Echoes of the Shot

In April of 1986 I moved to Boston and the Red Sox began a magic season that saw them capture the American League pennant and then go on to the World Series where I believe something happened but I can’t quite recall what it was. This was an ideal time to be a Sox fan in the Auld Towne as Fenway Park was just as much a baseball shrine but wasn’t yet the tourist destination it has become – in other words you could still get relatively cheap and good seats for a game, especially if you knew someone at the ticket window. I did – and during that year I managed to see the pennant clinching 7th game of the championship series, the division clinching game where Roger Clemens ended up riding a horse around the field (remember when we all still liked Roger?) and a contest against the White Sox where I sat next to Jack Nicholson. (Me to my mother “Ma – I’m sitting next to Jack Nicholson at Fenway…” Mom: “That’s great Mike – make sure you get some golf tips”. Me (after a pause): “Ma, that’s Jack Nicklaus…”). Anyway – all of those games were great but from a pure baseball history standpoint nothing can top the game I saw on the 17th of May. That was “Old Timers Day” at Fenway and I got to see Ted Williams come to bat (I don’t care if it was an exhibition – that was something to see). I was also witness to the last time the three baseball playing Dimaggio brothers appeared on a ball field, Dom, Joe and lesser known Vince all were there. I also got a chance to see a bunch of sixty year old women act like teenagers at a Justin Bieber concert when a guy by the name of Tommy Holmes wandered past. It turns out Holmes had been one of the Boston Braves’ most popular players back in the forties and the ladies still remembered, even though the Braves hadn’t been in Boston since the early ‘50’s. They love their baseball in Boston.

One of the day's other highlights came when two men stopped right by my seat to pose for pictures together. There were a few people around who realised what they were seeing, but for the most part I think the crowd just thought these were another couple of old ballplayers who were there to fill out the rosters. I knew better, for few players were more closely linked in American literary, broadcasting, sporting and just general history than the two men who were chatting in front of me. Dom DeLillo’s classic book Underworld would concern their fateful meeting. The most played moment in sports broadcasting revolved around them. The most iconic event in baseball history, the “Shot heard ‘round the world” took place in 1951 as the result of their interaction. They were Bobby Thomson and Ralph Branca, forever linked by fate, standing a few feet away by the Fenway dugout.

Thomson was the batter who hit the famous home run that won the pennant for the Giants that year, in the final inning of the final game of a special playoff series that resulted from the fact the Giants had stormed back to catch the Dodgers in the standings in the last month of the season, tying them on the final day and bringing the battle down to this one, climactic, epic moment. Here it is as described by Russ Hodges:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrI7dVj90zs

Thomson got the glory that afternoon, but Branca, as the pitcher who threw the ball, is a story to be equally admired. He was terribly affected by the event on the day. George Plimpton, in Ken Burns documentary “Baseball” describes him as being stretched out “like cordwood”, prostrate with grief on the clubhouse steps, a fact borne out by a famous photograph taken just after the game. There was so much concern for Branca that a priest was called to counsel him in the parking lot next to the stadium. “Why me, father, why me?” Branca asked. The priest could only say that God must have chosen him because he knew that he was strong enough to bear the burden of having thrown the pitch.

I don’t know whether God chose him or not, but Branca certainly bore the stigma with incredible grace. He and Thomson became friendly in the years after the events of 1951 (as evidenced by their joint appearance in Boston, 35 years later) and he never shied away from talking about what happened that day. Branca went on to be a beloved figure, establishing himself as a business leader, an ambassador for the game and one of the founders of a charity that helps players who have fallen on hard times.

There is another story that is perhaps even more telling. In 1947 Branca had his best year with the Dodgers, winning 21 games. He also befriended Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier that year and faced constant abuse in doing so. Branca lived near Robinson and the two would drive together to and from the games, a sign to all that Robinson was accepted by his teammates. On opening day, with Robinson having faced death threats and amidst fears of his being shot when he took the field, Ralph Branca made sure to stand, with his enveloping 6’4” frame, next to Jackie Robinson on the first base line when the teams were introduced. His brother asked “Ralph, what would have happened if someone took a shot at Jackie and hit you instead?”

