You'll know what we know.
There’s a lot of statistical nerdery in the baseball world, so we’re glad someone finally made a set of baseball cards focusing on the important details—like which Colorado Rockies shortstop broke his collarbone carrying deer meat up a flight of stairs. These “Bizarre Injuries” cards come from Left Field, and $15 will get you a pack of five linocut-printed cards with a picture, a fact… and absolutely no batting averages.
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Taking a page out of George Steinbrenner’s grooming guide, Florida Marlins owner David Samson made it clear over the weekend that Jose Reyes, the team’s shiny new $106 million shortstop, would be forced to cut the dreadlocks he’s been sporting for most of his career. “The answer is, there’ll be team rules,” Samson said. “Everyone follows the team rules, whatever they are.”
And if he’s considering throwing a hissy fit like the one Hanley Ramirez threw in 2009 when the same issue arose, Reyes should be aware that the Marlins’ official barber is also a surly-looking ex-con.
We sure hope the 347 or so fans who watch games at Sun Life Stadium enjoy the new cut.
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There’s always room on our desk for more photo essays about maritime jousting.
Our latest favorite comes from Victory Journal, a nostalgic, photo-heavy look at the world of sport. In other words, exactly the kind of sepia-toned legend building we usually get from No Mas. (No surprise, they’re involved.)
But mostly, it’s the only place in the world you’ll see a two-page photo spread of Fidel Castro pitching an inning for the Havana Barbudos circa 1959. Judging by his stance, the MLB didn’t miss much.
We love our country, but we loathe “God Bless America.”
More specifically, we are vehemently opposed to the compulsory singing of the patriotic anthem 1918 showtune from Yip Yip Yaphank! at baseball games. (Yes, “God Bless America” is a showtune, and one that its author, Irving Berlin, cut from Yip! after two performances because he disliked it so much.)
We begin this week’s Reentry with news that a German satellite reentered Earth’s atmosphere over the weekend and slammed itself into one or more portions of Southeast Asia, though no one is sure exactly where. In a (only-slightly) reassuring statement from Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, “If [the flaming mini-van-sized two-ton comet] had come down over a populated area, there probably would be reports by now.”
Here’s what else you (may or may not have) missed over the weekend…»
Rust Never Sleeps: An ode to the reddish khaki known as rust. (Ochre is also acceptable, and fun to say.) [Put This On]
Pack it In: The latest from Herschel Supply Co, paired with some pretty great fall jackets. [Hypebeast]
Dollar Dollar Bill Y’all: A look at US paper money circa 1896. It’s unrecognizable, but looks pretty good. We’ll be starting a movement to bring it back any day now. [Boing Boing]
Out to the Ballgame: A quick guide to watching the World Series from your laptop. It may be trickier than you think. [Gizmodo]
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We’re with George Steinbrenner on this one: baseball players should maintain a conservative, athletic appearance on the field.
Just as a physician might second-guess the notion of spray painting his untamed beard with discarded motor oil, so too should the ambassadors of baseball consider their appearance and alter that appearance when it resembles that of an Exxon Valdez-afflicted pelican.
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via Jonathan LederThe Tweeds of Fall: Another handsome layering guide, courtesy of Christopher Callis. [Men of Habit]
Bond Returns: Two very important pieces of info about the next Bond movie came to light today: 1) the opening will be set in Istanbul and 2) it will include French actress Bérénice Marlohe. We’ll let you decide which one’s more exciting. [/Film]
Circular Notion: Running down Paul Newman’s handsome sweatshirts in Sometimes a Great Notion. [A Treasury Of…]
Draw Me a Picture: A new press hit from our old friend Summer Anne Burton, who’s still drawing baseball Hall-of-Famers. [Deadspin]
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via WBERounding Up: A thorough roundup of the season’s wool pants. Our money’s on the Rugger herringbone…as soon as it’s on sale. [Valet]
Get Quilted: Nic from the Bengal Stripe runs down his favorite trends, including old-man ties and quilted jackets. A fine crop. [Details]
Baseball Gloves and Red Wings: A tour of NothernGRADE, Minneapolis’ own pop up flea. Taylor Stitch makes a pretty great showing. [The Midwest Style]
The Faces of Beer: In case you were wondering, Germans get pretty sloppy at Oktoberfest. Here are the photos to prove it. [The Atlantic]
As connoisseurs of history, we sometimes find styles, habits and turns of phrase from the past that we wouldn’t mind bringing back to the present, Doc Brown-style. This time around, we’re dusting off manual scorekeeping.
