A Grip on Sports: 55 years ago baseball was different than it was last night – and will be even more evolved in 55 years
A GRIP ON SPORTS • The past, the present and the future collided last night as we watched baseball’s All-Star Game from Dodger Stadium. Not just ours, but the game’s as well.
•••••••
• The past? Having the All-Star Game in Los Angeles took us back to 1967, when this 10-year-old kid attended. Dad got tickets. They were in the upper deck at Anaheim Stadium. Not just the upper deck, though. The very last row down the right-field line. Bob Eucker seats before such things existed.
We decided to supplement our memory of the game – the National League won 2-1 on a 15th-inning Tony Perez line-drive home run – with the actually facts. We looked up the box score on Baseball Reference. Which just highlighted the changes the game has made in 55 years.
A dozen players had five or more plate appearances, with a handful having six. The American League used just five pitchers, the National six. Considering there were at least 19 Hall of Fame players in the game, that’s pretty remarkable. But the biggest difference? There were three sacrifice bunts. In a game with three solo home runs – now that would fit in well these days – three All-Stars were called on to give up outs.
That wouldn’t fly anymore.
• The present? The game, won 3-2 by the American League (of course), flew by, accompanied by a soundtrack that was about as cool as it gets. Many players wore microphones, which allowed us, the viewers at home, to listen in to their conversations. Or for them to have a conversation with us through announcers John Smoltz or Joe Davis.
It was glorious.
The game has changed in another way since the 1960s. Emotion used to be a no-no. It was about professionalism – until the game was over. Even then the celebrations were muted. Players talked all the time about the drain baseball put on them and there wasn’t much energy left to waste on celebrating.
That’s beyond old-school thinking. That’s dead and buried. Which actually seems like an improvement.
Listening in to the conversations, a theory we’ve had a while seemed to be confirmed. The bravado and revelry help the modern player deal with the game’s difficulty. It’s hard to hit. It’s hard to pitch. Doing either well is worth celebrating. And that quick exclamation point on the success helps move players forward to the next confrontation.
Which will also be difficult.
• The future? We know Julio Rodriguez will be a part of it. He showed that to the nation Monday night in his Home Run Derby performance. He’s been showing that to us just about every day since May 1 to those of us who follow the Mariners.
He will be difficult for American League pitchers for the next 15 years – or more.
But how will the game change in the next 55 years, between now and 2077?
We have some hints. The basics probably won’t be altered, though the 60-feet, 6-inch length between the pitcher’s rubber and the plate might grow a bit longer. Or the mound might be leveled some more, as it was not too long after that 1967 game.
Shifts will probably be a thing of the past. There could be a double base at first, trying to limit injuries like the one that took out Ty France earlier this season.
But the biggest difference will be the arbiters. It won’t be long until balls and strikes are called by video-assisted computers. No longer will fans be able to rage against Angel Hernandez or Doug Eddings or CB Bucknor. Complain about the key 1-1 pitch that was missed.
They’ll have to sit in the top row, backs to the parking lot and rage against the machine. It should still be fun. We just won’t be around to do it.
•••
WSU: Baseball dominates our Cougar section this morning as well, with Colton Clark once again examining former Washington State players in the minor leagues. These guys have been there a while. … When it comes to conference expansion, the Pac-12’s first choice has to be San Diego State. Jon Wilner explains why. Everything he outlines makes me think the Big 12 might be recruiting the Aztecs as well. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12 and college football, Wilner also has his weekly recruiting update in the Mercury News. … Stewart Mandel answers questions in The Athletic. … What’s the most important aspect for Washington? Is it really playoff access? Or money? … Colorado is looking for more defensive production off the edges. … Utah has a tough schedule but the quarterback to navigate it. … Oregon might as well. … In realignment discussions, the presidents of the Arizona schools have a big role to play. … In basketball news, Colorado now knows when it will play Tennessee in Nashville.
Gonzaga: Joel Ayayi’s life is changing. In a good way. Theo Lawson caught up with the former Zag guard in Las Vegas and has this story. It seems that Ayayi will be a dad soon. And is trying once again to stick in the NBA. … Dana O’Neil of The Athletic sat down with all the Timmes and talked about Drew’s decision as well as what they are learning about NIL.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Weber State has finalized kickoff times on its home games. Nice to know this far in advance.
Preps: The true future of baseball will rely on the players who heard their name called the past three days in baseball’s draft. Dave Nichols connected with two of them who have local ties. Brady Hill and Jake Pfennigs were both taken on the last day of the draft.
Shock: Will this be the final time we will have to share news about Spokane’s now defunct indoor football league franchise? Don’t bet on it. But Dave does have a story concerning an upcoming auction of things former owner Sam Adams left behind.
Track and field: The World Championships in Eugene are halfway done. The U.S. has picked up quite a few medals.
Mariners: Ty France and Rodriguez enjoyed their evening in the bright lights. The next one will be held in Seattle.
Seahawks: The best Hawks’ players, numbers 70-61, entering training camp? We found them here.
Kraken: The pursuit of the playoffs may now take a backseat to long-term excellence.
•••
• As we wrote Tuesday, we won’t be here tomorrow. Overslept this morning and didn’t check in fast enough for our flight. Darn. Now we’re looking at a middle seat I’m sure. Oh, well. The person next to me will have it worse. Until later …