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Posted on 01/14/2009 3:39:16 PM PST by EveningStar
Vin Scully recently watched the MLB Network replay of the perfect game pitched by Don Larsen for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. He watched and he listened.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I watched this game live in 1956 at a friend's house. I didn't know that much about baseball so I didn't understand the significance of the game.
I'd forgotten about today's re-telecast and didn't join the show until the top of the 5th inning. The game was shown with the old commercials intact.
The quality of play in the game was superb. There were fine defensive plays by Mickey Mantle, Peewee Reese, Duke Snider, and others.
28 year old Vin Scully sounded then as he does now. He was, however, forced to comply with the "jinx" rule that was then prevalent. The rule was born out of a superstitious belief: If a pitcher was in the process of pitching a no-hitter, you couldn't say so. If you did, you might jinx him and cause him to lose the no-hitter. This also extended to the dugout. The pitcher's team mates were not supposed to discuss the possibility of a no hitter. And they weren't supposed to talk to the pitcher at all.
During the breaks, Don Larsen and his battery mate Yogi Berra, discussed the game with Bob Costas. Costas was OK because he wasn't discussing politics - at least not during the time I was watching.
Larsen, Berra, and Costas were on a set that included a live audience. The set was decorated with various team logos and other graphics - the most prominent of which was a large prominently displayed "42." No, this was a reference to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" - just more white guilt BS.
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I still believe in it!
(How many perfect series games have been pitched since?) :)
I’d forgotten about today’s re-telecast and didn’t join the show until the top of the 5th inning. The game was shown with the old commercials intact.
Wasn’t that fantastic? I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched that replay. I told the wife, not a huge baseball fan, that there were probably more hall of famers on the field than she is ever likely to see again.
What a joy to watch.
I didn’t know it was going to be on. Nuts. I remember the game - I was 10 at the time - but Dad had yet to buy our first TV. Hard to imagine it’s been that many years ago.
It looks like the MLB Network acquired the rights for only one showing. I hope I’m mistaken.
I think I was a sophomore in High School in Detroit on that day. One of the boys had a transistor radio and we were all gathered in front of Bashur’s Drugstore on Grand River and Mettetal, across the street from St. Mary of Redford. We were spellbound. We were all die-hard Tiger fans and didn’t have a whole lot to shout about then.
And here's what I notice. They can take all those camera angles and shove 'em. That camera that flies around the field like a bird? $#!+can it. When I sit in the stadium, I stay in the the same seat the whole game. My view is fixed. I'm not a bird. And all those graphics, especially ones you show that block the plays, are you kidding me? The view reminds me of the (glass enclosed) press box up in Montreal with all sorts of notes taped up on it. (when there use to be baseball up there, that is) And replays are okay, in moderation, but three different replays after every play except the ones where the refs goof up; could we see a few huddles, huh? All the production stuff is for production people. I cannot imagine that many people who are actually interested in the game do more than tolerate it.
ML/NJ
Bob Costas presenting sound rational and enlightened conversation about socio-economic and political topics is like Perez Hilton presenting sound rational and enlightened conversation about the personal joys of hetero-sex.
I remember the velvet voice of Scully from when the Dodgers first came to LA.
If all it took to jinx a pitcher who was in the process of pitching a no-hitter was to mention the fact that he was pitching a no-hitter, couldn't a player on the opposing team jinx the pitcher by talking about the fact that he was pitching a no-hitter?
Blasphemer!
The thing is- yes, the opposing team can say it amongst themselves. But the announcers for the home team can’t say it. They are considered sort of part the team effort somehow and for them to say it falls under the jinx rule.
There is a sound psychological basis for the jinx rule by the way. It isn’t just superstition. If you want to be really good at something you will practice it until you do it unconsciously. This applies to being a musician (and if you can play guitar and sing at the same time you kind of know what I am talking about) or archery or basketball or whatever.
If you’re ‘in the groove’ you’re actually functioning unconsciously. Your performance will be much better than if your conscious mind is getting involved because your conscious mind works a lot slower and tends to only hamper things that should just be more like reflex.
If a pitcher is in a groove, the last thing you want is for him to start thinking about what he’s doing. He starts thinking about it and he screws it all up. He needs to just hang loose and stay in that groove. So, that’s why the other players won’t mention it to him. You mention it and he’ll start thinking about ‘I’m pitching a no-hitter. I need to start thinking about keeping my balls low (or whatever)’. It just screws him up. (you can refer to T Robbins wearing the garter belt in Bull Durham to get an idea of this phenom). Getting in the groove and going unconscious is an absolute fact though- not superstition.
For the fans and announcers not to mention it is a way for them to get into the moment with him and offer their support.
Nothing wrong with that.
I know this thread is kind of old... Sorry. I just had to comment though :-)
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