Friday Fungoes: Take Me Back to the Ballpark

This week's fungo comes to you via sean's link in the CoC:

Another year, another piece about Twins hitters complaining about Target Field's dimensions. Fine, guys, we get the point: you don't like the challenge of scoring runs in a ballpark which might actually allow you to field a competitive team. Mr. Pohlad, tear down this ballpark!

In its place, the Citizens of the WGOM will build you a new ballpark in which you can play a child's game for boo-coo bucks. The only hitch is, we get to pick a ballpark from baseball's past - whether it's a defunct major league park, a current or former minor league park, or a park from the Japanese league, it doesn't matter - and that will be your new home ballpark. We will magically insert it into the warehouse district (and magically make the Multifoods Tower/33 South Sixth invisible). After that, it's up to you and the front office to figure out how to win there (for the sake of things, we'll assume the Twins can figure out how leverage their "new" home to make enough money to win in an old ballpark like Fenway or Wrigley).

Gentlemen, your nominations, please.

Happy Birthday–February 17

Pat Pieper (1886)
Nemo Leibold (1892)
Wally Pipp (1893)
Ed Brandt (1905)
Red Barber (1908)
Rod Dedeaux (1914)
Roger Craig (1930)
Cliff Gustafson (1931)
Dick Bosman (1944)
Dave Roberts (1951)
Jaime Easterley (1953)
Mike Hart (1958)
Michael Jordan (1963)
Scott Williamson (1976)
Juan Padilla (1977)
Josh Willingham (1979)

Pat Pieper was the public address announcer for the Chicago Cubs from 1916-1974.  For the first sixteen of those years, he made the announcements with a megaphone.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–February 17

Soil & “PIMP” Sessions – Tokyo Jazz 2007

One of my two favorite Jazz groups active right now.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOJoKFgWhOs

This is a pretty wild cut, so if you'd like somethig a little more traditional, check out the official video for "Summer Goddess" below the fold, which has some incredible solos and really tight group work. Continue reading Soil & “PIMP” Sessions – Tokyo Jazz 2007

2 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 102 votes, average: 5.50 out of 10 (2 votes, average: 5.50 out of 10)
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Happy Birthday–February 16

Alex Ferguson (1897)
Parnell Woods (1912)
Creepy Crespi (1918)
Atsushi Aramaki (1926)
Bobby Darwin (1943)
Terry Crowley (1947)
Bob Didier (1949)
Glenn Abbott (1951)
Jerry Hairston (1952)
Barry Foote (1952)
Bill Pecota (1960)
Eric Bullock (1960)
Dwayne Henry (1962)
Jerome Bettis (1972)
Eric Byrnes (1976)

Better known as an NFL running back, Jerome Bettis is a part-owner of the Altoona Curve and the State College Spikes.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–February 16

Calexico & Mariachi Luz de Luna – El Cascabel + El Picador

Like great brass? Rocking violin solos? Relentless guitars? A tight rhythm section? Belted vocals? This track's got it all, ladled on nice and thick.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZKxXEKdBj0

Looking for seconds? Make the jump for El Picador. Continue reading Calexico & Mariachi Luz de Luna – El Cascabel + El Picador

5 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 105 votes, average: 7.80 out of 10 (5 votes, average: 7.80 out of 10)
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Game 30: Charlotte Bobcats @ Minnesota Timberwolves

The Charlotte Bobcats are a bad team. They are 3-25 on the year and are on a 15 game losing streak and their last win was a month ago. They havent scored a 100 points since that win, and have only score 90+ twice on this losing streak. But, the Timberwolves are playing a stretch of bad basketball (4 straight losses) with tons of turnovers (20.5 p/g in that streak) and relatively poor shooting (41% down from their 42% season average...I was shocked that its 41%, but I am guessing Pek!'s high shooting percentage makes up for what seems like 100 misses from outside of 10 feet).

I guess my point is that the Wolves should win this one easily, but the Wolves are not a good enough team to commit 25 turnovers and win the game, even against the crappiest team in the league. Also, you might need a roster list because a bunch of their players are 'really, they are still in the league?!' and Kemba Walker

New Riders of the Purple Sage – Hello, Mary Lou

Thanks to suddenly disabled embedding on my original video, The Band performing "The Weight" with The Staple Singers (check out the performance on YouTube anyway, it's really great), I've called an audible. Check out the great Buddy Cage pedal steel solo on this NRPS cut. CCR also did a great cover of this song on their Mardi Gras album, which was released the same year as this cover was released on Powerglide, the second New Riders album. I'm guessing this video was probably a recording of a live performance in support of that new album.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oItMfsNNpYw

4 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 104 votes, average: 7.75 out of 10 (4 votes, average: 7.75 out of 10)
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Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.