Joe, I am half way through your book, "The Baseball 100", and it is bringing me as much pleasure as any book I can think of, so thank you for providing that pleasure. My days as a baseball player/coach/fan go back to Enos Slaughter in the 1946 World Series, so I have watched or listened to the vast majority of the 100 players you have chosen. As much as I've read about many of these great players, your "asides" offer a new dimension. I'm surprised at how many times I've thought to myself "I didn't know that." Keep on writing about baseball--your gift to each of your readers.
I absolutely think what you write matters as the best way through is by doing - reminding ourselves of what is "the good stuff" in a time where there's a heightened amount of "scary stuff". I still believe love wins and time together - however we can find it or allow for it in a safe manner - marks life like nothing else.
I have loved watching my ever-present "young and scrappy" Oakland A's start to hit their (or at least "a") stride early in the season and figure out, "hey, we're pretty good". They're competing out there - going their hardest. It is a weird funhouse - reflections of what's familiar and stark reminders of what isn't juxtaposed sharply.
I'll add this - I have a new family/baseball documentary that has been described very much as joyful, loving and inspirational. I'd love to share it with you if you have the time - you can get the details here: www.bosmovie.com. Keep writing. Thank you.
Joe, don't let your self-imposed deadline turn into handcuffs. I'd rather have a happy medium - no complete radio silence, but your deeper, more thoughtful posts are worth waiting for a day or two between them.
Hi Joe, Thank you very much for the riches you share with us about sports and about your family. Please be sure to also take the time you need for yourself and your family. God bless.
Thanks Joe. It is critical that we all get in touch with and take responsibility for those negative emotions that we all feel. Too often the way we deal with them is to find someone to blame which does no one any good. I applaud your efforts.
This has already been shared, Joe, but to me your posts and articles and lists and stories ARE the good stuff. Like you, I feel pretty blessed overall but this whole situation has really taken the wind out of my sails. Any little nugget of joy really helps to lift me up and your writing is one of those precious nuggets. Thank you.
Joe -- I certainly hope you keep writing your morning baseball vignettes and keep us entertained (and let us shed a few tears) with stories of your family. While I agree to a certain extent that reading about sports right now can be depressing, your writing always shines through and makes me feel like the world is "normal" right now, if only for a few minutes. Keep up the great work, Joe.
Thanks so much for this Joe. It’s really telling that this post was about as dark & depressing as your writing ever gets, yet it was still full of hope and optimism. Keep up the great work! Please!!!!
This is perhaps an odd thing to say, but one of your stories about Buck is a key touch point for me these days. You tell of a grown man grabbing a foul ball from a young child ... and Buck saying that maybe he had a kid at home for whom the ball would be a treasure. Always looking for the little flowers growing in the mud.
Last week, I drove by a road construction crew. The woman holding the warning sign was dancing and smiling, waving to all the traffic going by. Yesterday, we took my daughter's car into the dealership for some minor work. Instead of making us go through all the paperwork and scheduling, the older man who guided us in just said, "shoot I can do that right now" pulled the car into the back and was done in five minutes. This morning as I went for a jog, I saw a yard with dozens of cheap mylar pinwheels turning slowly in the breeze. Last night, I watched Ronald Acuna score from third on a ball to second with the infield drawn in. After scoring, he leaped up with a huge smile on his face.
Yeah, there is a lot that is bad in the world. Racism, hatred, people playing politics with our health, and the like. But even with all that, you don't have to look far and wide to find one more red dress.
Joe, thank you for continuing to write. COVID is a public health crisis that is also exacerbating an existing mental health crisis in our country. Sports are indeed a funhouse version of themselves, but the human brain needs diversions from the chaos around us and our families. Good writing like yours is not a cure but is certainly a salve for what ails us all. I am grateful for you.
Thank you, Joe. It heartens me. By the way, despite losses, I believe the Royals pitching has been excellent, and that gives me hope, the way baseball always does.
Your stories are indeed 'our stories' either via shared memories or a window into general experiences. MY daughter (and eldest) also had her senior HS year wiped out along with a summer of travel and outreach experiences with her youth group this summer.
My older boy missed his last little league season, what would have been the culmination of 7 seasons of playing baseball with his friends. The 'outing' went out of Scouting as his troop moved to Zoom and virtual activities.
And so it goes. But sports, such as they are, and your writing both bring us together as we marvel at athletic achievement and cheer for our teams and recall games and teams of yore.
Joe, I am half way through your book, "The Baseball 100", and it is bringing me as much pleasure as any book I can think of, so thank you for providing that pleasure. My days as a baseball player/coach/fan go back to Enos Slaughter in the 1946 World Series, so I have watched or listened to the vast majority of the 100 players you have chosen. As much as I've read about many of these great players, your "asides" offer a new dimension. I'm surprised at how many times I've thought to myself "I didn't know that." Keep on writing about baseball--your gift to each of your readers.
