Lucky 13

Once I was a sports fan, and now I am mostly not. So why does your anonymous columnist bother to write in this genre, readers might ask? Off Base thinks some compulsive readers actually do read the column and a few actually look forward to its appearance each Wednesday. A dozen or so friends subscribe to the column and get it electronically.

Likewise, a few local friends read it in the paper. What most of them have in common is they follow baseball to some degree. Some do not at all, and are decidedly not sports fans by any measure. Base thinks his base does not read the sports section. This is problematic to some degree. It’s also problematic that some readers of this column apparently do not have email accounts either, as Base panders reader feedback.

Small town life does not preclude one from having or expressing opinions. This is something your columnist encounters every day. Clues to the Base identity can be found at the Off Base blog (here), where the columns and other opinion can be found. Harder news that just doesn’t fit the paper.

So, back to the question, why a sport column for non-sport fans? Indeed, finding myself paying more attention to sports news than is usual, and wondering if this is a good thing, advances the question. Certainly my musings and observations seem useful to the Express editor as Base sees the column anchor the section, sometimes stretched to ¼ of the sports page real estate on those occasions when photos and stories are thin.

Sports are not particularly important in the broad spectrum of our social institutions. Certainly there is the argument that these activities teach young people lessons and the games provide us with some degree of entertainment (a lot for some). However, there is a big distinction between participating in a sport and watching one. More significantly, there is a big difference between attending an event and watching one on television. Going to an event is active and social. Watching it on TV is passive, even if you dress up in team garb, or simply watch naked.

There is no space between the news and sports sections. That middle space might actually be where this column belongs. It occurs to Base that the column would be useful to the spouse of a sports fan, containing enough grist and insider information to carry on an informed conversation with the fanatic fan of the family. Consider it a social service. At this point hand this page to your wife.

Okay, now for some baseball. Actually before we go, in honor of this 13th column, some players who have worn # 13: Wilt Chamberlian, Dan Marino, and in baseball, Dave Conception.

The Reading Red Roses (1907) are the first baseball team to experiment with uniform numbers. The 1916 Cleveland Indians are the first MLB team to wear numbers (on their sleeves). 1932 the NL president tells teams to implement numbering on uniforms. 1937 the Philadelphia A’s become the last team to comply. # 13 hasn’t been retired by any team to date. #42 is the only number fully retired by MLB (Jackie Robinson).

13 isn’t going anywhere good, so I’ll stop at off.base@gmail.com