“You always get a special kick on opening day. You look forward to it like a birthday party as a kid.”  ~ Joe DiMaggio
 
Today is the Chicago White Sox Home Opener; finally! This post should have been written months ago, but as we all are painfully aware, life changed dramatically.  But let’s put THAT aside.
 
As a fan, the White Sox home opener was always a holiday in my family. We went to the game, were called out of school as “going to the game”, never sick. A tradition that I carried on with my own three kids. No matter what the weather, we went to the game.
 
Opening Day is like your birthday, Christmas and family vacation all rolled into one. It takes on what Spring means, rebirth. This year it comes on the 24th of July, so that “rebirth” has definitely gone past it’s “due date”; but nonetheless, still a welcomed celebration. And since my birthday is tomorrow, it’s a “dual” celebration!
 
Opening Day is full of promise. Every team is in a tie for first place. (I know, with the games beginning last night, the Yankees and the Dodgers are in first, but you get the idea). Every player has the potential to have an awesome season. Every team may go to the World Series. We may see no hitters or even perfect games. There will be walk off home runs or even better, clutch hits down the line. We will see amazing defensive plays. We may see our favorite players be the hero all season long.  We may see some rookie have the start of a long, successful career. Ah, the possibilities are endless.
 
I am not thrilled with the abbreviated season, some of the lame rules that have been put in place, not being able to attend the games, nor the “playoff” structure; but BASEBALL IS BACK!!!
 
So whichever team has your loyalties and love, I wish you the best! I will be rooting for the White Sox at 7:10pC tonight! Have a dog and a beer, kick back and enjoy the season.
 
~ Coach Mike

​“A hotdog at the ballpark is better than a steak at The Ritz.”
~ Humphrey Bogart

There used to be a car commercial with a jingle that went, “Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.” It was about the “American Experience”. Today we will examine half of that jingle. 

Baseball is a traditional game, it was (and in my heart, still is) “America’s Game”, “The National Past Time.” And what is more traditional than having a ‘dog and a beer while enjoying a game at the park? 

​When did the hotdog, become entwined with the game? One story says that German immigrant Chris Von de Ahe started to sell pork sausage wieners at the St. Louis Browns ball field, which at various times was called “New Sportsman’s Park” or “Robinson Field”. Another story says, Harry M. Stevens a Britain began selling the sausages on a cold day when his ice cream wouldn’t have had many takers. Either way, they went over with the fans.

Enter Chicago; at some point the popular fare made it north to Chicago, and the pork sausage by now also had beef added to the mixture. By 1929, a “kosher-style” all beef frankfurter hit the market by a company named Fluky’s. Eventually becoming what is lovingly called the Chicago Dog, or Chicago-style hot dog, some also call it the Chicago Red Hot. 

So, what exactly is The Chicago Dog? It is a steamed hot dog (usually Vienna Beef), served on a poppy seed bun (The Mary Jane) and topped with yellow mustard, green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices (or wedges), chopped white onions, sport peppers and a dash of celery salt. This configuration is known as “dragged through the garden”. This is the perfect dog! Other condiments that are acceptable, but not necessary are cucumber slices, lettuce and jalapeños peppers. Cheese and chili may also be added, but those are sold as a Cheese Dog, a Chili Dog and when combined, A Chili-Cheese Dog.  

What is NOT acceptable on a Chicago Dog is Ketchup. Where I grew up on the South Side of Chicago, in the McKinley Park area, it was a sin and the vendors didn’t offer it, period. Ketchup is believed to cover up the taste of spoiled meat and is not needed on a fresh dog. Ketchup has more sugar than all the other condiments that go on a Chicago dog and makes the taste redundant, it hides the flavors of the other condiments as well as the dog itself. In a few short words, it’s just not done. Some disagree on this point.

The debate has and will continue forever. Which is why it’s fitting that the hotdog is so closely related to baseball. In just one example, Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers stole home in the 1955 World Series against the New York Yankees, he was called safe by home-plate umpire Bill Summers. Until his dying day, Yankee catcher, Lawrence “Yogi” Berra swore he got the tag down prior to Robinson touching the plate. Many fans agree with Yogi; even fans that weren’t alive when it happened thanks to see films of the games on highlight reels. The debate on both goes on, it’s part of the beauty of the game. 

What’s your preference?

Enjoy your ‘dog and beer, either at the ballpark whenever we can attend again or at home while watching a game!

~ Coach Mike

 “We count everything.” ~ Billy Chapel in “For Love of the Game”
 
Baseball is famous for keeping statistics on everything. History is such an important part of the game. The history of the sport is passed down from generation to generation; it’s a living history. While it is hard to compare players from one era to another, some things just stick out. Here are three players with amazing stats.  
 
Greg Maddux was a right-handed pitcher, 6 foot, 195lbs, who played in the majors from September 3, 1986 to September 27, 2008. He finished his career with a win / loss record of 355-227, an Earned Run Average of 3.16 and 3,371 Strike Outs. He played for the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, back to the Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego padres and finished back with the Dodgers. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014.  
 
Amazing Stat: He faced 20,421 batters during his career and saw only 310  3-0 counts. 177 of those were intentional walks.
 
Stan “The Man” Musial, was a 6 foot, 175lbs outfielder / first baseman who played his entire 22-year career for the Saint Louis Cardinals, from 1941-1944 and 1946-1963. He threw and batted left-handed. His career stats, Batting Average .331, Hits 3,630, Home Runs 475 and Runs Batted In 1,951. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1969.
 
Amazing Stat: Of his 3,630 career hits, 1,815 were at home and 1,815 on the road.
 
Bob “Gibby” Gibson, a 6-foot 2 inch, 195lbs right-handed pitch who made is major league debut on April 15, 1959 and pitched his last game on September 1975, all 17 years with the Saint Louis Cardinals. His career win / lose record was 251-174, Earned Run Average 2.91 and had a total of 3,117 Strike Outs. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981.
 
Besides playing Major League Baseball, Bob played with the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. Bob was an outstanding athlete and was fiercely competitive. He once told his battery mate, catcher Tim McCarver when he came out to the mound to talk with him, “The only thing you know about pitching is that it’s hard to hit.” He is currently fighting pancreatic cancer. I wish him well and personally think his cancer doesn’t stand a chance! 
 
Amazing Fact: Gibson, while pitching against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 15,1967, was hit on his right leg by a Roberto Clemente line drive. Bob faced three more batters before collapsing, he had been unaware that his lower leg had fractured, his right fibula snapped above his ankle. 

Amazing Stat: In 1968, Bob Gibson had 34 starts, 28 complete games, and was removed for a pinch hitter six times. His manager, Red Schoendienst did not remove him from the mound the entire season. His record that year, 22-9 with an unbelievable 1.12 ERA.
 
We will re-visit this theme from time to time I ‘m sure.
 
~ Coach Mike