Who Are We? Welcoming Thread. Share your mini-profile.

[ol' aches and pains]

OK, my first name's Ken (not putting my full name here, or anywhere on the internet, sorry). Born in 1949, work as a buyer in a Purchasing department, but am about to become unemployed on March 27, for the first time in 38 years.

My dad gave me my passion for baseball. When I was about 10, he started taking me to Milwaukee Braves games, although we lived much closer to Chicago than Milwaukee. This started about 1960, so I saw Aaron, Mathews, Spahn, Burdette, etc. 3 or 4 times a year in their primes. When the Braves moved to Atlanta, I followed both Chicago teams, and finally settled on the White Sox, who have had my allegiance ever since.

Played a lot of completely unorganized sandlot ball, but only one year of little league. After the sandlots, I didn't care for the adult supervision of LL. You couldn't swear, you couldn't fight, hell, they took all the fun out of it. Even if I had wanted to continue, I couldn't hit to save my ass.

But baseball is in my blood, and will be until the day I die. If you've ever seen "Amadeus", remember how Salieri cursed God for making him love music so much, when he wasn't really that good at it? That's kind of how I was about baseball when I was younger. But I've outgrown that now (yeah right)

[BlueCrew08]

Name Edward James Lucio
Place of Birth El Paso, Texas
Current Hometown Avondale, Arizona
Ethnicity Latino
Bats Right Handed
Throws Right Handed

Favorite Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

Favorite Players

Past: Orel Hershiser
Present: Russell Martin

Played little league in Bakersfield, California for the Junior Baseball Association. A ragtag league located behind Sam Lynn Ballpark. Played on fields that had seen better days, with logos that were probably painted in the 60s and train tracks outside of the outfield fences. Yet has great memories searching for homeruns hit out of Sam Lynn.

Played baseball at West Bakersfield High School until transferred to a North Carolina school.

Favorite Music: Classic Country, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, etc. Some salsa music and much more in between.

Favorite TV: 24, House, Family Guy, The Daily Show

Favorite Movies: The Godfather I and II, Rocky

Favorite Actor: Tom Hanks

Favorite Actress: Penelope Cruz

Favorite Authors: Hunter S. Thompson, Ernest Hemingway

Did You Know? Edward graduated from the same high school as Josh Hamiliton. Athens Drive High School (2002)

Welcome BlueCrew08. Always good to see another Dodgers fan, especially one whose favourite player is Russell Martin!! Went to the Goodyear airport in 2003 and was amazed at the number of idle aircraft there. Went back in 2006 and it was almost bare.

Welcome also swingman24.

[swingman24]

Name: Chris

Birthdate: October 22, 1980

Birthplace: Carbondale, IL

Baseball History: Played Little League and High School. Then, got a chance to play Semi-Pro for 2 years before breaking my wrist. By the time a was healed it was the end of the season. I would have been 24 at the start of the next season and I had other responsibilities by that time and could not afford to be on the road all summer.

Favorite N.L. Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Favorite A.L. Team: Seattle Mariners

Favorite Baseball Players: Ken Griffey Jr., Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Don Mattingly, and Ozzie Smith

Favorite Music Artists: Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Silverchair, Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, Shinedown, Evanescence, Bush, Guns 'N' Roses, Third Day, Jeremy Camp, and Johnny Cash

Favorite Albums: Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin III, Led Zeppelin IV, Physical Graffitti, Presence, BBC Sessions, Master of Puppets, Metallica, Load, Garage Inc., Frogstomp, Neon Ballroom, Diorama, Young Modern, Silver Side Up, The Long Road, All the Right Reasons, Gasoline, Scars and Souvenirs, Fallen, Leave a Whisper, Sixteen Stone, Appetite for Destruction, Rubberneck, Californication, My Own Prison, and Raising Sand

Favorite Singers: Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding, Patsy Cline, Robert Plant, Axl Rose, Chris Cornell, Brent Smith, and Amy Lee

Greatest Guitarists: Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eddie Van Halen, and Kirk Hammett

Favorite Baseball Movies: Major League, Field of Dreams, Little Big League, Eight Men Out, and 61*

Favorite Movies: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (The Two Towers), The Matrix Trilogy (Reloaded), Original Star Wars Trilogy (The Empire Strikes Back), Indiana Jones Series (The Raiders of the Lost Ark), Spiderman Trilogy (Spiderman 2), The Incredible Hulk, Ironman, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Transformers, Jurassic Park, King Kong, Tombstone, 300, Troy, Braveheart, Gladiator, The Passion of the Christ, Anchorman:Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights:Ricky Bobby, and Step Brothers

Favorite Movie Characters: Gollum (The Lord of the Rings), Neo (The Matrix Trilogy), Smith (The Matrix), Darth Vader (Star Wars), Han Solo (Star Wars), Yoda (Star Wars), The Joker (The Dark Knight), Megatron (Transformers), Gabriel (The Prophecy), Ron Burgundy (Anchorman), Aslan (The Chronicles of Narnia), John Rambo (Rambo), Jason Bourne (The Bourne Trilogy), Doc Holiday (Tombstone), and Dr. Evil (Austin Powers Trilogy)

Favorite TV Shows: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Heroes, The X-Files, House, Bones, The Simpsons, The Office, Newsradio, How I Met Your Mother, Friends, That 70's Show, The Cosby Show, and MST3K

Favorite TV Characters: Spike (Buffy), Xander (Buffy), Anya (Buffy), Andrew (Buffy), Buffy (Buffy), Angel (Angel), Wesley (Angel), Peter Petrelli (Heroes), Hiro Nakumuru (Heroes), Sylar (Heroes), Dr. Gregory House (House M.D.), Dr. Lisa Cuddy (House M.D.), Homer Simpson (The Simpsons), Mr. Burns (The Simpsons), Chief Wiggum (The Simpsons), Michael Scott (The Office), Dwight Schrute (The Office), Jim Halpert (The Office), Pam Beasley (The Office), Bill McNeal (Newsradio), Matthew Brock (Newsradio), Jimmy James (Newsradio), Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother), Robin Scherbatsky (How I Met Your Mother), Joey Tribbiani (Friends), Ross Gellar (Friends), Monica Gellar (Friends), Eric Foreman (That 70's Show), Red Foreman (That 70's Show), Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show), Peter Griffin (Family Guy), Jackie Harris (Roseanne), and Seth Cohen (The O.C.)

