Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Death of a Baseball

According to a story on Sports Illustrated's web site, the ball used for the final out of the 2007 World Series went missing. But, the mystery has been solved. Pitcher Jonathan Papelbon's dog ate the ball. This sounds like one of those stories which ends a few days later with a follow up story saying it was all a joke. But, I hope it is true. A dog eating the world series baseball would be awesome!

Near the end of the movie Patton, Patton says "There's only one proper way for a professional soldier to die: the last bullet of the last battle of the last war." Well, to my way of thinking, there are only three proper ways for a baseball to die. First, the family dog eating it (I spent much of my youth shaking dog drool off baseballs). Second, beaten apart until it gets too dark to play ball. Third, lost in the field of weeds next to the ball field.

Note that none of those proper ways includes the terms "glass case," "shelf," or "Hall of Fame display."

So, hooray for Jonathan Papelbon's dog and for an honorable death of a baseball.

And have a good day.

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