Baseball #19

June 8, 2012

Jim Driscoll to Daniel Gould  

SOCCER SUCKS. NOT ENOUGH SCORING. GOING TO SEE A 0- 0 TIE...ISN'T MY
IDEA OF FUN. IT'LL NEVER TAKE ON IN THE US. I ENJOY KIDS SOCCER, BUT
THAT'S IT.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE INTEREST THAT YOU REFER TO IN YOUR AREA.
STATESIDE, MOST OF US COULDN'T CARE LESS .
COULD NEVER COMPETE WITH EVEN HOCKEY BACK HERE.
 
MAYBE FOR EUROPEAN & SO. AMERICAN PURISTS, AS A VENUE FOR THEIR
RIOTS...........................................................JD

 

June 13, 2012

Daniel Gould to Walter van Teeffelen

 

Hi Walter; 
 
Here is an example of his "Scoop Johnson Report." It is published through the year as a running commentary of his grandchildren's sport activities. While I don't think there is a market for it...One never knows?
 
Sincerely;
 
Daniel  

 

SCOOP JOHNSON REPORT

DATELINE:  Thursday, May 31, 2012

 ANGELS FALL IN PLAY-OFF OPENER

The White Sox out-hit the Angels 12 - 6,  and beat them Saturday night, 15 - 11. The Angels had 4 - 0, and 8 - 4 leads, but couldn't stop the hard-hitting Sox  from coming back, led by Kyle with 3 hits and Rory with 2 hits and 3 RBI's.  Camden led the Angels with a double and a single, while Marcus and Buddy each had one hit and 2 RBI's.  Marcus added 3 runs scored.  The rule of thumb is:  if Marcus gets on ... Marcus scores! Will and Josh each added a single and an RBI.  Colin took the collar in 3 AB's, and made a brief appearance on the mound, coaxing a ground-out on his only pitch. 

C-MAN PITCHES ANGELS TO FIRST PLAY-OFF WIN!

Colin Driscoll gave a masterful performance on the mound Monday evening, throwing a complete game, 71-pitch  4-hitter, as the Angels defeated the Mariners, 9 - 2. Colin walked 3 and struck out 4, and kept the Mariners off balance the entire game.  He was also backed by a solid defense, which included one of Colin's own  now-patented sliding catches, on a pop-foul along the 1B line. In contrast, the Mariners threw 5 pitchers at the Angels, and issued 16 walks. Tyson led the Angel's offense with 2 solid singles and 2 RBI's.  Colin and Scott each also had 2 RBI's.  The win was even more significant in that the Angels were missing several key players and were down to 8 men, using only 2 outfielders for the entire game! 

WHITE ROCK PEE-WEE'S RUN WINNING STREAK TO 11 !!

The White Rock 13 year-olds won their 10th and 11th consecutive games to end the regular season over the past few days. On 5/29, W.R. defeated Richmond, 12 - 1, as Ryan pitched a complete game 1-hit gem, with the only run  against him unearned.  Ryan struck out 8 batters and helped with his bat , getting a 2-run single during a 6-run 5th inning. Dawson had 3 hits, while Jakob and Sam added 2 hits apiece in the win.

Then, on the 30th, Dawson took charge with a solid pitching performance of his own, going 5 innings and giving up 1 unearned run  while striking out 7. He also led the offense with  3 hits, including a bases-clearing 3B and a 2-run single. Gavin and Matt added 2 hits apiece, and combined to produce 5 runs. The first 8 batters in the line-up all hit safely in the game.  

THUNDER BACK ON WINNING TRACK

Sammie's fast-pitch Thunder softball team returned to their winning ways when they beat Richmond, 23 - 13, amassing 18 hits. Sam and Nicole led the balanced attack with 3 hits apiece, while Jessica, Julia, Emily, Dani and Camille all had 2-hit games.  Dani added 3 RBI's  in the rout. Then, a few nights later, on 5/29, the Thunder clobbered Force 97,  13 - 7.  Sammie, Taylor, Susanna and Julia all had 2 hits in the game, as the Thunder pounded out a dozen hits, which included HR's from Olivia and Susanna.  GO THUNDER!!!