Cards fan & huge Stevie Ray fan here to welcome you, swingman24!

I was surprised that Stan the Man didn't make your favorites list. I also include Schoendienst in my personal faves list because the guy is an institution!

[wcs71401]

Name: John

Date of Birth: August 18 1975

Birthplace: Albany, NY

Baseball Hisory: I played baseball until the 9th grade. I was struck in the face by a friend while throwing the ball around and was never able to stand in the batters box again without fear of being hit. I went hitless the entire season after being hit and figured that it wasn't worth playing anymore. I do play recreational softball now but miss playing baseball.

Favorite Teams: In the American League I like the Yankees and the Twins. In the National League I like the Pirates and the Astros. I know liking two teams in the same division isn't a good practice but I cover the Tri-City ValleyCats which is the Single A Short Season team of the Astros so it is hard not to follow them.

Favorite Players Current: Derek Jeter, Jason Bay, David Wright, Roy Oswalt, Jake Peavy, Carsten Charles Sabathia, Hunter Pence, Denard Span, and many many others.

Favorite Players Past: Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio, Bernie Williams, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, to name a few.

Favorite Music: Kiss, Bob Marley, Killswitch Engage, Disturbed, Billy Joel, Elton John, Pearl Jam, the list goes on and on

Favorite Baseball Movies: 61*, Major League, A League of their Own, pretty much any baseball movie

Story behind the baseball addiction: I played baseball as a kid but never really watched it or went to games. I stopped liking baseball for a few years when football took over. I played football through high school and didn't care too much for baseball anymore. Then in 1994 my friend and I decided that we should get back into baseball. Wasn't the best time to do it with the strike and all. Then after that I didn't have a sour taste in my mouth because I was a newer baseball fan so when 1995 rolled around I was excited to get the season going. Now it is a full blown addiction. I can't seem to get enough of baseball. People have asked how I can sit and watch teams that I don't care about on TV. My grandfather when he was alive used to watch baseball all of the time. I asked him that same question when I was a kid and his response was "It doesn't matter who is playing as long as their is a game to watch". I couldn't agree more. I will watch any team at any time just as long as their is a game on.

Job: I work full-time as a 911 Dispatcher for a Police Department in a town close to where I live. I don't really like it but it pays the bills. I have been there for 12 years so I have seniority and am able to rearrange my schedule to be able to stay at home with my son during the day so we don't need daycare.

Hobbies: Well I started a rinky dink website that covers all of the teams in the area in which I live. The one big problem is I never really learned how to do anything with the site so I am forced to use templates. I get by but I don't like to do it that way. The idea of the site came while reading the newspaper a few years ago. I got so mad that the coverage of certain things didn't get the attention it derserved. So I thought I could change that up with taking matters into my own hands. I had million dollar ideas with a ten dollar budget. I emailed some of the teams asking what I would need to do to get press credentials. I told them what my idea was and I was given press credentials to cover the Tri-City ValleyCats in 2006. It was an amazing experience. I was able to sit in the press box with the other reporters and do game recaps and go into the clubhouse after the game to interview the manager and select players. I could talk about this forever so I will stop now, but I don't have as much time to cover live games so the site is most likely on the verge of being shut down. I will revisit the idea when my son is a little older.

Stadiums I have been to: Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Fenway Park, Camden Yards, and Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

There is probably more but I have written enough for you all to read.

wELCOME WCS! Always good to have new people here with some new ideas and different perspectives. Hope you enjoy your time at BBF.

[RSAmetsfan]

I'm in my mid 30's, born in Washington, D.C. and raised in New Jersey. My wife and I emigrated to South Africa in 2005. We have a lovely two year old son born here in South Africa.

I was only a casual baseball fan for most of my childhood and was an indifferent little league player. I grew up in a household in which my brother and father were both Yankee fans, although my brother has transferred his loyalty to his adopted city of Philadelphia in his adulthood.

I only really became passionate about the game as the Mets narrowly missed the playoffs in 1998 and narrowly made the playoffs in 1999. It was a combination of Bobby Vallentine and the wonderful broadcasters on WFAN that caused the Mets to seize and maintain my interest. I was working in field service at the time, and spending my afternoons and evenings with Bob Murphy, Gary Cohen and Ed Coleman was magical.

My favourite player is Steve Trachsel. I have always found something very human about him. Pitching well is so clearly hard work for him, and on the rare occasion he gets it all right he can be brilliant. I think he is much more interesting to root for than someone who has natural abilities far beyond anything I can imagine.

I continue to follow baseball through the long term keeper fantasy league I play in, but my sports interests are primarily domestic (soccer, rugby and cricket.) I think that any serious baseball fan exposed to cricket, test cricket in particular, would take to the game immediately, and I have done so with the zeal of a convert.

I have been visiting baseball-fever for several years to garner trivia questions for my fantasy league, and figured it was about time that I register and be a part of the community.

Glad you stepped into the light, RSAmetsfan. I hope you don't lose your interest in baseball entirely while you're in South Africa -- at least not this year, anyway. The Mets need all the help they can get right now...

I bet you and your brother have some intense conversations. That Mets/Phillies rivalry is really heating up!

[RangerFanInNE]

Nick 5'10; 190 lbs.
Born: 1980, Lincoln, NE (still live there)
Nationality: Czech, German, Dutch, Sweedish
Education: Lincoln Southeast HS 1999 Univeristy of Nebraska 2003

Favorite ballplayers: Nolan Ryan, Ruben Sierra, Will Clark, Mark Grace, Darin Erstad, Pudge Rodriguez, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton

Favorite movies: Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy, Bull Durham, Anchorman, High Fidelity

Favorite Music Acts: Counting Crows, Ryan Adams, Whiskeytown, Bob Dylan, Wilco, Led Zeppelin, U2, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Jimi Hendrix, Augustana, Wild Sweet Orange, Radiohead, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Tool, Rage Against The Machine, The White Stripes, 311, Ben Folds, Smashing Pumpkins, Death Cab For Cutie, Rem, The Jayhawks, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Jason Mraz, Ben Harper, The Band, Big Star, Citizen Cope, Coldplay, Drive-by Truckers, Elliott Smith, The Hold Steady, The Killers, Kings Of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Neutral Milk Hotel, Oasis, Ray Lamontagne, The Replacements, The Smiths, Tom Petty, Vampire Weekend, etc etc etc ........Im a big music geek, I have like 1,000 CD's and/or albums, I like music as much as I like baseball which is saying a lot