“I would have died a hero” he replied.

Yesterday, at age 90, Branca did exactly that.

Rest in Peace, Ralph Branca.

Unclench Those Teerth

Take a deep breath.  At a certain point you just have to stop saying "what just happened?", be a grown up and acknowledge the fact that Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States.  "What just happened?" is not a legitimate question.

"Why did that just happen?", on the other hand, is.

For at least part of the answer to that question I didn’t have to look too far. Almost two years ago to the day I published an article that pretty much set out one of the major reason why this happened.  Here is the relevant excerpt:

Already Gone

When The Eagles were both at their height and on the verge of breaking up a famous exchange occurred on-stage during one of their concerts when Glen Frey told guitarist Don Felder "When we get offstage, I'm gonna kick your ass...".  What might be less well known was the set of events leading up to the confrontation.  Frey was enraged that prior to the concert (which was a benefit for then California Senator Alan Cranston), Felder had replied to the Senator's expression of thanks with a somewhat sardonic "You're welcome Senator...I guess".  Frey found it disrespectful.  Felder didn't give a shit how Frey found it.

I have to say - although I admire Cranston (who had the foresight to sue Adolf Hitler before WWII) I kind of agree with Felder, who was a bit sick of the band being booked to play benefits for causes and people before anyone checked with the entire group to see if they agreed with the cause or the person.  If one of the “leaders” of the group found a cause everyone was expected to row in. Jerry Brown, No Nukes, Save the Snail Darter....whatever - the presumption that everyone was OK with this choice without checking was unfair.  So - the title of this commentary is in honor of Mr. Felder's "I guess", and the classic Eagle's song of the same name - and it is aimed directly at the heart of the Democratic party.

As predicted here months ago the Massachusetts Democratic nominee for Governor, the inexecrable Martha Coakley, brought the party to defeat, a result that given both her professional and electoral record was thoroughly predictable.  (I'm tempted to use the word "inexorable" just to contrast it with "inexecrable" and send my two or three readers scrambling to the dictionary - but - well I guess I just did).  Coakley is contemptibly incompetent but even worse were the stale efforts of people who should have known better to bring her to the forefront once again.  Are you really telling me that all the powers that be who backed this candidacy had concluded, after a diligent search through the enormous talent pool available, that Martha Coakley was the best choice as nominee, let alone as Governor?  Are you kidding me?

The truth is that anyone who expects some degree of prior consultation from the associations they are part of - be it a political party, a labor union, a veterans’ organization or a community group - played the role of Don Felder in this scenario while the higher ups were the Glen Freys.  There is no way to conclude that Coakley got to where she was other than through the crass manipulation of an unthinking machine.  Her pol pals sent her money, she squeaked through a primary against minimal competition and then got beat, yet again, as the Democratic nominee in the most Democratic state in the union.  Thanks for the nominee party hacks - I guess.

The message here is that no one appreciates presumptions - and the person (aside from Massachusett's politicos) who needs to most heed this message is one H. Rodham Clinton.  It is quite possible that no non-incumbent has ever had a firmer grip on the term "presumptive nominee" than Hillary does right now.  Sit on that presumption at your peril Madame Secretary.  Her inexplicable decision to campaign for Coakley aside there is no way that Hillary Clinton should see this mid-term election as anything other than a warning to avoid thinking that reliance upon an existing machine is the way to ultimate victory.  Trust me Mrs. Clinton - new blood, new ideas, new people and new thinking will be required in even what may appear to be the safest of campaigns, or - you could end up eating lunch all by yourself.

I hate to be an "I told you so"...but...  Hillary Clinton is Martha Coakley.

And it's not just me - read this article by Slate's Jim Newell, who basically pronounces the hackocracy that inflicted this campaign on us dead: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/11/the_democratic_party_establishment_is_finished_after_trump.html . 

Newell is absolutely right - and this was something we should have seen coming.  Just watch how easy it is to substitute the name "Hillary Clinton" for Martha Coakley in a sentence like "Are you really telling me that all the powers that be who backed this candidacy had concluded, after a diligent search through the enormous talent pool available, that Martha Coakley was the best choice as nominee...".  And make no mistake about it - Hillary was carefully anointed the party's nominee - the e-mails that have been revealed from the DNC make that entirely clear.  There were lots of people (who should have known better) who ran interference for Clinton when they should have been simply making sure that the rules were the same for everyone.

