellished, celbrating the Bosox miraculous World Series win in '04. I'm hoping we get to have an explosion of creativity like that here. There's just so much to soak up about playoff season. It's a whole nother ball game!

Let's Go Joe!

...and he WENT! 3 straight outs without a hit or walk! Tribe WINS! Woo Hoo, Wahoo! That's the way to do it. Now let's do it again tomorrow. Hopefully with a lead great enough we won't need closer Joe Borowski... That's him, by the way, on the JumboTron, in the post-game interview. No rally pie today. We were never behind in the score.

I SO Live For This!

This is my beloved telling me I'm missing the game. I don't know what he's talking about. It's 4-2, Tribe, Youkilis just K'd for the first out. And since my thumb isn't fast enough: Manny's up due to Ortiz's fly to right. The count is 0 and 2 with Betancourt on the mound- make that 1 and 2. Whoo! Popped to Cabrera! WE GO TO THE 8TH!

Boy of Summer Past, Present?

Ray Chapman memorial. He was killed in 1920, midgame, when nailed by a linedrive. They found the memorial when they tore down the old Muny Stadium some years back, but only just gave it a permanent place this summer with the dedication of Heritage Park. There's a delightful rumor that he's been behind a lot of the um... well, remarkable things that have happened around here. (HEY! Trot Nixon's starting. See? Someone grew a brain: start an exSox vs the Sox. Remarkable.) So he's been getting a bit more coverage than usual, even pilgrimages to his grave in Lakeview Cemetary. And so begins an interesting homestand. Go Tribe! It's Tribe Time Now! (And Michigan still sucks, but that's another post!) By the way, I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the spirit of Ray Chapman is welcome in Jacobs Field.