March 28, 2020 Issue, Page 8 of 8

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Page 8 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, March 28, 2020 No graphics, no scores: Rewatching classic games gives glimpse of gentler era By Paul Sullivan, Chica- ball should automatically be we now need the constantrelson." Nowadays almost win. or it’s a hassle getting out of go Tribune issued. Otherwise, just wipe updates? every hitter wears batting Again, this was the Mark the parking lot. The obvious CHICAGO - While my it off and let's go. It's not as 4. Announcers seemed gloves, and more time is Fidrych game, where it ap- exception is Cubs fans who tolerance for watching clas-if the balls are 10 years old. more candid in their criti- wasted re-adjusting those peared as though the entire want to stick around until sic games during the sports They're all brand new. cism, gloves than anything else crowd of 40,000 or so at old the last chorus of "Go, Cubs, shutdown is waning a bit, 2. Some first baseman Maybe it was the Howard in the game. We'll never go Tiger Stadium hung around Go" after a win. Security needs to reprise the Pete afterward to soak in the win. back to the old days, but the I still find myself channel Cosell effect, but during the and ushers encourage fans surfing for a few minutes Rose spike. pregame show of the Mark game certainly moved along It wasn't a playoff game or to leave immediately after from time to time to see Whenever Pete Rose Fidrych game one of the an- better without the constant even a pennant race, but ev- what's being offered. caught a throw at first for nouncers wondered aloud adjustments. eryone seemed to know it games for security reasons There have been many the third out in the Phillies’ why Yankees starting pitcher 6. Crowd control was was a special moment and and so staff can clean the sta- more lax - and gentler treated it accordingly. diums. Nevertheless, it was changes to the way games 23-22 win over the Cubs at Ken Holtzman was such an Celtics legend Larry Bird Nowadays most fans are nice to see everyone enjoy- are presented, including the Wrigley Field in 1979, he "unhappy" man. Meanwhile, was shooting free throws graphics explosion that now spiked it like a football in- they showed Holtzman during the waning seconds anxious to leave long before ing themselves in the stands include news tickers, first stead ofthrowing it to some- warming up in the bullpen, of Game 7 of the 1984 NBA the final out, perhaps be- in Tiger Stadium long after down lines, pitch speeds and one in the dugout, as most oblivious to the criticism Finals against the Lakers cause the games are so long the game was over. other screen-grabbing items. first baseman do. There was being levied at him. It had when a few fans walked onto But it also is interesting something oddly compelling something to do with a con- the court to prematurely cel- Twins broadcaster stitches to see the evolution of the to it, and, honestly, I don't re- tract issue and was in stark ebrate. Boston Garden se- games themselves. member if it was just a Rose contrast to the usual com- curity rushed onto the court great tales in new book Here are eight things I've thing or if any other first mentary we see these days in and calmly escorted the By Jim Souhan, Star Tri- tent provides an insider's learned, or relearned, from baseman also did the spike. which athletes are not sub- trespassers off. CBS didn't bune (Minneapolis) view of Twins history since watching reruns of classic Either way, it was a cool way ject to harsh criticism during cut away to avoid showing I've known Dick Bremer 1983, when Bremer first got games: to end an inning, and cer- the fans, as broadcasts rou- for 28 years. At least, I a chance to call play-by- broadcasts. tinely do now as soon as one play for the team's television 1. You really don't need a tainly helped turn him into a 5. Look ma, no batting is spotted on the field or the thought I knew him. new baseball every time it memorable villain. gloves! court. Security now aggres- Then I read "Game Used: broadcasts, the best nuggets gets a speck ofdirt on it. 3. What's the score? Who Amazingly, batters didn't sively handles such trespass- My Life in Stitches with the are the most personal. Tigers pitcher Mark Fi- knows? always step out of the box Minnesota Twins," and real- He details his close rela- ers, which probably is for the ized I had missed so much. tionships with Kirby Puck- drych threw an off-speed We're so accustomed to after every pitch to adjust best in these uncertain times. ett, Harmon Killebrew and Ina saner and safer world, pitch during a 1976 game the instantly updated score their batting gloves. In fact, 7. Kudos to the Fab Five.Bremer would be preparing Tony Oliva, as well as mis- against the Yankees that bug on the screen that it's batting gloves didn't become Can you imagine modern to announce the Twins game takes he has made (or wit- catcher Bruce Kimm nabbed second nature now. But it popular until Ken "Hawk" basketball players wearing at Oakland on Thursday on nessed) on air. after it hit the dirt in the bat- was refreshing to watch the Harrelson began using them those short shorts from back Opening Day. Instead, he'll Once on a Winter Cara- ters box. Kimm handed the ‘on Sept. 4, 1968. so-called "Christian Laettner in the day? Fortunately you be home in St. Michael, try- van with Puckett, he real- game" ball to the plate umpire, who (Duke-Kentucky) Harrelson reportedly blis- don't have to, thanks to the ing to distract himself from ized they were ahead of looked at it for a second, from the 1992 NCAA Tour- tered his hands golfing and Michigan basketball team of our new reality. The book is schedule and stopped to see deemed it OK and put it nament and remember a time used a red golf glove to the early 1990s - featuring a welcome distraction. his parents. His mother was Chris Webber, Jalen Rose Bremer and author Jim star-struck, and her friend back in play. when the entire TV screen protect them, then homered and Juwan Howard - that Bruton divide the book created a needlepoint hand I don't remember when it was graphics-free. The score twice in the game. Accord- brought in baggy shorts that into nine innings and 108 towel that read: "Kirby was decided that every ball was updated frequently, but ing to an article by the Base- remain in style almost three "stitches." A Major League Puckett peed here." with a speck of dirt on it had there was no need to have it ball Hall of Fame, Mickey decades later. If there's ever baseball features that many The book is a reminder of to be put out of play, but it in your face every second. Mantle bought 20 pairs the a Hall of Fame for sports stitches, and Bremer uses how baseball announcers, has been going on for many, Maybe we paid more atten- next day so the Yankees fashion, the Fab Five de- this device to tell 108 mini- unlike any others, become many years. Of course, if tion back then and didn't could tease Harrelson dur- serve to be first-ballot picks. stories, providing an effort- part of the family. Their there is a smudge that can't need it? Or perhaps we ing warm-ups, calling him less read. voices are the voices of our 8. Fans could stay in the be easily removed, a new change channels so much "sweetheart" and "Mrs. Har- stands to celebrate a great While some of the con- summers. . HYDRATE TO FEEL Keep up with the action. Fast is always in season with high speed internet from Upto Sparkligh’ GREAT! 100 Mbps $45 /mo. for 6 mos. 300GB dataplus | FREEinstallation included Hurry, this great Sparklight offer ends April 30, 2020! 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