Favorite Albums: Recovering the Satellites (Counting Crows), Heartbreaker (Ryan Adams), Strangers Almanac (Whiskeytown), Blonde on Blonde (Bob Dylan), Summerteeth (Wilco), War (U2), II (Led Zeppelin), Nebraska (Bruce Springsteen), Siamese Dream (Smashing Pumpkins), etc etc

Favorite Rock Geniuses: Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy, Adam Duritz, Zack de la Rocha, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Page, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Elliot Smith, etc etc

Favorite Rock Voices: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Zack de la Rocha

Favorite Rock Guitarists: Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, The Edge, Keith Richards, Tom Morello


Favorite Rock Drummers: John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell, Larry Mullen, Levon Helm, etc etc

Music I Don't Care For: Nickelback, Linkin Park, Creed, Hinder, anything else that sucks


Music I'm predisposed to Like: Alt Country, most 60’s music, most 90’s alt rock, etc etc

Classical Music: I respect it, its great, I don’t listen much though

Greatest Athletes of 20th Century: Jim Thorpe, Jessie Owens, Jim Brown, Ali, Jordan, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Bo Jackson, etc etc

Favorite Track Runner: Jesse Owens

Favorite Basketball Players: Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Kenny Smith, etc etc

Favorite Football Runners: Barry Sanders and nobody else is even close

Favorite Movie Director: Kevin Smith

Favorite Actors: John Cusack, Matt Damon, Will Ferrell, etc etc

Favorite Actresses: Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Sara Ramírez, etc etc

Favorite Foods: Chinese and Italian are pretty awesome…Mexican too


I Hope Fever members see me as: A big ol baseball fan, someone who adds a lot to a conversation, knows a thing or two about the game

Least Favorite People: Dubya, Sarah Palin, Michael Vick, Jeff Kent, Brady Anderson, etc etc

Favorite non sports Books: To Kill a Mockingbird, Down the Highway,


Favorite Sports Books: Boys of Summer, More Than Winning, I never Had it Made, On Solid Ground, The Nebraska Way, etc etc


Those I Admire Most: My daughter, my wife, Jackie Robinson, MLK, Tom Osborne, Josh Hamilton, etc

Hi, RangerFanInNE -- Welcome to the board! : I think from the posts I've read, I already see you as "someone who adds a lot to a conversation."

I have actually been to one game in Arlington, where I saw The Big Unit, Junior, and Pudge. I never did get to see Nolan pitch, though.

I am a big music freak as well, just a couple of generations before you! In fact, I am now facing the sad task of selling off all of my 60's vinyl and a ton of 50's & 60's 45's. Your knowledge of music is eclectic prodigious -- I am impressed! (Glad you included some classical as well). Anyone who lists "Blonde on Blonde" as a favorite album knows a thing or two about great music.

I am totally with you in your choices for "Least Favorite People." I would add Dick Cheney as well. And Rumsfeld and Ashcroft...

To Kill A Mockingbird is a classic and one of my all-time favorite books as well. I also really liked Steinbeck's Travels With Charley.

How can you survive as a Rangers fan up there with all of those Cubs and Cardinals fans?

60's vinyl? Awesome! Any Dylan you are selling that I dont have I'd be interested in maybe, my Freewheeling is cracked and I need a new one, we can talk about that sometime

My music taste comes from my Dad and brother so I have a lot of different genres covered, with Dad grew up listening to Dylan, Springsteen, Zeppelin on Sunday afternoons and the brother always played U2 and then even got into metal in the 80's, eclectic is a great way to describe it, Im a songwriter so I appreciate a lot of different kinds of music and Blonde on Blonde is as close to perfect as albums gets

Funny thing about my least fav people is that I'm not a Liberal at all, maybe about somethings but I'm very middle of the road, Palin just gets under my skin

Being a baseball fan in the midwest is very hard, everyone is all about football, I love football, I'm from Nebraska I'm a die hard Husker fan but baseball has always been my number one sports love....around here its lots of Cubs, Royals, and Cardinals fans....you get your Yankees, Red Sox, and whoever won the World Series the year before fans, so you get a little bit of everything, when I wear my Josh Hamilton shirt to work on casual days people are like who is that? I of course dont understand not knowing that but whatever....thank God for MLB extra innings so I can follow the Rangers! I played 2nd base in HS so I share that love.....With your love for second baseman what do you think of Ian Kinsler? He is quietly becoming one of the best.

Ian is amazing! I do wish he'd do some work on his defense, though. I'm a stickler for that! Once he gets that part of his game going, I don't think anyone other than Utley could compare -- and they are two very different types of players. I love the guys who steal a lot and score a lot.

My mother was the one who exposed me to lots of different styles of music, and for that I am eternally grateful... I can't understand people who only like one kind of music; it would be like eating a hamburger for every meal. Ick.

[GoTribe]

Hi there!

First of all I will apologize up front for my English, as I am not a native speaker. In fact I am spanish, but have been living all my life in Germany. So I'm sort of writing you from far away.

So, I'm 25 years old, female, studying social work, trying to finally get my driver's licence, getting married in September... yes, that's pretty much it.

I love american sitcoms, but not the newer ones, rather the 80s and 90s shows. I grew up with that.
I like movies as well, but I'm not that much of a film-freak. I don't have too much patience for sitting around and watching a long movies. I rather stick to the series, which are shorter.
And what music does she like, anyway? Well, I love Springsteen, Tom Waits, a lot of countrymusic, especially bluegrass, I love Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, also Metallica, Jim Byrnes, Crash Test Dummies, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi's old stuff, James Taylor, Grateful Dead, The Doors... (I like a lot of them old stuff)... Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam (which for me about covers the grunge-area)... I could go on for hours. Oh, and blues, I love blues.

But let me tell you about me and baseball, I think this might be more interesting to you, as you may wonder how it is with baseball in Germany.

