Maybe now they won’t have to hang out in an Iowa cornfield for all eternity.
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October 27, 2005
WB: Clean Sweep
Comments
Um – I think that one’s like anwsering ‘what’s so great about Britain’. The ‘World’ was a newspaper that originally sponsored the series (unless I have bought into an urban myth).
Posted by: DM | Oct 27 2005 7:34 utc | 2
The White Soxs huh? For the first time in my life I did’nt even know who was playing. And just when I thought I was gettin a handle on whats going on. If I had a coffee table this would be the time to trip and fall on it , crushing it to splinters.
Posted by: anna missed | Oct 27 2005 7:55 utc | 3
@DM – Wikipedia says:
A persistent myth is that the “World” in “World Series” came about because the New York World newspaper sponsored it. Baseball researcher Doug Pappas refutes that claim, demonstrating a linear progression from the phrase “World’s Championship Series” (used to describe the 1903 series as well as some of the 19th century post-season series) to “World’s Series” (a term first used in the 1880s and which persisted for decades) to “World Series”. Furthermore, investigation of the New York World for the relevant years revealed no evidence of the supposed sponsorship
It’s like this “leader of the free world” stuff that really gets me up a tree.
Keeping the New Romans entertained since 1839. Mom applepie and baseball. When players make 1000 times more money than teachers you know a culture is amiss.
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Oct 27 2005 8:10 utc | 5
b,
Just another facit of that age old (american) exceptionalism. To some extent, a symptom of americas multi-ethnic history where ethnic culture is replaced by nationalistic identity, which is inadequate to the degree that the culture produced is an inflated (and disfunctional) personification hungry for the iconography of substantiation.
Posted by: anna missed | Oct 27 2005 8:38 utc | 6
The “World” in World Series doesn’t bother me that much. Don’t we have other, realler things to frown about. I do wonder how the international players feel with the American flags plastered on everyones’ uniforms.
One of the realler worries is now that the Red Sox and the White Sox have won, are they examples of loose ends being tidied up before we can get down with the apocalypse? I know this is raising trivial persuits to the level of disasters like the great wave, the string of 100 year hurricanes, the potential plague, our Coca-Cola style sponsored holy war, and the earthquake, but just watching for the small signs too.
You wanna watch world sport, the World Cup (no explanation needed) is coming next year. Now that’s something most of the world will focus on. I hope the States makes it out of the first round.
Posted by: christofay | Oct 27 2005 8:55 utc | 7
@ anna missed
Anyone who can get a line about “dysfunctional personification hungry for the iconography of substantiation” into a baseball thread will always be welcome to share my peanuts and crackerjacks during the seventh inning stretch, or in any other venue!
Posted by: Hannah K. O’Luthon | Oct 27 2005 9:38 utc | 8
Screw the World series stuff, what Billmon was getting at was that the Bushes from Texas were trumped by Sox from Fitzcounty.
Posted by: Cloned Poster | Oct 27 2005 11:06 utc | 9
Go Go Sox. This may be bigger than all of the Bulls’ championships from the 90’s – maybe even bigger than the Bears’ Super Bowl victory in 85. You got to be a Chicago fan to understand. Wow! It is unbelievable. End of the world or not, it will be a lot sweeter knowning the Chisox are the champs. The Cubs are next.
Posted by: Anonymous | Oct 27 2005 13:20 utc | 10
I have to say I’d like to hope that baseball reflects reality, but then there was that Red Sox thing and Kerry…
good on Sox anyway. Chicago beats Houston, hands down, as far as cities go, too, unless you like fried eggs on the sidewalk for breakfast in August.
But when the euphoria has passed and everyone is slipping into sentiment and watering down their beer with tears–
It’s time for Eight Men Out by John Sayles.
My favorite baseball movie, ever. With Chicago’s John Cusack, too.
Posted by: fauxreal | Oct 27 2005 14:24 utc | 11
The best part about winning in Houston – Barbara Bush was sitting in a seat directly behind the plate, so every pitch had her ugly platinum hair on camera. (George I was there next to her, but much easier to ignore).
After the game, the Fox cameras showed the elder Bushies sitting in shock. Oh, it was sweet.
Posted by: Rowan | Oct 27 2005 16:37 utc | 12
White Sox Win Series – Bushes Seek Reversal
AP (Houston) – Controversy reigned one day after the Chicago White Sox appeared to complete a four-game sweep over the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series. Sources close to the Astros say that former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara, both of whom attended Game 4 at Minute Maid Park, have filed suit seeking injunctive relief to reverse the White Sox first World Series championship since 1917 and award the Astros the trophy.
“This aggression will not stand!” the former President was overheard minutes after White Sox shortstop Juan Uribe threw out Orland Palmeiro on a close play to seal a 1-0 victory in game 4. “Get me Baker.”
Barbara Bush, who also attended game 3 in Houston, simply refused to believe that the Astros could lose the World Series. ‘Why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?’ the former first lady was quoted as saying. When asked whether she thought the White Sox, whose manager and many players hail from Latin America, deserved to be awarded the Major League Baseball championship, Mrs. Bush said, “Unless you speak English and read well, you’ll never become a first-class citizen.”
Mrs. Bush was also reportedly dismayed at the lengthy on-field celebration by Chicago players and fans after Game 4. “What I’m hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.”
Today, the Bushes filed a lawsuit in the US Southern Texas District Court in Houston. The complaint alleges fraud, and cites instances throughout the post-season in which the umpires decided disputed calls in favor of the White Sox, but does not refer to Houston outfielder Jason Lane’s home run in Game 3, which replays clearly showed remained within the field of play.
The 60-page complaint also details at great length Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig’s refusal to allow the Astros to close Minute Maid park’s roof for the World Series. Referring to the roof controversy, Bush attorney James Baker III stated, “Ladies and gentlemen, at some point — at some point — there must be closure.”
US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, on a hunting trip with Vice President Cheney, could not be reached for comment.
“White Sox Win Series – Bushes Seek Reversal”
Update: Diebold Developing Robot to Replace Major League Umpires
Posted by: lonesomeG | Oct 27 2005 21:40 utc | 15