Miscellaneous Missives

http://armchairgm.wikia.com/Detroit_Tigers The Base Stealer by Robert Francis Poised between going on and back, pulled Both ways taut like a tightrope-walker, Fingertips pointing the opposites, Now bouncing tiptoe like a dropped ball Or a kid skipping rope, come on, come on, Running a scattering of steps sidewise, How he teeters, skitters, tingles, teases, Taunts them, hovers like an ecstatic bird, He's only flirting, crowd him, crowd him, Delicate, delicate, delicate, delicate - now! There are some poems that I make my students stand up and act out.  The Base Stealer is one of these (another is Foul Shot by Edwin A. Hoey).  Today I chose my poem before I chose my team.  Next, I looked for the top base stealer of all time.  Ricky Henderson owns this title, and I've already done the A's.  Lou Brock is next in line, but I'm saving the best (Cubs!) for last or near the end.  Billy Hamilton comes in third, but I have already done the Phill...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sioux_Falls_Canaries October by Hester Jewell Dawson the high fly ball, arches out above left field, hangs there in the sky outblazing the sun while fifty thousand heads swings and cry "Over the wall! Over the wall!" then hold, fixed and dumb as the ball drops down and down, a dead bird into a waiting glove and there you have it: the song, the flight, the perilous whisper of truth or of love or possibly of faith then the descent and the end of the game The Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants used to be called the Sioux Falls Canaries.  Although I'm not really sure of the rationale behind the name change, it seems obvious.  Pheasants seem to be more intimidating than canaries.  South Dakota is known for pheasants and pheasant hunting.  It seems even a "bird brain" could make that decision.  These fighting birds (whether the Canaries of the Pheasants) play in The Birdhouse.    It ...

http://www.nationalsportsbeat.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies.shtml The Reason for Rainbows: A Song for Baseball  by J. Patrick Lewis There was an Old Man of Late Summer Met a Winter Boy out of the blue, And he whisked him away From the city one day Just to show him what country boys do. He taught him three whys of a rooster, And he showed him two hows of a hen. Then he’d try to bewitch him With curveballs he’d pitch him Again and again and again. He taught him the reason for rainbows, And he showed him why lightning was king, Then he fingered the last ball— A wicked hop fastball— He threw to the plate on a string. Oh, the Old Summer Man and the Young Winter Lad Spent the light of each day—every moment they had— In the wind and the rain, or the late summer sun, Where he taught him to pitch and he taught him to run In the wind and rain and the late summer sun. But when that Old Man of Late Summer Met the Winter Boy out of the blue, He said to h...

http://www.prosportsblogging.com/sports/mlb-baseball/baltimore-orioles/ You Can't Kill an Oriole by Ogden Nash Wee Willie Keeler Runs through the town, All along Charles Street, In his nightgown. Belling like a hound dog, Gathering the pack: Hey, Wilbert Robinson, The Orioles are back! Hey, Hughie Jennings! Hey, John McGraw! I got fire in my eye And tobacco in my jaw! Hughie, hold my halo. I'm sick of being a saint: Got to teach youngsters To hit 'em where they ain't.   The Baltimore Orioles are also known as the O's or the Birds.  I am glad today is the last day with students this week because there have been moments when I thought about flying the bird.  Actually, many of these occasions had to do more with staff and pseudo administration.  In fact yesterday morning I received a form to fill out for a student they are trying to diagnose with ADD.  The form was for ages 4 to 7.  At first I was going to write a snide note an...

http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/File:Oakland_Athletics.png Winner by Gene Fehler what I remember most is my dad behind the rusted screen back of home plate "You can hit this guy!" his voice not letting up through four fast balls (two misses swinging late, two fouls on checked swings) then the curve ball and the dying quail into left-center, the winning run sliding home, my dad all smiles, slapping backs in the bleachers as if HIS single had won the game It may be too early for stunts such as soliciting baseball knowledge from others, but that's exactly what I did today.  In fact, I asked a highly intelligent colleague about his favorite baseball team.   When he told me his favorite baseball team was the Twins, I asked him who is second favorite team was and why.  I learned some interesting facts about the Oakland A's.  Before I share my information, I would want people to know that I actually knew the A stood for Athletics (dumb name, dumb log...

The Crowd at the Game by William Carlos Williams The crowd at the ball game is moved uniformly by a spirit of uselessness which delights them — all the exciting detail of the chase and the escape, the error the flash of genius — all to no end save beauty the eternal - So in detail they, the crowd, are beautiful for this to be warned against saluted and defied — It is alive, venomous it smiles grimly its words cut — The flashy female with her mother, gets it — The Jew gets it straight - it is deadly, terrifying — It is the Inquisition, the Revolution It is beauty itself that lives day by day in them idly — This is the power of their faces It is summer, it is the solstice the crowd is cheering, the crowd is laughing in detail permanently, seriously without thought Soooooo.  A new blogging challenge starts today.  According to Pronto Pup , "Here's how it works.  Starting on Monday, March 7, 2012 Monday, Mar...

I can't wait for my next paycheck since I put in hours and hours of overtime this weekend.  Yesterday I corrected homework and essays for eight to nine hours.  Today I entered the essay and homework grades into the computer system before I entered the end of the tri grades and comments.  Because they will give me a half day next Thursday to enter the tri grades, I probably will only be able to count two hours of this time.  My paycheck will still be huge since I spent time putting together a Notebook file (Smartboard) for tomorrow's annotated bibliography lesson.  Overtime is typically 1.5 times the regular pay.  Fourteen hours should be a nice paycheck.  It's too bad it won't come in time for next week's three day weekend. Today I am thankful for... 1) dinner with Dad and Carol (?) 2) finishing second trimester grades 3) the rest of the evening to chill