5.30.2008

Cooperstown Revisited

I spent the long weekend in Cooperstown with Kim, Matt, and Jill. It hadn't been long since our last pilgrimage, but enough had changed to warrant a return trip, and the town is still magical in its quaintness. One major change since our last visit was the induction of several negro league greats in 2006, which kept the following list brewing in my head all week. I gave up trying to limit the list to ten, and had to cheat to get it down to twenty-five.

Best Hall of Fame names:

25. Goose Goslin and Goose Gossage
24. Harmon Killebrew
23. Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, and Nap Lajoie
22. Addie Joss and Amos Rusie
21. Hack Wilson and Zach Wheat
20. Wee Willie Keeler and Pee Wee Reese
19. Ferguson Jenkins and Gaylord Perry
18. Pud Galvin and Kid Nichols
17. Biz Mackey and Bid McPhee
16. Ducky Medwick and Chick Hafey
15. Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown
14. Jud "Boojum" Wilson
13. Yogi Berra
12. Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander
11. Tinker to Evers to Chance
10. Dizzy Dean and Dazzy Vance
9. Old Hoss Radbourn
8. Catfish Hunter
7. Elmer Flick
6. Burleigh Grimes
5. Cool Papa Bell
4. Al Kaline
3. Turkey Stearns, Mule Suttles, and Devil Wells
2. Cum Posey
1. Heinie Manush

5.09.2008

Doin's a-transpirin'

Another Sprummer kickball season is underway. My team, Clam Dip, is off to a 1-1 start after an 8-0 victory in week one and a 5-3 loss yesterday. I pitched a complete game and homered in last night's losing effort, but couldn't recreate the magic of Jarrett's near-perfect game last Thursday.

I'm experimenting with a new fantasy baseball format- the baseball survivor pool. Each participant drafts one pitcher and one hitter, and is eliminated if:

-the hitter fails to record a hit, walk, hit by pitch, sacrifice walk, or sacrifice fly in a game in which he has four or more plate appearances
-the hitter does not start for two consecutive team games
-the pitcher fails to pitch six full innings in a start
-the pitcher gives up five or more runs in a start
-the pitcher fails to record a strikeout in a start
-the pitcher does not start for nine consecutive team games.

The last participant with his or her pitcher and hitter still active wins the pool. I'm debuting the format with a beta group of nine people this weekend, and if it's successful, plan to expand it in the future, perhaps with amended criteria for eliminating players. If you're interested, let me know.