Today February 2, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. It scared him, and he ran back into his burrow. Thus 6-more weeks of winter weather-no early spring. Then again, spring is 46 days from now. Let us do the math 6 (weeks) x 7 (days per) equals 42 days. I don’t know how all of this forecasting works.
Another prediction tied (who knew) to Punxsutawney Phil and his shadow; according to Market Watch if Phil sees his shadow and it’s bad news for stocks. I don’t know about this prediction, either.
What does all this mean? I don’t know. But let us cut Punxsutawney Phil some slack. He’s not a meteorologist or economist.
Category: ballparkprints.com Photography
Letting Go Of Print Making
For 50-years, I have been involved in printing and making prints, a subject I will expand on in future blogs. Part of why I revised and updated my website was my desire to close down my fine art studio. Going into 2020, I was thinking about how to close down. As much as I love photography, I love printmaking. The shutdown allowed me to be away from the studio and think uninterrupted about what I wanted. Then one day, my inbox started dinging, with sales from images of mine on Fine Art America. I had not forgotten about them, just not thinking of them. There printing is excellent, and I visited my page and started looking at other artist’s works. Then I remembered Getty was on FAA selling images using their services. Then I discovered that the Daily News, a New York City newspaper, was also working with FAA printing service. Needless to say, lightbulbs were popping off, and pieces starting to come together. The next thing I knew, I was working with Squarespace, 99design, and Soda Creek.
Letting go of printing, in the end, was easier than I imagined.
Scoreboard Watching Arrives Early in the American League
MLB, scoreboard watching will be in full swing, starting today in the American League. Except for the AL West leading Houston Astros with a commanding 17 game lead over Seattle. The AL Central Cleveland Indians have a 1.5 game lead over the KC Royals, and the Red Sox hold a one game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. As for the Wildcard, it is up for grabs. Except for the White Sox 13.5 behind the Royals, every other team is under ten games.
In the Bronx tonight the Rays and Yankees open a 4-game series. Both teams have been playing well, with the Rays 1.5 behind the Yankees and 2.5 games behind the first place Red Sox.
Friday night the Red Sox open a 3-game series against the red hot rejuvenated Royals winners of their last 8-straight games. The Indians and their fans will be eyeing the scoreboard as they have a slim 2-game lead in the AL Central Division.
To make it even more fun for the fans on Monday, July 31st, besides the trading deadline the Indians play Boston and Royals play Houston in a 3-game set.
Baseball unlike the other major sports leagues with its championship season of 162 games played daily gives teams hope that even if they fall behind by a few games, they still can bounce back. So no matter the outcome of these games over the next seven days there’s still a lot of baseball scoreboard watching ahead.
Gene Conley A Sports Legend And Character
Gene Conley passed away July 5 at the age of 86. Across the country, people will read about his winning championships with the Celtics and the World Series with Braves. But what I remember most about him is this:
• Conley and his good friend Pumpsie Green, best known for being the first black player in the history of the Red Sox, left the bus to use the bathroom. When they returned, the bus was gone, leaving the two ballplayers on their own.
After they determined that they would just disappear, passing the time at the local bar. While Green would return to the team the next day, Conley decided to remain on his own, checking into the Waldorf. There, watching the local news, he learned that people were looking for him. Thinking that the situation was amusing, he remained in his hotel or at Toot’s Shor, drinking be
Over the course of his time away from the Red Sox, Conley decided that he wanted to go to Israel. As such, he went to Idlewild International Airport, where he attempted to board an airplane with neither a passport nor luggage. Spotted by a reporter for the New York Post, Conley returned to Boston.
• David Hill Call to The Pen June 2016
Road Trip
Three weeks ago we started out on our cross-country trip. The first nights stop Dublin Ohio, then on to St, Charles, Missouri. The first stop on the original cross-country trip by Lewis & Clark. Nestled along the Missouri River it retains its small town feeling.
