  Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 135 Registered: 01-2004 |
Someone will tell me to put this in the sports mega-thread; but I feel this is more of a Detroit issue than simply a game. Everywhere you go; people are sporting the old English D. What pleases me the most about this is not the broad appeal of my beloved Tigers; it is the attitude for the city of Detroit. This was none the more evident than living in Chicago this last summer. Being that there are many transplants, I often would have the opportunity strike up a conversation about the Tigers, where they are from ect…Although, what struck me the most was where the conversation would often go. It would turn into a conversation about Detroit, the optimism, how far it has came, its future and the general positive perception people who have been away for a while have of the city. There seems to be a rekindling of pride among many of these twenty something former Detroiters. Before, it was always, “I’m from the suburbs, not Detroit, Detroit is a sh*t hole”. In September, I moved to England for graduate school. I rarely see a person from the Detroit area, but when I do, the sentiment is the same; the pride is returning. I would argue that the Tigers have had one of the biggest impacts on a city that a sports teams could have; more so than the Red Wings ever did. Taking into consideration the spotlight and positive press from the Superbowl, this could not have been better timing. Continuing where the Superbowl left off, they bring 40,000 people into the city on a consistent basis and are repeatedly showcasing the city to the national press. What people see on ESPN is a thriving city with entertainment venues (Fox Theater), parks (Campus Martis), jobs (Compuware, GM) and smiling faces. People are starting to turn their heads and Detroit is the big winner here regardless of what the Tigers do…..although, let’s all pray our boys can roll on to the World Series title. | ||
Motownman Member Username: Motownman Post Number: 28 Registered: 09-2006 |
can't be more right | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1621 Registered: 10-2003 |
Olde English letter is a sign of pride for not just the team "...Perhaps more than any other Motown symbol, the Tigers cap speaks to Detroit's place in the nation. In one simple logo, say ad professionals and fans alike, the Tiger D invokes Detroit's fabled past, its blue-collar grit and a certain inextinguishable resilience, even in the worst of times. ..." http://www.detroitnews.com/app s/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200610 06/LIFESTYLE/610060378&SearchI D=73259139802279 | ||
Miss_cleo Member Username: Miss_cleo Post Number: 303 Registered: 05-2005 |
more so than the Red Wings ever did. I dont think so, name a Tiger that is more beloved than Stevie Y, Tigers are a big yawn, baseball is soooo slow its painful to watch, bleh! | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1334 Registered: 05-2005 |
and miss-cleo needlessly expresses her fatigue once more... I'll give you one reason why the tigers have a bigger impact on this city than the wings. SUMMER. | ||
Southen Member Username: Southen Post Number: 7 Registered: 08-2006 |
Just because the Red Wings had Stevie who is more beloved than any Tiger doesnt mean the Wings have had more of an impact on this town than this years Tigers. Detroit has always been a baseball town, unfortunately a decade of bad baseball kind of killed that. You can always look at the Tigers vs. the Wings from an economic standpoint. Double the number of home games, double the people in attendance, add to the fact that the games are affordable to the real fans, and the Tigers have had a much greater impact on Detroit than the Red Wings ever have. Im pretty sure that after this year we will be breaking more attendance records next season. I havent seen this town rally around a team like this since the 97-98 Wings. Everybody rallied around the Pistons but for some reason it didnt quite have the same feeling. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3066 Registered: 10-2003 |
This post season is sooo different than the last one 19 years ago. The big immediate and visual difference is that it is not in Tiger Stadium. The other is that it is so sudden and unexpected. The 84-87 Tigers and the 68-72 Tigers were a long time in coming. We knew them all by the time they fought their way to the top and had a lot more sympatico with them. There were no rookie phenoms like Verlander, Zumaya, Granderson, Shelton and for that matter Leyland and his staff are newbies to us too. Inge having the most seniority on the team speaks volumes. Th 06 Tigers are a suprise and a cinderella story. I'm happy to see it and will be there today to try to move them along, but it all seems so strange. The break with the 20th century Tiger Stadium past has finally occurred. Does anyone else have that slightly eerie feeling? | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 1389 Registered: 06-2004 |
