Just Another Day in the Park

I developed my love for baseball as a kid in the early 50's.  The closest Major League  team, geographically speaking,  was the St. Louis Cardinals.  What I knew about the teams was what I read in the papers or an occasional sports magazine.  Everyone had a favorite team.  Some were Cardinal fans, a lot of Yankee fans, but for me, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers.  I would read the box scores everyday.  In the Sunday paper there was always a listing of all of the statistics.  There was usually a game on TV on Saturday, but I would rather be playing than watching.  Therefore, my connection to the Big Leagues was through the daily newspapers. 

Beaumont had a minor league team and some of those players made it to the "Show". Other than that, my only contact with the Big League teams came sometime in the 50's when the Ralph Kiner led Pirates played some other team at Stuart Stadium, the home of the Beaumont Exporters.  My Dad got me out of school early to go to the game.  I remember Kiner hitting a double off the green fence.

Other than that one occurrence, I had to settle to my daily routine of a bowl of Wheaties and reading the sports page every morning.  At the end of my senior year in high school, in 1962, Houston got a major league franchise and they become known as the Houston Colt .45s.  Major League baseball was only an hour and half away.

It was an impromptu decision that led to my first major league game.  One afternoon Bobby Katz, Gene Coleman, Jimmy Rutledge and myself decided to go to a game. By then we were all in college and had a little more freedom.  Sandy Koufax was scheduled to pitch for the Dodgers.  Jimmy had a new Chevy Corvair so we piled into his car and started the drive to Houston.  Country boys didn't go to the big city very often and there was no IH 10 at that time.  When we got to Houston the traffic was horrendous.  Not to fear, Jimmy had a CB radio and requested shortcuts to any "Good Buddy" that would listen. Nonetheless, we go to the park and bought our tickets.  Since it was "Koufax" and we were late we got SRO seats and sat in the aisle behind home plate. We had missed the first three innings.
The Colt .45s knocked Sandy out of the box in the fifth inning.  But we did get to see him pitch. 

After the game we couldn't remember where we parked and wandered around the park for an hour trying to find that Corvair.  But, we had finally seen a major league game. 

I lost contact with Jimmy over the years.  Bobby recently retired and moved back to Texas after working all over the US.  I moved back to Beaumont in 1980.  Gene, after marrying my next door neighbor and getting his doctorate in kinesiology, has been the Houston Astros Strength and Conditioning Coach for over 30 years.  We never lost our love of the game.

Another longtime friend, Buster Coats, who shared the same passion, but wasn't around to make that first game has worked overseas most of his career.  While planning a trip back to Texas, he suggested that Bobby and me meet up with him for an Astro game.  Gene's wife, Barbara, got wind of our trip and she suggested that we meet Gene and tour the Astro clubhouse and facilities.  We jumped on that offer like a "duck on a June bug" 

This past Saturday Buster, Bobby and myself met Gene and had one of the most enjoyable days I can remember.  We got to walk on the field, tour the dressing rooms, training room, weight room, video room, etc.  Gene was a gracious host and his stories about his years in the Big Leagues was most entertaining.  He reminisced about Yogi Berra, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Presidents Bush and  told many other anecdotes from his many years there. 

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After the tour we got to our seats in the Crawford boxes early enough to watch batting practice.  Bobby's wife, Linda, got hit by a ball and the paramedics showed up with ice bags.  The nice young man that caught the ball gave it to Linda. 

In the eighth inning, Barbara, had arranged for the us to be the "Fans of the Game".  We were interviewed by the Fox roving reporter on TV. 

Since that first Colt .45 game, I have seen playoff games, two world series games,  an 18 inning game, games at Oakland, Chaviz Ravine, Fenway, Yankee Stadium, Baltimore, NY Mets, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia and spring training at Phoenix.  I still read the box scores, watch TV games and 100s of college and minor league games.  But, this past weekend with old friends tops them all.

Happy Father's Day

It has been 26 years since my Dad passed away and rarely does a day pass that I don't think about him and the positive influence he has had on me.  "Pop" was a WWII veteran and a Bronze Star recipient.  Like most of "The Greatest Generation" he rarely talked about the war or any of his other accomplishments for that matter.  He moved our family from Grapevine, Texas to Beaumont about 1950.  He resumed his college education that was cut short by the War and graduated from the
U of Houston in 1956. 

I can write many stories about my Dad.  But, I would like to share two experiences that I have never forgotten.  Two events that reflected his character and hopefully describe mine.
I was about five or six and he had taken me to a filling station in Grapevine.  When we got home he realized that I had a package of chewing gum and I had no money.  It was pretty obvious that I was on the verge of a "life of crime".  He explained to me the evils of stealing and took me back to the filling station and made me go inside and tell the owner what I had done and pay him for the gum.

