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THE CHATTER BOX

	The Chatter Box : Blathering On
	Messages 1 2 3  The Astros in the World Series? by tucsonmike on 21 October 2005 6:29am   George, I'll let you take it from here.   Re: The Astros in the World Series? by Wild in Africa on 21 October 2005 2:03pm   Mike Always felt it was a bit odd (and more than a tad arrogant) to call a sporting event that only America follows, 'The World Series'. Isn't it about time it became 'The Americas Series' instead?   Re: The Astros in the World Series? by canaveralgumby on 21 October 2005 5:15pm   Damn straight, WiA. There was a great article in a spring 2005 baseball magazine, proposing an 8-team elimination WORLD series, in which there would be 2 USA teams - East and West, (let's see if I remember correctly now) the Japanese team, the Asian Continental team, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, South America & Caribbean team, and Europe/UK (incl. Canada/Australia et al). I THINK that's how the author broke it up. Sounds fairly representative to me, I'd like to see it. BUT ANYWAY, CONGRATS to the HOUSTON ASTROS! This is a great championship. You can't go wrong with either team. The Chicago White Sox haven't won a championship since [1913] and the Astros have never been in the WS since their inception. I wish they could both win. %:^)   Re: The Astros in the World Series? by George on 21 October 2005 8:50pm   Of course, we're so Astros crazy, it's unbelievable. There are 4 "official" replica jerseys for sale, plus a number of commemorative t-shirts. I have a jersey from the fabled '86 season when they wore the "rainbow" colors that everyone either loved or hated. I can't fit into it anymore, but my wife can. So, she's wearing it to work today and is getting many compliments. It's a men's medium sise. Actually, she's sharing it with several friends. Looking back, this has been an incredible season. The pitching really stood up. Personally, I thought the Rocket, Roger Clemens, was finished last year, but obviously not. Losing Carlos Beltran to the Mets in the off-season, and then Jeff Bagwell to shoulder surgery early on, were huge obstacles to overcome. Our manager, Phil Garner deserves a lot of credit. We have no particular feelings about the Chicago White Sox, but anyone caught wearing white socks here during the World Series will face serious trouble.   Re: The Astros in the World Series? by tucsonmike on 21 October 2005 11:58pm   Wild and Cori, it's funny growing up you don't think about it the fact that it is only the United States and Canada. (I can't even say North America, because Mexico isn't included). I would like to see happen eventually what Cori described. Many people in Tucson want the White Sox, because the White Sox have their Spring Training here. We also have a White Sox fan in my Toastmasters club. I am just going to watch. Mike   Re: The Astros in the World Series? by intrepid on 22 October 2005 5:30pm   I've heard a couple of reasons for it being called "the World Series". A popular one is that it was first sponsored by a newspaper called "The World". I've also heard that, at the time, the promoters of baseball were confident that the sport was about to take off globally and within a decade the US, Canada and Latin America and Europe would have competing teams. In fairness, I'd like to point out that the World Series is still more representative than the "Miss Universe" pagent.   Re: The Astros in the World Series? by George on 22 October 2005 8:36pm   For the truly objective, the term "World Series" has always been a grandiose assumption. Perhaps one day a Team Americas may actually play a Team Asia in a more representitive World Series. But, to me, it won't have the same gut wrenching passion as, say the Yankees v. Red Sox. Years ago, Henry Aaron got together in a home run derby against Saduharo Oh, the great Japanese slugger. It was an interesting little event, but in the end, no one really cared very much.   Banned From Baseball! by George on 22 October 2005 9:15pm   No discussion about the Chicago White Sox would be be complete without a passing reference the infamaous "Black Sox" scandel of 1919. That year, gambler Arnold Rothstein, alledgedly made a number of small payments to 8 members of the team for throwing games so that he could collect larger wagers in favor of the Cincinnati Reds. Although all 8 were aquitted of charges, Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis declared them BANNED FOR LIFE for the "good of baseball". The White Sox would not win other pennant for 40 years. The most tragic case was that of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. The best left handed hitter in the game at the time, the South Carolina native was completely illiterate and most likely had no grasp of any discussions between Rothstein and the players. After charges were made against the popular player, a little boy approached Jackson outside the courthouse and said, "Say it ain't so, Joe, say it ain't so!". Jackson made no reply. After being banned, he spent several years playing under assumed names for several minor league teams in the South for very little money. He was largely forgotten until he became a prominent character in the movie, Field of Dreams. Here's a picture of some firemen from this morning's local paper: www.herald-coaster.com   Re: Banned From Baseball! by tucsonmike on 23 October 2005 5:48am   If you read the Asinof book Eight Men Out it was fascinating. I was at a writers dinner where the person on my left is a White Sox fan. She grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood where the field is. She explained what sparked the 1919 scandal was the fact that White Sox owner Charles Comiskey was a complete jerk. Cheap and obnoxious. Rothstein et al knew this and took advantage of it. Sportswriters suspected during the series it was being thrown and there had already been rumors before the series. Apparently, the Reds were supposed to be such serious underdogs, the fact that they were winning was already suspect. As for the Miss Universe pageant, what does a Klingon beauty look like anyway?   Game One White Sox 5 Astros 3. by tucsonmike on 23 October 2005 5:49am   Actually a good game. The two White Sox relief pitchers throw some serious heat.   Messages 1 2 3
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