OLD MAN BRINGS ARM OUT OF MOTHBALLS

If all of the above wasn't enough for the over-worked Scoop to cover, Coach Tim himself tried to practice what he's been preaching as he pitched  2 solid innings of relief in his Saturday morning 45+ BB League, getting the save, in a 7 -6 win. Tim also chipped in with a line drive single, in 3 AB's. His efforts proved that sometimes the dead do come back to life!

                                                   (Bela Lugosi...take note !!)  

>>>>>>>  SCOOP JOHNSON, REPORTING ... >>>>>>> 

 

June 22, 2012

Daniel Gould to Jim Driscoll

 

Hi JD;
 
Well, I rather enjoy your superficial analysis of things...With politics I find it both naive and ignorant. As to soccer, same thing.
 
"Not enough scoring." What about in baseball with a pitchers duel that ends at 1-0; do you remember the Sad Harvey Haddix game (c.1955)?  he pitched 12 perfect innings and lost it in the 13th to a score of 1-0. Boring? I think not. I remember a Free Press banner headline from the late 50s: Lary 1-0; Mossi, 1-0. It was the results of a doubleheader played at Yankee Stadium. Boring?...Do I make my point?
 
In one game, of the Euro Cup, I saw a kicked ball (twice) that seemed to take on the characteristics of a heat seeking missile as it meander its way through the legs of players to find the goal. The fans react more dramatically to a soccer goal than Americans to a home run! Over 2 billion people watched the final game of the 2010 World Cup. Spain and the Netherlands went into double overtimes. Boring?  I think not!
 
The attractions are many. But the most important is the simplicity of the "beautiful game," to quote Pele. Also, availability. No special equipment needed. I have seen at construction sites, during the workers lunch break, four or six or more guys kicking a ball made of aluminum foil that they had fashioned from their sandwich wrappings. They used milk cartons to delineate the goal. the kids in the impoverished third world do the same.
 
"Stateside, most of us couldn't care less." Not true. It is establishing itself across the country. My alma mater canceled their football program in 1948---it was getting too expensive. They turned to soccer. It was big in St. Louis and at the Catholic high schools it was played instead of football. Why? Cost. Of course, there was the another factor and that was the high ratio of population that was Italian and German born who brought the game to the city at the beginning of the 20th century.
 
It is becoming a niche sport; one that is adaptable to small urban markets. Cities that cannot afford any of the big four. It can eventually thrive off these markets.
 
...And there is this: Soccer' moms. They consider it a less physical game than football. Well, it is very physically; it is the ballet of sports with aggressiveness added. People do get hurt. (Side note: Some players are accused of being actors; that is, pretending injury to either slow up the game or give their side a breather; they are ignored initially until it becomes obvious that they REALLY are injured.) 
 
I will now quote what the great Terry Bradshaw said on his outlook for the sport in America: "Bradshaw believes that concern about head energies would cause football to be eclipsed in popularity by soccer and other sports within 10 years." 
 
Oh...Nearly forgot. The Dutch are threatening revolution. The national team lost ALL three games of the first round. They are in denial. The Monday morning quaterbacks were already making "suggestions" after the first lost. The orange banners are still in-place, but it only brings tears to the eyes of the Dutch.
 
Sincerely;
 
Dan 

 

June 22, 2012  

Jim Driscoll to Daniel Gould  

 
Soccer is big in Europe, and therefore so much more exciting to watch
there. My comments relate to America. Remember America? It used to
be your country before you abandoned it for socialism.
 
Soccer will never replace baseball, football, hockey ...not even
basketball....in No. America. 
 
You can blabber 'til the cows come home. In the pro soccer league up
here, comprised of US & Canadian teams, there is general indifference.
It is a far secondary sport. The White Caps have played 15 games and
have 18 goals. Franchises come and go. Cities won't support it. Yes,
there are low scoring BB games at times, but most have ample scoring
and lots of great plays. Leave it to you to quote the rare exceptions.
Soccer is great for kids, because anyone can " KEEK DEE BALL" .
Baseball requires skill, timing, speed, hand-eye coordination, among
other physical skills. And it has tradition on its side.
 
Pro soccer, of course, demands some of these skills as well. But lack
of scoring is one of its downfalls up here. Who wants to go see a 1 - 1
tie ????????????????????????
 
I've always thought they should put up backboards behind the net, for
rebounds. And maybe side walls....like hockey. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.JD

 

Photo: Harvey Haddix

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