Week #6: Mariano .... a hero?

Staying with the hero thing ...

Mariano Rivera is considered by most to be the greatest closer of all time. But he's also a Yankee. An enemy to all. A player for the big business side of baseball. Despite that all, Mariano has garnered one of the best reputations in the sport both for his work on the field and his actions off. I bring up this article not because I am a Yankees fan, but because Mariano embodied that old stereotype of an athletic hero. That said, maybe you disagree.

Please read this article: Marian Rivera, King of the Closers and comment on how baseball insiders define a hero.

For some reading fun and to make you think WHAT?! Read this, too. It's related to Rivera.

The Natural Begins

Oakland's very own "dusty field, the listless game and half-empty stands" (37). So sad.

1952
What's going on in the world & the US? (7 mins)

• Cold War (1945-1991): political tension between Eastern Bloc countries (Soviet Union & Warsaw Pact) and Western Bloc countries (US, NATO & allies)
• Korean War (1950-1953): North Korea invaded South Korea. US supported South and supplied almost all of the international soldiers needed to fight the war against the communist north; world looks bleak.
• Second Red Scare (1947-1957): period of heightened awareness of communism and its possible influences on American politics and systems; Federal Employee Loyalty Program under Truman; Climate of terrible fear (unnecessary). Truman could have stopped all of this, but he didn't. More about his political position.
• 1949: Atomic Bomb exploded by Russia; communist revolution in China

BIG QUESTIONS: What was the political climate in the US during this time? How were those attitudes manifesting themselves in the public discourse?

What was going on in baseball?

• Inning 7: Chpt 1 & 2 (12 min), Chpt 3 @ 21:23 (Jackie Robinson), Chpt 5 (Dodger v Giants pennant race)
• Leaving WWII Era (1939-1949): Dimaggio, Mel Ott, Stan Musial, Hank Greenberg; integration finally happens (slowly ... all teams integrated by 1961);
• Golden Age of baseball (1950s-1965 ish): more integration; Clemente, Robinson, Aaron, Mays, Williams, Mantle, Campanella, Berra all playing;
• Williams, Greenberg, Dimaggio all serve in the military, putting careers on hold
• 1953: Boston Braves move to Milwaukee (until 1966)
• 1954: St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore (becoming the Orioles)
• 1955: Philadelphia Athletics move to KC (stay until 1968)
• 1957: Dodgers leave NYC for LA (bad idea!)

BIG QUESTIONS: How is the national pastime growing? How is it becoming more universal? How has baseball claimed and defined the American hero?

THE NATURAL: A converging of these two worlds. There is the celebration and excitement of the golden age of baseball set against the backdrop of worry and fear found during the Cold War. One of the major themes of this novel is the conflict between myth (baseball) and reality (living in a Cold War world).

Most titles give us an idea what the story is about, and what we will experience if we read. But some authors use titles to do more than that; some use metaphors so their titles create additional meanings.
In the world of sports, talent scouts, managers, coaches, writers and fans examine the talent of newcomers and wonder whether they will be successful. A player whose skills seem to need no training, or whose skills seem God-given, is called a natural.

In the Middle Ages (approx. 500A.D. to 1350 A.D.), the term natural referred to an idiot, a kind of foolish innocent person whom it was thought God protected.

How does Bernard Malamud use the title of the book to allude to Roy as a natural in both senses?

What's an allegory?: a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

Ann Steinhagen Obituary

Small Groups **Some literary critics have said that Malamud put a realistic man in a mythological setting. Is that fair? Has Malamud set Roy up for failure? So far, has Roy changed in the 15 years since the shooting? Be specific in your responses, please.

Discussion
1. Parzival/Percival: What parallels are present?
2. The pitches: how do the three pitches compare? where do we see the language of myth in each pitch?
3. Let's look at the final paragraph in which Harriet shoots Roy. What are we to think of Harriet? Was this expected or unexpected? Where else can we find similar language? In what way does Harriet represent the real? the myth?
---------------
4. The Fisher King, the wasteland
5. In what ways is Bump a failed hero?
6. What kind of person is Roy? How has he changed in 15 years and how has he stayed the same?

7. In what ways are Bump, the Whammer and Roy all variations of the same hero mold? What is Malamud telling us about heroes in society? In what way is this hero mold a commentary on gender and masculinity in 1950s America? Does this commentary still hold true today?

8. Roy waits for Memo & the chance to play. What do these to things have in common? What is Roy seeking from both?

Posted with Blogsy

Week #5: More baseball cards

The 83F Project: Sign Here, Please

Another great piece that reflects back some of the themes we've encountered thus far. What are your thoughts? Keeping it open to any thought this week. Go wild!

For me, I love the line near the end when the idea of fraud is mentioned. Rather than give into that idea, Mortimer, "chooses instead to have faith." For me, baseball is the ritual, the worship, the commitment. Off the field, in the wee hours of the night, Mortimer found a faith that binds him to others. That's baseball at its best, and it transcends almost everything else in communities.

Thanks for your insights!

Week #4: Baseball Cards

This piece from the 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. Be brief.

**Our visitor Howard Fine will be bringing in some 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 Essay Prompt

Here's what you're writing about ...

We Are the Ship: The End

In the name of awesomeness. No matter what sport you prefer (or don't prefer), THIS IS AMAZING!

Just down the road from Greenlee field.

To honor Gibson's life, a little league field was built in the same neighborhood as Greenlee Field was in. (Extra but non-baseball info: August Wilson was born just down the street from here!)

Gibson's grave. See the tiny sign to the left of the tree.

Yours truly and the sign. 

Up-close of Gibson's grave. Not very fancy.

For comparison purposes, here is Babe Ruth's grave. Small difference ... (photo not mine)

Photo of Jackie Robinson in the KC Royals Hall of Fame/Museum.

Satchel Page pitching for the Monarchs. KC Hall of Fame/Museum.



Photos from Roberto Clemente Museum. What do you see in this photo? Clemente made his MLB debut in 1955 and played out his career for the Pirates. He was the first Latin American inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973 (and some say the last Pirate), a year after he died.


More of Roberto Clemente


Clemente's San Juan jersey from his team in Puerto Rico.

Another one of Clemente's jerseys.

Clemente and his family at Family Day.

Clemente's Golden Glove; he won 12! He was only in the MLB for 18 seasons. Not bad. 

Clemente's Silver Bat from 1961. He won this four times in his career.

A video
Sean Gibson & Kadir Nelson

Discussion ideas

1. What impact did the negro leagues on the idea of baseball? The role of baseball in American culture? The construction of American masculinity (if any)?
2. How would you describe the tone of this book? Ground your answer specifically to the text.

3. Did a certain negro league player stand out to you? Why?
4. Anything else?

Film
Only the Ball Was White (30 mins)

Some bonus reading about baseball issues in Puerto Rico today.

Weekly Post #3: The scorer and $150!

This is one of my favorite pieces from the last year as I learned more from this than expected. An article on the official scorer of the game, this piece looks into some of the subjectivity present in baseball. Sure there are the umps who seem to be the arbiters of the game, but the scorers are like the gatekeepers of stats.

Two questions:
1. With instant replay (which will be in effect this year) and so many eyes on the field these days, do you think an official scorer is still necessary? Of course there would be someone collecting balls and strikes and hits, but why put the work on one person?
2. What new piece of baseball information did you learn from this article?

Nicely done on week one. Keep up the responses.