We live in a world of convenience. So it’s only natural that when we find ourselves at a sporting event—or watching on TV—there’s always some sort of device there to tell us who’s winning.
Even if we might be better off figuring it out for ourselves.
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There’s nothing like a bonafide legend—especially if he was one of the first. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. George Herman Ruth…
Occasionally in our quest to become better men we are graced with cautionary tales from older, wiser mentors.
One such occurrence took place in the moments leading up to a 2005 Kansas City Royals’ spring training game, when Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett imparted upon Ross Boudreaux and Scott Walter, two rookie catchers attempting to make the team, a harrowing tale of steady composure in the face of unthinkable adversity.
Boudreaux and Walter were never called up to the big show (perhaps due to their tendency to lose focus during pre-game stretching routines). But we’re quite certain that, thanks to George Brett, they are that much closer to enlightened fulfillment.
There’s a good chance you’ve seen this video – it was an instant classic when leaked in 2009.
But now, for the first time, Kempt leaks the shooting script…»
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via sig et al.Look Back in Beastie: The Men of Beastie look back on 25 years of hell raising. [Interview]
Quinton McCracken, We Hardly Knew Ye: The 60 best names in baseball. To give you some idea of the competition, “Ebenezer Beatin” only made it to #8. [The Awl]
JFK Still Owns It: The navy shawl-collar cardigan, through history. They forgot the Oliver Spencer version…but we’ll forgive them. [A Headlong Dive]
Deep Coral: Talking style with a VP from Isaia. Predictably, he wears the hell out of a DB. [Men of Habit]
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As connoisseurs of history, we sometimes find styles, trends and turns of phrase from the past that we wouldn’t mind bringing back to the present, Doc Brown-style. This time around, we’re dusting off the two-sport professional athlete.
These days, nobody seems to know what Bo knew.
We’re not talking about breaking bats over your leg (though we wish someone could figure out how to do that in one attempt, too.)
We’re referring, rather, to the seemingly lost art of playing more than one professional sport. Bo Jackson’s name was synonymous with the practice in the 90’s, thanks to his penchant for blasting stratospheric home runs into the upper fountain at Royals Stadium while averaging the second-most yards-per-carry in NFL history.
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We’ve imparted a few thoughts on baseball in the past—particularly listening to it on the radio—but here’s one more often-overlooked detail: Baseball is one of the few sports you can play while wearing sunglasses.
So far, most ballplayers haven’t seized the opportunity to gain style points. In fact, the results have ranged from the inspired to the regrettable…but that’s not to say they’re not interesting.
Paz in Our Time: Paz de la Huerta says outrageous things in an interview, which only increases her appeal. No word yet on whether a cake was involved. [NYTimes]
All of the Lights, All of the Lights: Musings on the end of Friday Night Lights. Football! Adulthood! Change! [The Awl]
Bonafide: Lawrence from HTTGAP gets some love from the Quarterly. We remember when he was just Lawrence from Sartorially Inclined. [GQ]
Batter Up: Because you can always use more baseball art around your apartment…
[Apartment Therapy]
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Call us nostalgics if you like, but we couldn’t let Father’s Day pass by without one last old-school baseball post. This time, it’s a fingerless mitt circa 1870, stitched together by the Cooperstown buffs at Huntington Baseball Co. (by way of Antenna). In those days, they didn’t bother with niceties like laces. Instead, you’ll get a thick patch of leather over your palm…and nothing else. Hopefully, you’ve got a Lemon Ball handy.
