SB Nation User Blog: rockin redbird

HOF Vets--WTF??

rockin redbird — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:51:46 -0000

Well, the old boys at the HOF got it wrong again. No Curt Flood, no Ken Boyer--two of the most deserving Cardinals didn't even come close. But I have to say the most glaring omission this time has to be Ron Santo. I'm usually pleased as punch by anything that goes against the Cubs, but I have a hard time understanding this one. The guy's numbers are certainly there:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/santoro01.shtml

And considering he played his whole career under the shadow of debilitating and life-threatening diabetes (that has claimed both his legs), those numbers are even more astonishing. I guess the fact that his Cub teams never made postseason appearances carries more weight than I thought. He's gotta be one of the worst broadcasters ever (though I get a perverse thrill listening to him about have a stroke every time a Cub does something stupid), but I really thought he was a shoo-in. Then again, I've thought the same about Flood and Boyer for years too. Wow. What a crock.

Civil Rights Tribe?

rockin redbird — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 10:27:12 -0000

Re: The Civil Rights Game. Does anybody else find it odd that the first game of what will surely become a national tradition celebrating equality and human decency will be played with the Indians (commonly known as "The Tribe"--a term not so enjoyed by Native Americans. And actually, "indians" isn't so hot either--it's considered analogous to using "negroes" to describe African-Americans)? As the official site says, Cleveland was the first AL team to integrate and the first with an African-American manager--so their credentials there can't be disputed. But that logo of the caricatured "injun brave" is awfully close to a mammy-face, isn't it? That's why the Atlanta Braves dropped the "screaming warrior" logo they used throughout the 50's-70's (though the "Tomahawk Chop" obviously survives with fans). I have an acquaintance who is a Native American rights activist and he finds the Indians' logo incredibly offensive. He's also working to rid U of I of their "Chief" mascot here in Illinois, an effort that has so far been met with vehement opposition from U of I officials and many vocal fans. What do you guys (and ladies) think about this? Should tradition trump modern p.c. attitudes when sports teams are concerned?

Oldest Living Cardinals Fan?

rockin redbird — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 23:42:47 -0000

An article appeared in today's local newspaper (The Charleston Times-Courier) celebrating the 108th birthday of resident Kathryn Byrd. Here's the pertinent part of the article:

"Kathryn Byrd's 108th birthday party will be her second celebration in less than a month. The first occurred on Oct. 27th when the Charleston woman stayed up late listening to the radio as her beloved St. Louis Cardinals won their tenth World Series.

Many of her neighbors at Lakewood Village were asleep, but Byrd's excitement kept her awake. 'I couldn't go to sleep,' Byrd said with a grin. 'I was 28 when they won their first World Series (in 1926), and I've been with them through thick and thin ever since.'

When asked if Byrd had her doubts about the team's performance this season, she said, 'I was worried but I stuck with them. I decided long ago I couldn't be the kind of fan who could leave them behind just because they were losing. My stubborness paid off again.' Byrd then laughed and proceeded to show off her large collection of Cardinals memorabilia, some of which dated back nine decades."

Wow. 108!! I don't know if that does make her the oldest living fan, but it's gotta be close. Happy Birthday, Kathryn. May we all be as stubborn in our love of our Cardinals.

The Glory Of Shannon (Revisited)

rockin redbird — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 16:18:28 -0000

Since there's some back and forth about the merits/failings of our very own Mike "Moonman" Shannon again, I thought I'd post a link to a diary I posted back in May '05. It's got most of his classic lines, but I'm sure there are plenty more recent ones to add, so please do. I dunno. I've loved Mike Shannon's broadcasts for so long I guess I have no objectivity in the matter. All I know is that when he either dies or retires, my last tie to the Cardinals of my childhood/youth will die or retire with him. Maybe for some that's a good thing. For me, it will be tragic. I mean, who else on Planet Earth could come up with some of the following:

http://www.vivaelbirdos.com/story/2005/5/18/14633/1644

Whiners?

rockin redbird — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 10:52:58 -0000

The next time a Chicago fan feels he/she/it needs to come here and whine to you that you "have no class" because you wrote an unkind comment about their Beloved Boobie-Bears, make sure you link the hypocrite to this:

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2006/4/13/22040/5776

Don't forget to ask if he/she/it unloaded the same yap on their own far-more-"classy" fans.