I remember when I held my first baseball card. I guess it was a pretty poor conditioned card of Indians' Dion James. It was a Donruss '91 of the 2nd Series - those green framed ones.
American kids often grow up collecting cards, playing and visiting baseball games, right? Well, not in Germany. Totally different world, man. Kids around here mostly know baseball from american movies and hardly have seen a real game, though a few towns and cities have baseball teams which are hardly known. The european tradition is rather into soccer.
Though, I must say, until 2 years ago american football was kinda apreciated – I guess not too much, cause the football leagues retired from europe ... not enough money to be made.

I got in touch with baseball when I was a kid, though, when I heard it mentioned in american TV-shows. People around here where I live may know what baseball is, but very few know about the rules, and you also may find people who mix it up with other sports.
So you can tell I had a hard time enjoying "my sport". I really loved it, I just thought it was pretty cool. But as I couldn't get any baseball stuff (it was before internet), I lost touch with it.

I was way over 20yrs when I thought back and considered the cool things of my childhood. I got a bunch of DVDs of old american sitcoms I used to watch as a child. Along with this nostalgia of course came the rediscovery of baseball. Baseball... hadn't that been something I loved pretty much? I remembered watching games on NBC Europe ('97, '98?) and staying up late because it would be like 3am when the game was shown here.

So when I rediscovered baseball first thing I did was run to my TV, and trying to find out, if by any chance NBC Europe still had the MLB-rights. Ha, big dissappointment, you guess it. In fact, the channel NBC Europe wasn't available anymore around here. GREAT.
After consulting the internet I learned about ESPN and NASN and a lot of things I did know.
Pay-TV here. Great. So much for my newly rediscovered former favorite sport.
At least I got the baseball standings from the net, and also a load of information on the game. I learned about the rules to the game, and all kinds of basics I never had the chance to read up somewhere.

Some day I found baseball cards on ebay, and was instantly transforming into a nine-year-old again, drooling and stuff. Needed. Those. Cards. Badly.
So after a while I had a pretty big collection of cards of different condition, when I found I was going nowhere with it. I was not actually collecting, I was just accummulating all the cards I could get.
I had a pretty hard time deciding what I should collect. I loved the Indians and especially Shop, so I collected THAT, but I also had some other almost completed sets, which I wanted to finish as well.

Yes, that's how I got into baseball... and that's what's to say about me. :-)

WELCOME ABOARD, GoTribe!

Hi, Go Tribe. You'll get used to RMB -- he's an acquired taste!

I got hooked on baseball cards early on, too, and like you, I had to focus my collection as I had quite a mish-mash of stuff. I think you chose wisely; it's a lot more fun to collect a team with some history.

I think there are now three females who post on the board -- at least those of us who out "out!" BTW, your English is great. Never apologize for it -- most Americans speak only one language, a fact for which we should apologize.

Janis? Only my favorite female singer of all time. A Texan like me! I've got a ton of '60's albums, and they're all the original vinyl. So, now you know I'm waaay older than you are! An incredible era for music...

[3and0]

Hi, my names Greg Brady. I am sixteen, nearly seventeen and I live in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. I am just about done the eleventh grade and my summer occupation would be a maintenance worker at a local golf course.

My favorite classes are SS since I have the coolest teacher ever (he is a large Asian man who brings a katana to class and wrote the social textbook used in Alberta), and of course phys ed. My least favorite class is Math. My mathematical skills are limited to calculating batting average and on base percentage.

I have 2 older step brothers, and 2 older sisters. Three of my siblings played college volleyball, my father played college baseball and my mother won provincials for softball a few times, out of a town of 1200 people.

I love listening to music and nice cars. My dad is old, 58, I have listened to a lot of 60's music and I have an appreciation for 60/70's muscle cars and trucks. I enjoy things different than most 16 year olds. I love Harry Potter and I am interested in nostalgic things, or thats the best as I can describe it. and by nostalgic i mean 60's through 90's, especially movies and music.

I am a multi-sport athlete and have excelled in hockey, badminton, volleyball, golf, and baseball. Since I was very little my life was all about hockey, I loved it like any Canadian kid does, but I learned to enjoy other sports from my father who is a gym teacher and through watching the sports teams he coached and my siblings play sports. I can attribute many of the best people I've met, and some of the best times I have ever had have been directly related to sport. When I was younger I loved baseball and hockey almost equally, but as I grew older we never really had a competitive baseball team and I stopped playing at age 7 and didn't start untill i was 13, which is one of my greatest regrets. Now I love baseball more than any sport except maybe volleyball.

I got interested in baseball at a young age since my dad played college ball and we sort of have a large extended family and baseball games have been a large part of family functions. My dad always had great stories to play and I always wanted to make memories of my own. I think to this day the my favorite things to do with my dad is just playing catch in my back yard or have him pitch wiffle balls at me.

I love the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago Cubs. My favorite baseball players all time are Mickey Mantle, and Joe Carter. My favorite current baseball player is Chase Utley. Oh and I play SS, 2nd, OF, and pitch on my midget AA baseball team who is hopefully going to win provincials this year.

That is a condensed and sort of random explanation of my life but its 12:15 on a school night and i really should head to bed but I can't sleep.

[George H Ruth]

I don't believe I've done this before so here I go.

Name: George(named after George H Ruth)
Where I am from: New York City
Currently living: Toronto(been living there since 1990)
Favorite baseball team: Toronto Blue Jays
Favorite baseball player of all time: George Herman Ruth
Favorite current baseball player: Ken Griffey Jr./Carlos Delgado
Favorite pitcher of all time: Walter Johnson
Favorite current pitcher: Roy Halladay
Favorite baseball team: Blue Jays

How did I get my baseball passion: I got my passion from my grandfather. When I was younger he told me stories around Tyrus Cobb and George H Ruth, and I was amazed. He had the oppurtunity to watch them live on a few occasions. I was hooked afterwards, and have been in love with the sport for the last 40 years.

