Posted on

Harry M. Stevens

by Michael Ceraolo

I wasn’t the first to sell food at a ball game:
I think they were doing that even before
anyone thought to charge admission to watch the game
I wasn’t the first to sell what came to be called hot dogs,
though the legend of my doing so made a good story
But I think I was the first
to make a good living as a concessionaire,
starting out selling scorecards, then later also selling food
And I’m proud of the enjoyment I gave fans,
and equally proud my company continued to do so
well beyond the end of my life

Harry M. Stevens Created the Modern Ballpark Experience

Posted on

Reunion

by Raphael Badagliacca

I ran into my old friend
Where have you been, I said
I looked for you everywhere
In the urban parks
On the country meadows
Under the blue sky
On the green fields
You’re back that’s all that matters
Let’s play ball.

 

Posted on

Inevitable Gaming?

by Stephen Jones

MLB, in its wisdom,
Is turning to PCs —
To further clarify
What we already know:
In order to appeal
To a younger audience,
All games
Will now be defined
By strikeouts, home runs
And walks only,
And therefore
Will be played
As quickly as possible.
Teams will be penalized
For any and all
Between-the-lines,
Around-the-bases stuff.

 

Posted on

Here’s the Thing

by Raphael Badagliacca

here’s the thing
about spring
training I never
knew more than
I do now

it was always
all about hope,
the way it brings
back to us
the only year
that matters —
the baseball season

that’s the reason
why we need it now
more than ever
we’re out of shape
for hopefulness

 

Posted on

Don Sutton

by Michael Ceraolo

On the ’66 Dodgers
I was the youngster on a staff of mostly veterans,
and I learned all I could from them
I couldn’t learn to throw a fastball or curve
like Koufax, that’s something that can’t be taught
But there were a couple of others
I could and did learn some tricks from
(wink wink)
I won’t rat them out even posthumously;
they know who they are,
and they have my eternal gratitude