As a young couple trying to raise two boys in the 50s, my parents didn't splurge on entertainment.  Most of their social life consisted of going to other couples houses and playing "42".  Since money was an issue, babysitters were out of the question and we kids were brought along and expected to behave while the adults played.  After returning home from one such evening,  my Dad called my aside and explained to me that he was displeased with my behavior.  Apparently I had responded to some other adults by saying, "Yeah" or "Huh".  It was that one night that I learned the proper response when questioned by any adult.  Yes or No was the minimum acceptable.  "Yes Sir or Ma'am" or "No Sir or Ma'am" were the preferred responses.  He explained that in such a manner that I have never forgotten.

To this day I will still say "Yes Ma'am" to women half my age.  I'm not taking any chances. 
Thanks, Pop.

Does it Help Put Pounds Out The Pipe?

I spent most of my career working in chemical manufacturing facilities.  Most of the products were of the commodity type and the key to success was maintaining your production and managing your costs. One of the things I learned along the way was to view your personnel as value adding resources and not fixed costs.  Two comments I heard along this subject have stuck with me for many years.  A plant manager once said, "The only people we need are operators and salesmen'.  "Everyone else was overhead".  The other comment came from an old friend, the late Thad Shook.  While discussing some proposed change, Thad stated, "How will that help us put pounds out the pipe?"

In order to meet reduced State funding Beaumont ISD recently announced plans to reduce costs without reducing "any" jobs.  I applaud the notion of  implementing cost reductions that do not reduce jobs.  However,  is this the best solution to help BISD "put pounds out the pipe"?  Like profitable businesses, I believe the affluent school districts behave in a similar manner and enjoy the fruits of success and forget to manage their costs in a prudent manner.  When finances turn, the quick fix is usually the elimination of jobs.  Many times reductions occur without understanding the value they add.

Comparing a school district to a manufacturing facility, All a school district needs is teachers, buildings and materials.  Every other job and activity is overhead.   For a simple example, lets assume that BISD has 20,000 students and the state requires a 15:1 student teacher ratio.  Then  the district would need 1334 teachers.  Since the school district employees about 3000 total employees, that would mean that 1666 employees or about $60million in salaries are overhead. 

BISD's Mission is to prepare graduates to be successful by providing the knowledge, skills and values necessary to compete in the real world.  Therefore, all of the 1666 positions should be evaluated on how they are adding value to the classroom teachers efforts to accomplish this mission.  If  these positions do not add value, they should be eliminated, regardless of the funding situation.  The same principle should be followed for EVERY expenditure in the district.  How does the purchase of a One Ton King Ranch Truck help "Put Pounds out the Pipe".  What is the added value of hiring an assistant to the Public Relations person? 

There was another saying I remember, but can't credit anyone in particular,  "If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there"

Come On And Take A Free Ride.

You may recall Tom Barnard from one of my earlier blogs.  I worked with Tom in Chattanooga for many years.  Tom was a confirmed bachelor and one of the best people you could know.  He would do anything within his power for you. Tom was not a handy man kind of guy.  He once called the power company when his bathroom light went out and it was only a tripped breaker.

Tom would buy a new vehicle every year or so and would sell the one he had.  In addition, he would move from apartment to apartment periodically for some reason I still don't understand.  When he changed abodes, he usually bought new furniture and would either sell his old stuff  cheaply or even give it away.  Since most of us co-workers were poor, young couples, we pretty much stood in line for Tom's next move. It was after one of these re-locations the following occurred.

My wife and I had gone to a local convenience store one evening for something.  While I was inside paying for the goods, Linda hollered for me to come outside saying, "You've got to see this".  Well, Tom had moved again and the "vultures" had moved in on his furniture.  He had given his old couch to Gene Satterwaite.  Gene had enlisted the help of Stan Fugate, who had a pickup, and, along with Tom's help, were moving it to his own place.  Stan and Tom were riding in the cab of the truck and Gene was laying on the couch in the back of the truck drinking a beer.  After leaving the four-way stop at the intersection of Ely Rd and Delashmitt, Stan accelerated enough to cause the couch to come out of the back of the truck bed with Gene riding it like a bucking bronc.  By the time I got outside they were carrying it across the street to reload in the truck. They never saw us.

Gene never dropped his beer.  When they returned to work the next morning, the plant cartoonist already had a sketch on the bulletin board.

Tom and Gene would later make the plant cartoons when they unloaded their boat on the side of the road when the tie-down strap broke as they rounded a curve.  I think alcohol might have been involved in this incident as well, but I can't say for sure.

I Didn't Mensa My Words...

How do you measure intelligence?  I am sure that if I "googled" this question, I would find thousands of articles written by various academic experts.  They would probably produce arguments about IQ tests and various other academic studies that measures a person's ability.  They would quote famous people and include a lot of words that us country boys can't understand. There would be talk of  medians, means, standard deviations, margin of error and other stuff. 

