New Baseball Card Theater - Batman Villains

Catwoman 

Baseball Card Theater: Batman Villains

As a kid I remember watching Batman and when Catwoman was the guest villain, I would get so scared I'd get an erection.  Even today, just seeing that picture of Julie Newmar gets me half scared.

In this episode of Baseball Card Theater, we meet a bunch of gentlemen like Kiko Garcia, Bob Stinson, Marty Barrett and Astros Bob Knepper, and discover not only did they play baseball, they also appeared on Batman as villains.  Enjoy. 

Have a kick ass Tuesday.

The United States vs Roger Clemens - NOT GUILTY

NOT GUILTY

Roger Clemens gets win # 355

Mr. Clemens is found not guilty.

Where does that leave us?

Will there be rioting?  Tough to say.  

But one things for sure, now everyone in the United States believes Mr. Clemens didn't take performance enhancing drugs.  Just like everyone knows that O.J. had nothing to do with his wife's death.  Just like everyone knows that R. Kelly didn't relieve himself on a young lady even though that video I saw looks exactly like him.

The court has spoken.  Let that be the last of it.   Isn't that the point of the judicial system?  To have the chance to clear your name?  So there, he's not guilty.

Now let's try to figure out why this all happened. 

The congressional hearing all started over a book Jose Canseco wrote.   I will repeat that because it's very important.

This entire governmental investigation started over a book written by Jose Canseco. 

During the televised congressional hearing, Roger Clemens name gets mentioned.  So Mr. Clemens, a guy who could throw a baseball fast, denied taking drugs that made him throw a baseball faster in front of congress, so they decided to teach him a lesson.   

It's a stupid game.   Politics as well as baseball.   I can't justify the time I devote to baseball, but the United States Congress can?    I'm a comedy writer, don't you have other stuff you could be doing?  I know I do.  I watch the news and it doesn't seem like things are going great for America right now but you have time to deal with a game Abner Doubleday might have invented?

They swallowed they dog to get the cat, they swallowed the cat to get the mouse, they swallowed the mouse to get the spider, they swallowed the spider to get the fly...

I don't know why our elected officials swallowed the fly.

The Dodgers are Hot

 

Maggie's First Dodger Game

The Dodgers are on a roll.  Three comeback victories over the weekend against the 1st place Chicago White Sox.   I took the family Friday night, saw Adam Dunn homer, Alex Rios homered twice, but the Dodgers came back from a 5 - 1 deficit, to win the game when James Loney scored on a pass ball in the 8th.   It was an amazing game to watch.  Afterwards me and Maggie watched fireworks together.

Maggie loved the fireworks.  It was amazing.  We got home around 11, way after her bedtime and she tells me all about her exciting night.

That's my girl. 

Steve Busby, Dick Bosman, Nolan Ryan 1975

BASEBALL CARD FRIDAY ' 74 Highlights

No-hitters hurled by Steve Busby, Dick Bosman and Nolan Ryan

There's a zeitgeist about no-hitters so today I feature a card from 1975 about 3 guys from 1974 who pitched a no-no.

The back of the card gives you all the info.

Nolan Ryan you know.  He is the greatest pitcher of all time.  He threw 7 no-hitters, struck out 5,714 and beat up Robin Ventura.

Steve Busby

Mr. Busby pitched for Kansas City, threw 2 no hitters, made a couple of All Star teams but his career was cut short because of injury.  I don't remember that much about him because I lived in a national league city and he was in the A.L.  Back then, the specialty items, like baseball coins, 3-d cards, etc would usually feature one guy from each team and from that time period it was either Amos Ottis or Lou Pinnela.

One interesting fact about Steve Busby:  After returning from an arm injury his doctors put Mr. Busby on a pitch count, making him the first player to start that crap.  Even though I wasn't around, I like the old days when two starting pitchers would throw 9 innings or more if it went into extras.  

Dick Bosman

I remember Dick Bosman because he was the one player featured on the Washington Senators.  It was either him or Frank Howard.  Mr. Bosman threw his no-hitter against the defending World Champion A's and would have had a perfect game but someone made an error in the 4th inning.  That someone; Dick Bosman.

Dick Bosman Fun Fact:
Mr. Bosman started the last game for the Washington Senators franchise and the next year started the first game for the Texas Rangers.

I declare today Steve Busby, Dick Bosman and Nolan Ryan day.

