America's Pastime

 

The reading for my baseball class goes deep into the weeds.  What keeps it interesting for me is when I step back and admire the man-made evolution of what once was (and still is, for some) "America's Pastime."

How baseball progressed from a playground game among friends to a professional sport gives up many ideas that can be applied elsewhere.  Pragmatism was the overall philosophy when setting up the structure and rules. Various ways of playing were adopted and standardized.  When flaws were discovered,  the rules were changed.  Sometimes it took awhile, but flexibility and cooperation prevailed.

And today, baseball is staying true to its pragmatic tradition.  The shorter games are enormously popular.  The fans are filling the stands.

I'll leave the stats to my classmates to enjoy while I ponder the beauty of a game well played.

Taking a Break

 

Remember Charles Van Doren and the Quiz Show scandal?  It comes up right away in Doris Kearns Goodwin’s memoir of her life with Dick Goodwin.  I reached for the book as soon as it came out.  Like everyone else, I need a break from today.  I thought: “Here’s a chance to hang out with the good guys.”

I knew Richard Goodwin as the eloquent speechwriter who crafted some of the best works of JFK and then Lyndon Johnson. But before that, Dick Goodwin was a young “deep state” guy working in Congress.  He got the FCC to blow the whistle on the immensely popular but ultimately “fake” quiz programs. At the time, I had a hard time believing it had actually happened. And now?

(See what I mean about needing a break?)