I absolutely think what you write matters as the best way through is by doing - reminding ourselves of what is "the good stuff" in a time where there's a heightened amount of "scary stuff". I still believe love wins and time together - however we can find it or allow for it in a safe manner - marks life like nothing else.
I have loved watching my ever-present "young and scrappy" Oakland A's start to hit their (or at least "a") stride early in the season and figure out, "hey, we're pretty good". They're competing out there - going their hardest. It is a weird funhouse - reflections of what's familiar and stark reminders of what isn't juxtaposed sharply.
I'll add this - I have a new family/baseball documentary that has been described very much as joyful, loving and inspirational. I'd love to share it with you if you have the time - you can get the details here: www.bosmovie.com. Keep writing. Thank you.
Joe, don't let your self-imposed deadline turn into handcuffs. I'd rather have a happy medium - no complete radio silence, but your deeper, more thoughtful posts are worth waiting for a day or two between them.
Hi Joe, Thank you very much for the riches you share with us about sports and about your family. Please be sure to also take the time you need for yourself and your family. God bless.
Thanks Joe. It is critical that we all get in touch with and take responsibility for those negative emotions that we all feel. Too often the way we deal with them is to find someone to blame which does no one any good. I applaud your efforts.
This may help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTWy9jim7Mw
“We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we WILL meet again.”
--- HM Queen Elizabeth II, 5 April 2020
Thank you for all your efforts to find the best ways to say the best things about these shrunken times.
This has already been shared, Joe, but to me your posts and articles and lists and stories ARE the good stuff. Like you, I feel pretty blessed overall but this whole situation has really taken the wind out of my sails. Any little nugget of joy really helps to lift me up and your writing is one of those precious nuggets. Thank you.
Joe -- I certainly hope you keep writing your morning baseball vignettes and keep us entertained (and let us shed a few tears) with stories of your family. While I agree to a certain extent that reading about sports right now can be depressing, your writing always shines through and makes me feel like the world is "normal" right now, if only for a few minutes. Keep up the great work, Joe.
Thanks so much for this Joe. It’s really telling that this post was about as dark & depressing as your writing ever gets, yet it was still full of hope and optimism. Keep up the great work! Please!!!!
Good stuff Joe
This is perhaps an odd thing to say, but one of your stories about Buck is a key touch point for me these days. You tell of a grown man grabbing a foul ball from a young child ... and Buck saying that maybe he had a kid at home for whom the ball would be a treasure. Always looking for the little flowers growing in the mud.
Last week, I drove by a road construction crew. The woman holding the warning sign was dancing and smiling, waving to all the traffic going by. Yesterday, we took my daughter's car into the dealership for some minor work. Instead of making us go through all the paperwork and scheduling, the older man who guided us in just said, "shoot I can do that right now" pulled the car into the back and was done in five minutes. This morning as I went for a jog, I saw a yard with dozens of cheap mylar pinwheels turning slowly in the breeze. Last night, I watched Ronald Acuna score from third on a ball to second with the infield drawn in. After scoring, he leaped up with a huge smile on his face.
Yeah, there is a lot that is bad in the world. Racism, hatred, people playing politics with our health, and the like. But even with all that, you don't have to look far and wide to find one more red dress.
Thanks for your lovely vignettes. It points out that beauty and grace continue to surround us in the little things we often overlook.
Your response sounds like something Joe would have written. Beautifully stated; thanks.
There can be no higher praise. Thanks!
Joe, thank you for continuing to write. COVID is a public health crisis that is also exacerbating an existing mental health crisis in our country. Sports are indeed a funhouse version of themselves, but the human brain needs diversions from the chaos around us and our families. Good writing like yours is not a cure but is certainly a salve for what ails us all. I am grateful for you.
Thank you, Joe. It heartens me. By the way, despite losses, I believe the Royals pitching has been excellent, and that gives me hope, the way baseball always does.
It helps. You help. The world sucks, but you make it better, 30 minutes at a time.
Your stories are indeed 'our stories' either via shared memories or a window into general experiences. MY daughter (and eldest) also had her senior HS year wiped out along with a summer of travel and outreach experiences with her youth group this summer.
My older boy missed his last little league season, what would have been the culmination of 7 seasons of playing baseball with his friends. The 'outing' went out of Scouting as his troop moved to Zoom and virtual activities.
And so it goes. But sports, such as they are, and your writing both bring us together as we marvel at athletic achievement and cheer for our teams and recall games and teams of yore.