Having spent a career in the chemical industry, I had the opportunity to work with some very talented engineers.  Some had BS degrees and some had PhDs.  During the early 2000s I went to the plant medical section to see my friend, Doc Webb, the company physician.  As I walked into the medical section, Rick Stimek one of the above mentioned engineers was leaving his office.  When he left, Doc, a pretty smart guy himself,  asked, "Who do you think is the smartest person on the plant?".  Without hesitation, I responded, "I am".  He said, "What? Do you think you are  smarter than Rick, to which I replied, Yes"  "What about Dubnansky"  "Yep", I said.  Then he said, "What makes you think you are smarter than they are?"  My response was, "It depends upon whether you measure intelligence horizontally or vertically"  For example,  I know about Boyle's law, and other chemical engineering standards, but do I know enough to design a chemical plant?  No?  On the other hand, do either Rick or Rich know who won the American League batting title in 1954?  I do!  So, who is the smartest?  The person that knows a whole lot about something or someone that knows a little about a whole lot?   Was Albert Einstein smarter than Ken Jennings?

I remember asking my Mother one time what was my IQ and she wouldn't tell me. She gave me some philosophy about "Potential only meant that person hadn't done nothing yet" And, that only effort and attitude mattered.  To this day I don't know if it was low and she didn't want to hurt my feelings or it was high and she didn't want me to rest on my laurels. 

I have known people that I thought were smart and were not successful in life and some highly successful people that were not all that bright.  I remember a college professor with a PhD in Chemistry that couldn't figure out how to keep his dog in the back yard.  He kept checking the fence and  gates and each time when he put him out back, the dog would beat him to the front door.  His neighbor who was a high school graduate that worked at one of the local refineries solved his problem.  It appeared that the professor's house was built on piers and the dog would just run under the house.

By the way, it was Bobby Avila, Cleveland Indians 2B and he hit .341.

Super Hero Retires, Names Successor

Press Release: 

Today in an unexpected move The Super Hero known as "G-Man'  announced his retirement along with his Sidekick, Buddy.

 

"After nearly 50 years of fighting crime, promoting justice, and trying to live the 'Texan Way', my Sidekick,  Buddy,  and I have decided to retire from a proactive role of reducing evil and protecting damsels in distress where ever we are called.  Sidekick plans to spend his time collecting things,  reducing the size of his storage and the naming of Hwy 105, Super Hero Highway.  I plan to devote my energies to my Fantasy Football team, coaching and counseling aspiring apprentice super heroes and providing guidance, motivation and vision to my legion of fans and followers, mainly those that can be found in Section BB. 

Being looked up to by so many has taken its toll, and, I have to admit, I have slowed down a bit.  While attending the Royal Wedding, I had to get a running start to leap a tall building.  Sidekick has lost some efficiency as a master of disguise.  He was recognized in Hooters several months ago.  After much discussion over cheeseburgers, we have decided to turn over our stardom while we are still on the top of our game.  

The world will not be left defenseless with our departure as we have prepared for this moment for many years.  We have had many apprentices in training and have selected the most talented one to take my place.  We have worked many assignments together and he has performed in a talented and professional manner.  His talents are well suited for the 21st Century and the changing cultural we are experiencing.  I would like to take this moment to introduce,  Abdul, New Super Hero                        

Side kick and I would like to encourage everyone to be honest, do the right thing and call your Mamma's. We will continue to support the principles of truth, justice and the Texas Way.  Those wishing to make donations should designate them to the "George W. "Buddy" Fortune Backstop Youth Center" fund.  Peace and God Bless Texas!

This Rescue Didn't Require a Super Hero

Pattie at the Bath

( With apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer)

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Cardinal nine that day
The score was 3 to 3 with but 3 more innings left to play.
And then when Mena died at first and Jude didn’t hit the ball,
Pattie left her seat to answer Mother Nature’s call.


As Pattie left unnoticed, Buchanan got a hit
Then Zentek drew a walk before Pattie could even sit.
Mathis stroked a single as we all stood up to cheer                                              
Pattie was in the process of recycling her last beer.


With the Cardinals out in front, with a one run lead
Kat received a call from her sister who was in need.
It was then that we realized that Pattie was not in her seat
She failed to witness the significance of Mathis’s fete.


Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light
And somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout
But there is no joy at Vincent-Beck, The pretty Pattie is locked out.


Note:
While watching a college baseball game between Lamar and McNeese, Pattie went to the rest room and got locked in the stall. She had to call her sister, Kat, on her cell to come get her out. The two Caywood sisters are big baseball fans and have had seats in Section BB for several years. When she returned, everyone in our section was shaking their keys at her. While driving home, I recalled the poem of my youth, "Casey at the Bat" and shamelessly stole from it.