Just About Gone

rockin redbird — Wed, 07 Dec 2005 03:39:25 -0000

Check out this link for a heartrending but cool time-lapse of the ole girl going down (no it's not porn--well, depends on what you consider obscene I guess). Bye ole pal--we'll never forget...

http://www.redbirdcentral.com/demolition_TL.htm

(gibberish to meet 300 character minimum): hdjfkajaikkripo[;'nuhjwqo

Mississippi Nights

rockin redbird — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 08:48:19 -0000

This one will be pretty much only for a St. Lou area crowd--and it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with baseball, but Brock20's recent post on this venerable St. Lou institution left me no choice but to ramble and remember the incredible things witnessed therein. Besides--The Birds will clinch in a couple days and tonite all is well (well, damn close to well) in Cardinal Nation. So humor me.

In the early 80's, it was only half the size it is now--kind of a small dump, really. But it was the BEST music club on The Landing; hell, in all of St.Lou. Those days saw Ramones, Dead Kennedys, Cramps, Black Flag, Minutemen, Circle Jerks, Bad Brains, Tom Waits, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Sun Ra, UB40, Violent Femmes, Del Fuegos, Replacements, Jason & The (Nashville) Scorchers, Meat Puppets, Mekons--the list could go on and on (if my ruined brain could recall them all). Goddamn that place rocked! Forget the hippie/blues bars in Soulard--Mississippi Nights was IT then. At least for bands of that noteriety.

Into the later 80's, a basement club in the Washington University Loop, Cicero's, helped start the whole "No Depression" subgenre of what now is called alt-country: Cicero's fostered a local scene that gave birth to Uncle Tupelo (as well as their honky-tonk cover band offshoot, Coffee Creek), Chicken Truck (which became The Bottle Rockets), etc--as well as regional acts like The Jayhawks, The Morells (later The Skeletons), and Joe Camel & The Caucasians (more Belleville, IL native sons)--all leading to Son Volt and Wilco and all those bands we love so much today.

I must confess that I dig Son Volt way more than Wilco, but then I always dug Jay Farrar's stuff more in Uncle Tupelo. I grew up in Belleville and have been seeing those guys since around 1984 (went to West High School in the 70's with their older brothers), when they were mostly a great cover band called The Primatives. I spent much of my early 20's getting drunk to their music at bowling alleys, drive-in movie theaters (they'd play til dusk when the movies started), VFW halls, and tiny seedy bars. BUT their first big shows as Uncle Tupelo were at Mississippi Nights, the shrine of alternative music in St. Lou (see, I knew I'd get back to my point eventually).

Now there are several other venues--The Galaxy, The Pageant, Creepy Crawl, probably others I'm too much of an old fart to know about--but Mississippi Nights, boy howdy!--it's our own CBGB's. Long may it stand!

(Please feel free to add more memories of shows seen there. Or anywhere in St.Lou. I'm kind of a sentimental old punk)

SI Ballpark Rankings

rockin redbird — Fri, 02 Sep 2005 00:02:04 -0000

Thought you Viva El Birdos readers would find this interesting:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/08/31/fvi/

I was surprised Busch Stadium rated so highly--above Fenway, Camden, and The Sacred Pile Of Bricks. I wasn't surprised because I think badly of Busch (quite the opposite as astute readers know), but because I'm so used to hearing about nothing but the old ballparks' "traditional" value, which I usually agree with (to a point). Anyhow, SI uses some weirdo criteria. Check it out for yourselves.

