This piece from Sunday's NY Times has all of the trappings of baseball literature: religious overtones, myth, legend, dedication, magic, and loss. Focus on one of these themes and discuss what role it plays in not only this article but in baseball as we've learned about thus far.
**Our visitor Howard Fine will be bringing in lots of cards next week, so keep this article in mind during Howard's visit.
Another great week of postings. Thanks for your work and insight.
The theme of dedication plays a major part in this article and played a major role in We Are the Ship. In this article, the author dedicated his childhood to finding this one Griffey Jr. rookie card; he would even pray to the gods for this card. The author was so dedicated to the card that even when he purchased it for a measly $2, he realized that the card was worth much more than that. It could only be attained by saving up from allowances or buying expensive packs and trying his luck. In We Are the Ship, those who played in the Negro Leagues were so dedicated to baseball that they risked their lives playing the game. These players were frequently turned down when trying to stay at hotels or eat at restaurants, and played as many as 4 games a day. Also, these players risked their lives by trying to play when blacks were regarded as inferior to the rest of society. From reading this article and We Are the Ship, dedication seems to be the most prevalent theme.
ReplyDeleteI think that there is something inherently magical about baseball, and this theme is prevalent in the article. The author praised both his cards and the players they represented, spending countless hours of his youth trying to complete a baseball card set. There is nothing physically special or valuable about a card itself. It is what the card represents that is magical. A simple rookie card of Ken Griffey Jr. invoked the image of his graceful swing and memories the author's youth, in which he tried to emulate that very grace and poise. In the larger context of baseball's history, I think it is the past players that shaped the game and gave it this magical quality. While reading about "Cool Papa" Bell and others recounting their journeys, it almost seems like it was impossible to describe. There was something so magical about the game that made Bell keep playing, despite the abuse and negativity he and his teammates faced. The game was fun and it was as simple as that.
ReplyDeleteThe quote that stuck out most to me in this article was: “one must have faith to continue the journey.” This connects two of the mentioned themes: religion and dedication. Throughout We Are the Ship, our past readings, and various documentaries, we have seen the importance of commitment as a baseball player. The road to the major leagues was and still is not easy for many players, especially African Americans. As Matt commented, the rough conditions these men had to endure in order to obtain the slightest bit of success is unthinkable; yet, none of the challenges faced by these players actually seemed to hold them back. The “faith” spoken of in this article contributed to overcoming these challenges, including a commitment to playing and working hard and thereby winning—whether that be literally or over-time with the progression and advancement of baseball in American history.
ReplyDeleteThis article parallels baseball as we have seen it through the relationship between seemingly random events and loss. In the article, the author was united with the one card that he had hoped through a series of random events that put that card into the box that the author had been looking through. Through another seemingly random series of events, he was forced to give up his cherished card. These themes are very true to the game of baseball as well. Although skill plays a huge part in the game, nobody can precisely control exactly how they hit the ball. Only a certain series of events (a certain pitch being hit by a certain hitter on a certain part of the ball at a certain time) can lead to a run, a fly out, a double play, a triple, or any other possible outcome. Baseball players, much like the author, have to learn how to deal with their losses based on what really boils down to chance.
ReplyDeleteThe dedication of baseball fans to collect cards has always astounded me. Although I never quite understood the allure of the cards, I had respect for those who collected them. My sister's collection of Pokémon cards was about as close as I got to seeing as set of baseball card. Joseph Burgess demonstrates impressive dedication in this. He refused to buy the factory set and continued to search for rare and elusive cards. To possess 125 cards for the same person and to have approximately 25,000 in total is a bit astounding to me. This along with the fans who follow the games and stats so closely shows the passion that baseball inspires. Without this dedication baseball would not have become the national past time that it is today.
ReplyDeleteLegendary individuals are an important part of baseball culture. Periods of baseball history are often remembered by the most prominent players, to the extent that "the Babe Ruth Era" is a real term, synonymous with live-ball and the rising popularity of the sport. Jackie Robinson is a legend in a more social way, the obvious symbol of integration. Ken Griffey Junior is Burgess's hero, with the obsession manifested through baseball cards. Similarly to the actual game, collecting cards is focused around the biggest single items or players, enough that someone entirely unfamiliar with the hobby might recognize something valuable by a household name. Griffey, one of the most famous players of his day, was first someone Burgess looked up to, and over time passed into his current place in history.
ReplyDeleteI think heros contribute to baseballs enduring popularity, as they are accessible to people on any level of fandom. Young players can look up to them, and dedicated fans who study history can remember their records and statistics from any era. But the legends also provide less serious fans (those who care when their team is in the world series but never the rest of the year) with events and people to latch onto to become involved.
Baseball cards are more to baseball fanatics than just cards. They make the card-owner feel more personally connected to the players. They can own them and trade them, they have the power. I have hundreds of baseball cards in a box under my bed, they were my life for years in my childhood. I remember buying packs after packs trying to get shiny cards and rookie cards, especially ones of my favorite players. It became an obsession. Like Burgess, finding your favorite players card was the best of all, it brought you closer to the player. One's favorite players card has a legendary aspect because he is somebody to look up to and try to emulate. Burgess, expresses the mythical presence of owning and collecting baseball cards. In a bigger sense, his loss of the card emulates the complications going on in baseball today with steroid use. Burgess, got the card of his dreams but through a dishonorable way. Later the baseball gods gave punishment and he never saw the card again. The same goes for baseball slugger Barry Bonds, he broke the home run record but did it in a dishonorable way, using steroids. Although you can't take back the home runs, his home run count could be tainted with an asterisk and he may not be inducted in the hall of fame.
