Viva Habana

It was interesting watching the ESPN coverage from Havana on Tuesday.  It was the clearest picture I have seen of Estadio Latinoamericano.  After having spent the last few years pulling in the Cuban TV feed of games, it was nice to see the true ballpark. Leaving the politics aside, I felt it was an important step in the relations between the two countries. I could see, however, the affect the defections have had on the Cuban National team.  They are a younger team and didn't seem to have the same game experience as the other teams have had.  It was important for the Cubans to get that ninth inning run and threaten in the inning.  Hopefully more games will be played there by Major League teams.  It was a good start and maybe could lead to bigger and better things between the two countries. 

Against the grain

A friend asked me recently why I like cricket, or as he called it "watching someone's picnic," so much.  I was not really able to answer the question at the time.  I just chalked it down to being a sport similar to baseball.  Just recently it struck me that the reason I like cricket, as well as Aussie Rules Football, soccer, rugby, Japanese baseball, etc, is that I don't like to follow what is popular or hip.  This goes back to my days right after high school when everyone else was listening to AC/DC, Van Halen, Journey, etc., someone gave me a copy of The Jam's "Sound Affects."  From the first listen I was hooked.  From there it was on to other bands like XTC, Joy Division, New Order, and many, many more.  Then I started listening to the tail end of the hardcore era.  I caught bands like X, the Minutemen, and Suicidal Tendencies while in college in Pittsburgh. 
Since then I have always found pleasure in the obscure.  Well at least obscure in my circles, which are not very wide.  I still enjoy listening to the latest sounds out of college radio, such as Courtney Barnett, Titus Andronicus, Parquet Courts, etc.  My taste in sports are very similar.  How many people do you know actually root for specific teams in English, German and Italian football, Japanese baseball and Aussie Rules football.  For me it just follows that if you are interested in something enough then you must give it all that you have.  So while most are getting upset by their busted brackets, I am getting increasingly frustrated watching my Newcastle United fumble their way to relegation.  While others are projecting the first four rounds of the NFL Draft, I am pulling for the West Indies to win the World T20 Cup.
So when my friend asks me why I would spend four hours watching part of a Test cricket match, I'll just smile and say, "You wouldn't understand."

Nine Innings for the King

I just finished this gem of a book. It was about a baseball game played at Stamford Bridge in front of King George. The author made the story more interesting by including the coverage from many locals. He also covered the players such as Herb Pennock and Mike McNally, as well as umpire Arlie Latham, the Freshest Man on Earth. The coverage of the game at the time was spotty but the author enlivened it with the point of view of those who were there.
Now it is on to Distant Corners, covering the early attempts at soccer leagues in the U.S.
A great site to get books to read before they come out is Netgalley. It is valuable to someone like me who lives to read and needs to spend more time doing so.