Gaming Amongst The Hoi-Polloi

rockin redbird — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 22:23:49 -0000

Well, that wasn't the game we all hoped for, not even close, but the old cliche, "2 outta 3 aint bad," certainly holds true. We'll take our two wins and happily send the Bosox on their way to Chicago to hopefully crush the Flubs. I won't go into game highlights, mostly because there weren't any (at least Bird-wise). No, this entry is about something I've never experienced in some 37 years of attending ballgames at Busch Stadium--watching a game in The Stadium Club. I've seen a game from a luxury box before, but this was much better.

The Stadium Club is one of those places in Busch I had always wondered about. Being mostly a bleacher bum for decades, I envisioned well-dressed, tanned, good-looking yuppies sipping wine, being served by waiters in white coats with napkins draped over their forearms, and quietly discussing whatever it is doctors and lawyers and other monied folk discuss when they are in their natural habitat. I thought I would stick out like a sore thumb, be mostly ignored, and feel rather out of place the whole time. I really didn't think it would be much fun, except maybe in a vague anthropological way.

Thankfully, I can say that I was mostly wrong. There certainly were many well-dressed, good-looking people there. But they were all very friendly, and I didn't feel odd or out of place at any moment. I don't know if it was the three hour rain delay or if things are always like that there, but everybody in the joint hunkered down with their drinks (mostly beer, some mixers, but only a few sipping wine), got hammered, and were generally as rowdy as any group anywhere else in the stadium. It was a damn good time, especially considering how the game went.

If you've ever wondered, The Stadium Club is set up like any other nice bar and restaurant. It was somewhat Twilight Zone-ish to me to be brought my beverages and food rather than waiting in the usual lines at concessions--yes, THAT is something I could certainly get used to in a hurry--but there was no real sense of restrained decorum at all. People were relaxed, laughing loudly, and, much to my surprise, into every play of the game. Even going to the bathroom was cool (ye gods--a clean, nice bathroom in Busch!), as the hallway leading to it is covered in bronze plaques honoring Cardinal greats (Stan The Man, Gibby, Brock--the usual suspects).

It was odd to me to sit in an enclosed room in Busch and watch the game through giant windows, but one thing I really dug is that Mike Shannon's broadcast is piped directly into the bar, so any missed action is promptly clarified. There are also TV's everywhere for checking replays. Of course, air conditioning is also a huge plus, but after the deluge last night the temp dropped into the 70's, so it didn't make much difference. However, the next time I'm frying in 100 degree/100% humid St.Lou heat, I'll peer up at those windows with envy.

As for cost, there wasn't any--at least up front. You must be a member or guest of a member (as I was) to get in, and then everything is charged to the member's account. At the end of every month, the member gets a bill. So no tab to be paid, no "official" tipping is expected (though I slipped our great waitess a twenty because she earned it), and not a dime changes hands--there isn't even a cash register. Prices are slightly higher for food and drink, but so is the quality. The humongous plate of nachos my friend and I ate was $10.50, but it may be the best plate of nachos I've ever had--a glorious full meal for two. Plus, there's the being waited-on factor, and, best of all, there is no 7th inning last call. You may imbibe the booze of your choice until the last play of the game, whether it's 9 innings or 20. THAT I love!! All in all, my friend and I probably spent somewhere in the neighborhood of 70-80 bucks apiece (which we won't have to remit to our member friend until payday next month). Not bad at all considering I usually spend around 50 anyway.

So, there it is. My review of The Stadium Club--a fun, new experience that I'm thrilled to have had in these last months before the Concrete Donut goes down. Now I can truly say I'd taken part (at least once) in everything old Busch had to offer. I'm sure the Club in the new Busch will be bigger, better, and more expensive--I just hope it's as friendly and facilitates such a wonderful atmosphere for enjoying even a terrible Birds game.

The Glory That Is Shannon

rockin redbird — Wed, 18 May 2005 18:06:33 -0000

Again, these are old as the Missouri hills, but I love every one of them. Please feel free to send new ones.

All quotes below are attributed to Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon

"A hit up the middle right now would be like a nice ham sandwich and a cold, frosty one."

