“Polish Baseball Power”

by Sig Sakowicz

Sig Sakowicz (1924-2004) was a legendary Chicago TV and radio personality who wore his own Polish heritage on his sleeve. He hosted a show on WGN from 1954 to 1971 and then became a TV celebrity in Las Vegas. This piece – in which Sig recounted every Polish-American to don a baseball uniform, up to the point of this record (1970) – gained such fame that in 1980 the Baseball Hall of Fame requested a copy to be displayed in Cooperstown. It was written by Al Trace and produced by Gordon Wagner for the Mishawaka, IN-based Mishawaka label.

NL West 2023 Spring Training Forecast Haiku

by Stuart Shea

Arizona Diamondbacks
The sun shines hottest
On the king of the hill, but
How strong are your arms?

Colorado Rockies
Nobody can hear
The landslide coming until
The season’s ruined.

Los Angeles Dodgers
All your spring wishes,
Your summer smiles, meaningless
Until October.

San Diego Padres
Unlucky last year?
The key crops did not produce.
This is not a test.

San Francisco Giants
Grandson of the Wind
Carries major talent and
Great expectations.

AL West 2023 Spring Training Forecast Haiku

by Stuart Shea

Houston Astros
Crass-tros, Disas-stros,
Even Garbage-can-smash-stros—
They’re still really good.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Orange County, California
It’s always Disney,
To us, anyway…but now,
No longer Showtime.

Oakland Athletics
Neither here nor there—
Big change only bothers those
Who are not in charge.

Seattle Mariners
Young, strong arms, spring’s joy.
Will Gilbert, Kirby, Miller
Get a “Woo Woo Woo”?

Texas Rangers
Now that we all know
About your autumn harvest,
You’d better watch yourself!

NL Central 2023 Spring Training Forecast Haiku

by Stuart Shea

Chicago Cubs
Inside the outfield,
Autumn dream: A Belli dance.
Will it or won’t it?

Cincinnati Reds
Too many men to
Plow the field and not enough
Men to throw the dirt.

Milwaukee Brewers
Blue and golden hop(e)s,
I thought it was still summer—
Then the brew went flat.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Fording three rivers,
Seedy types in fancy suits
Trawl for cheap assets.

St. Louis Cardinals
Spring rain’s mire will tell
Whether the wheels are still good
Or are falling off.