Oh, how times have changed....

Originally Posted by jgannon

I think what the video shows is the authenticity of the game back then, as well as the authenticity of the people. That doesn't mean there weren't real problems back then. But these were people who grew up in a world that cut them absolutely no slack. They made the majors on their talent and sheer grit, playing under much more difficult circumstances in a less safety-conscious era, fighting for their survival in the big leagues year to year, hungry for the extra income a championship would bring. There is true character in their faces.

Nailed it. Well said!

[FrankWakefield]

That brings to mind the comments of Enos Slaughter, grumbling about how heavy the sweat soaked wool uniforms were in the summer, how he'd hit about .295 and drive in about 90 runs (I may be misquoting his numbers) and he's whining about how he's having to hustle every spring in Florida because some rookie was trying to take his job.

Truthfully, at this moment I don't recall the first name of that Trout fellow who plays in the AL on that team with Albert Pujols. I hear he's good, I believe that... Albert was good, I saw him in St. Louis. Koufax, Gibson, Seaver, Drysdale, Veale, Bunning, Maloney, Spahn, Ford, Marichal... they were good. Mays, Musial, Cepeda, Clemente, McCovey, Mantle, Banks, Santo, Williams, Bench, Berra, Kaline, Yaz, Rose, Willie Davis, Aaron, E Mathews, F Robinson, Ozzie Smith, Flood, Biggio... they were good. And Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Tudor, Hershiser, Valenzuela, R Johnson, they were good in their day. In the moment, I've not called enough names... Tony Perez, B Robinson, Carew... and more.

I'm a fan of that 50s, 60s, and 70's baseball. In no way at all do I begrudge the money Alex Rodriguez made on those contracts-- that 2001 contract for 22 million. To pay that from ticket sales (not the team's only source of revenue) assuming 81 home games with 40,000 average attendance... that would be 3,240,000 tickets sold. That's an extra $6.79 out of each ticket to pay for ARod. (And it isn't his fault he got that money and started the salary increases, blame that on the owners, they did it to themselves.) After taking $6.79 out of each ticket to pay for that great short stop, there wasn't much money left over to pay the rest of the players. Ticket prices go up, hot dogs cost more, beer goes to $9 & $10 & $11.... ball games become expensive. Owners passed the cost of it all on to us, the fans.

So, I'm not a fan of baseball. Not of this modern 21st century $11 a beer baseball... I'm a fan of what I saw as a kid, and while in high school and college. I could drive to Cincy or St Louis, buy a ticket, food and beverage, and have spent maybe $20 on gas, ticket and eats. I think many of the folks think that way on this site. And I'm a fan of 19th and 20th century baseball, and the old cardboard that goes with that.

As for ARod, good for him that he got that money. I wish he'd gotten to play most of 2014, instead of having to miss that.

I'm still a Cardinal fan, even in the 21st century. But not like I was in the 60s and 70s.

As for this 21st century baseball, it's just less interesting to me. $11 a beer!!!! Where's that Miller High Life beer guy who would reclaim beer from places? I need him.

[Casey2296]

So, I'm not a fan of baseball. Not of this modern 21st century $11 a beer baseball... I'm a fan of what I saw as a kid, and while in high school and college. I could drive to Cincy or St Louis, buy a ticket, food and beverage, and have spent maybe $20 on gas, ticket and eats. I think many of the folks think that way on this site. And I'm a fan of 19th and 20th century baseball, and the old cardboard that goes with that.

Great point Frank,
I'm fortunate to live near a SF Giants "A" affiliate club and go to their games regularly, or used to pre-covid. $14 bucks to get in, BBQ Pavilion down the left field line where foul balls drop regularly in your potato salad, They still have a "Beer Batter", where they choose one opposing player each game, if he strikes out all beer is 5 cents a cup for the next ten minutes, they still pull people from the stands to do goofy stuff on the field between innings, etc. and everybody sings Niel Diamonds "Caroline" for the 7th inning stretch. We also get to see the guys from the Bigs when they are on rehab assignment. Good stuff.

The old school baseball experience is still out there, its just becoming more rare.

[Leon]

Good points, Frank. I am not a fan of current MLB either, or many other current pro sports in general.

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

That brings to mind the comments of Enos Slaughter, grumbling about how heavy the sweat soaked wool uniforms were in the summer, how he'd hit about .295 and drive in about 90 runs (I may be misquoting his numbers) and he's whining about how he's having to hustle every spring in Florida because some rookie was trying to take his job.

Truthfully, at this moment I don't recall the first name of that Trout fellow who plays in the AL on that team with Albert Pujols. I hear he's good, I believe that... Albert was good, I saw him in St. Louis. Koufax, Gibson, Seaver, Drysdale, Veale, Bunning, Maloney, Spahn, Ford, Marichal... they were good. Mays, Musial, Cepeda, Clemente, McCovey, Mantle, Banks, Santo, Williams, Bench, Berra, Kaline, Yaz, Rose, Willie Davis, Aaron, E Mathews, F Robinson, Ozzie Smith, Flood, Biggio... they were good. And Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Tudor, Hershiser, Valenzuela, R Johnson, they were good in their day. In the moment, I've not called enough names... Tony Perez, B Robinson, Carew... and more.

I'm a fan of that 50s, 60s, and 70's baseball. In no way at all do I begrudge the money Alex Rodriguez made on those contracts-- that 2001 contract for 22 million. To pay that from ticket sales (not the team's only source of revenue) assuming 81 home games with 40,000 average attendance... that would be 3,240,000 tickets sold. That's an extra $6.79 out of each ticket to pay for ARod. (And it isn't his fault he got that money and started the salary increases, blame that on the owners, they did it to themselves.) After taking $6.79 out of each ticket to pay for that great short stop, there wasn't much money left over to pay the rest of the players. Ticket prices go up, hot dogs cost more, beer goes to $9 & $10 & $11.... ball games become expensive. Owners passed the cost of it all on to us, the fans.

So, I'm not a fan of baseball. Not of this modern 21st century $11 a beer baseball... I'm a fan of what I saw as a kid, and while in high school and college. I could drive to Cincy or St Louis, buy a ticket, food and beverage, and have spent maybe $20 on gas, ticket and eats. I think many of the folks think that way on this site. And I'm a fan of 19th and 20th century baseball, and the old cardboard that goes with that.

As for ARod, good for him that he got that money. I wish he'd gotten to play most of 2014, instead of having to miss that.

I'm still a Cardinal fan, even in the 21st century. But not like I was in the 60s and 70s.

As for this 21st century baseball, it's just less interesting to me. $11 a beer!!!! Where's that Miller High Life beer guy who would reclaim beer from places? I need him.