eerie? no. grateful? yes. to be able to finally break from Tiger Stadium without losing the feel that is Detroit - moving forward without losing who we are - that's what matters | ||
Fortress_warren Member Username: Fortress_warren Post Number: 3 Registered: 10-2006 |
I wanna see Tigers-Cardinals. Repeat of 1968, comeback city. Any sightings of #29, Micky Lolich? I met him in 73, at where else, a Kawasaki dealer, he's one big dude. That was kind of crappy that the Tigers stiffed him in 84 and he was sitting in the upper deck out in left field. Should have been behind the dogout. | ||
Fortress_warren Member Username: Fortress_warren Post Number: 4 Registered: 10-2006 |
dugout, I gotta read these closer. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4387 Registered: 11-2003 |
Having Ernie Harwell on the tv last night, calling two innings is a sporting classic. He recalled all kindz of Tiger lore, and they flashed Al Kaline sitting in a booth up there. A lifetime of memories were laid out for us. Running a score of 6-0 up on the damn Yankees is a such a gift to this city. Before the Detroit lovefest gets too strong, remember that those 45,000 fans last night are squeezed into a very small place in Detroit. jjaba attends Tigers games but before he goes into the stadium, he walks the city. He parks in his no-tell-um street spot. No impact on Capitol Park, no impact on Woodward Avenue, 6 Tigers fans at the Lafayette, maybe 25 in Greektown, Harmonie Park full of homeless with their shopping cart luggage. No imact on Cass Corridor. jjaba tells it like it tis. Fans from Romeo, Rochester, Novi, stuffed in parking ramps, scared to death to go down there. jjaba, Proudly Westside. | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 136 Registered: 01-2004 |
Way to make a positive post negative.......that is what is wrong with the mindset in Detroit. Let the momentum go and carry over; stop b*tching about what could be or what you think should happen, in do time it will if it is worth saving. Enjoy this or let the ones who are continue to. Get off your high horse, you don’t “tell it like it is” you just look for an excuse to bash people from the suburbs. (Message edited by tkelly1986 on October 07, 2006) | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1405 Registered: 11-2003 |
Right you are, jjaba. Ernie is the man. I listened to him on the radio while I watched the game on tv. I think it was the second inning when he did the radio broadcast and then he appeared with Joe Morgan in the tv booth for the 3rd inning. What surprised me was the time delay between radio and television. In the second inning on radio, the play was a good 15 seconds behind what you saw on tv. For instance, some Yankeee was just flying out to center, while on radio, Ernie was saying that Rogers was just going into his windup. Often times when you watch the Michigan football games on tv and listen to Beckman/Brandstatter on radio, ( which is the only way if you are a Michigan fan),there might be a difference of 1 or 2 seconds. Same for the Lions games. But sure not 17 or so seconds like we had last night. Why weren't tv and radio more in sync? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2893 Registered: 08-2004 |
Tkelly1986, you obviously haven't been posting here that long, nor do you know the history of Jjaba's posts that well. He is definitely NOT a suburban basher. He didn't piss on your parade, he just brought the reality of Detroit into perspective. He was walking around downtown, and noticed that the Euphoria you (and a lot of "fair weather" fans) profess doesn't carry thru to all the people in downtown. Nothing wrong with that. In the 6 years that I have known Jjaba's postings, he has never once bashed suburbanites. And yes he certainly does "tell it like it 'tis". Keeping it real. | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 60 Registered: 08-2006 |
Double the number of home dates, and weather that allows one to wander more in the city (Jjaba's parking-structure-bound suburbanites notwithstanding): that's why baseball can affect the city more than other sports. The_rock: I would note that the TV and radio coverage of the UM-ND football game a couple weeks back was similalrly out-of-synch. | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 137 Registered: 01-2004 |
