The View From Wisconsin
Just a random set of rants from a Sports Fan from Wisconsin.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
9,478
It has been 9,478 days.
That is 25 years, 11 months and 12 days. A person could be born, graduate from high school, go to college, graduate from there, get married, get a job and have a couple of kids over that span of time.
9,478 days.
Since then, 16 major league baseball teams have moved into new stadiums, two others have had their parks drastically renovated, two more are closing their stadiums this year, and one - well, one left the place they played back then for greener pastures.
There were more teams in the AL than NL, each had only two divisions, only four teams made the playoffs, and you played a best-of-five to win the league title.
Back then, Harry Caray had just finished his first year as the Cubs' broadcaster, after coming over from the White Sox; the Red Sox had some guy with a funny name managing them; and the Angels were hoping that Reggie Jackson could get them over the top.
The Phillies had missed the playoffs for only the second time in seven years; and the Dodgers were the defending World Series champions (though they missed the playoffs by a single game). Saint Petersburg was the home of the Cardinals' Florida State League affiliate. The Tampa Tarpons, who played at Al Lang Field, lost the 1982 FSL pennant to the Fort Lauderdale Yankees.
Joe Carter was still a minor leaguer, as was Darryl Strawberry; Orel Hershiser had yet to pitch in the majors. Dale Sveum was the first-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Oh, and the Brewers themselves have switched leagues, suffered through years and years and years and YEARS of frustration.
9,478 days.
And now, it's finally here: Milwaukee Brewers playoff game number 18 - Milwaukee at Philadelphia.
Philadelphia; they know something about "suffering." It was 9,449 days between their 1950 World Series appearance and their NLCS game in 1976. Before that, it was 12,775 between their 1950 World Series appearance and their previous one - back in 1915.
Still - 9,478 days.
And I don't want this to be over anytime soon - nor do I want it to be 9,478 days before the next one.
That is 25 years, 11 months and 12 days. A person could be born, graduate from high school, go to college, graduate from there, get married, get a job and have a couple of kids over that span of time.
9,478 days.
Since then, 16 major league baseball teams have moved into new stadiums, two others have had their parks drastically renovated, two more are closing their stadiums this year, and one - well, one left the place they played back then for greener pastures.
There were more teams in the AL than NL, each had only two divisions, only four teams made the playoffs, and you played a best-of-five to win the league title.
Back then, Harry Caray had just finished his first year as the Cubs' broadcaster, after coming over from the White Sox; the Red Sox had some guy with a funny name managing them; and the Angels were hoping that Reggie Jackson could get them over the top.
The Phillies had missed the playoffs for only the second time in seven years; and the Dodgers were the defending World Series champions (though they missed the playoffs by a single game). Saint Petersburg was the home of the Cardinals' Florida State League affiliate. The Tampa Tarpons, who played at Al Lang Field, lost the 1982 FSL pennant to the Fort Lauderdale Yankees.
Joe Carter was still a minor leaguer, as was Darryl Strawberry; Orel Hershiser had yet to pitch in the majors. Dale Sveum was the first-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Oh, and the Brewers themselves have switched leagues, suffered through years and years and years and YEARS of frustration.
9,478 days.
And now, it's finally here: Milwaukee Brewers playoff game number 18 - Milwaukee at Philadelphia.
Philadelphia; they know something about "suffering." It was 9,449 days between their 1950 World Series appearance and their NLCS game in 1976. Before that, it was 12,775 between their 1950 World Series appearance and their previous one - back in 1915.
Still - 9,478 days.
And I don't want this to be over anytime soon - nor do I want it to be 9,478 days before the next one.
Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, Joseph Houk. All rights reserved.