The DNC in this instance was a lot like Mark Henderson.  There are a few of you out there who are already saying "Yeah - Mark Henderson!" (Well, Dave Goldman anyway).  For the rest of you - Mark Henderson was a guy who was on prison work release back in 1982.  When it snowed his job was to drive a little snow plow around (then) Sullivan Stadium during Patriot's games clearing off the yard markers and sidelines so that you could see where they were.  During one snowy game against the Dolphins the two teams were tied 0-0 when the Patriots lined up to try a field goal in the closing minutes.  It was highly unlikely the kick would be made as there was about four inches of snow on the field and it looked like the game would end in a tie.  Or at least it did until Mark Henderson drove his plow onto the field and cleared a patch right where the Patriot's kicker was going make his attempt.  As the Dolphins screamed bloody murder John Smith calmly sent his kick through the uprights to secure a victory.  To this day the snow plow hangs in the Patriots' Hall of Fame.

As a fan I loved the "snow plow game" but - if I were the Dolphins I don't think I'd have been too happy.  That must be the way that Bernie Sanders and any other potential challenger to Hillary Clinton would have felt this year as the DNC "cleared the way" for a Clinton nomination.  The same with all of the so called "experts" who actively discouraged actual competition on the Democratic side.  The money, the operatives and the establishment all lined up to give us the anointed candidate, conveniently overlooking the fact that she wasn't, by any stretch, the "best" candidate.

Look - I'm sure Hillary is a competent executive (and I've said so) and I'm sure as well that she feels terrible about what just went down.  This isn't about whether she is a good or bad person - or even if she would have been a good or bad President. But - seriously - she is the God-awfullest campaigner in U.S. history.  Thrown in to the crucible of Presidential politics in two different election years (as an overwhelming favorite both times) she managed to lose to an unknown black guy (thank goodness), nearly lose to a septuagenarian socialist Senator from the highly influential political hotbed that is Vermont, and lose to a septuagenarian, racist, misogynistic reality TV star.  At this rate they could nominate her for Pope and she'd come in third to an atheist transgender candidate named "Penelope" and the ghost of Ian Paisley.

And we've known this - it isn't like Hillary suddenly lost her fastball - she never had one.  The people who were supposed to know better simply did not do their job.  As a result we now have President Trump.

Beyond this we also have a relatively bare cupboard when it comes to viable talent in the Democratic ranks.  The Republicans just ran 17 people for President (granted, they got beat by Trump as well) but out of that crucible Cruz, Rubio, Bush, Ryan and Pence would all be higher profile candidates than any Democrat, and if Trump does falter any one could become a strong candidate in their own right in future elections.  The Republican contest was a disorganised mess - but - and this is important - it was, at least, an actual contest.  But for Bernie there would have been no Democratic nomination fight.  Even with the Sanders challenge it seems the Democratic machine did all it could to pave the way for Hillary to ascend to the nomination.  So how did that work out for ya?

Oh – and while we’re at it, while Bernie did himself proud, let's face it, he isn't even an autumn chicken at this point. The Dems, by promoting only a single candidate, (who first became prominent a quarter century ago), have left themselves with a talent pool so shallow that if you stood a penny on edge in it you couldn't get Lincoln's neck wet.

Maybe this is a good thing.  Massachusetts, home of the aforementioned Martha Coakley, managed to finally break the hold of the hackocracy by nominating outsiders like Elizabeth Warren and Deval Patrick for prominent positions.  When Barack Obama emerged in 2008 he was certainly not a member of the "establishment" - and that worked out just fine.  Maybe it is time to start contemplating the likes of a Mark Cuban as an outsider candidate for higher office.  It certainly worked for the Republicans with Trump (and Ronald Reagan for that matter).  At any rate - anything is better than another candidate put forward by the party "experts".  There will be plenty of time to contemplate the upcoming Presidency of Donald Trump - but if the Democratic establishment really want to fix things the first step is to spend less time looking at the man with the orange complexion and more time looking in the mirror.