our national pastime

When i was little i ate it up. Baseball cards (complete with chalky chewing gum), T-ball, Little League, the Richmond Braves (a farm team of Atlanta's), Oral Hersheiser, Nolan Ryan, Jose Canseco... i could go on forever.

My coaches always proclaimed me a hitter, but i never really delivered big in games, except the very last year i played when i took the lead-off spot and suddenly my batting average rose to nearly a thousand. i pitched and played third base, but i was so blind that i couldn't read the signals my catcher gave me. i nodded anyway, and sometimes shook off pitches that i couldn't see to begin with, just to keep up the image. i really only threw two pitches anyway.

So to be honest, it's only with somewhat limited expertise that i approach the modern halls of America's pastime.

And to be even more honest, i don't think i would be approaching them at all but for my lovely lady, who is undoubtedly the most loyal St. Louis Cardinals fan the world has ever been graced with.

i thoroughly enjoyed watching the Cards defeat the Mets and then the Tigers last year for the World Championship. They were definitely bet against, but the power and shine of Albert Pujols, the solid defense of David Eckstein, the grace and resilience of Chris Carpenter, and the surprise power of Jeff Suppan (the man hit a homerun-- what pitcher hits a homerun?) pulled these underdogs through with beauty and prestige.

And now, our esteemed World Champions are back again with a stunning victory over those atrocious delinquents, the Chicago Cubs.