Dock Ellis & the LSD No-No

I showed this video to some friends and this is
pretty much how that conversation went:

Me: Check out this video. 

Them: What the hell is the LSD No-No?

Me: This guy claims he threw a no-hitter on LSD. 

Them: What's a no-hitter?

Me: In baseball, when a pitcher goes an entire game without giving up a hit, that's a no-hitter, hence the name no hitter. 

Them: And this dude did it all hopped up on LSD?

Me: That's what he says. 

Them: Bullshit. 

Safe to say they don't buy his story. 

Seeing as there is a documentary film cleverly titled The Dockumentary coming out this year surrounding the life and career of the infamous Dock Ellis, I found it fitting to dedicate this blog post to him, and his supposed "achievement." 

To be clear, I don't say supposed as in "I don't believe him he's lying," so please don't attach that negative stigma to it. I say supposed because it's never been proven that he did or did not throw a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD, nor can it be because he unfortunately passed away in 2008. In fact, unlike my friends, I do believe him. I mean, why would he lie? There's no need to be cynical all the time! He did do drugs on a regular basis, that's a known fact, and he even claimed himself that he and some of his teammates never really played without being under the influence of some sort of drug. 

All we know is that Dock Ellis - while pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates - threw a no hitter on June 12, 1970. It was the highlight of his career, and he seems to remember a lot of it pretty well, (refer to video.)

That is really his voice in the video, by the way. He was interviewed about it and this is what he said word for word. His response is coupled in the video with some really cool animation by James Blagden. 

Although he is remembered in part for his drug and alcohol abuse, Ellis also served higher purposes throughout his career. He was vocal in denouncing racism in baseball, and petitioned successfully to get two African-American pitchers on the 1971 All-Star team, an achievement that was acknowledged by Jackie Robinson. After a stint in rehab, Ellis also helped counsel drug addicts in treatment centers and prisons.

If you want to learn more about the film you can follow it on twitter @dockumentary or you can visit the website at http://www.nonoadockumentary.com/ 

Movie Review: A League of Their Own

Alas, it is late in the week, and I've finally found a smidge of time to watch this movie. A League of Their Own is unique when it comes to baseball films. It's one of the few baseball films out there that I can think of that focuses mainly on women, and women only.

First I will provide a brief summary; the setting is America during the Second World War. Men from Major League Baseball go overseas to fight in the war effort. Team owners, who are out of money because the league has shut down get together to find women across the country who are willing to play in a women's pro baseball league.

Their search leads them to Oregon, where they come across Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis). Dottie is asked to play but she declines. Her sister, Kit (Lori Petty) offers to play, and their slimy recruiter, played by Jon Lovitz agrees on the condition that Dottie comes with her. After a bit of haggling, the two sisters both try out and are placed on the same team, the Rockford Peaches.

They recruit the services of former player turned drunken buffoon Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) to manage the Peaches. He's a very real character in the movie, starting off ashamed, and embarrassed by his job managing a woman's baseball team. He harshly displays this attitude on multiple occasions throughout the film.

Dottie eventually grows to become a star in the league, leaving Kit to live in her shadow. Shit gets real when Kit is traded from the Peaches after Dottie had requested that she wanted to be traded, not Kit. Kit blames Dottie for the trade, and the two sister quarrel with one another, and it leads to an outburst in front of the entire team.

Later, Dottie's husband returns home, and she considers leaving the game right before the championship series they're supposed to play against Racine, the team Kit now plays for. Slowly but surely the series is tied at three games a piece, leading to a final showdown between the two sisters.

There's a debate surrounding this clip. I think Dottie dropped the ball on purpose. I think she knew that she needed to drop the ball in order to save her relationship with her sister.

There's so much to love about this movie, great acting, drama, laughs. You really learn about the characters as the movie goes along. The relationship between the two sisters is clearly damaged, Kit feels that she's been living in Dottie's shadow for quite some time. It's not just about Dottie's fame in the league, but her fame elsewhere. Kit is always trying to overcompensate for the fact that people still view her as Dottie's younger sister, and not her own person, perhaps she views herself that way as well.

