I also heard that Spahn and Marichal would walk 20 miles barefoot - uphill - both ways - to and from the ballpark before and after each start.   Kids these days.

I also heard that Spahn and Marichal would walk 20 miles barefoot - uphill - both ways - to and from the ballpark before and after each start.   Kids these days.

That might be true, but I would walk that just to see them pitch again.  That is why wins counted in their days.  

I also heard that Spahn and Marichal would walk 20 miles barefoot - uphill - both ways - to and from the ballpark before and after each start.   Kids these days.

Yeah, but Spahn and Marichal had nothing on Will White, who completed all 75 games he started in 1879 for a manly 680 innings pitched. I'm sure there's no correlation with extreme arm fatigue here, but he averaged 2.6 K/9 over his career. His arm might not have fallen off, but Spahn averaged 4.4 K/9.

Look, the game has changed and it will never go back to how it used to be. It's evolved and it will continue to evolve. I'm certain there was somebody a hundred years ago who told everyone who would listen about how sick and tired they were of catchers wearing masks and fielders using gloves.

Appreciate the game for what it was; respect, admire and celebrate the players who stood head and shoulders above their peers in a different era, when the game was played differently. But denigrating today's pitchers because they don't complete games like Spahn did is akin to denigrating Spahn because he never had the strikeouts that today's pitchers do.

Yeah, but Spahn and Marichal had nothing on Will White, who completed all 75 games he started in 1879 for a manly 680 innings pitched. I'm sure there's no correlation with extreme arm fatigue here, but he averaged 2.6 K/9 over his career. His arm might not have fallen off, but Spahn averaged 4.4 K/9.

 

Look, the game has changed and it will never go back to how it used to be. It's evolved and it will continue to evolve. I'm certain there was somebody a hundred years ago who told everyone who would listen about how sick and tired they were of catchers wearing masks and fielders using gloves.

 

Appreciate the game for what it was; respect, admire and celebrate the players who stood head and shoulders above their peers in a different era, when the game was played differently. But denigrating today's pitchers because they don't complete games like Spahn did is akin to denigrating Spahn because he never had the strikeouts that today's pitchers do.

I cannot agree with this.  I do admire pitchers like Verlander, Kershaw, Bumgartner, but the difference with the old 19th century game does not hold for me.  Even though I do enjoy reading about it.

The pride to not strike out meant that the Ks of the 50's - 2000 meant that success in striking out a batter meant something.  ESPN had a great story about Albert Pujols and how much he hates to strikeout.   Albert has a lot of HRs, but in relationship to our Sano and other sluggers he had nothing. In fact, despite having 633 HRs, in 18 years he never once struck out 100 times. 

I am glad to still enjoy the game, but I do not have to prefer the way the game has changed over the wonderful decades I have loved the game.

Great share and write up. The example comparing a pitcher in the softball era of baseball is really stretching to try to discount your observations and laments. Plus, he never saw any of those pitchers, either, or watched any of those games. 

I like to see the game evolve. Some of the evolutions are better than others. I like the move toward playing baseball instead of trying to take someone out on the base paths and at home plate. I hate that a pitcher gets no real punishment for hitting a batter. I hope that they make a rule to stop unnecessary players from coming on the field for a "have you back" episode (so childish), like in basketball. I hope to see automated strike and ball calling, and have a consistent strike zone that rewards the perfect take and the perfect pitch, instead of a pompous umpire calling it wrong. 

But I do miss some things. Mostly I enjoy the rich history of the game. Just as many never know the history of the game, many never really know the history of the last 100 and 200 years (or more) of the human race. To study it is not a 2 second internet bit. Some will, though, and pass it on. Today's stars may be worthy of being included in the history 50 years from now, and most won't.

The thing I miss the most about going to the games is the sounds of baseball. Dodger Stadium, two years ago, revamped the PA and got a DJ. The sounds of the ball park, the stadium, the chatter, the heckling..... are all now drowned out by incessant noise and volume. Angel Stadium is also super loud, even before Dodger Staduim. That is just the LA area, but the trend is really in all ball parks. It may be music, fake PA cheering, promotions, ball park commercials, etc....... but it is all 5 times or more louder than it needs to be. I look around and at least half of the crowd in my field of vision are looking at their phones, and missing the game. They never just let the sounds of baseball, that I so loved, get through the din. I like to go to minor league games, too, and you can still get some of the real sounds of baseball there, but the,y too, are driving up the unnecessary volume and bombarding the audience with crap that they think they need to attract a younger audience. 

Regardless of the changes, I still love baseball, as a pastime and a sport to watch and follow, more than any other.... (except hang gliding and skydiving, but that is not watching.)

Great share and write up. The example comparing a pitcher in the softball era of baseball is really stretching to try to discount your observations and laments. Plus, he never saw any of those pitchers, either, or watched any of those games. 

 

I like to see the game evolve. Some of the evolutions are better than others. I like the move toward playing baseball instead of trying to take someone out on the base paths and at home plate. I hate that a pitcher gets no real punishment for hitting a batter. I hope that they make a rule to stop unnecessary players from coming on the field for a "have you back" episode (so childish), like in basketball. I hope to see automated strike and ball calling, and have a consistent strike zone that rewards the perfect take and the perfect pitch, instead of a pompous umpire calling it wrong. 

 

But I do miss some things. Mostly I enjoy the rich history of the game. Just as many never know the history of the game, many never really know the history of the last 100 and 200 years (or more) of the human race. To study it is not a 2 second internet bit. Some will, though, and pass it on. Today's stars may be worthy of being included in the history 50 years from now, and most won't.

 

The thing I miss the most about going to the games is the sounds of baseball. Dodger Stadium, two years ago, revamped the PA and got a DJ. The sounds of the ball park, the stadium, the chatter, the heckling..... are all now drowned out by incessant noise and volume. Angel Stadium is also super loud, even before Dodger Staduim. That is just the LA area, but the trend is really in all ball parks. It may be music, fake PA cheering, promotions, ball park commercials, etc....... but it is all 5 times or more louder than it needs to be. I look around and at least half of the crowd in my field of vision are looking at their phones, and missing the game. They never just let the sounds of baseball, that I so loved, get through the din. I like to go to minor league games, too, and you can still get some of the real sounds of baseball there, but the,y too, are driving up the unnecessary volume and bombarding the audience with crap that they think they need to attract a younger audience. 

 

Regardless of the changes, I still love baseball, as a pastime and a sport to watch and follow, more than any other.... (except hang gliding and skydiving, but that is not watching.)

What a great nostalgia!  So glad you have those memories. 

For me, my memories date back to the 1950s when I would travel to Milwaukee with my parents for Milwaukee Braves games - Aaron, Spahn, Matthew, Adcock, etc and we would always go for a series with the Dodgers - Spahn/Drysdale, Burdette/Koufax...I loved it, but even today it was the pitching matchup - the starters taking the mound even with all the HOF batters - that really excited.

You are right about the unwritten rules and the potential for injury that taking the fielder out or throwing at the batter created - stupid.  Unfortunately in our highly stat minded game those unwritten rules persist.