Ought-9 Worlds Series pick

The St. Louis Cardinals will meet the New York Americans with the base-ball championship of the world on the line in what will be dubbed the “Fall Classic.”

However, the Yankees will be doing “The Charleston” while the Cardinals will be doing “The Jitterbug.” Frankie Frisch and the boys from St. Louis will be no match for the Sultan of Swat and his gang of hefty hitters. The New York ballists will win the best-of-nine Worlds Series, five matches to three.

What’s transpired in base-ball in ought-9

As warm temperatures and sunny skies retire and give way to autumn grey and crisp winds, base-ballers gather their willows in a final attempt to conquer their adversaries.

The not-exactly win-oriented nature of the Milwaukee Beermakers — the preferred base-ball nine of Greatest Pro Bowls of all time, and other stuff — has prevented Greatest Pro Bowls of all time, and other stuff to not exactly be on top of all things stick and ball. While the local bunch failed to tally a respectable effort to secure the pennant, Greatest Pro Bowls of all time, and other stuff, and probably other cranks for the local nine, found it more satisfying to call on to other, more enjoyable, endeavors.

Still, it’s time to take a moment away from the comforts of those endeavors and serve notice to other match nines in base-ball.

Old-timey base ball in Eagle, Wis.

The Eagle Diamonds nine whitewashed an overmatched Milwaukee Grays side 9-0 much to the delight of a large contingent of cranks on hand for the base ball match at Ward School Field.

Wild bounces in the outer garden, quirky bug bruisers in the infield and a number of stingers by burly Diamond strikers were a real bugaboo for the Milwaukee nine. The success of the local match nine was greeted by numerous cries of “huzzah” by the cranks situated along an adjacent hillside.

Is Honus Wagner among base-ball’s all-time greatest?

“(Honus Wager is) maybe the greatest star ever to take the diamond.” — Ty Cobb.

I like talking old-timey baseball.

I could talk for hours if anybody is game and can speak intelligently on the matter.

So, when a few of my softball teammates engaged in such a discussion after a couple brews at the local watering hole after a rousing victory, I was more than happy to oblige and jump right into the fray.

The topic: Greatest players ever.

More random thoughts

“If this is the game of the people, they need stars.” — FIFA president Sepp Blatter, defending the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.

O’BRIENS, Santa Monica — Words form sentences, some of which are coherent …

Random thoughts

“I will calmly wait for my induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame.” — Sammy Sosa, upon announcing his retirement nearly two years after his last official major-league at bat.

Just a good, old-fashioned mind dump …

The ‘Big Sloppy Shift’

“I’m sorry, guys. I don’t feel like talking right now. Just put down, ‘Papi stinks.’” — David Ortiz, following an 0-for-7 performance in a 12-inning loss by the Boston Red Sox.

In the wake of the newly instituted Jason Varitek shift, big-league managers have gone a step further when the all-star formerly known as Big Papi, David Ortiz, lumbers to the plate, Greatest Pro Bowls of all time, and other stuff has learned from watching the Boston Red Sox’s latest matchup with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Thursday.

Spring training 2009: Surprise, surprise!

“It’s the fans that need spring training. You gotta get ‘em interested. Wake ‘em up and let ‘em know that their season is coming, the good times are gonna roll.” — Baseball philosopher/announcer/Hall-of-Fame reveler Harry Carey.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — It was in the spring of 1951 when Del Webb — the then-New York Yankees co-owner — temporarily moved the team’s spring training operations to Arizona. This gave Webb, who spent his working days developing a real estate empire, a chance to check out his team (which featured Joe DiMaggio in his final season, and Mickey Mantle in his first). One of those real estate developments occurred in Sun City, which sits adjacent to Surprise, another rapidly growing community, which just happens to be the site of one of the Cactus League’s most appealing ballparks.

Spring training 2009: Welcome to the new Dodgertown

“A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.” — Actor/chain smoker Humphrey Bogart.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — After the 1957 season, team owner Walter O’Malley moved the Trolley Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in a stunning, yet revolutionary, move that kicked into high gear the evolution of the game.

Fifty-one years later, the Dodgers played their last spring training game in Vero Beach, Fla., a.k.a. Dodgertown, the team’s cozy spring training home since 1949.

Now, in a move that curiously took so long to make, the Dodgers are just a six-hour drive from their home city in the new Dodgertown, Glendale, Ariz., where the team is now very accessible to their strong fan base. Well, it’s not really “Dodgertown,” per se, since the team shares its new spring training home with the Chicago White Sox, but it appears the team could be in Arizona to stay, which is a move that should have been made a long time ago.

Spring training 2009: Yes, Wisconsin, there was a sausage race

“Don’t tell me about the world. Not today. It’s springtime and they’re knocking baseball around fields where the grass is damp and green in the morning and the kids are trying to hit the curve ball.” — Some novelist/essayist/journalist named Pete Hamill.

MARYVALE, Ariz. — You can tell when a team has been conducting spring training in the same area for a long time, the girl I’m sorta-kinda seeing perspicaciously (thanks, thesaurus.com!) observed. Such is the case with the Brewers, who have been holding spring training in the Phoenix area since their inception in 1970.

Cars bearing Wisconsin plates were seen throughout the parking lot, as snowbirds made the trek to sunny and warm Arizona.

Even the public address announcer helps the fans in attendance take simple pleasure in the bountiful sunshine.

“Game time temperature is 78 degrees.”

“In Milwaukee, the high is 22.”

Loud cheers.