"This big standing room only crowd is settling into their seats."

"It's raining like a Chinese fire drill!"

After Brian Jordan was hit by a pitch for the 4th time on a single road trip) "He must feel like a Ouija board."

(About former Cardinal Bernard Gilkey) "He was originally born in University City."

"He's faster than a chicken being chased by Ronald McDonald!"

(Referring to Mike Schmidt) "the longtime and soon-to-be Hall of Famer."

"He's madder than a pig caught under a barnyard gate."

(About a base stealer) "Sometimes when you feel the urge, you've just gotta go." (6/17/98)

"This game is off to a rather conspicuous start, don't you think, Jack?" (7/15/98 )

"Well, folks, this game began as a tiny worm and is blossoming into a large cobra." (8/12/98 )

(About Hideo Nomo) "He's the biggest thing to hit Japan since they dropped that bomb on Nagashima!"

"That foul tip bounced up and caught him right in the groins...and that'll really clear your eyes out!"

Broadcasting from New York under a full moon) "I wish you folks back in St. Louis could see this moon."

(On the day before Easter) "I just want to tell everyone Happy Easter and Happy Hanukkah." (4/98)

After a warning track fly ball) "A couple of strips of bacon at breakfast,and he'd a busted that baby out-a-here!"

"Things are not always as they appear to be as." (1999)

"I tell you, that same river flows the same way".
"Well, he did everything right to get ready for the throw, but if ya ain't got the hose, the water just won't come out."

"Like Spring makes the rains come, so does the edge of the plate grow." (6/17/00)

"Our next home stand follows this road trip." (5/20/01)

"I don't like that play. I've seen it go opposite more often than positive." (6/08/01)

(Referring to a home run by Ted Simmons) "And that's the bread on Simmons' butter."

"The right-hander is throwing up in the bullpen." (4/23/02)

"I've heard it said that if you know English, Spanish, Italian, and I think it's French, you can go just about anywhere in this world...except for China where they have all those derelicts." (5/19/02)

This year's quote regarding the derelicts in China was followed (after a pause) by Joe Buck's suggestion that Mike had meant to say "dialects." Mike's response was,"Yea, dialects! That's what I mean. But they've got a lot of derelicts too!!"
During an Eli Marrero at bat, Mike Shannon makes mention that the Cardinals had a lot of Latin players on the team and that "they are a creditable people."

"If you're writing a thesis or something, you could finish it in a week or so if you were catching this guy." (05-25-02)

"We'd like to say hello to all those folks listening in Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky."

"He ran to second faster than a cat in Chinatown."

"I wouldn't have seen it if I hadn't believed it.'"

Joe: "Mike, the Cardinals would like to welcome a group of 19 French foreign exchange students in section 382 today."
Mike: "Where they from Joe?"
Joe: "Uhhh... France... I think."

And Mike Shannon's classic: "Ol' Abner has done it again!"
A couple years back, Mike and Joe were discussing the horrible photographs of players that had been flashed on the screen at another ballpark. Mike's take on the quality of photo selection was, "Some of those guys looked like the picture was taken while they were seeing their first UFO." After several seconds of laughter, Joe added, "As opposed to their second or third."

"Oooh, that last pitch inside was a bit questionable and he'd like to say something to the umpire, but he won't say anything. At least not verbally.".

"Boy a frosty cold Budweiser would be great about now"...long pause...then an "aahhh".

"The wind has switched 360 degrees".

"The Dodgers are ahead by 5 runs or 3 runs or in between there somewhere."

"It was raining so hard I thought it was going to stop."

"...this crowd on their feet for the Canadian Star Spangled Banner."

"Horner's arguing, he wants an interference call against Cangeloni. Now Cangeloni's got something to say, but here comes Whitey to give a taste of his vocabulary, and it'll have extra mustard on it."

(On former Bird SS Edgar Renteria almost stopping a line drive with his teeth): "He's just happy to have all his pearly gates."--thanx to Pip at Fungoes