Wow, thanks, Joe, really looking forward to reading the book.
I actually remember reading Hank Thompson's story when I was a 10-year-old kid, thanks to a long piece by the great Arnold Hano in the late, great, still-lamented Sport magazine. It's been over 60 years, but I still remember being haunted by that article, written when Thompson was in prison.
Oh, and since I can't help it, a very small nitpick going way, way off the subject: They weren't the "crosstown" Cardinals. Unlike in other two-team cities, the Cardinals and Browns shared Sportsman's Park, in North St. Louis. The Browns actually owned it; the Cardinals were their tenants. In Bill Veeck's autobiography he wrote about trying to run the Cardinals out of town (probably to Houston) when he owned the Browns. He thought he would have succeeded had the Cardinals not been bought by the deep-pocketed Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Thanks for posting this piece. I have the book but haven't had a chance to start reading it yet.
My wife, Katie, passed on June 19th after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer. Finding any joy over the last month has been extremely difficult. Rather, I find myself riding waves of complete numbness interspersed with crushing grief. But this piece brought a little bit of joy into my morning.
Thank you.
And I am not sure if this is allowed or even prudent, but here is a link to her obituary. She was a great person whose her story deserves to be known. Hopefully, some of her light can carry on through others.
This wonderful piece reminded me of being in London years ago and seeing in the London Times a big write up of what was apparently an exciting international cricket match England had played with (I think) Australia. Closely fought, came down to the last bowl, things like that. I read the write up carefully, not at all understanding how cricket really worked beyond the mild resemblance to a baseball at bat, and COULDN’T UNDERSTAND ANY OF IT. The article about the course of the match was full of cricket jargon, terms a fan would know but a novice would not (imagine how “twin killing” would mystify someone unfamiliar with that baseball term). I was vastly amused. Cut the article from the paper (as one did back in the day) and mailed it to my baseball fan brother for its pristine impenetrability. Twenty years later, I was part of a group of four sharing a dinner table with an Australian family of four in the Outback. As we chatted, the father said he didn’t understand how American football worked, and could I explain it to him? Gladly, I told him, if you will explain cricket to me.
Thank you, Joe. I’m a lifelong baseball fan. Grew up in Puerto Rico where baseball was a near religion at the time. My father had season tickets for the San Juan team (the Senadores) and I got to see many budding major leaguers play winter ball. In contrast to Matthew Mutton, at the time baseball was _the game_ in PR: everybody knew and
… and talked about it. My prize: I watched Willie Mays play just after the season when he had been called up to the majors. Many years later I happened to see him at an airport, approached him and told him I saw him play in Puerto Rico for the Santurce team. He
smiled and mentioned the year. I said a couple of more words (I was awed he would speak to me) and asked for his autograph, which he graciously gave me. I still have that autograph, now framed with his picture.
I also saw many Negro League stars like Willard Brown and Bob Thurman. Only nobody spoke about the Negro League. Neither I nor my school friends—all big baseball fans—had heard of the Negro League. No one I knew, adults included, ever mentioned the Negro League. Baseball in PR was fully integrated (a natural thing). Willard Brown and Bob Thurman really walloped the ball and hit a lot of homers.
Great excerpt from Big Fan. In my various trips to Europe, I'll admit that I never considered that there might be UK baseball fans, especially long-time fans. The other sports, I knew. I know they play hockey, and basketball -- I saw Monaco play a French league game in 1990--also saw the football team play Paris St. Germain when PSG wasn't cool or sportswashing too. And the NFL had marketed its way into Europe as well. But baseball? Especially not in England, home of cricket.
So that was a great chapter..never mind all the cultural depth in the chapter.
I have tried to explain "Big Fan" to a lot of big fans who I know. The most recent of these was to a huge Bears fan (I live west of Chicago.)
I always say the book is bonkers crazy and crazy funny. There's darts and Anfield and pickleball and it starts in a B Dubs in Texas.
But for all the crazy and funny, it's got a serious undercurrent--because all good humor riffs off some truth. So I said to my friend, "Why are you a Bears fan? I know there is family history and geography and love of the sport. But *why are you a Bears fan?*" At some point, it gets through--I saw his eyes widen a bit.
That's why I am a big fan of Big Fan. I'm telling everyone about it, and spoiler, Santa is going to be delivering copies.
I remember listening to the radio broadcasts of Hank Thompson playing on the Alvin Dark and Whitey Lockman Giants but never knew the rest of his story. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and reminding me that all stories do not have happy endings.
This read was glorious. I have read BIG FAN already but I enjoyed this recasting from the book so much. I have had a couple of Hank Thompson baseball cards forever but never knew about him. Thank you for helping me get to appreciate him for more than a photo on a piece of paper.
I, honestly, have no idea what my subscription to JoeBlogs costs. It just hits my credit card. But, whatever it costs, it's a bargain. Reading these have brought back so many childhood memories for me. My father is 87 and I can't count the number of times I have read something here and it made me want to call my dad. Thanks Joe.
Wow, thanks, Joe, really looking forward to reading the book.
