Second Spitter Day

Today is “Second Spitter Day”, the day in 1987 when Newman and Kramer were heckling Keith Hernandez and got spit on by Roger McDowell from a grassy knoll. I set up a calendar reminder so I wouldn’t forget. See you next year.

Man the Atlanta Dream must not be good if the Fever can coast the entire game. I tried to look up the info by googling “fever dream” and evidentially that’s a thing.

I worked until 7 pm Thursday evening. Got home and turned on the game, just in time for the last minute before the half. Spaghetti for supper. Watched more of the game, then C turned on a Hallmark movie I had already watched twice.

Got an earlier start this morning. Made it to Candler Park by 555 am. Teed off shortly after six.

1. Not the greatest hybrid off the tee. Mulligan slightly better. Hit two hybrids from the fairway, the second straighter than the first. Long but decent chip, followed by a flubbed chip, then a great chip onto the green. Missed the par putt. “Bogey”

2. Cruddy 6 iron off tee, then a better one, then a great one to the fringe. Two putt for “par”. Found two balls on the hole.

3. Shanked a 9 iron, then hit a good tee shot to the back fringe. For goof measure I pulled a third try left. Not the greatest lag putt. “Bogey”.

4. Not the greatest tee shot, but better than the mulligan I pulled into the woods. Two good chips. Missed the par putt. “Bogey”. Found three balls on the hole.

5. Flubbed two 6 irons off the tee – one right and one left. Pulled a third into the woods. Made a pretty good long low chip under the tree branches to the fringe. Okay chip then a better chip. Two putt for a “double”.

6. Drew a high, long hybrid off the tee just past the 150 yard marker. Shot of the day. So good that I didn’t hit a mulligan. Then I hit an okay approach with my 6 iron, but then hit a great mulligan to the fringe. Should’ve chipped. Hit six putts but only one was decent. Missed the par putt. “Bogey”.

7. Skipped a hybrid off the tee. Got a decent roll but my mulligan sailed most of the way up the hill. Hit hybrid off the carpet, so good that I didn’t hit a second try. Two decent chips to the fringe. Good lag putt. “Bogey” if my memory is right.

8. Skidded two hybrids off the tee. One got a good roll. Third try was better. With the ball lower than my feet I pulled two 9 irons left. Found one. Three chips, none great. Three putts, none great. Three comebackers. Made the third one. “Double”.

9. Skidded my hybrid off the tee, then hit a better mulligan. Hard to get good distance on the steep hill. Two cruddy chips. Third was better, to the back fringe. Bad finish. “Triple”.

Finished at 720 am. Bad light. After stopping at RaceTrac, I made it to work by 815.

TRIS SPEAKER  [SABR Bio] was Joe DiMaggio’s childhood idol. Speaker is still considered by many to be the best fielding centerfielder ever. His total of 449 outfield assists leads everybody. Ty Cobb is an impressive but distant 392. Double-Unique status detailed here. Speaker twice had seasons when he made more than ten unassisted double plays from center field: 12 in 1909 and 14 in 1911. No other outfielder turned more DP, a heady 143.  Cobb’s number is impressive but distant = 105. He was the first manager to win a World Series title in his first full year as a manager, with CLE in 1920. As player/manager he led the Indians to a 5-2 World Series victory over BRO.