Gistok: fair weather? Who the hell are you to call me fair weather...I hope that was not your intention | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 59 Registered: 07-2006 |
Miss Cleo, i'm sorry you haven't learned the finer points of baseball that make it such a great sport. it's taken me some time to realize it too, perhaps someday the same will happen for you. as for a tiger that's more beloved than stevie y? look at that back wall along the fountain for a few of them. detroit even has at least one street renamed for one of them (cochrane). hell, look at the memories recalled of ernie harwell alone. and he was just the announcer! and there's plenty others just as beloved that don't have their number retired. just because ONE player that retired last season gets more attention than players from 20-40 years ago, doesn't mean you should discredit the entire team. that comparison just wasn't even fair. don't get me wrong, i love the wings and yzerman too. nothing against them. but they haven't had near the impact as the tigers. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2894 Registered: 08-2004 |
Tkelley, nope, sorry, I was not referring to you as that. Poor sentence structure. My bad! | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 507 Registered: 02-2006 |
Ernie Harwell doing play by play on ESPN was absolutely amazing. I felt like a boy again. | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 138 Registered: 01-2004 |
I understand....sorry to be so forward; these playoffs have put me on edge! | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2899 Registered: 08-2004 |
Tkelly1986, we all have reason to celebrate after tonight!  | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 328 Registered: 05-2006 |
Lowell, erie, yes, however, I fell that with a long playoff run, some "history" can now be created at The Copa. Miss_Cleo, please keep your tired, lame a$$ off DetroitYes. All you ever do is bash anything positive about Detroit. Be happy living in your lilly- white outstate city. Jjaba, Thanks for all your wonderfull insights about The D, now and in days past. Keep telling it like it is, even if you are a westsider! Tkelly1986 and Gisok, good to see you two have kissed and made up! Detroitej72...Eastside Pole. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4391 Registered: 11-2003 |
Thanks Gistok. jjaba doesn't know the suburbs or the exurbs. For all the right reasons, even if they all live 40 miles away, tonight we are all Detroiters. In itself, 45,000 white guys in downtown Detroit is amazing. Imagine Mayor Guiliani seeing that. jjaba only stated the obvious with the car-loving sports fans. But Nemo's was popping before and after the game. They got some fans over there. ScottR, walk around Tigers Stadium. You'll find Cochrane and Kaline Sts. When jjaba was coming up and going to ballgames on streetcars, Briggs Stadium was on Cherry St. and National St., Trumbull and Michigan Avenue. Tiger Billy Rogell was a City Councilman and has a golf course named for him. There were no expressways on the Eastside and Northside of Briggs Stadium. (jjaba establishing some DEtroit street cred.) Mike Illich graduated from Cooley High. Like jjaba, proudly Westside. Thanks Mike, we're loving it. Thanks Lowell for all you. jjaba, Westside Bar Mitzvah Bukkor Tigers Fan. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 60 Registered: 07-2006 |
once again my puny knowledge of detroit is eclipsed by others, but i have learned even more though it. thank you jjaba! i don't have much opportunity to walk around detroit at all, unfortunately, and the one time recently that i did, it rained. after watching the tigers lose to the white sox, i wasn't in the mood for that. scottr, Lily-White Suburban Flint Area Tigers Fan. (not the detroit-bashing kind though, in any shape or form!) | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4395 Registered: 11-2003 |
Scottr, Detroit bashers don't come around this Forum much. Pick a sunny Fall day and walk Detroit. Walk Corktown, walk Briggs Stadium, stop off at Nemo's for a sportsbar thrill from the past. With The Forum, jjaba has learned a lot about Detroit even though he was born and raised in it. jjaba, Cass Tech. Grad, 1959. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 332 Registered: 05-2006 |