Jimmy Dugan is also a character that speaks to the audience through action. A drunk, former player down on his luck, stuck managing a women's team, while most of his former teammates are still playing, or at war. In the end, he grows to love the team, and even turns down a job managing a AAA-affiliate team to remain the manager of the Peaches.

It has everything that every other baseball movie has. It even has acting appearances by Rosie O'Donnell (who's constant heckling of opposing players is hilarious) and Madonna. Both of whom play their roles as pals from New York with a slight attitude very well.

You pretty much run the emotional gamut with this movie. You feel angered, at Jimmy Dugan, sometimes at Kit, and the general misogyny of the time, you feel frustrated with Dottie's downplaying of her achievements, and her inability to see that her sister is really struggling, you feel saddened when the sisters fight with one another, the movie's suspenseful - in particular the scene where a war letter informing a woman of their husband's death in the war is delivered to their dressing room - and you just feel downright good at the end.

I've compiled a list below of extra scenes that I like that haven't been covered yet.  Here are my personal favorites.

There's no crying in baseball. The iconic line uttered by Hanks' character:

In this scene, Jimmy Dugan is less than impressed with the heckling of one of his player's children during the game, I believe the video description is something along the lines of "Tom Hanks throws a glove at a fat kid." (Thank you internet):

This next scene is a good one. After Dottie's husband returns and Kit gets traded, Dottie initially doesn't see a reason to continue playing baseball. Dugan tries to convince her otherwise:

Overall, this is one of my favorite baseball movies, it's funny, sad, dramatic, and different. I'm not going to slap a star rating on it, because it's an old movie, and star ratings are dumb - but I will say this is a damn good movie, and if you haven't seen it yet, stop reading this and go watch it now.

Baby post: Diversification by being not as bland

I'd just like to take this small post to say that I will be altering my blog a bit. It's still going to be a baseball blog. I will still talk about stats, free-agents, trades, all that exciting stuff, but I'll have to thank my classmate Clara Buelow for giving me some advice to make my blog more diverse in it's content, making it more accessible for people out there who aren't die hard fans of the game.

The first thing I will do is I will have a monthly baseball movie review. I will start next week with A League of Their Own which is a classic. I will also review movies like Bull Durham, Rookie of the Year, Angels in the Outfield, (makes me cry every time), Moneyball, and any other baseball movies that are out there. You don't have to be a baseball fan to enjoy a good movie about the ol' ball game.

I'd also like to do a post in the future about food at baseball games. Seeing as my financial situation is limited, I won't be able to travel far to get a diverse selection of foods from different ball parks, but you'd be hard pressed not to find anything that both tastes good, and is reasonably priced at Shaw Park here in Winnipeg.

I'd also like to do a feature on different baseball uniforms, I've always been kind of a jersey nut, no matter what the sport is.

I will start this diversification next week, for now, I have homework to complete, and television shows to catch up on.

MLB Off-Season Update: Position Players

After a slow start to the off-season, some MLB teams have seen a major overhaul, as weaker teams have added star players in order to become contenders, old favourites seek to regain their powerhouse status, and mid-level teams look to take the extra step to make a push for the playoffs. A lot of players have changed hands over the past few weeks, but it would take me days to consider the significance of each free-agent signing. Instead, I will outline the major players that have signed with new teams, and discuss their significance to their new team. (Position players only)

Position Players

1 - Carlos Beltran (St. Louis Cardinals ---> New York Yankees): The Yankees have once again opened up the check book as they look to become the contender that they once were. Gone, it seems, are the days where the Yankees were the favourite to win the World Series year in and year out. With the emergence of teams like Boston, Baltimore, and Tampa Bay, the Yankees have had trouble in recent years keeping up in the AL East race. With the Beltran signing, the Yankees are getting a solid outfielder who has a ton of skill and experience. Though his best days may be behind him, Beltran can still be a force in the MLB.