Favorite basketball player of all time: Michael Jordan
Current favorite basketball player: Vince Carter

Favorite football player of all time: Joe Montana
Current favorite football player: Terrell Owens

Favorite Hockey player of all time: Maurice Richard
Current favorite player: Alex Kovalev
Favorite goalie of all time: Patrick Roy
Current favorite goalie: Carey Price

Favorite actor: Tom Cruise/Leonardo DiCaprio
Favorite movie of all time: Rocky 4


Favorite musician of all time: Michael Jackson
Favorite band of all time: Def Leppard/ACDC

Favorite television character: Archie Bunker
Favorite television show of all time: All in the Family

Favorite Baseball movie ofall time: 61

That's all I can think of at the moment, if you have any questions, dont be shy to ask me.

Favorite band of all time: Def Leppard/ACDC

FINALLY. Someone with good taste

[Francoeurstein]

Well, I've already done two of these with 2 years in between each, and I must say I've changed drastically. So I believe it is necessary to make a new one. P.S. If you read my last one you wouldn't even know it was me.

Name: Brandon Matics
Age: 14 (3/9/1995)
Favorite Sport: Baseball of course
Sports I'm active in: Baseball (SP.RF) and Football (CB, WR)
Size: 5'8 140 pounds; skinny
Favorite Teams: Braves, Bengals, Bucks, and Bulldogs. (WOW)
Desired School: If no scholarship, then University of Georgia
Favorite Baseball Player(s): Jeff Francoeur and David Eckstein
Favorite Football Player: Carson Palmer
Favorite Music: Classic Rock
Favorite Group: Metallica
Favorite Song(s): Don't Stop Believin'- Journey. Fade to Black- Metallica
Grades: A's and B''s
Hobbies: Baseball, football, fishing, academics, girls, friends, family, and video games.
Teams: JV South Gwinnett Comets Baseball. 9th grade SG Comets football.

[fan]

My name is Chuck.

I was born in 1957.

I started following baseball heavily in about 1967, although I do faintly remember when my dad was still in the Marines and we lived in Fallbrook, hanging out in the "dougout", the bar in Duke Snider's bowling alley. I'm told I spilled a coke on Buddy Hackett.

My greatest day playing was pitching a one-hit shutout in Babe Ruth league. I remember the Big Red Machine from then, I graduated High School in 1975.

I was in the Army Security Agency in Okinawa having a wisdom tooth pulled when Pete Rose was in the midst of his 44 game hitting streak, the game was on the radio. Every time Pete came up, I faked pain so the dentist would inject more Novocain and give me enough quiet time to listen to the at-bat. After about 2 hours, Pete got a hit, and the tooth came out in 4 pieces.

I am alcoholic and have little memory of the years 1976-1990. I remember the Rose gambling stuff, that's about it. I joined AA in 1990 and haven't drank since, it also have me a great direction for life. When it works for someone, it works very well; I am fortunate.

My big thing I learned is I don't have to be the most knowledgeable or well traveled fan to enjoy the game. I have always liked the history of the game, 1901 to present, especially the dead ball era and the 50's. I have a lot of catching up to do, this site was a big find for me! I've been looking at baseball-reference.com for some time, just found this site. And there are a bunch of new books I want to look at.

Ballparks I've seen a game in - Crosley Field, Riverfront/Cynergy Field, GABP, Tiger Stadium, the new Detroit ballpark, Cleveland Memorial, the new Cleveland ballpark, and that's it for MLB. I've seen minor league games in Toledo, Indianapolis, Fort Worth, and Columbus, OH, as well as the Dayton Dragons.

I've been dismayed since I "came back" to find it was easy to follow 16 teams as a boy, but almost impossible for me to follow 30 teams as a busy adult. But, I just try to enjoy what I can.

All time favorites include Cobb, Alexander, Musial, Walter Johnson.

I know this will get me in trouble, but I follow the Reds until they fade in mid-summer, then I follow the pennant races. So, yes, I am a fickle fan!

Dislike - DH, distractions at the ballpark, and TV shows that give me baseball as a metaphor for something instead of a between the lines orgy. As a child, Clemente was my favorite, because of the way he played. I knew next to nothing about any social agenda, etc, I just knew he could hit and I loved to watch him throw.

I played co-ed softball for 7 years in the 90's, and I hustled like Pete Rose. He is properly ineligible, but he was still an inspiration for my generation of amateur ballplayers in this area. Played 1B and SS, on base guy with speed and occasional power.

Personal - AAS, BS in Electronics Engineering Technology, contract research for a University at Wright Patterson AFB, Ham Radio operator using 99.9% Morse Code, I plan to retire in 2012 and travel full-time in my motorhome. Single, I am a loner. I get along very well with my dog.

Thanks to all of you who have made this site such a gem, I was blown away by the Cobb/Johnson/Ruth pictures and stories. Sorry I don't have a lot to contribute, but here I am.

Chuck

Wlecome, Chuck! Thanks for the mini-bio. Very interesting. I believe you will find your time here at BBF enjoyable and informative. And by all means feel free to contribute to any discussions.

Hey, Chuck --

I think you'll find that you have more to contribute than you think. Lots of different topics come up, and I bet you'll find a few that interest you.

I really loved reading your mini-bio. You have been to hell
and back, so that makes you someone I instantly admire.

And I find nothing wrong with loving a team up until the playoffs! I am even more fickle than you -- I follow TWO teams. (Is there such a thing as a baseball bigamist? Oh, wait -- I am female. Hmm...) When they fade, I start following another team that I want to make it into the playoffs. I figure it's all about loving the game.

I get along very well with my dog, too!

[Bill Burgess]

If any members haven't already posted their all time teams, and important opinions on our other thread, "Members' Official Opinions", yet, would you consider doing so at your convenience? Thanks.

http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=38137
--------------------------------------------------------

In case anyone missed it, I created an index to this thread at the end of my first post. You can look up your favorite posters, and read their mini-bios.
In case anyone hasn't seen our Index to this thread, at the bottom of post one, here it is.

