WhitmanMayo

I just finished reading a book about recovery, drug relapse, sex addiction, gambling and, of all things, baseball. I rarely find a book that makes me both, think hard about my recovery, and is also so hilarious that I laugh out loud. Million Little Pieces was pretty good, but it didn't really seem real to me. This book, called Wrecking Crew by John Albert was so real I felt I knew the characters. I cried at the end and highly highly recommend it. Just loved it.

CAPTAINZING2000

Ah man, y did they bring up baseball?


Steroids?

WhitmanMayo

No, not at all. A bunch of guys in various stages of recovery find friendship playing hardball. I don't even like baseball that much, but loved this.

CAPTAINZING2000

BASEBALL IS LIFE. Still a little hard to go to the games not drinking.

I can go back to my childhood to a simple time before when, the world thru the eyes of a child never knew what it does now.

Baseball, every day, I played baseball. The love of the game, I haven't been able to pass it down to my kids, maybe my grand kids!

shockozulu

Baseball and Vince Scully and I'm happy.

Now if the players would only stop doing the 'roids.....

CAPTAINZING2000

Vin Scully his voice is honey on the air waves.

WhitmanMayo

I agree. I am a huge Dodgers and Vin fan. I suppose that's why the book moved me so much. It's about getting a second chance to experience the innocence of playing baseball again. I know a lot of people love softball, but it's just not the same thing at all. This was about hardball and struggles with addiction.

CAPTAINZING2000

I grew up in a small town. 600 + give or take a funeral. Every day, there wasn't snow on the ground we played ball. Our Jr. High was a block from my house and we'd go there to play ball. Long before video games, this was the way we spent our day after the yards were mowed and the hay was in the barns and any other chores.

We grew up either being a cardinal fan or the hated cubs fan

Meant so much going to watch the boys of summer as a kid. I had a radio stuck to my ear every day listening to baseball growing up

One of my greatest memories was Ozzie Smith hitting a home run to beat the Dodgers in the playoffs. I was yelling OZZIE OZZIE, my kids were 2 and 4 they was yelling OZZIE cause I was. You've brought up some good memories in my mind today

shockozulu

I was a Dodgers fan and I was yelling Ozzie! The Cards had a good team didn't they? The Wizard of Oz, John Tudor (he could pitch and bunt), and Vince Coleman off the top of my head.

As for Vin Scully, there is a movie I love called the Star Chamber. Hal Holbrook and Michael Douglas are in the stands at Dodger stadium. Douglas asks why everyone has their radios and Holbrook replies that "they don't believe their own eyes until Vin Scully tells them" --- and it is so true!

CAPTAINZING2000

Seems like I saw that movie as well.

Poor Dodgers, they picked up J.D Drew from the Braves. He signed a multi year contract an he's hurt again just like he always was with the Cardinals!!!!!


I always hated the Dodgers !!!! Seemed they could play ball and not get dirty.

WhitmanMayo

Me and a friend were at Dodger stadium a few months back and everyone was singing "Take me out to the ballgame." We looked up into the press box and Vin was up there singing along. He looked down and saw us, then motioned with his hands as if blessing us. A very strange and beautiful moment.

CAPTAINZING2000

Chavez Ravine

must be great to play ball 12 months out of a year. I don't know if, the Dodger fans love baseball like us cards fan but!!!!! I think, L.A set some kind of all time record with attendance for baseball this year. 3 million fans every year. arrive late and leave early lol

shockozulu

Why do they always end up with those guys that are on the DL? This isn't the first time they signed up some guy that was always out on the old team and is now bench warming for the Dodgers.

In fact, the same happend when they got the Cardinals John Tudor. He was out all the time so the Cards traded him to the Dodgers and Voila! He needed a rotator cuff replaced.

You bet they could play ball and not get dirty. Under Tommy, they were that good. I know, Vin Scully told me so

WhitmanMayo

The Dodgers are in trouble, more in the front office than on the field. This "moneyball" thing is way overrated.

CAPTAINZING2000

Seems every year at Freee agent time The GM'S brains go dumb or, the owner gets into a pissing contest with Steinbrenner.

Love how the Yankees aren't doing well this year. Poor Joe Torre deserves better.

Give me a young hungry team with just enough money to keep them there

The A's have been a team to watch. I thought, they had a heck of a starting staff last year to let them go like they did

shockozulu

I know what you mean captain. We have a semi-pro league in town and now I follow their games instead. This $$$ thing is just outrageous.

What happened to baseball?

As for the movie, it was "The Star Chamber" and had some great lines in it.

Another one of my favorites is "There is a lot of nobility in this room, must be the paneling"

WhitmanMayo

Here, read this...


http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/38/features-albert.php

CAPTAINZING2000

Sounds like a movie in the works!


You brought up the movie the Star Chamber, I still have to go with Field of Dreams as my all time favorite movie bout baseball.

WhitmanMayo

The origina Bad News Bears is pretty great

shockozulu

Field of Dreams was good. I also really enjoyed The Natural, but it just plays too often so now I'm sick of it.