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ReplyDeleteI really like the ideas of myth and magic as they relate to this story. The author portrays the world of baseball as one with its own forces and ways that transcend human interaction and life on earth. If he wasn't meant to have The Card in the way he acquired it, it would be taken from him, and there was nothing he could do to stop that. So much of what we have learned about baseball this semester ties into myth. We talk about great players immortalized forever, after all the first game of baseball was played in a park called the Elysean Fields which if i'm not mistaken is the area of 'Hades' in Greek Mythology where the heroes of earth reside after death. American heroes find their own immortality, their
ReplyDelete"Elysean Fields" through the metaphysical medium of baseball. This is a real life example of the way that baseball works in mysterious ways. Often times the impact that baseball has over our lives, simply being American, is out of our hands.
I think that this story is very similar to the idea that many of these baseball players were larger than life. I think the author can agree with me in saying that baseball cards represented these legends that really were more than just people but exemplified a whole other lifestyle. They were gods and the cards that people collected and obsessed about were another way for people and kids to spur their amazement for these players. What I said in class about the paintings of the players from "We Are The Ship" and how they make the players look unreal really applies here because the athletes are so popular that people are willing to pay for a picture and statistics about them. But these cards obviously represent a lot more than that. The baseball cards and especially the Ken Griffey Jr. card for the author embody these legends which is another way for people to look up to them. As you heard about the author practicing Ken Griffey Jr.'s swing that people also hoped to one day take their own place as a baseball legend.
ReplyDeleteLike many of my other classmates have said, the game of baseball is magical. The ability of a pitcher to throw a ball 90 miles an hour about 100 times in a row game after game, the power it takes to swing a bat hard and fast enough to send that ball going over the back wall. These cards are more then just simple papers with pictures on the fronts. These cards represent the players hailed as gods to fans every where. These placeholders symbolize the ERA's, the batting/fielding abilities of a player and the overall spirit of a player. This physical depiction of each player allows the fan to personally hold their favorites. The cards allow every day people to relate and manage their cards and players in a personal manner that makes them feel like they have a little piece of them to themselves.
ReplyDeleteIn baseball, loss seems to come and go quickly. This article is evidence to that, as the author lost his card suddenly but then quickly came to accept that fact. He even came up with alternate ways to find the card again, as if losing the card hadn’t been a setback at all. He lost it, but he was immediately ready for the next thing. In reading “We Are the Ship,” and watching the documentaries in class, it seems that the Negro League had a similar mindset when the Negro Leagues dissolved. They knew the League had had its best days, and that it had served its purpose. Of course, there was nostalgia, but there was little anger or somberness about the disappearance of the league. From what I've seen, baseball players (and baseball fans) have a sense of acceptance, like they know what is truly important and what is not.
ReplyDeleteJoesph Burgess gives us an insight into a true baseball fan's obsession. Some might call this dedication, but, regardless, Ken Griffey Jr., one of baseball's best, was an idol for young Burgess. This dedication is still in his heart because he is still trying to find that "the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr., card No. 1 in Upper Deck’s inaugural set." The dedication of fans like Joseph Burgess is what keeps baseball popular and alive today. Baseball is one of the few sports where the fans contribute to the game. They cheer and jeer; they boost the confidence of the home team, and they get into the opposing teams head. Baseball is one of the few sports today that has a thriving trading card business, and I believe this is because of the fans' dedication. No other sport involves the fans as much as baseball, and this is why people become dedicated to the sport. Burgess showed us this dedication that is in all baseball fans, but his might be much more intense than most.
ReplyDeleteWhat the author above demonstrates is this ongoing theme of passion for baseball. I was at first bewildered as to why people would even collect baseball cards. For someone who does not share the passion it may be difficult to understand what this whole fuss it about. However, I don’t think that “passion” is new to everyone; we all certainly share a passion for something in our lives. Perhaps what kept blacks playing baseball despite being verbally assaulted in the integrated league was this passion for the sport. The levels of devotion and passion can reach totally new heights, as seen in EPL (English soccer) fans who kill for the game as well as black baseball players like Jackie Robinson who would risk getting killed.
ReplyDeleteAs I read this article, I could not help but to reminisce on my Ken Griffey Jr. obsession in elementary school. I think back to a time of innocence. I was not obsessed enough about baseball to know all of the facts and salaries mentioned by the author, Joseph Burgess, but I had a role model in Griffey. The inspiration provided by Griffey was the only reason I even attempted to play baseball in elementary school. With a reaction time much too slow for high school baseball, I stopped playing. Before I started playing baseball, I had this dream-like idea that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. After my failure in the sport, I realized that I wouldn't be a perfect fit for everything I picked up. I had lost my blissful ignorance about the game, an ignorance seeded in innocence. I think this innocence is a shared mentality with all children and I think that is why picking up a hobby like collecting cards is something that is mainly taken up by children. Burgess had this same innocence, thinking he could collect all of the cards that he desired. This innocence inspires a dedication to your goals that can only truly be understood by children with a certain amount of innocence and ignorance. Again, like Burgess, I once had this innocence and dedication. Eventually, with age, I realized that this ignorance had to be let go of if I wanted to focus myself and truly have a successful future in something and I was left with a dream deterred.
ReplyDelete- Easweh Harrison