Saturday, January 26, 2013

Hall of Fame voters turn away!


Here's an interesting(?) comparison.  Two great pitchers from age 31:

Age 31   9-7   2.85   3-1   1.73
Age 32 10-5   4.18  16-11 1.72
Age 33 10-13 3.63  27-14 1.91
Age 34 21-7   2.05  15-13 3.39
Age 35 20-6   2.65  16-13 3.63
Age 36 14-10 4.60  22-12 3.19
Age 37 13-8   3.70  12-5  3.03
Age 38 20-3   3.51  15-11 3.39
Age 39 13-6   4.35  12-10 3.05
Age 40 17-9   3.91  21-10 2.52
Age 41 18-4   2.98  16-9   3.36
Age 42 13-8   1.87  9-8     3.89

Pitcher A won 178 games post age 31 with an uptick at age 34 and age 38.  Pitcher B won 184 games post age 31 with three bumps at ages 33, 36, and amazingly at age 40.  Both were considered washed up at least twice in their careers, A at ages 33 and 40 and B at ages 31 and 39.  One is in the Hall of Fame, the other cast aside due to questions about how he could maintain his ability at an age when most power hurlers are done.

A is our friend Roger Clemens.
Can you guess B?  His wins by age 30 are 190, with a 94-35 record from ages 28 to 30.

If you guessed Grover Cleveland the 22nd and 24th POTUS you are wrong.  If you guessed Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander you are CORRECT!!!

Pete was considered washed up after he was gassed during service in WWI.  The Sillies, er Phillies, dumped him off to the unwitting Cubs along with his batterymate Bill Killefer for two future greats: Pickles Dillhoefer (get the nickname?) and Mike Prendergast.  Oh, and a cool $50,000.  Pete was far from washed up, though he struggled with the bottle as is well known.  Plus he had numerous other health issues.  He was elected in 1938 (HOF not POTUS!) on 212 0f 262 ballots.  I doubt that anyone questioned those career bumps.

We live in a different and much more suspicious time.  I'm not pro or con Clemens, just pointing out that if the only reason Clemens is not voted in are his numbers late in his career, then that is bogus.  It does happen, and Ol'Pete is just one example.

Saturday, January 19, 2013


The headlines are filled with the likes of Lance Armstrong, Manti Te'o, gun control, people pushed into subway trains, and Honey Boo Boo. It reminds me of how important it is for parents to be role models for their kids. Not just role models, but the best role models we can possibly be. I am repulsed by the Armstrong getting so much attention by being on Oprah to tell the world that he's a liar and despicable man. Hey, go away dude. Some place where we never have to see or hear from you again. It's time that parents, all parents, teach our kids that athletes are not great role models, at least most of them. To get to the top they, like Donald Trump and every other "financial wizard," had to push everyone out of the way. Trample friend and foe under foot to get there. Lie, cheat, and steal. Not that every jock is a creep, hardly, but as role models they leave much to be desired. Want a role model? Read about John Quincy Adams. In fact, read about John Adams, Abigail Adams, Henry Adams, and the entire Adams family. They are true role models.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013


Today's Baseball Hall of Fame announcement raised many questions. One was that some players knew of the cheating by Bonds, Clemens, etc and said nothing. I can't go along with the "said nothing" because sports at any level just doesn't lend itself to exposing a fellow athlete. Lance Armstrong is just one example. Next, "said nothing" really does not apply because there was no testing for most of the time that Bonds, Clemens, et al played. No testing, no penalty, no nothing. Next, baseball in general, owners and players and stadium workers and EVERYONE benefited when McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Clemens and who knows who else brought a new level of HR records and Cy Young awards to the game. Blind eye! So, though they were never accused nor was there ever a sniff of guilt, the likes of Biggio, Bagwell, and Piazza did not gain entry because of some suspicion or rumor of use, or in your thinking because they knew what was going on. It reminds me of going through an airport. TSA assumes everyone is guilty because of 9/11. Have we forgotten innocent until proven guilty? True these are ballplayers, but Congress chose to indict and foolishly threw away tax payer money and in addition, without naming names, cast a shadow of doubt over every player from that era. Just not fair. My last argument has to do with PEDs. What exactly is a Performance Enhancing Drug? If Barry Bonds twisted his ankle and got a Novocaine shot so he could perform, isn't that a PED? Where do we draw the line? If you wake up with a severe headache and take a few Advil so that you can do your job, haven't you enhanced your performance? I won't even go into Viagra! I'm not in favor of just allowing Bonds et al into the HOF carte blanche. Some determination makes sense as far as acknowledging the era. But unless they are proven to have cheated then the likes of Biggio and Bagwell and Piazza should be enshrined without an asterix. Let's not even go into "integrity." Do some reading on Cap Anson, Charlie Radbourn, Ty Cobb and many others already enshrined. Not good example of "integrity", to say the least.
Today's Baseball Hall of Fame announcement raised many questions.  One was that some players knew of the cheating by Bonds, Clemens, etc and said nothing. I can't go along with the "said nothing" because sports at any level just doesn't lend itself to exposing a fellow athlete. Lance Armstrong is just one example. Next, "said nothing" really does not apply because there was no testing for most of the time that Bonds, Clemens, et al played. No testing, no penalty, no nothing. Next, baseball in general, owners and players and stadium workers and EVERYONE benefited when McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Clemens and who knows who else brought a new level of HR records and Cy Young awards to the game. Blind eye! So, though they were never accused nor was there ever a sniff of guilt, the likes of Biggio, Bagwell, and Piazza did not gain entry because of some suspicion or rumor of use, or in your thinking because they knew what was going on. It reminds me of going through an airport. TSA assumes everyone is guilty because of 9/11. Have we forgotten innocent until proven guilty? True these are ballplayers, but Congress chose to indict and foolishly threw away tax payer money and in addition, without naming names, cast a shadow of doubt over every player from that era. Just not fair. My last argument has to do with PEDs. What exactly is a Performance Enhancing Drug? If Barry Bonds twisted his ankle and got a Novocaine shot so he could perform, isn't that a PED? Where do we draw the line? If you wake up with a severe headache and take a few Advil so that you can do your job, haven't you enhanced your performance? I won't even go into Viagra! I'm not in favor of just allowing Bonds et al into the HOF carte blanche. Some determination makes sense as far as acknowledging the era. But unless they are proven to have cheated then the likes of Biggio and Bagwell and Piazza should be enshrined without an asterix. Let's not even go into "integrity." Do some reading on Cap Anson, Charlie Radbourn, Ty Cobb and many others already enshrined. Not good example of "integrity", to say the least.

Sunday, January 6, 2013


  • Recommended reading: "George Washington" by Ron Chernow; also by Chernow "Alexander Hamilton;" Harlow Unger's "James Monroe;" also by Unger "John Quincy Adams;" Kevin Gutzman "James Madison and the Making of America." Two volumes on the life of Thomas Jefferson by Alf Mapp. Read "THe Federalist Papers" to get a full eyewitness account into the Constitution. Especially important is the account by Madison in #10 as to freedom of Religion and #29 by Hamilton on the meaning of the Right to Bear Arms. Politics in the 18th and 19th Centuries was quite as contentious as it is today. The battle ro ratify the Constitution was down and dirty and makes "Liberty's Blueprint" by Michael Meyerson a good read.