I actually remember reading Hank Thompson's story when I was a 10-year-old kid, thanks to a long piece by the great Arnold Hano in the late, great, still-lamented Sport magazine. It's been over 60 years, but I still remember being haunted by that article, written when Thompson was in prison.
Oh, and since I can't help it, a very small nitpick going way, way off the subject: They weren't the "crosstown" Cardinals. Unlike in other two-team cities, the Cardinals and Browns shared Sportsman's Park, in North St. Louis. The Browns actually owned it; the Cardinals were their tenants. In Bill Veeck's autobiography he wrote about trying to run the Cardinals out of town (probably to Houston) when he owned the Browns. He thought he would have succeeded had the Cardinals not been bought by the deep-pocketed Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Thanks for posting this piece. I have the book but haven't had a chance to start reading it yet.
My wife, Katie, passed on June 19th after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer. Finding any joy over the last month has been extremely difficult. Rather, I find myself riding waves of complete numbness interspersed with crushing grief. But this piece brought a little bit of joy into my morning.
Thank you.
And I am not sure if this is allowed or even prudent, but here is a link to her obituary. She was a great person whose her story deserves to be known. Hopefully, some of her light can carry on through others.
https://everloved.com/life-of/katherine-vicars-soloway/obituary/
This wonderful piece reminded me of being in London years ago and seeing in the London Times a big write up of what was apparently an exciting international cricket match England had played with (I think) Australia. Closely fought, came down to the last bowl, things like that. I read the write up carefully, not at all understanding how cricket really worked beyond the mild resemblance to a baseball at bat, and COULDN’T UNDERSTAND ANY OF IT. The article about the course of the match was full of cricket jargon, terms a fan would know but a novice would not (imagine how “twin killing” would mystify someone unfamiliar with that baseball term). I was vastly amused. Cut the article from the paper (as one did back in the day) and mailed it to my baseball fan brother for its pristine impenetrability. Twenty years later, I was part of a group of four sharing a dinner table with an Australian family of four in the Outback. As we chatted, the father said he didn’t understand how American football worked, and could I explain it to him? Gladly, I told him, if you will explain cricket to me.
Thank you, Joe. I’m a lifelong baseball fan. Grew up in Puerto Rico where baseball was a near religion at the time. My father had season tickets for the San Juan team (the Senadores) and I got to see many budding major leaguers play winter ball. In contrast to Matthew Mutton, at the time baseball was _the game_ in PR: everybody knew and
Sorry, posted prematurely. Here’s the rest.
… and talked about it. My prize: I watched Willie Mays play just after the season when he had been called up to the majors. Many years later I happened to see him at an airport, approached him and told him I saw him play in Puerto Rico for the Santurce team. He
smiled and mentioned the year. I said a couple of more words (I was awed he would speak to me) and asked for his autograph, which he graciously gave me. I still have that autograph, now framed with his picture.
I also saw many Negro League stars like Willard Brown and Bob Thurman. Only nobody spoke about the Negro League. Neither I nor my school friends—all big baseball fans—had heard of the Negro League. No one I knew, adults included, ever mentioned the Negro League. Baseball in PR was fully integrated (a natural thing). Willard Brown and Bob Thurman really walloped the ball and hit a lot of homers.
Beautiful, as always. Thanks, Joe, for being part of my morning routine.
Thank you, Joe. Such a powerful and evocative piece.
Great excerpt from Big Fan. In my various trips to Europe, I'll admit that I never considered that there might be UK baseball fans, especially long-time fans. The other sports, I knew. I know they play hockey, and basketball -- I saw Monaco play a French league game in 1990--also saw the football team play Paris St. Germain when PSG wasn't cool or sportswashing too. And the NFL had marketed its way into Europe as well. But baseball? Especially not in England, home of cricket.
So that was a great chapter..never mind all the cultural depth in the chapter.
I have tried to explain "Big Fan" to a lot of big fans who I know. The most recent of these was to a huge Bears fan (I live west of Chicago.)
I always say the book is bonkers crazy and crazy funny. There's darts and Anfield and pickleball and it starts in a B Dubs in Texas.
But for all the crazy and funny, it's got a serious undercurrent--because all good humor riffs off some truth. So I said to my friend, "Why are you a Bears fan? I know there is family history and geography and love of the sport. But *why are you a Bears fan?*" At some point, it gets through--I saw his eyes widen a bit.
That's why I am a big fan of Big Fan. I'm telling everyone about it, and spoiler, Santa is going to be delivering copies.
I remember listening to the radio broadcasts of Hank Thompson playing on the Alvin Dark and Whitey Lockman Giants but never knew the rest of his story. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and reminding me that all stories do not have happy endings.
This read was glorious. I have read BIG FAN already but I enjoyed this recasting from the book so much. I have had a couple of Hank Thompson baseball cards forever but never knew about him. Thank you for helping me get to appreciate him for more than a photo on a piece of paper.
I, honestly, have no idea what my subscription to JoeBlogs costs. It just hits my credit card. But, whatever it costs, it's a bargain. Reading these have brought back so many childhood memories for me. My father is 87 and I can't count the number of times I have read something here and it made me want to call my dad. Thanks Joe.