Planning trips, we like taking different routes and finding places to see, with Abilene Kansas, being one of those spots. It is his boyhood President Eisenhower and his Presidential Library and Museum. Eisenhower was one of the most influential men of the 20th Century, and even with its out-of-the-location it is worth and afternoon. From there we drove to Salina only 29 miles away. In Salina, we had ribs at Tucson Steakhouse. I am not a foodie, but those ribs were as good as any we have eaten in Memphis, and Kansas City.
Leaving the middle of the country, you also leave behind cheap gas prices, the low was $2.11 with the high being $2.49
Our other stops included Denver, Park City, Reno and Sacramento.
In western Kansas, you start to see drought that’s gripped the west in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California. Since 2009, this is our fourth road trip to the west coast, seeing how dry and dusty it is sad. We like California and know it’s it dry at this time of the year, but seeing the dry riverbeds, is sobering.
Months ago we booked a VRBO for 26 days in Sausalito it’s lovely. They are however suffering though there worst heatwave in memory. The establishments out here do not have air conditioning; a few more summer like this and that may change. Even the locals are wearing shorts. The forecast starting this weekend looks like the temperatures returning to normal.
Today about 4:20 am the foghorns could be heard, it has been awhile, it must have seemed like music to the locals.
As I stated, this is our fourth trip to San Francisco and do think I could remember businesses close early, and the last ferry out of San Francisco to Sausalito is 7:55 pm. Now it will require a few extra trips driving on the Golden Gate Bridge. A good thing I did get Fastrak.
These Are The Fun Days Watching Baseball
Some say the Baseball season is too long, no way. Look at the current changes that have taken place in the Standings from first place to the wildcard. It just doesn’t happen in the NFL or the NBA.
For me, it is the fun days, and not the dog days of August. It is scoreboard watching at its best.
http://www.ballparkprints.com
The trades you don’t make are your best ones.
Today in the media it is evaluation day of who is the winners and losers in MLB’s annual July 31st trading deadline. Watching the 4 pm countdown yesterday on Fox Sports (I’m on the Jersey Shore in rented beach house) and seeing my team the NY Yankees standing pat made me very happy. My first thoughts were of that old baseball adage. “The trades you don’t make are your best ones.”(1)
I am 100% a fan of baseball and enjoy watching games of all the teams, and all that goes on from the fall Hot Stove League to the August Waiver Wire, and everything in between. I just love it.
After the 4 pm deadline that is 4:15 pm as the commissioner office needs that extra 15 minutes to approve last of the last minute deals. Then the conversation starts who won who lost. After reviewing all the transactions, it struck me that the players being traded were for minor leagues who are not the front-line prospect, as one would expect.
But all of the stories surrounding the Yankees and trades it was only about their rated front-line prospects, and late last night 21 year Luis Severino one of the prospects every team wanted was called up. He’s scheduled to make his major league debut Tuesday night. I expect a lot of second-guessing from the media and fans next Wednesday.
As of today, the Blue Jays who were voted this year’s trading deadline winners are 6-games behind the Yankees, so should all know by the end of this season if standing pat was the right decision.
1- The trades you don’t make are the best ones.
Attributed to Branch Rickey and also Bill Veeck
Sports Illustrated Lays Off Entire Photography Department
2015 Team Spring Training Pitchers & Catchers Report Dates
Spring Training 2015 is 30 days away let the countdown begin. I will be leaving February 24th with a two-day stop in Washington DC to visit US Copyright office. My other countdown is after two years this coming Monday we will be moving into our new place in Bronxville NY. It is going be such a relief not thinking about real estate properties.
In 1970 Sport magazine hired Ozzie Sweet to photograph spring training and spend a little extra time shooting the Washington Senators two new players Denny McLain and Curt Flood. Plus shoot Ted Williams for the cover of the spring training issue.
Over the next 30 days, I will be posting images from Ozzie Sweet and my spring training trips.