Table of Contents:

Page 1 
1. Bill Burgess  ------------- - Feb. 22, 1951 - Mt. View, CA
2. 64Cards  ------------------ - St. Louis, MO
3. Julusnc   -----------Jeremy - October 4, 1971, West North Carolina
4. BoSox Rule  --------- Bobby - March 16, 1989, Cambridge, MA
5. Honus Wagner Rules --  Adam - August 17, 1968, San Jose, CA
6. tearforamariner --- Russell - May 21, 1985, Tacoma, WA
7. Torez77 - ------------Geoff - June 5, 1977 - Indianapolis, IN
8. leecemark  ----- Mark Leece - September 20, 1959, Tacoma, WA
9. Imapotato -------------- JT - January 16, 1975 - Troy, NY
10. Appling --------Roger Kane - 1935 - 70
11. Pumpsie Green ------- John - 14
12. Kroxquo  ----------  Keith - May 11, 1965 - Goldboro, NC
13. Dudecar00 ------------ Wil - June 29, 1988 - 16 
14. ElHalo --------------- Jim - 1980 - 25 - NYC
15. Four Tool - --Mark Szymcik - June 9, 1949 - Worcester, MA
16. Captain Cold Nose -- Scott - 34 - Kettering, OH
17. CyNotSoYoung ------- Steve - 1953 - Pittston, ME - 34
18. Mordeci ------------------ - August 29, 1967 - Hamilton, OH, N. of Cincinnati, OH
19. Wagner33 ------------ Jeff - August 29, 1977 - Arlington, VA
20. 2Chance -------------Clete - February 17, 1960 - Cincinatti, OH
21. Sirmudgeon - ------------- - 42 - Yountville, Napa, CA
22. tonjes ---------------Mike - Nov. 28, 1981 - Norfolk, Va
23. moviegeekjan ------------- - March 22, 1948  -  Phoenix, AZ
24. Ichiro51 - ----------Frank - April 19, 1983
25. Mac195 ------------------- - 1963

Page 2
26. RuthMayBond --- Jeff James - July 31, 1960 - NE Ohio
27. KHenry14 - ------------Ken - March 16, 1957 - Los Angeles, CA
28. Chanceron ---------- Ronny - May 24, 1950 - Central Florida
29. Rockin500 ------------ Ray - March 1, 1978 - Chicago, IL
30. St.LCards2-Matthew Cornwell- Oct. 9, 1981 - St. Louis
31. Bleacherbee 
32. DTF955 --------Davy Fowler - Sept. 13, 1970 - NE Ohio
33. JohnnysGhost-------------- - 1992 - Rhode Island
34. Irow Jaw ------------ Mike - Nov. 20, 1955 - Yuma, AZ
35. JW ----------------- Jason - Oct. 9, 1979 - Baltimore, MD
36. The Splendid Splinter - Bart Schutter - June 27, 1984 - Earl Park, IL
37. Wamby-------------------Jim - 1964 - Northport, AL
38. Say Hey - ----------------- - 1990 - Detroit, MI
39. Busta J2632 ------------Sam - February 20, 1985
40. 538280 -------------- Chris - February 18, 1992 - Ludlow, Mass. -13
41. Yankees Rule -------- Chris - February 7, 1967 - Staten Island, NY
42. Edgartohof --------- Robert - December 6, 1986
43. catcher24 -------Lew Snyder - May 18, 1951 - Jamestown, NY
44. therealnod ----------- Evan - 1974 - Mesa, AZ
45. schlabotnik ---------Johnny - March 22, 1956 - Laval Island, N. of Montreal
46. IPOD--------------------Ian - 1986 - U. of Berkely - SF Bay area
47. SABR Matt --Matthew Souders - Oct. 16, 1981 - Oswego, NY
48. Ize19 ----------------Isaac - August 9, 1988 - Rancho Bernardo, CA
49. Big Stelly Padres 4Life
50. TKO ----------- Randy Fiato - July 24, 1983 - Norwalk, CT, SW Conn.

Page 3
51. Uhhh_Stuff ------------- Eddie - Oct. 22, 1970 - CA
52. Nick G ----------------------- - November 11, 1983
53. Wolverineman-Kyle Alan Manning - March 10, 1985 - Oxford, Ind. 
54. E.Banks#14 ----------- Garrett - April 26, 1991 - Vernon Hills, IL
55. barzilla -Scott Patrick Barzilla - Nov.30, 1973 - Houston, TX
56. Chancellor ------- Brad Harris - June 20, 1974 - Mt. Grove, MO
57. Giambijuice ------------------ - 1983
58. Screwbll 45 --------- Harrison - March 12, 1989 - Houston, TX
59. abolishthedh ------------- Wes - January 6, 1960  -  Bethany, MO
60. scribe114 ------ Shafi McCants - August 15, 1968 - Detroit, MI
61. VTSox Fan -------- Annie Marie - August 13, 1968 - Rawsonville, VT, SE
62. Flash Gordon ---- Eddie Martin - February 19, 1970
63. NeverJustAGame -----Scot Moore - August 17, 1960 - Columbia, SC
64. #1Rangerfan                             --  14
65. Bristol Boy -------------Pingu - Apr. 2, 1987 - Bristol, England
66. Pjf-----------------------Pete - age 61, 
67. Myankee4life-----Mario Padilla - 16 -  Bronx, NY
68. janduscframe-------------Loren - Ellendale, MN
69. Yankee Legend-----------Elliot - May 2, 1989 - Staten Island
70. Windy City Fan----Craig Ashley - July 27, 1977 - Chicago, IL
71. Jalbright --------Jim Albright - April 14 - SE Pennsyvania
72. pjuovolk------------------Pete - 1991 - Maryland
73. MojoRisin71---------------Jim  - Santa Barbara, CA - June 24, 1980
74. rbrittain56---------------Rik  - Mathis, TX - Aug. 3, 1956
75. nutmeagh-------------------Ann - Canada

