by James Finn Garner
I’m not veddy sure what will come
of the Cubs-Cards games in Albion.
It might be a “Pick to Click,” it
Might be a sticky wicket,
Or a hologram of a singing Queen Mum.
Jack O’Connor
by Michael Ceraolo
In my first trade war
I took a sum of money to jump my contract,
then stayed put and kept the money
What were they going to do, sue me?
In the next trade war
I acted as Ban Johnson’s agent
and convinced several of my Pirate teammates
to move with me to his American League
Did that earn his undying gratitude?
Hell no
It took eight years, but he got rid of me
after the Lajoie hitting spree against us
Season-ending games between non-contenders
always had, and continue to have, aspects of farce:
witness the fact that McGuire and I,
both over forty, caught for part of the day
I had the last laugh, winning my lawsuit
for the 1911 salary I was due,
though if I had to do it over
I would manage the doubleheader differently.
Could Be
By Bob Gibson
Have you ever thrown a ball 100 miles an hour?
Everything hurts,
even your ass hurts.
I see pictures of my face
and say,
“Holy shit”,
but that’s the strain you feel
when you throw.
People say,
“Man he’s an ass-hole.”
Could be,
depends on if you
pissed me off
or not.
Brock of Ages
by Elliot Harris
The news of the death
Of the great Lou Brock
Did not come
As a complete shock.
Late in his life
He suffered some ills,
This Cardinals legend
Who provided such thrills.
A man who made the game
So much fun,
Especially so in the way
He could run.
While he could steal bases,
Even better than that
Was how the lefty hitter
Could handle the bat.
Nothing but good words
For a Hall of Fame fella.
Smile, for his legacy
Includes the Brockabrella.
Recalling his glory days
When he ran fast
In World Series games
From the distant past.
The memories he gave us,
May they always last.
(Editor Error! First submitted Sept. 7, 2020. RIP Lou Brock. Apologies to the writer.)
Stan Musial
by Michael Ceraolo
I didn’t feud with sportswriters
I didn’t make obscene gestures at fans
I didn’t marry an actress or movie star
I didn’t play in New York
If I’m remembered at all,
it is for my unusual peek-a-boo batting stance
But in hitting, as with many other things,
it’s not how you start but how you finish,
and I finished in the hitting position
often enough to have as much success
as just about anyone else has ever had.