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The Last Brooklyn Dodger (January 9, 2021)

by Bill Cushing

Lasorda’s at his heavenly rendezvous,
his heart giving its final drop of blue.

He became a foul-mouthed savior
and then his team’s ambassador.

Still, before Brooklyn was a borough,
the team began by making heroes.

When Jackie broke the racial limit,
the Dodgers forced all sports to pivot.

Then, a Moses drove them to exile
by denying them space, and meanwhile

as Bridegrooms to the Yankees,
O’Malley packed up the team to leave.

Departing Brooklyn with a series ring,
they bid Tommy addio with the same thing.

A former New Yorker, Bill Cushing lives and writes in Los Angeles as a Dodger fan (by order of his wife!). His latest collection, Just a Little Cage of Bone (Southern Arizona Press), contains this and other sports-related poems.

 

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Holy Cow! Holy Cow! Holy Cow! Holy Cow!

by Dr. Rajesh C. Oza

It might be …

In 1945, Harry, the great-grandpater,
Told beer-fueled stories about Cardinals like Stan the Man.

It could be …

Harry’s son, Skip, made calls straighter,
As straight as a Braves arrow off the bat of Hammerin’ Hank.

It is!

Skip’s boy is a charismatic Chip off the old block.
First with Gramps and the Cubs; then Dad and the Braves; and now the Cards.

A home run!!

In 2024, Chris joined the Caray MLB broadcast stock.
A’s fans hear echoes in this descendant of baseball’s royal family of bards.

Holy Cow!!!

These joyful announcers hit an inside-the-ballpark family-four-bagger.
Calling games for the A’s, Cards, Cubs, Braves, and Sox with swagger.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!!!!

Four generations talkin’ baseball lore.
Harry Christopher Caray: I, II, III, IV.

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“Let’s Play Two!”

By Dr. Rajesh C. Oza

Ernie Banks wanted
To play a doubleheader
Every day, because

He loved baseball so
Much that one was not enough
To satisfy him.

Wilbur Wood lost two
Games of a doubleheader.
He started both games,

Throwing his trademark
Knuckleball ball to twenty-four
Wins, twenty losses.

Billy Williams and
Ron Santo played every game
In 1965.

Perhaps a couple
Players will play all the games
In 2024.

Ferguson Jenkins
Threw 29 complete games
In 1974.

MLB may not
Have 29 complete games
In 2024.

So why does baseball
Today give hitters days off
And pitchers pitch counts?

Is Pampers part of
How managers lead their teams?
Or a diaper brand?

Dr. Oza’s novel Double Play sits at the intersection of Ernie Banks’ Cubs, the Negro Leagues, riding the El, wrongful convictions, immigration and friendship. It will be published in October 2024 by Chicago’s Third World Press.

 

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Subscription Baseball

by Stephen Jones

So many different subscription services,
Left, right and center,
As I try to follow my team this year.

Baseball’s become more complicated,
And more expensive, too,
Even for someone relaxing at home.

There’s a big problem in all of this.
How is it, now, that America’s pastime—
Its looked-forward-to leisure of summer—

Has evolved like an apocalyptic survivor,
Transformed into MLB’s frenetic cash cow?