2 - Robinson Cano (New York Yankees ---> Seattle Mariners): Despite the signing of Beltran, among other free agents, the Yankees lost one of the best second basemen in the game in Robinson Cano. Apparently Cano's asking price of $270 million dollars over 10 years was too steep, even for the Yankees. If the Mariners want to become a contender and build their team around a superstar there's no better player than Robinson Cano. I think they'll still miss out on the playoffs because of the tough AL West division they're in, but they took a solid step finding a key player that they can build a team around.

3 - Shin-Soo Choo (Cincinnati Reds ---> Texas Rangers): Choo had a great season with the Reds in 2013. Although he didn't put up huge HR or RBI numbers, Choo had an off-the-charts OBP of .423. He fills a hole for the Rangers, who are going all in after signing Choo and trading for Prince Fielder. It's clear the Rangers are heading into 2014 with one goal, winning the World Series.

4 - Mark Ellis ( L.A. Dodgers ---> St. Louis Cardinals): He may not be the biggest signing thus far, but the Cardinals still believe that Ellis has a few good years left in him. He's getting up there in age at 36, but I think he'll fill a nice hole for the Cardinals, who always find a way to win.

5 - Jacoby Ellsbury (Boston Red Sox ---> New York Yankees): Jacoby Ellsbury gives the Yankees a defined lead-off hitter and center fielder. This will give the Yankees the option to move Brett Gardiner - who is a good players in his own right - to one of the corner outfield positions, while not relying on him as their only speedster in the lineup. I'm interested to see how he'll be greeted by Red Sox fans when he returns to Fenway as a member of the Yankees.

6 - Curtis Granderson (New York Yankees ---> New York Mets): Granderson may be switching teams, but he doesn't have to travel far to find his new home. He has left the Yankees for their in-state rivals who are going through a rebuild of their own. This isn't a huge loss for the Yankees with the signing of Ellsbury, but it's a good signing for the Mets who need veteran players who can still make an impact.

7 - Corey Hart (Milwaukee Brewers ---> Seattle Mariners): Another good signing by the Mariners, Hart brings a veteran presence to the M's that they need in order to groom younger players. He's also been an MLB all-star twice in his career.

8 - Brian McCann (Atlanta Braves ---> New York Yankees): I'm starting to feel repetitive...nonetheless, here's another good signing for the New York Yankees. They haven't really had a solid, stable catcher since the days of Jorge Posada. McCann gives them exactly that. The Yankees have an aging pitching staff that will see some younger arms come into play this year, having a veteran catcher to help them along will be key.

9 - Nate McLouth (Baltimore Orioles ---> Washington Nationals): He's not the biggest name on the list, but he adds some depth to the outfield of a Washington team that underachieved last season. He's a solid fielder, and his speed can give other teams fits on the base-paths, and he has no problem stepping into the lineup at any point, whether he's batting leadoff or hitting ninth.

10 - Justin Morneau - (Pittsburgh Pirates ---> Colorado Rockies): Another name that may not make some people's list, unless your Canadian. It's nice to see Morneau has found a home somewhere. Although he's seen his best days, and his stats have declined over the past few years, Morneau can still be an effective player in his own right. He's put up more than 70 RBI in his past 3 seasons between the Twins, and a short stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

11 - Jhonny Peralta (Detroit Tigers ---> St. Louis Cardinals): Peralta gives the Cardinals something they need desperately, an every day shortstop. No disrepect to Pete Kozma of course, but Peralta is a significant upgrade. The Cardinals are looking for a more defined infield, instead of the weird rotation they've had over the past few seasons. They're off to a good start with the signings of Peralta and Ellis.

12 - A.J. Pierzynski (Texas Rangers ---> Boston Red Sox): This is a good signing for the Red Sox. They already have an experienced lineup, and it became more experienced with the signing of Pierzynski. After losing Salty to the Marlins, the Sox needed a good veteran catcher to help their pitching staff along.

13 - Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Boston Red Sox ---> Miami Marlins): I'm a little bit baffled as to why the aforementioned "Salty" would leave the World Series champs for the usually last place Marlins. Then I remember he was born in Florida. This signing is significant because it gives the Marlins their only other notable name outside of Giancarlo Stanton. Some athletes love playing close to home, can you blame them?

