Reviving the Art of Baseball Doggerel
It’s no little thing
To be Orion Kerkering.
The Phillies keep on tinkering
And now will test his youthful wing
Not against org players who hit with a “ping”
But big-league hitters whose bats whistle and sing
At any imperfect offering.
Will he be Joker
Or will he be King?
It’s no little thing
To be Orion Kerkering.
Curve—yellow hammer—breaks down hard
Can the pitcher keep it in the yard?
Was it tougher to catch a pitch
From Mickey Lolich
Or to scaffold Ernie Harwell’s last act?
Now a voice of memory is stilled,
But promises were fulfilled.
He won a ring. He did his thing.
Known from Marquette to Flint,
His life’s work a flash, a glint,
A wind wafting through dozens of summers.
Stu Shea, the co-founder of Bardball, is the author of numerous books, including Calling the Game: Baseball Broadcasting from 1920 to the Present.
With thanks to Don Martin
Lester and Chester play pepper with Funderburk
Ginkel warms up with Clyde Kluttz.
Stubby Clapp slaps a grounder past Stirnweiss
That hits Wockenfuss in the nutz.
“Tick, tick, tick”
A sound I never hoped to associate with baseball.
Sick, sick, sick
The thinking that baseball is dull.
Ick, ick, ick
The inside of Rob Manfred’s mind
Maybe that’s unkind
But some people are blind
To what makes baseball such a kick!
1B Luke Easter
2B Rabbit Warstler
SS Rabbit Maranville
3B Rabbit Nill
OF Dave Eggler
OF Jim Lentine
OF Ben Paschal
C Max Pentecost
P Jamie Easterly
P Bunny Hearn
PH Jim Gentile, Bunny Brief
MGR Mack Eggleston