Jjaba, ever remember having a cold one at Reedy's Saloon? Bill Reedy was a true Tigers Fan who even had a great friendship with Billy Martin, as evident by him being there when Martin died on Christmas. Detroitej72, knows his Tigers. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3070 Registered: 10-2003 |
Meanwhile the soul searching starts in the Big Apple. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10 /08/sports/baseball/08yankees. html?_r=1&oref=slogin | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 334 Registered: 05-2006 |
quote: The Yankees helped the Tigers acquire Bonderman in 2002, when Detroit was in last place and the Yankees were the reigning league champions. The Yankees wanted the veteran Tigers starter Jeff Weaver, and they engineered a three-way deal in which Detroit got Bonderman from Oakland. ______________________________ ___________________ Think Steinbrenner wishes he could take that trade back? Dombrowski is looking like quite the genious. Here's to many a happy seasons with our play-off Tigers. BTW, We should nominate Dave for the Mich. Polish Hall of Fame, as he attended Western Michigan University. Detroitej72 | ||
Crash_nyc Member Username: Crash_nyc Post Number: 646 Registered: 08-2004 |
What a great day for baseball! -- And for me. Feels like 1984. Born & raised a Tiger fan in Detroit, I moved to NYC 11 years ago, and have become a Mets fan (too easy to be a Yankee fan in the 90's), but I still love the Tigers! Now I can't believe that my two favorite teams have advanced in the playoffs in the same day. The ultimate World Series would be Tigers vs Mets. I'd be with the Mets to the end if they were playing anyone but the Tigers, but when it comes to loyalty, I'm all about the Tigers! It was amazing and elating to see the Yankees eat crow. Even though I'm a long-time resident of NYC, I tend to rail against the notion of NYC arrogance. This victory of Detroit over NYC serves to cut the Yankee's ego down to size. Nothing finer than seeing the Yankees reduced to a AAA team in the heart of Downtown Detroit. Mmmmm, savor the taste! [BTW, the Tigers just gained a HUGE fanbase in Boston!........] | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 342 Registered: 05-2006 |
Crash_nyc, just remember where you came from! Detroitej72 | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 139 Registered: 01-2004 |
I literally cried last night....And I don’t feel bad about it | ||
Bigjeff Member Username: Bigjeff Post Number: 7 Registered: 08-2006 |
was down at the state bar across from the park last night for the game. found a parking spot and was enjoying my first "cold one" right for the first pitch. great to see all of downtown bustling with many different folks. could not find a parking spot anywhere near town pump. what a great thing for detroit. high fives around in the bar when tigers scored. chantings of "let's go tiger's" and "nah nah nah hey hey hey goodbye" my head hurts but it was all for a great cause. have all next week off. plenty more days of waking up with splitting headache to come. "eat 'em up tigers!!!!!!" | ||
Fortress_warren Member Username: Fortress_warren Post Number: 7 Registered: 10-2006 |
There was a comment about 45,000 white guys in Detroit, I was watching the crowd shots on the tube and I didn't see more than 6 or 7 blacks during the game. I was looking because I was at a regular season game in 1990 and was checking out the crowd with a pair of 10x binoculars. Except for vendors and ushers, I don't think I saw more than a handful of blacks from 20K in the stands. What's with that? Back in the 60's and 70'S they were about 25% of the crowd. Check out the stands in Oakland on Tuesday, you'll probably see about 5% blacks, and Oakland is only 50% black as opposed to Detroit at 85%. I wonder if they showed the Eddie Brinkman locker room interview to the players before the game? You sprouts won't know what I'm referring to. | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1833 Registered: 07-2004 |