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via Fashion CopiousShame About the Cubs, Though: Dave Eggers’ ode to Wrigley Field. [Grantland]
They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To: The loves and exploits of the magnificent bastard known as Clark Gable. Fathers: hide your wives and daughters. Bachelors: raise a glass. [The Hairpin]
Always Handy in a Barfight: Perhaps you should buy your father a knife for Father’s Day. [Blackbird]
When It’s OK to Tweet Dick Pics: Life is full of hard decisions, so here’s a flowchart indicating when it’s appropriate to tweet pictures of your “congressional representative.” It may be simpler than you think. [GOOD]
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Here’s your latest dose of baseball kitsch, courtesy of Michael Bastian.
Fresh from Gant’s newly launched e-comm site, these socks signal your commitment to the pastime with fake stirrups and a globe patch, perfect for summer softball leagues, Halloween costumes, and any number of upcoming Sunday afternoons. At a glance, the colors look like Yankees, Red Sox and A’s, but we’re open to suggestions.
They’re high enough to tuck your pants into if you’re going for the full Cooperstown—just don’t try it at the office.
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Baseball ain’t what it used to be.
We’re not talking about steroids, designated hitters, bloated payrolls, abbreviation nicknames or the troubling scarcity of Pavano-style mustaches. We’re talking about something even more important: the uniforms.
via VlamboyantBringing the Heat: A slow-motion look at Tim Lincecum’s fastball. Pretty spectacular stuff. [The Atlantic]
The Cream of the Parka Crop: A lightweight parka roundup for a drizzly day. [Complex]
Time for Rehabuzzitation: A few startup buzzwords to casually sprinkle into your next conversation. Attempt at your own peril. [Fast Company]
The Last Straw: Orvis’s latest creation may have crossed the line from “Fuck You” pants to “I Dare You To Stop Talking To Me” pants. [Selectism]
As connoisseurs of history, we sometimes find styles, habits and turns of phrase from the past that we wouldn’t mind bringing back to the present, Doc Brown-style. This time around, we’re dusting off listening to sports on the radio.
It’s the oldest predicament in sports: You care about your team, but you’re not going to make it to every single game. So you check out the sports page, or the highlight reels, or the steadily updating scores trickling onto your phone. You check every few innings, and accept anything else as lost in translation.
Unless you happen to have a radio.
This is not a joke. It’s very, very serious.
At the Cincinnati home opener yesterday, Pete Rose popped up wearing what seems to be the leather bomber equivalent of a Coogi sweater. It’s not exactly public-rehabilitation attire—in fact, it looks like it was lifted from the liner notes of Ready to Die. But if he’s trying to age into a role as baseball’s gangsterish, vaguely creepy uncle, he nailed it.
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In honor of Opening Day (and now that you’ve got something to wear), we thought we’d direct your attention to a little more Costner-esque nostalgia: An illustrator named Summer Anne Burton has charged herself with creating a detailed, info-filled drawing depicting every player in the baseball hall of fame. In case you’re not a fan…there are a lot of them.
The result is every bit as quirky as you think. She uses Library of Congress photos and pencil to create a pretty good portrait, and throws in enough quotes and stats to give you a sense of how they actually looked on the ballfield—making her something close to the internet equivalent of Ken Burns.
So far she’s only gotten through 41 out of 295, but she’s got all season.
We’re currently just three days away from Opening Day, and all the excitement and Costner-esque nostalgia the comes with it.
Naturally, we’ve got big plans for the week ahead, but we’ll start with the most elemental item of all: the jersey. Specifically, the vintage jersey.
This one comes from Ebbets Field Flannels, a Seattle outfit turning out historically accurate Jerseys from the early days of baseball, stitched together from the same wool flannel they used in the old days. So if you had your heart set on wearing Satchel Paige’s Monarchs jersey to the first game of the season, you can get it here.
The rest of the stock is even more obscure, from the turn-of-the-century Coast League or the depression-era Cuban league. We wouldn’t wear it outside of a specifically baseball-related scene—either at the park, in sight of a TV showing the game or a sufficiently sunny cookout—but you should have plenty of those over the next few months.