There it is. For a full list of free-agent signings in the MLB thus far, check out ESPN's list of signings at:
http://espn.go.com/mlb/freeagents 

Next week I'll highlight pitchers that have changed hands and how they can help their team. For now, let me know which players you're excited to see on their new team, and if you feel up to it, give me a follow on Twitter @burnsy004

Sports Culture: Chris Kluwe and the Minnesota Vikings

"Sports culture" is a term that I've wrestled with over the past five years or so.

For me, "sports culture" is an enigma that I can't seem to solve. When I think of this term, I think of my former and current teammates. I think about how some of them have become my friends, some haven't, and some, I just don't care for. I also think about some of the horrible things I've heard in the locker-room by both my coaches, and my teammates. I think about how I've been told my entire life that those things are just part of "sports culture."

A question I've neglected to ask the people who've told me that is: what does "sports culture" even mean? 

I've written about this topic before, both on this blog and in University. My interest was peaked this past week when I read about former Minnesota Viking's punter Chris Kluwe, who wrote a piece for Deadspin claiming that his advocacy for gay rights was most likely the reason that he was let go by the Vikings, after the conclusion of the 2012 season. 

Mike Priefer (left) & Chris Kluwe (right)

In the piece, Kluwe tells the story of how his former Head-Coach Leslie Frazier tried to silence him when he was speaking out publicly for gay-rights, even though team owner Zygi Wilf approved of Kluwe's actions, to which Frazier responded "Well, he writes the checks. It looks like I've been overruled."

He also tells stories of Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer, claiming that Priefer used homophobic language when in Kluwe's presence, and would purposely use this language to try and get a rise out of him. 

Kluwe quotes Priefer in the piece, claiming that he said, "We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and nuke it until it glows." 

Kluwe also adds, in reference to Priefer and his coaching career, "It's inexcusable that someone would use his status as a teacher, and a role model to proselytize on behalf of his own doctrine of intolerance, and I hope he never gets another opportunity to pass his example along to anyone else." 

I can't say for sure that Kluwe was fired for his gay-rights advocacy, but I will say his firing was suspicious. Kluwe's statistics were pretty much the same in 2012 that they had been throughout his career, but he was only let go after he became a vocal advocate for gay-rights. But then again, we can't pass judgement without a more expanded pool of knowledge on his firing. Maybe the Vikings found an upgrade at his position? Perhaps they found someone younger to take his spot? Or maybe it was just time for the team to move on. There are other possibilities for Kluwe's firing.  

I do not take issue with Kluwe being cut, because I don't know the real reason for it. But I think his accusations bring a much bigger problem to light; whether Kluwe's accusations are true or not, homophobia exists in sports. There's no dancing around it, it's there. I've heard coaches use homophobic language when talking to their players, and I've heard players use it when talking to one another. I've witnessed teammates been called a "fairy" (among other words that begin with "f") for making a mistake during games, but unlike Chris Kluwe, I never had the guts to stand up for what I thought was right, which was a mistake on my part.  

In a world that's growing increasingly aware of human rights and human dignity, sports could find itself left by the wayside if it doesn't evolve. If Kluwe's claims are true, I hope those involved are reprimanded properly. Sport needs to evolve to become more accepting and more open. Sport needs more people like Chris Kluwe, or Patrick Burke - who is a co-founder of the You Can Play project - and another person in sports who isn't afraid to stand up for what he believes in. Sport needs more people to speak out, and it needs those people's organizations to allow them that opportunity. 

Kluwe doesn't seem like the type of person who would make this all up for publicity, though in a way, I hope he did. I hope that he wasn't fired for his activism, and that those offensive things weren't said by his coaches. I hope that this situation is resolved, and those who have done wrong are held accountable for their actions. I hope it will inspire organizations to afford their employees with the opportunity to speak out on issues that they feel are important.

Athletes should be able to speak out on issues they care about without it affecting their job. If they do, perhaps "sports culture" can become more clear in it's definition, and include acceptance as part of it.  

Opinions? Do you think Kluwe was fired because of his gay-rights advocacy? Or is there another reason for his firing?