Friday, March 17, 2006
Casey At The Bat
A political forum might not seem the place for a sports report. But athletics are symbols of local pride and loyalty in that often sustain victories in endeavors yet to come.The United States declares baseball ITS "national pastime" and celebrates what it calls THE "World Series". Millions and millions of dollars are spent paying professional athletes in quest of claiming that championship of US teams.
But the times, they are a changing, and there is a further world out there. Other nations decided they'd like in. This year, a truer World Baseball Classic, which is a round robin competition engaged in by 16 teams of the best from around the world.
Some baseball is played in Mexico but its leagues are characterized by on and off existence. The largest cities have a hard time supporting a team if at all. Excelling at the sport in those few cities that do is not a way to get rich. Last night Mexico beat the best of the all star professionals of the US team and knocked it out of the running for world championship.
Remaining games will be played in the US. Those yet competing are South Korea, Japan, Dominican Republic, and Cuba. US president Bush, experienced as previous owner of a losing team, tried to keep Cuba out but was forced to relent.
Don't hold your breath for a customary presidential TV spot photo opportunity Whitehouse congratulatory gathering should Cuba win it all. Imagine Fidel Castro, a former professional pitcher, showing up to embrace fellow baseball aficionado Bush as handshakes and hugs go all around.
We are one step closer to the dream with one more to go. Cuba just beat the favorite to take it all, Dominican Republic by 3 to 1. Japan and unbeaten Korea take the field in three hours and Cuba will play that winner Monday for the championship honor of waving a one raised middle finger "Hi there" to Señor Bush.
Sometimes you wake up from a dream to find it wasn't quite so. This one was pretty close though. Japan beat Cuba 10 to 6. Still though Castro came out looking better than Bush. The ploy the latter used to try and keep Cuba out was the US law which makes it illegal for US citizens, organizations, or companies to benefit Cuba financially. Cuba gets 7% of the tournaments intake for its second place finish. Castro is donating that to victims of the Katrina hurricane.