Also, I just got the '74 Highlight card a couple months ago from Tom Brunelle, a cool guy who saw baseball card theater and gave me a big storage box of his old cards. 

So today is Tom Brunelle Day too.   So live it up.

Have a good weekend.  I'm taking Maggie to her first Dodger game tonight.  I hope she doesn't get drunk. 

Matt Cain is Perfect

San Francisco Pitcher Matt Cain

ADAM RAISED A CAIN

Since the dawn of time, when man first crawled out of the muck and the mire till today it's only happened 5 times.  I'm talking about the Houston Astros being held hitless in a game.  

Last night Matt Cain threw a perfect game and beat the Astros 10 - 0.

Personally I think people make too big a deal about no hitters.  This year there's been 5 no hitters already.  They've become as common as a tramp stamp on a stripper.  Very pedestrian.  

I remember back in 2003 when no hitters use to mean something.  (SEE MONDAY'S BLOG)

I remember in 1986 attending the Mike Scott no hitter against San Francisco Giants to clinch the National League West Championship.  Now that was a no hitter. 

Last nights, it was just a game that didn't mean much so I can't imagine anyone really cared.

Plus the Astros have thrown 10 no hitters and only had 5 thrown against us, so that means we're still ahead by 5 no hitters.

Okay, enough sour grapes, that was an amazing performance by Matt Cain last night.  He's one of my favorite pitchers and he was a nightmare last night for Astros hitters.  Even my man Jose Altuve had a bad night striking out three times.  

Matt Cain has been overlooked because of Tim Lincecum, but Mr. Cain has been a rock for the Giants staff posting double digit wins and an impressive WHIP for the last 3 years.

The Giants staff is one of the best in baseball with Cain, Lincecum, Barry Zito and a nasty 22 year old left-hander named Madison Bumgardner.  I'd be surprised if they don't make the playoffs especially if Lincecum can get back on track.  He hasn't has a win since April 20th.  (4-20)

Don't worry about my team.  I know the Astros will bounce back today and I predict J.D. Martinez will hit a grand slam.  In fact, I guarantee it.,

Roger Clemens and a jury of his peers

8 women and 4 men, who have never played major league baseball, are in deliberations to decide whether Roger Clemens is guilty of perjury.

Closing remarks were yesterday and prosecutor Gil Guerreor reminded the jury about the evil of baseball players.  "They influence children. They influence kids. Congress has to be involved with that,  Congress has the authority to protect the nation's youth."

I don't buy that.  But maybe Roger Clemens peers will.

Another prosecutor Courtney Slaeski attacked Mr. Clemen's wife's testimony saying Debbie Clemens testified last week that she received a shot of HGH from McNamee, without Roger Clemens’ knowledge.  Ms. Saleski called Debbie Clemens’ version “not true”

Now I've only been married for 18 years, but based on my experience I find it easier to believe a wife doing something without her husbands knowledge more than a wife getting on the stand and lying for him.  If she was lying for one of her friends, I would believe it.  Her husband, I doubt it.

I also find it curious when they chose a woman co-prosecutor.  It worked so well in the O.J. trial.   And this is nothing against equal rights, but I find it hard to believe a woman can truly understand a male athlete's mind.  I grew up in comedy clubs and one thing I learned is men and women are different.  To put a woman against a man in this situation seems nothing more than an attempt to emasculate an athlete.  In fact, that's what this whole trial feels like to me. 

Another gem from prosecutor's closing arguments was "we know that you do not want to find Roger Clemens guilty. Nobody wants to believe he did this."

I don't buy that either.  I don't think people have any "wants" on their opinions about Mr. Clemens drug use.

In my closing argument to America I will paraphrase Ms. Saleski.  

We know that you do not want to find out how many Government resources were used trying to shame Roger Clemens.  Nobody wants to believe that so many hours and tax payer dollars were used to go after a guy who throws a baseball.  And lastly, we know that the people who bullied this inane investigation past the greater good of our Nation will never be held accountable for their crime.  

God Bless Roger Clemens and the people of the United States of America.  

T. Sean rest.   

Baseball Card Theater- Check out the Dicks

BASEBALL CARD THEATER - guest starring Pat Shannon

After marching in the pride parade all day Sunday and then watching the Tonys that night, my brother Pat came up with the idea to do an ALL DICK TEAM of baseball card theater.  I hope you enjoy it.