Page 4
76. clockwork-----------------Rich - Philadelphia, PA - 1987
77. Southlake Cubs Fan------Trevor - 1990  -  Southlake, TX
78. TyrusRaymond Cobb-Simon Foster - November 23, 1971 - Melbourne, Australia
79. HankAaron86--------------Tyler - 1993--Atlanta, Georgia
80. Deadball2005-------Zach Jendro - 1977  -  Cincinnati, OH
81. Give It A Ride ---Samuel Hwang - Dec. 2, 1990 - Palo Alto, CA
82. sschirer--------Shane Schirmer - 1970 - Ludlow, OH
83. Tavish------------Jason Nelson - April 21, 1977 - Topeka, KS
84. Freakshow--------------------- - 1960 - Detroit, MI
85. Dgarza-------------David Garza - October 1, 1974 - Cincinnati, OH
86. Cubsfan97----------------Shawn - November 10, 1990 - Round Lake Beach, Il
87. Driver62---------------------- - Dayton, OH - 1941
88. Dodger-----------Patrick Hogue - February 12, 1966 - West Covina, CA
89. Sultan, 1895-1948 ------ Randy - Sept. 19, 1977 - Sunnyside, WA
90. Digglahhh------Derek Ambrosino - 1980 - Jackson Heights, NY
91. Oscargamblesfro - ------------ - 1971 - Indianaplois, IN
92. YTown Tribe fan--------------- - Cleveland, OH
93. ShoelessJoe3---------------Joe - Buffalo, NY - 1945
94. Pretorius--------------------- - 1983 - Springfield, IL
95. TonyK------------------------- - 1950 - Boston, MA
96. Ken Burns discussion & Civil War battlefields
97. abacab--------------------Andy - Dec.6, 1978
98. History of Baseball Fan
99. House Rules for this Thread
100. 55 chmps------Joseph Pantorno - Dec.10, 1991, Farmingdale, NY

Page 5.
101. yank0714----------------Randy - Nov.29, 1952, Charlotte, NC
102. baseball Pap-----Scott Carter - Sept. 15, 1972, Logan, Ohio
103. Johnny--------------------Jon -
104. DoubleX------------------Mike - Feb. 22, 1981, Brooklyn, NY
105. EricGotMunsoned----------Adam - Aug. 26, 1987, Grand Rapids, Mich.
106. christian gentleman-----Tyler - July 20, 1968, Amsterdam, 
107. Tigerfan1974------------Keith - Sept. 15, 1965, Dallas, TX
108. Brannu----------------Brandon - March 23, 1972, CA
109. AGI----------------------Adam - July 22, 1991, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
110. Pghfan987----------Matt Busch - December 26, 1985 - New Alexandria, PA
111. Murderers Row------Tony Aubry - New York City
112. Food---------------------Alex - 1974, San Ramon, CA
113. ThanksTheo--------------Roger - 1950, Boston, MA
114. kckid--------------Eric Casey - January 8, 1992, Middlesex, MA
115. SoberDennis------Dennis Jones - May 14, 1957, San Diego, CA
118. Brownie31---George Robertson  - October 31, 1950, Bessemer, AL
119. Pet Peeves
120. TV Character Actors
121. Rock Music
122. Baseball Junkie----------Jere - PA, 20's
123. The Big C--------Cameron Ball - Eaton Rapids, MI, August 28, 1988
124. RichmondHillPhoenix ----Geoff - October 18, 1989
125. 5LilPlayers------------------ - January 20, 1973

Page 6.

126. sturg1dg------------------Dan - September 12, 1982
127. WestCoast Orange & Black-Tony -  San Francisco
128. Outta Here----Bradley Meadows - 1990, Liverpool, England
129. Chelle---------------Michelle
130. Erik Bedard---------------Dan - Baltimore
131. Kyle------------------------- - 1992 - Holliston, MA
132. CanadianKid------------------ - February 6, 1990
133. Senor Octobre---------------- - mid 1980's
134. hubkittel----------------Jeff - March 3, 1968, Granite City, IL
135. Tigers 527---------------Sean - 1972, Dearborn, MI
136. A Crank---------------------- - 1961
137. Evan Aparra--------------Evan - April 23, 1986, Texas
138. falkirk-buc-------------Colin - 1979 - Falkirk, Scotland
139. Astro------------Scott Roemer - June 12, 1988, Louisville, KY
140. Go-Skychiefs-Go----Steve Reid - August 26, 1992, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
141. bailiff----------------Andrew - Denton, TX
142. John Burris------------------ - June 29, 1981, Coffeyville, KS
143. Down Under Dodger---------Bob - 1952, Australia
144. dmbfan--------------------Tim - 1974, Middletown, PA
145. Red Sox Rule-----Adam Corlett - 1988, Leeds, England
146. Chris LDuncan---------
147. Candy Curveball Cummings-Richard Castle - May 30, 1985, Tacoma, WA
148. Nascarfn5-----------Dan Betts - July 7, 1989, Vandalia, OH
140. OhBoy--------------------Bill - Tucson, AZ, 1962
150. Sockeye-----------Gary Wright - July 5, 1975, Lima, OH

Page 7.

151. W_Marone-----------Ken Marone - November 18, 1987
152. SwingMan24--------------Chris - October 22, 1980
153. Dodgerfan1---------Bill Irvin - August 4, 1958 
154. Keepthefaith3-----------Chris - 1990
155. Chiefs 4 Life------Steve Reid - 1993
156. AlaskatoBalto---Tiffany Amber - 1984, Bel Air, MD
157. Jays632------------------Matt - February 17, 1988 
158. Johnny Seven-------------Mark - May 15, 1989, Baltimore, MD
159. Westlake----------Evan Knoopp - April 23, 1986, TX
160. EdmondsFan#1 --Hunter Guthrie - January 18, 1993, Bloominton, IL
161. Wade8893-----------------Joel - January 12, 1985, Seattle, WA
162. Stateofmain--------------Bree - Kentucky/Indianapolis area?
163. Acid Lake-Sung-Min 'Slim' Kim -  January, 1991, Timonium, Maryland
164. Future: Greatest2BofAllTime-Danny - February 5, 1992, 
165. Hellborn----------Bill Martin - November 22, 1966, Illinois
166. Aleckboy006-------------Corey - October 23, 1991
167. ReignInBlood--------------Rob - June 1, 1988, Tijuana, Mexico
168. Pete Rose Rounding Third ---- - January 20, 1975, Texas
169. Huntington Avenue - Nathan Leveille - February 15, 1991, Glocester, RI
170. Dodger Black & Blue --------- - August 7, 1984, Glendale, CA
171. Dalkowski110---------------JW - November 1, 1987, Ossining, NY
172. Padday--------Patrick Fleming - November 11, 1991, Wicklow, Ireland
173. Colin------------------------ - June 16, 1988, Houston, TX
174. Koufax HOF------------------- - United Kingdom (England)
175. Lin_Kue_Fighter--------------

Page 8.

