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Goodnight and Good Luck

By Stuart Shea

It’s the last day of the season,
The end of the road for 22 teams.
And the last day in the majors for a lot of guys…
we just don’t know who, yet.

Many big-league careers will end today.
The 24-year-old prospect who’ll tear up a knee in winter ball,
The 30-year-old marginal regular who’ll go to Japan to cash in,
The 33-year-old situational reliever who can’t get anyone out,
The 36-year-old backup catcher who’ll get cut next spring and retire.

Let’s tip our hat to the as-yet unknown who will exeunt omnes,
Because baseball is about them just as much
as it is about Manny and Dice-K and Greinke and C.C.

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Posted 10/6/2009

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Tiger, er … Twins Fan

by Mike Galer

The Tigers play so poorly no one complains.
Twins are so good.
My son starts cheering for Twins.
Knows all the players by name.

His love of Minnesota grows to Gophers and Vikings.
The years go by in a flash.
We smile and chuckle and a rivalry is born.
Detroit can’t win, I am forlorn.

My wife plans a trip to the Mall and 10,000 lakes.
On a whim I buy tickets to a game, for heaven sakes.
We go to the dome, it is 97o outside.
Tigers are winning, only I am cheering.

In the eighth Bonderman unravels.
My son turns to me and says, “This was the greatest of travels,”
“The time of my life,” he says with a smile.
I’ve done something right at least this day.

The Tigers lose on cue to make it complete.
Fans are cheering, I stay in my seat.
As an added bonus, kids run the bases.
My wife chortles, “I’m going too!” as she tightens her laces.

We record the day in film and snapshots,
Walk to the subway, eat ice cream with dots.
A few years have passed and the memories are mine,
When Minnesota beat Detroit was just fine.

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Posted 10/2/2009

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Hometown Park

by Doug Fahrendorff

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I pause to visit
The ballpark in my hometown
The infield covered by a tarp
Of red and orange tinged leaves
Nature as groundskeeper
Heralding the coming of winter
I recall spring days at school
Baseball every recess
The field seemed gigantic then
Less imposing now
After fifty years
Memories are still clear
My infatuation with baseball began here
I turn the collar of my jacket
Against the October wind
And contemplate change

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Posted 10/13/2009

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A Baseball Poem

by Stephen Jones

.
A foul off the bat
is simply that recovered

then

handed off to younger hands
an exchange a part of history

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Posted 9/23/2009

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U-12 Girls Softball

by Doug Fahrendorff

Yesterday in a tournament
We finished our season
Second place
A trophy to display at school
Today a final round of calls
To organize
Next week’s picnic
The season
A catalog of images
I make out awards recognizing
Excellence and effort
A final thanks to players and parents
Can’t wait till next year

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Posted 9/16/2009