2015 Cactus League Reporting Dates |
|||||
| Team | Pitchers & Catchers | First Workout | Position Players | First Workout | Location |
| Angels | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Tempe |
| A’s | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Mesa |
| Brewers | February 20 | February 22 | February 25 | February 26 | Maryvale |
| Cubs | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Mesa |
| Diamondbacks | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Scottsdale |
| Dodgers | February 19 | February 20 | February 25 | February 26 | Glendale |
| Giants | February 18 | February 19 | February 23 | February 24 | Scottsdale |
| Indians | February 18 | February 20 | February 22 | February 24 | Goodyear |
| Mariners | February 20 | February 21 | February 24 | February 25 | Peoria |
| Padres | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Peoria |
| Rangers | February 20 | February 21 | February 25 | February 26 | Surprise |
| Reds | February 18 | February 19 | February 23 | February 24 | Goodyear |
| Rockies | February 20 | February 21 | February 27 | Scottsdale | |
| Royals | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Surprise |
| White Sox | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | Glendale | |
2015 Grapefruit League Reporting Dates |
|||||
| Team | Pitchers & Catchers | First Workout | Position Players | First Workout | Location |
| Astros | February 20 | February 21 | February 24 | February 25 | Kissimmee |
| Blue Jays | February 23 | February 27 | Dunedin | ||
| Braves | February 20 | February 21 | February 25 | February 26 | Orlando |
| Cardinals | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Jupiter |
| Marlins | February 20 | February 20 | February 24 | February 24 | Jupiter |
| Mets | February 19 | February 21 | February 24 | February 26 | Port St. Lucie |
| Nationals | February 19 | February 21 | February 24 | February 26 | Viera |
| Orioles | February 19 | February 20 | February 24 | February 25 | Sarasota |
| Phillies | February 18 | February 19 | February 23 | February 24 | Clearwater |
| Pirates | February 18 | February 19 | February 23 | February 24 | Bradenton |
| Rays | February 22 | February 23 | February 27 | February 28 | Port Charlotte |
| Red Sox | February 20 | February 21 | February 24 | February 25 | Fort Myers |
| Tigers | February 19 | February 20 | February 23 | February 24 | Lakeland |
| Twins | February 22 | February 23 | February 27 | February 28 | Fort Myers |
| Yankees | February 20 | February 21 | February 25 | February 26 | Tampa |
New Year and My Hall of Fame Ballot
It’s that time of the year when we make New Year resolutions. I always try to think of something that’s a self-improvement that becomes part of my life, i.e. like making the bed every morning before I head out to my studio. Last year’s resolutions were each month to make one new meal that we never did before and to blog once a week. Well, we had 12 exciting new dinner meals, on the blogging front I started off strong but because of other commitments I trailed off. So this year I will recommit myself to first blogging on a regular base and expand from their.
If I had a Vote
Player Vote Year
†Rich Aurilia 1st
Jeff Bagwell √ 5th
Craig Biggio √ 3rd
Barry Bonds √ 3rd
†Aaron Boone 1st
†Tony Clark 1st
Roger Clemens √ 3rd
†Carlos Delgado 1st
†Jermaine Dye 1st
†Darin Erstad 1st
†Cliff Floyd 1st
†Nomar Garciaparra 1st
†Brian Giles 1st
†Tom Gordon 1st
†Eddie Guardado 1st
†Randy Johnson √ 1st
Jeff Kent 2nd
Edgar Martínez 6th
†Pedro Martínez √ 1st
Don Mattingly 15th
Fred McGriff 6th
Mark McGwire 9th
Mike Mussina √ 2nd
†Troy Percival 1st
Mike Piazza √ 3rd
Tim Raines √ 8th
Curt Schilling 3rd
†Jason Schmidt 1st
†Gary Sheffield 1st
Lee Smith 13th
†John Smoltz √ 1st
Sammy Sosa 3rd
Alan Trammell 14th
Larry Walker 5th
Tomorrow at 1pm we will find out how the BBWAA voted
BALLPARK PRINTS 