"Speedball" never really bothered me - it was a little off, but I never cared that much (maybe because I'm not a huge Springsteen fan, so I didn't hear it as often as people that listen to him more regularly), but I think "spitball" is worse, both in sound and in meaning for the song.
In “Field of Dreams,” it always bugged me a bit that Ray asks his father to “have a catch” rather than “play catch.” I have always assumed it was a regional thing where Ray grew up, but it is not the language of my baseball youth.
I was confused at first too, and thought I must be missing something. Then I looked at it the other way and realized what he was probably on about, and figured I was just unaware of the parlance in the chess world, thinking that when they say they are "playing black" they mean they are "playing (against) black", like when I say that the Yankees are "playing the Mets" or whatever. Didn't seem to make any sense, but I could see how maybe I had been mistaken.
As a baseball fan, the speedball reference always gives me pause, yet I can see a scenario where the high school bravado of the character in the song has names for his own pitches and likes to refer to it as his speedball. Here’s the thing. Even Bruce can’t change the lyric all these years on. It’s speedball. It’s part of history. Print the legend.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ when I looked, apparently it had already been corrected. And you said, "Ah, that's it. Joe was white pieces. I stared at the board for quite awhile, trying to figure out what Joe was talking about."
I saw Bruce on Easter on Long Island, and he said "speedball." Just listened to the tour recordings of "Glory Days" available on nugs.net for subsequent shows, and it seems he made the change for the next show on LI on April 11, and kept it for the April 14 show in Newark, both times saying "spitball" after a momentary pause. He then went back to "speedball" in Barcelona on April 28 & 30, though for the 28th, after introducing his wife, Patti, said, "SHE could throw that speedball by ya." And then it was back to "spitball" on May 5 in Dublin.
UPDATE: I went back to listen to all available shows, because I just had to know. "Spitball" debuted on April 5 in Cleveland and was also used April 7 in Baltimore before the three mentioned above.
I agree with this. I could see the guy being a school hero of sorts striking guys out with a crafty spitball type pitch, but to really be the glory days type of guy it seems like he should be blowing people away with a fastball. Plenty of those guys wash out in the minors.
You are crazy, in a positively brilliant kind of way.
Of course, Springsteen fans are--or should be--baseball fans, and vice-versa. The nuances of each note, play, and pitch; the rhythm and grace of each throw, steal, and catch; the timelessness of each song and game (pitch clock notwithstanding) are all symbiotic gifts. And the promise of every career, whether in music or baseball, until it is no more, lives on in the retelling and in individual memory. To quote another "Boss-ism" of eternal hope and reality: "The door is open, but the ride, it.ain't free."
I should mention he's changed how he addresses his other lyric controversy. At the US shows I saw, he exaggeratedly said "sways" on Thunder Road. But now he doesn't sing the first verse at all, letting the crowd sing it any damn way they want to.
Nobody threw a spitball in high school....as a former hard-throwing HS pitcher....I know exactly what a "speedball" represents and loved making my friends look like fools.....perfect line to a really cool song.
Leave this one alone Joe...stick to writing columns, not songs brother.
All due respect, here's a better baseball song: "My Very First Love" by Mike Mahaffey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5-MHHSPhtM
Still like "speedball" better. Lots better.
Joe, I think you must have been playing white.
Springsteen said spitball at the show in Jersey
"Speedball" never really bothered me - it was a little off, but I never cared that much (maybe because I'm not a huge Springsteen fan, so I didn't hear it as often as people that listen to him more regularly), but I think "spitball" is worse, both in sound and in meaning for the song.
In “Field of Dreams,” it always bugged me a bit that Ray asks his father to “have a catch” rather than “play catch.” I have always assumed it was a regional thing where Ray grew up, but it is not the language of my baseball youth.
Joe... either I'm drunk, or your chess map is wrong. Or your explanation is wrong.
It would appear you are drunk. A promotion to knight would be mate. Which part don't you agree with out of curiosity?
Didn't look further down the comments. Post has been edited to say Joe was playing white.
I was confused at first too, and thought I must be missing something. Then I looked at it the other way and realized what he was probably on about, and figured I was just unaware of the parlance in the chess world, thinking that when they say they are "playing black" they mean they are "playing (against) black", like when I say that the Yankees are "playing the Mets" or whatever. Didn't seem to make any sense, but I could see how maybe I had been mistaken.
Glad to know things have been set right.
As a baseball fan, the speedball reference always gives me pause, yet I can see a scenario where the high school bravado of the character in the song has names for his own pitches and likes to refer to it as his speedball. Here’s the thing. Even Bruce can’t change the lyric all these years on. It’s speedball. It’s part of history. Print the legend.
under the scenario you described, you were white, NOT black pieces...
personally, i like the ambiguity of speedball; besides, Glory Days isn't exactly a joyous song...
Ah, that's it. Joe was white pieces. I stared at the board for quite awhile, trying to figure out what Joe was talking about.
That's standard chess terminology - you are "playing white" if you are operating the white pieces.
I know that. Why did you think I didn't? Joe said he was playing black, which he obviously wasn't.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ when I looked, apparently it had already been corrected. And you said, "Ah, that's it. Joe was white pieces. I stared at the board for quite awhile, trying to figure out what Joe was talking about."
I saw Bruce on Easter on Long Island, and he said "speedball." Just listened to the tour recordings of "Glory Days" available on nugs.net for subsequent shows, and it seems he made the change for the next show on LI on April 11, and kept it for the April 14 show in Newark, both times saying "spitball" after a momentary pause. He then went back to "speedball" in Barcelona on April 28 & 30, though for the 28th, after introducing his wife, Patti, said, "SHE could throw that speedball by ya." And then it was back to "spitball" on May 5 in Dublin.
UPDATE: I went back to listen to all available shows, because I just had to know. "Spitball" debuted on April 5 in Cleveland and was also used April 7 in Baltimore before the three mentioned above.
“Spitball” is genius. I have just recalibrated the last 39 years.
Speedball makes way more sense than spitball, given the context of the song, I think.
I agree with this. I could see the guy being a school hero of sorts striking guys out with a crafty spitball type pitch, but to really be the glory days type of guy it seems like he should be blowing people away with a fastball. Plenty of those guys wash out in the minors.
Off topic....so how do I get the list of articles that Joe shared last year as his greatest hits?
Joe,
You are crazy, in a positively brilliant kind of way.
Of course, Springsteen fans are--or should be--baseball fans, and vice-versa. The nuances of each note, play, and pitch; the rhythm and grace of each throw, steal, and catch; the timelessness of each song and game (pitch clock notwithstanding) are all symbiotic gifts. And the promise of every career, whether in music or baseball, until it is no more, lives on in the retelling and in individual memory. To quote another "Boss-ism" of eternal hope and reality: "The door is open, but the ride, it.ain't free."
Play On!
So..."Spitball" three nights in a row in Dublin.
I should mention he's changed how he addresses his other lyric controversy. At the US shows I saw, he exaggeratedly said "sways" on Thunder Road. But now he doesn't sing the first verse at all, letting the crowd sing it any damn way they want to.
Show a little faith, y'all.
Nobody threw a spitball in high school....as a former hard-throwing HS pitcher....I know exactly what a "speedball" represents and loved making my friends look like fools.....perfect line to a really cool song.
Leave this one alone Joe...stick to writing columns, not songs brother.
Gotta love Little Steven