First off, sorry for the delay in get this posted. My internet connection is fine when on remote at HyVee, but just awkward getting all of this written up while on site.
--------------
Do you remember the "Pine Tar Incident"? It was 24 July 1983 at Yankee Stadium. Two outs, top of the ninth and the Yankees leading 4 to 3. Royals shortstop U.L. Washington (and his toothpick) was on first base. Goose Gossage was pitching for the Yankees. George Brett came to the plate and hit it over the fence to score Washington and himself giving the Royals a 5 to 4 lead.
Billy Martin then decided to challenge Brett's bat as being illegal. Home plate Tim McClelland took the bat and measured the amount of pine tar by using home plate (17" wide, the legal limit being 18"). McClelland ruled Brett out.
Cut to the famous video of Brett running out of the dugout.
Dick Howser, manager of the Royals, immediately protests the game.
Later, American League President Lee MacPhail, a one time AND long time Yankees Executive, ruled against the Yankees.
It all comes down to Rule 1.10 (c) and how it is penalized. Since that incident, there is now a further explanation given based on this ruling.
MacPhail ruled that the bat having pine tar, while still illegal, did not impact the use of the bat or the effect of the bat on the ball. And that rule 1.10 (c) did not allow for the batter to be called out.
On 18 August 1983, the game was resumed and completed. Of course, Billy Martin had another trick he wanted to play. He claimed that there was no way to know if Washington or Brett touched all of the bases. However, this was killed when umpire Davey Phillips produced affidavits from the original umpires saying that they had touched them all.
A bizarre little note in the history of baseball...and it all happened 25 years ago today.
------------------
Have you seen Bill O'Reilly's latest rally against MoveOn.org? Apparently, MoveOn.org is stating that Fox News Channel is racist.
George Soros is trying to discredit them, since he can't beat them.
Dirty tricks is not something that a Jew who worked with the Nazi's is above, obviously.
I agree with with O'Reilly on this issue. You do not call someone a racist or bigot without having having a LOT of evidence to back it up. I had a listener try doing that to me, I would not stand for it nor will I ever.
I also agree that if MoveOn.org is funneling money to a political candidate, that candidate needs to return that money and further distance themselves from that organization.
Barack Obama has not done this.
Which leads me to this conclusion.
MoveOn.org in is to the Democratic Party in 2008, what the Ku Klux Klan was to the Democratic Party (specifically in the South) in 1870.
Am I as bad as George Soros for saying that?
The facts are that both act on behalf of the party while attempting to give the party deniability. Show me where I am wrong.
-----------------
Have a great rest of your Thursday.