You have amazing eyesight ........I know of no one else that can determne the number of black people in a 44,000 seat stadium just by observing on television. As for the comment about Steinbrenner wishing he had kept Bonderman. Based on last nights game Oakland or any other team that had Bonderman wishes they would have kept him. Bonderman has not pitced well before last nights game. But evidently Kenny Rogers game on Fri inspired a lot. Baseball is our national pastime. And in the cities where teams have been in residence upwards of 100 years there is a deep attachment to the home team. The New York Yankees are the gtreatest most storied team in pro sports history. A few years ago the spin was the Atlanta Braves were " America's team" bullshit the Yankees are America's team. But this year our Tigers took em out; now onto the ALCS and then the world series. And this was allegedly a " great" Yankee team making the wins even specialer. Miss Cleo do you watch baseball? It is no slower than football or basketball. The breaks teken in both those games i.e. timeouts, replay reviews, penalties, fouls etc, etc slows those games way down. Hocky is barely above a mnior league draw in term of revenue generated and in the exposure it has nation wide. If the Tigers make it to the series there will be media from around the world here; that is not the scene at a Stanley cup series. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3071 Registered: 10-2003 |
I think what really jacked up the enthusiasm and resulting euphoria of last night's win was due just as much to taking down the mighty Yankees as is was to winning the series. How sweet it is! It would have been fun had we drawn and beaten Oakland, but not the same. Living through a lifetime of Yankee whippings made yesterday really special. The afterglow on the streets of downtown was exhilarating, one of those exceptional moments where strangers strike up conversations, exchange memories and more. My friend and I stopped in at the Town Pump for a chilly. By the time we left there was a line running down the block to get in. We next hit Harry’s, a former dive and hooker bar for decades. It was packed with happy customers with more arriving by the minute. A great night for Detroit and its rising and blossoming downtown! Not only is the pride back, the fans are back. | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 1097 Registered: 02-2005 |
Congrats Fortress, I expect not many remember Brinkman's live on TV (WJBK?) exclamation to Ray Lane after the Tigers won their division in 1972. I paraphrase - "what a f'in great bunch of guys". | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 3833 Registered: 11-2004 |
Miss_cleo couldn't be more off base with her comments. This thread had to do with how much more impact baseball has than hockey does. Miss_cleo's view is so myopic in scope. Regardless if it's Detroit sports she's talking about here, let's look at it on a national level- baseball is STILL the American past time. Hockey (which is still my personal favorite sport) is nearly a niche sport in the United States. Baseball in one form or another (stickball, softball, pickle or whatever) is played EVERYwhere in the US whereas hockey isn't. People here just have that much more of a relationship with the great game of baseball. That's why the old English D is so recognizable if even by casual fans all across the world. I'm not trying to make a comparison of which sport is better or which one I prefer. That's almost like (as a parent) having to choose which child you love more. To me, both sports are unique and each has its own appeal to me. I will celebrate when the Wings win. I will celebrate whenthe Pistons win. I will celebrate when the Tigers win. I'll probably pass out from euphoria (or die of old age) IF the Lions win (sarcasm meter going off). And I will support any Detroit team that does well just because they're our teams. But saying that I'm also aware enough to realize that baseball has a larger appeal on a global scale than hockey with Americans. So Miss_cleo, quit trying to rain on the celebration and good feelings that our Tigers team has generated so far. if you don't like the Tigers or baseball, stay away... simply put. We're not forcing the sport on you nor are we trying to convince you otherwise that baseball has a larger appeal to more Americans than hockey... it's a fact that baseball has much more of a fan base than hockey. And if people can relate to it, rally around it and maybe even have it as a point of reference to talk about, so be it. | ||
Steelworker Member Username: Steelworker Post Number: 755 Registered: 02-2004 |
It was wonderfull to see all the people in all stretched of downtown. We walked to the game from WSU and back up and stoped off at the bronx couple hours after to eat. | ||
Ltorivia485 Member Username: Ltorivia485 Post Number: 2832 Registered: 08-2004 |
Baseball does not receive the same fanfare and prestige that football and basketball does for young black kids, especially in the inner-city. This is 2006, not 1946 when the Negro Leagues were in vogue. | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1834 Registered: 07-2004 |
