Saturday, 15 June 2024 11:23 pm

The Dead-Ball Era

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The early 1900s saw a drop in baseball scores,
Especially in homers; man, I bet those games were bores.
The foul strike rule was new back then, but that is still around.
The larger ballparks meant that fewer balls would leave the grounds.
Indeed, the balls were often pitched 100 times at least,
As early baseball leagues preferred to keep their costs decreased.
The pitchers were allowed to scuff the ball or use their spit,
Including with tobacco juice when ballparks were unlit.
The era ended suddenly in 1921,
For reasons still disputed, though I’m sure the games got fun.
It’s true they outlawed spitballs and a bunch of other pitches.
The ballparks may have shrunk, and balls would need more frequent switches,
Since one ball, rather dirty, killed Ray Chapman at the plate.
A cork (not rubber)-centered ball would make the distance great.
It’s possible that players learned some lessons from Babe Ruth,
But that would not account for all improvement then in truth.
A few new rules meant more recorded runs within the stats.
In any case, the live-ball era’s got the fans more bats.
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Saturday, 29 July 2023 08:29 pm

Left Out

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I asked my dad what subject to write on for his birthday. He wanted something baseball related. This isn't quite among the topics we discussed, but I think he'll like it.

In major league baseball, few catchers have ever
Worn mitts on their right hand and thrown with their left.
The last one played thrice on the ’89 roster.
It’s not like no lefties have ever been deft.

It’s one thing to have the third basemen and shortstops
Be righties in light of the widdershins runs,
But catchers don’t deal with the same limitations,
So why are there almost no left-handed ones?

Some think righty hitters adversely affect
Lefty catchers, but righties’ majority’s slim.
Besides, catchers thwarting the stealing of bases
Do equally well with the left throwing limb.

It’s true that a lefty has trouble in throwing
Out runners at third, but let’s note the reverse:
A righty must pivot to throw to the first base,
So why would a lefty be markedly worse?

It’s thought there’s more “tail” on a left-handed throw,
But we don’t have statistics to back up the claim.
A lefty may have an advantage for catching
The curveballs and sliders that righties will aim.

Admittedly, lefties will struggle to tag out
A runner who comes all the way to home plate,
But that rarely happens, and basemen have managed
Some back-tagging methods that work out just great.

Perhaps the best reason: The hard-throwing lefties
Are typically trained to be pitchers instead.
If not, then it’s simply a foolish tradition
Or habit that keeps them from getting ahead.
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Sunday, 29 January 2023 11:15 pm

Crazy in Love

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The system of scoring in tennis is strange,
With “love,” 15, 30, and 40, then “game.”
How’s that a pragmatic numerical range?
Why isn’t the interval always the same?

The 40 was once 45, as I thought.
It seems they just liked it one syllable short.
An alternate theory: The score would be brought
To still less than 60 with deuce on the court.

Now let me explain: When the players are tied
At 40, that’s “deuce,” and the next one to score
Receives an “advantage” but won’t have the pride
Of winning except if he does it once more.

And why set the limit at 60? Who knows?
It’s commonly thought that a clock formed the base.
The scoring began as advances arose
To tell quarter hours by chime or by face.

It also might come from the old jeu de paume,
Precursor to tennis, where players would move,
On scoring, a given length closer to home,
Say 10 or 15 feet, but that’s hard to prove.

And “love” meaning zero? The answer I’d heard
In youth was a basis in l’oeuf, French for “egg.”
The Dutch iets voor lof doen is sometimes preferred:
“Do something for praise.” Are they pulling my leg?

It might not be foreign: The players might play
For love of the game, not with money at stake.
Perhaps when they’re starting, ill will is at bay;
They still love each other. Well, that’s a sweet take.

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Stephen Gilberg

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