When I am King - Update

Time for a couple of notes that relate to what will happen when I am in charge.

Agnes – by Tony Cochran

Another of my pet peeves – abuse of handicap parking privileges. It is very frustrating seeing perfectly healthy-looking individuals park in the few spaces close to entrances. I know. I am in no position to judge someone’s health and fitness from a distance. I have never approached anyone to question their right to use the mirror tag.

But police occasionally do. Every now and then, our cops stake out the dedicated spaces and lo and behold, they issue a bunch of summonses to people who borrow the tags for their own deceitful, lazy-ass purposes. The tags are then confiscated and the perp has to explain to his poor grandma that she has to reapply for one because of his irresponsibility. As with some of my Rules of the Road proclamations, I suggest a second offense will have us take your car.

Maryland Disabled Driver Parking Tag (21 February 2013)

Three years ago, I posted a promise to ban all anonymous internet posts. We call them ‘Trolls’, those chicken-shit scumbags who post the vilest comments and threats, especially to women. When I am King, writers will have to use their real names so we all would know who they are.

That was just my third proposed Edict as the thought of ruling a nation was still gestating. The post did generate more comments than my usual, unpopular scribblings. All were positive except for this little ditty…from, you guessed it, ‘Anonymous’ – “Thankfully, you won’t be King anytime soon ass hat”. Perfect. I replied, thanking him (you KNOW it was a ‘him’) for visiting and helping make my point.

Recently, the Washington Post had a story about a legal news website that decided to eliminate ALL comments because too many were inappropriate. The story noted that a 2014 survey of the 137 largest U.S newspapers found 49 percent did not allow anonymous comments and nine percent had no comments at all. A few days later, National Public Radio also eliminated the comment section that followed stories on its web site.

The loss will be the absence of insightful contributions to news and commentary. The gain will be some semblance of civility that these modern times sorely need.

I’d rather be an ass hat than an asshole.

Vote for me for King.

Ballparks – 1 – Old Tiger Stadium, Detroit, MI

The Dead Presidents Quest is done and posted. The State Capitol Odyssey, though many still need to be presented, is only five visits away from completion. What will be the next subject of my photographic wanderlust? I always had a thing for ball parks.

Outside Tiger Stadium, Detroit (2 September 1999)

On September 2, 1999…seventeen years ago today. I know. It’s a sickness. I did not intend to post this on yet another anniversary date. It just happened. I realized it only yesterday. Really.

As a belated birthday present, we arranged a Wisconsin family visit that would include games at two ballparks that were in their final season of occupancy. Flew out on a Thursday morning and scheduled a long layover in Detroit so we could catch one of the last day games on the Tiger’s schedule that season.

Those were the days. You could leave your luggage in an airport locker and spend the day in town, making something of your layover, stimulating the local economy. Airport (and train station) lockers are history. No more convenient, easily accessible storage units for you…where the bad guys can hide bombs in these crowded, public places.

Images and More Sports Editor

Outside Tiger Stadium, Detroit (2 September 1999)

In the end, it was called Tiger Stadium. Before that, Briggs Stadium and Navin Field when it opened in 1912, the same day as Boston’s Fenway Park. Baseball had been played on this site since 1896.

Ty Cobb got his 3000th hit there in 1921. Babe Ruth hit his 700th homer there in 1934. It was where Lou Gehrig sat one out to end his 2130-consecutive game streak in 1939.

Tiger Hall of Famer’s, Tiger Stadium, Detroit (2 September 1999)

Along the upper deck façade on the first base side is a simple ‘Ring of Honor’ that identifies the Tiger players that are in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer and Al Kaline are all-time greats.

Old Steel Girders, Tiger Stadium, Detroit (2 September 1999)

Lots of steel in those days before we knew how 

to hang grandstands with fewer supports. 

Not great views from certain seats.

We ordered our tickets on line and sat in the upper deck, just to the fair side of the right field foul pole. I could tell stories about all the games I attended over the years with the hope of coming away with a souvenir ball. I once did a double header in County Stadium and sat in the upper deck straight behind home plate…where foul balls constantly rain down on patrons. Not when I’m around. I’m the ball repellent.

This was the day my luck would change. Except I didn’t pack a glove for the trip. In the 8th inning, Bobby Higginson hit a line drive home run right at us. I am ashamed to say I wimped out and did not try to catch it with my bare hands. The ball hit the back of an empty seat and nearly careened back onto the playing field. The ball would have gone through me if I were in front of it.

Tiger Stadium, Detroit (2 September 1999)

In the 1930’s, the stadium added a second deck all across the outfield. 

It was the only major league park with a double-deck bleacher section.

Great baseball reference site – BaseballReference.com will give you the box scores of every game since 1914. On this day, the Tigers gave up four homers but scored six runs in the last two innings to pull out an 8-7 win over the first-place Texas Rangers.

The old park held 46,945 and was built for $500,000. In 2000, the Tigers moved into Comerica Park. It holds 41,782 and cost $300 million. One day, I hope to get there as well.