World Series 2011
Today’s cartoon was drawn for ESPN.com
It ain’t got no…Philadelphia Phillies.
It ain’t got no…New York Yankees.
It ain’t got no…Boston Red Sox.
No. It’s Texas vs St. Louis, which in and of itself just doesn’t sound right. When I was growing up in Texas we had two sports. Football and spring Football practice. So baseball in Texas still doesn’t seem right. Actually I saw my first pro baseball game as a kid at the Astrodome when the Astros were playing I dunno. They gave away this cool baseball game at the gate when you walked in and I played with it the whole game. I never even looked at the players on the field. I had my own imagination…
The second pro baseball game I saw was the summer of 76 when the Rangers were playing the Detroit Tigers and some kid named Mark “The Bird” Fidrych was pitching. Now that was a blast. Not every day you can watch a grown man on a mound of dirt talking to a baseball. Fidrych was actually a pretty great pitcher that summer. He led the major leagues with a 2.34 ERA, won the AL Rookie of the Year award, and finished with a 19-9 record.
The only other connection I have to the Rangers is the only autographed baseball I own. Nolan Ryan’s foundation sent it for a cartoon I gave them of Ryan taking Robin Ventura to the woodshed during an infamous brawl they had in the 90’s.
So I invite you to share your World Series Memories with me. Did you listen in class as a kid? Have a favorite moment or team that won it all? I’d love to hear about it!
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GMFO-
I remember my first baseball game. My dad, my brother and I went to old municipal stadium in KC. The KC- A’s were playing the cleveland indians ( don’t knock the rock). IT was so much fun back then the A’s were owned by charlie finley. When the umpire would run out of baseballs they had a mechanical rabbit that was about 4 ft tall that came out of the ground between homeplate and the fence around the stands. He would rise out of the ground with a basket full of baseballs. I don’t know who won the game but I remember just how much fun it was to go a ball game and have loved going to a game- baseball, football- whatever- ever since.
Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.
Gene
Dear Drew,
My first world series memory. When I use to live in New York I was a lover of Mets baseball when they were considered a joke. I took a lot of razzing (and truth be told a few beatings at the schoolyard) because I could never fall in love with the Yankee’s. My family moved out to Colorado in late 1968 but I never stopped loving the Mets. Of course we all know about the 1969 “Miracle Mets”.
At the start of the series I had devoloped a case of strep throat. I wasn’t faking this. I really had it and had to take that awful tasting medicine and pills. Still I did get to see my heroes Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Tommie Agee, Cleon Jones and so forth beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1. I was glad my mother let me watch the games though I admit because I wasn’t feeling well I did zonk out (sleep) through portions of it.
That is my World Series memory.
All the best
Louis
Drew,
Great cartoon, you should post the one about Ryan and Ventura. I have never seen it, but I will bet that it’s hilarious! Keep up the good work sir!
Drew,
Is there any chance we could get a posting of the afore mentioned Nolan Ryan – Robin Ventura cartoon? I have a Nolan Ryan Plaque with the picture of him showing Ventura why you never rush the mound and love that moment in baseball history as a tale of two eras. Thanks for all the great work!!!!!!
My fave WS memories:
1985: Seeing Dunkinger make that infamous blown call at first that forced a game 7, wherein Andujar imploded and handed the Royals the title.
1991: Kirby Puckett is on my personal athlete Mt. Rushmore. That is all
1994: The Expos had the best team and cheapest payroll in baseball, and were on their way to face the Frank-Thomas-in-His-Prime White Sox…and then the strike. Not Coincidentally, that’s when I stopped following baseball closely.
Late to the party, but Reggie’s three home runs in one game could never be topped in my memory. Then came this year’s series, Mr. Pujol’s were pretty spectacular! Wow! I did not know the Babe had done it twice, that’s some company to be in with!