Baseball Lore

Last Saturday we went to a Salt Lake Bees baseball game. Most of the game was pretty boring with the Bees trailing the visiting team by three runs. As my sister pointed out, the broken bat that flew out past first base was the highlight of the game until the Bees rallied in the final inning and won the game. Since the game itself wasn't riveting, I found my attention wandering to other parts of the ball park. Usually I listen in on conversations going on behind me.

This time the row behind us was occupied by a dad and his three kids. Throughout the game the kids would ask questions and dad would explain. At one point his son asked, "Dad, who's Joe DiMaggio?" only he said it like Maggy-o.

"Joe DiMaggio?"

"No, Joe DeMaggy-o."

It's a simple question, but as I listened in I realized that the answer you give reveals the sort of baseball fan that you are. I would have said that Joe DiMaggio was a pretty good ball player who was married to Marilyn Monroe and Simon and Garfunkle included a reference to him in their song "Mrs. Robison." And I would have added that I once heard that Joe promised to regularly leave roses on Marilyn's grave but his failure to do so is why Simon and Garfunkel sing "Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?" In other words, I'm the sort of baseball fan who loves the myths and traditions of baseball and who knows very little about actual stats.

Dad on the other hand answered "He was one of the greatest ball players." And that's the answer of someone who truly loves baseball.