I wonder why Ltorivia? I don't know. When I was a kid in the 60's there was really only two sports that were popular with kids under high school age; baseball and basketball. So all the black kids in my school in Ann Arbor( about 35-40% black played organized baseball. Part of the situation in inner cities including Detroit is the expense for equipment. I know of late the suburban teams mostly beat the city teams.But these kids have been playing organized baseball(suburban)much longer. | ||
Miss_cleo Member Username: Miss_cleo Post Number: 304 Registered: 05-2005 |
Miss Cleo do you watch baseball? It is no slower than football or basketball. The breaks teken in both those games i.e. timeouts, replay reviews, penalties, fouls etc, etc slows those games way down. Hell NO! I HATE baseball, it is alot slower than other sports. I cant stand when a batter leaves the box between every pitch to adjust something, then the pitcher throws to first 3 times to try and pick off the runner....then the coach runs out to the mound to have a powwow with the pitcher,and any game that has a seventh inning stretch has got to be slow! the intruptions never end! I like to watch hockey, football and basketball. | ||
Scottr Member Username: Scottr Post Number: 61 Registered: 07-2006 |
miss cleo, how can you criticize baseball for a seventh inning stretch? did you forget about halftimes in the other sports? seventh inning stretch is NOTHING compared to those 12-17 minute breaks! twice a game in hockey! and you say baseball is slow? is it really any worse than when a football team sits there forever before they start the play, then they call time, then they sit there forever again, then they get a delay of game penalty, then you've got to wait for them to move back 5 yards or whatever, then wait again for the play to begin... or when a fight breaks out in hockey, then it takes them 20 minutes to sort everything out and announce the penalties, then someone scores, but there's a question of whether it crossed the line, so some guy gets to watch tv while the crowd waits for the call to be made... or basketball, when someone fouls someone, then you gotta wait for the players to get in position, watch a guy dribble a ball a few times, then shoot, then he gets the ball back, he dribbles some more, takes his time aiming, then finally shoots again... ALL of these sports have their pauses, so you really have no cause to complain about baseball. (now if you were a soccer fanatic, i could see you complaining about all four sports.) (Message edited by scottr on October 08, 2006) | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 140 Registered: 01-2004 |
Miss Cleo: Nobody wants to hear you b*tch...This is a positive thread about pride in the Tigers and Detroit. Nobody cares about your opinion, find a new hobby and leave this thread. | ||
Miss_cleo Member Username: Miss_cleo Post Number: 306 Registered: 05-2005 |
am I entitled to my own opinion or not? I find basball incredibly slow and boring, I dont care for it at all, is that ok with everyone? I also dont call people names or tell them to go away because I dont agree with them Its a public board, you must expect some people to have a different opinon, or must we all be sheeple here? you all have a nice night now! | ||
Tkelly1986 Member Username: Tkelly1986 Post Number: 141 Registered: 01-2004 |
Let it go; let us enjoy the Tigers. Besides, nobody called you a name, so stop creating drama. Yes, you are entitled to your own opinion, but come on, what is the point of this when you can see it irritates people. I was simply telling you that nobody cared to listen to your negativity, so deal with that opinion. And please, cut out the “have a nice day” crap; that is very haughty and trite. | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1835 Registered: 07-2004 |
Of coure you are entitled to your opinion Miss Cleo.It is when you interject things that are untrue that people take issue; myself included. I mentioned other sports where if one observes the various rituals, rules, etc etc that one learns that those sports have their idiosncracies like baseball. You described strategies in basesball as if they were a nuisance........they are part of tha damn game.You don't have to like it but please don't try to imply in any way that it is somehow a detriment_ you just don't like the game. The other point is simple.There is categorically no comparing the Red Wings impact to the Tigers. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 721 Registered: 10-2003 |
