A Twins Fan Meditates on the ’09 Twins-Yanks Season Series

By Kevin Hennessy

Four-game sweep at New Yankee Stadium
With two less walkoffs, we could have took two of ‘em;
Then swept three games at home in the dome
Maybe next year outside we might manage to win one.

A-Rod, Jeter, Teixiera, Cano
They all make it tough, no denying, I know.
But Cabrera, Gardner, Cervelli, and Coke–
Are these really Yankees, or regular blokes?

Gardenhire insists
There’s no mental angle,
But if that truly is so
Couldn’t one win be finagled?

Perhaps those Bronx Bombers inspire intimidation
And Mauer and Morneau alone can’t deny them
Losing all seven certainly wasn’t too great
But at least we can be grateful we aren’t playing eight.

Published 7/12/09

Ode to a Large Prince

By Stuart Shea

Prince Fielder,
Prince Fielder,
I think that you’re cool.

If you did a jackknife,
You’d empty the pool.

Published 7/8/09

YER OUT!

by Charles Ghigna

“Strike Three!” and I jump.
I’m in a big slump.
I’m down in the dump,
Can’t get over this hump.

You cross-eyed old ump,
You’re as blind as a stump.
Made me look like a chump,
You horse’s rump!

Published 7/7/09

Charles Ghigna is the award-winning author of more than 40 volumes of poetry for children and adults, including Score: 50 Poems to Motivate and Inspire.  Find out more at his website, Father Goose.

Shortstop

by Charles Ghigna

The slits of his eyes
hidden in shadows
beneath the bill of his cap,
he watches and waits
like a patient cat
to catch what comes
his way.

Crack!
and he pounces
upon the ball,
his hands flying
above the grass,
flinging his prey
on its way
across the diamond
into a double-play.

Charles Ghigna is the award-winning author of more than 40 volumes of poetry for children and adults, including Score: 50 Poems to Motivate and Inspire.  Find out more at his website, Father Goose.

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Posted 7/2/2009

Mutual Baseball Almanac, 1959

by Doug Fahrendorff

Last week
My brother returned
My copy of
The 1959 Mutual Baseball Almanac.
He had given me the book for my birthday
That year.
I paged through the articles
Describing how to play each position:
Roberts on pitching
Campanella catching
Musial the outfield
Statistics of yesterdays heroes
The book a mirror
Into a time long past
When baseball was still
Only a game.

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Posted 7/1/2009