FWIW: in 1940, so I read, the most popular sports in America were Baseball, Horse Racing and Boxing. Wonder why Baseball survived and the others were relegated to minor sports? Is baseball more ingrained in our psyche? Historian Gerald Early said that the US has three unique things: the constitution, baseball, and jazz. | ||
Fortress_warren Member Username: Fortress_warren Post Number: 11 Registered: 10-2006 |
Citylover, football is the lowest cost sport, all you need is a football. Basketball is a ball and a backboard and hoop. Baseball is a ball, bat, and maybe a glove. We used rocks for the bases. I don't think cost was the reason for baseballs decline with blacks. Damn, they were, and still are, good at it. 10% of the population and probably half the Hall of Fame members in the last 40 years. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 510 Registered: 02-2006 |
When housing projects were built and large numbers of mostly blacks began to be housed there, what sporting facilities were provided for them? Not baseball fields. From that point on, basketball was a largely black game, and at some point, the NBA realized this and embraced it, tying in hip hop culture to basketball whenever possible. I suppose this is why you ask little African American children what they want to be, they say an NBA player. But that's a discussion for another thread. | ||
Fortress_warren Member Username: Fortress_warren Post Number: 12 Registered: 10-2006 |
Jiminnm, I thought I had a good memory. Ray Lane? I think I remember what he looked like. Long thin face? Maybe that was the weatherman, Ray Hudak, I'm thinking of. I grovel at your feet. You F'kin rule. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4398 Registered: 11-2003 |
When jjaba was recently in the Dominican Republic for Winter Leagues they kept telling us the Licey team in Santo Domingo was their "New York Yankees." The Yankees are an international metaphore for the best. That's why this week with the Tigers is so incredible. We slayed the best, the NY Yankees. jjaba, Detroit Tigers Fan since before you were born. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 1407 Registered: 11-2003 |
jjaba knows Tiger baseball. 1968 World Series found me sitting in Sec. 8,Row P, Seat 20-$8.00. Jose Feliciano almost stole the show singing the National Anthem. Later on, Ernie Harwell admitted that he had arranged for his appearance out in center field. | ||
Citylover Member Username: Citylover Post Number: 1836 Registered: 07-2004 |
I have yet to see organized baseball where rocks are used as bases fortress warren........ Gloves cost $ baseballs cost $ cleats and unifroms and batting cages and field upkeep it all costs money. | ||
Fortress_warren Member Username: Fortress_warren Post Number: 19 Registered: 10-2006 |
Citylover, That's what we did in the vacant lot next to the parents home. When I was in Little League we had real bases. Uniform was a t-shirt with Cubs on it and a C on the hat. I had my own glove and bat. No one had cleats, I think they banned those, Ty Cobb nightmares. The school playground had the backstop and they cut the weeds in the outfield. The infield was bare dirt. 40 years later, it's still there. This was low-buck, now everyone wants it to look like a pro team's diamond. We learned how to play, you don't need it gold plated. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 4400 Registered: 11-2003 |
On the corner of Intervale and Northlawn, deep into Detroit's Westside, jjaba played corner ball. We set up a baseball field of dreams on that corner and jjaba was there every summer damn day for many years. Bases could be cardboard, wood, rocks, whatever was handy that day. Teams were chosen by the throw of the bat with Eagle Claws for first pick. Your parents may have taken us to Tigers games, or to Northwestern Field for Pepsi League Adult Softball, but our corner is where we learned it. jjaba, Proudly Westsider. | ||
Nedab3 Member Username: Nedab3 Post Number: 102 Registered: 01-2004 |
I have commented before that our eastside rules for playing ball on a vacant lot were the same as jjaba rules. I still play ball with my grandkids. I have a large backyard here in Nebraska and they use imaginary bases. They used a wood bat last week and laughed at the sound. I still have 8 or 10 wood bats. Many have tape and screws in them. | ||
Detroitbill Member Username: Detroitbill Post Number: 38 Registered: 09-2006 |
It was a great night for all Detroiters, regardless of race, sex, economic level. residence etc. Where I live is very mixed race wise and all are very very Happy for The Tigers and Detroit,,We are all in this together,, |