176. JeffFrancoeur7--Brandon Matics - March 9, 1995
177. Yankees2k6--------------Yani P - November 15, 1991---Jersey City, NJ
178. JordanDL3891------------Jordan - March 8, 1991, Burnt Hills, NY
179. Chickazoola----Justin McKinney - January 3, 1981, Calgary, Canada
180. MattD1972--------Matt Donnelly - November 10, 1972, Millford, PA
181. nolanryan5714-------------Dave - Dayton, TX
182. Steveironcity-Steve Antkiewicz - November 14, 1980, Pittsburgh, PA
183. Cricketfan_turned-baseball fan - Boston, MA
184. MadHatter--------------------- - Boston, MA
185. Stray Cat--------------------- - Mid-Missouri
186. DaveTheYankee-------------Dave - West Palm, FL, 1995
188. OleMissCub----------------Ryan - 
189. Jbooth-------------James Booth - 1950, Gilbert, AZ
190. AlexC------------------------- - Birmingham, England
191. philkid3--------Robbie Griffin - June 7, 1985, Kennewick, WA
192. UrbanShocker13-Steve Osuchowski - November 13, 1979
193. richie hebner--------------Ray - Detroit, MI
194. gojays---------------Ian Usher - Toronto, Ontario
195. George H Ruth-----------George - June 17, 1958, New York City
196. stejay------------Steven Jones - Cleveland, OH
197. Ninja Boi------------------Jay - February, 1967, Lancashire, England
198. blacksilverfan12--Bryce Maddox - February, 13, 1990, San Luis Obispo, CA
199. keystone------------------Judy - September 13, 1946, San Antonio, TX
200. oldschoolyankee------------Ken - November 22, 1962, Franklin Town., NJ

Page 9. 

201. YankeeFanUK--------------Steve - August, 1965, England
202. wrigleybum-------------------- - August 3, 1989, Minneapolis, MN
203. RubeWaddell19--------------Jay - Bradford, PA 
204. yeszir-------------------David -  1987, Boston, MA
205. Tenorman------------------John -  May 14, 1962, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
206. JasonNewEra--------------Jason - February 22, 1983, Westland, MI
207. AstrosFan---------------Judson - 1982, Texas
208. giantsrule-----------Hector L. - 1987, Sacramento, CA
209. nyyfan--------------------Nick -  June 10, 1993, across the river from Louisville, KY
210. Solrac---------Jeancarlos Nava - April 12, 1992, Santa Cruz, Aruba
211. ShuttlePilot--------------Jane - Wyoming
213. Domenic-------------Domenic L. - Buffalo, NY
214. 108stitches------------------- - Moose Jaw, SK, Canada
215. Allie Fox--------------------- - -1967
216. Afterglow----------------Steve - June 24, 1983, Millington, TX
217. Civil War posts
218. Tyrus4189Cobb----
219. davidsb----------------------- - -June 3, 1963
220. MyMorningJacket------------Dan -  December 21, 1986  
223. Brutus------------------------ - -1985 - Ohio
222. Heals Going Nine----
223. gman5431--------G Rizzle - Cincinnati
224. soxfan34---------------------- - Boston
225. Shea_goodbye----------Sean - 1991

Page 10.

226.  ol' aches and pains---------Ken - 1949
227.  BlueCrew08------Edward James Lucio - Avondale, Arizona 
228.  swingman24-----Chris - October 22, 1980
229.  wcs71401-------John - August 18 1975
230.  RSAmetsfan---------- - South Africa
231.  RangerFanInNE-----Nick - Lincoln, NE,  1980 
232.  GoTribe --------------- - Germany, 1984
233.  3and0------------Greg Brady -  1993, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
234.  George H Ruth-------George - Toronto, Canada
235.  Francoeurstein-----Brandon Matics - March 9, 1995
236.  fan--------------Chuck - 1957
240.  9RoyHobbsRF-----Cary C. - 1958, Federal Way, WA
241.  Lurch------------------- - 1982, St. Louis, MO
242.  NJMetfan4life---------Chris P - August 19, 1994
243.  AJbaseball00024---Andrew R. Johnson - Brooklyn, NY,  October 31, 1992
244.  killebrewski------Jason - West Chester, PA,  May 23, 1974

---------------------------------------------------
In the past, we had 3 nice discussions on music, pet peeves, and TV characters. And they have been lost in the pile ever since. So, I thought I'd dig them out for our recent guests, and let them join in the fun. Hope someone finds them entertaining.

Rock Music Add your 2 cents.

Pet Peeves Whine Your Hearts Out.

TV Characters Who Were Your Favorites?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a relevant post I made a while ago. I ask that you please read this.

http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.p...5&postcount=99

Here's a cool idea. Why don't you guys/gals post your photos on your personal profiles, but only if you feel comfortable. Some might feel it's too risky to do so online, especially for teens.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a Form Chart if anyone wishes to use it as their format. I took this from my own very first Post #1. Or, one can go to my very first post and copy/paste it for the format, and use/discard my choices as needed. Whichever is more convenient to you.
http://baseball-fever.com/showpost.p...67&postcount=1

William Morton Burgess, III; 5'7; 140 lbs.
Born: February 22, 1951, Brooklyn, NY.
1953-56: Lived in base housing, Sheridanville, Fort Dix, NJ.
1956-69: Lived in Mt. Holly, NJ.
1969-79: Lived in NYC. Lived Woodside (Queens), Riverdale (Bronx), Inwood (Manhattan), West 73 St., near Columbus Ave.
1979-present: Palo Alto/Menlo Park, CA area, 30 miles south of San Francisco, CA

I Presently reside: Mt. View, CA
Education:
Nationality:
I came by my BB passion from:
Work History:
Favorite ballplayers:
Favorite movies:
Favorite Rock Acts:
Favorite Rock CD's:
Favorite "Greatest Hits" Collections:
Favorite Rock Geniuses:
Favorite Rock Voices:
Favorite Rock Guitarists:
Favorite Rock Drummers:
Music I Don't Care For: Although I may like an isolated example from a category, the categories I don't care for, as a whole are: Country, bluegrass, blues, gospel, hard rock, heavy metal, New Wave, Punk, Rap, Hip Hop, Jazz, Latin.
Music I'm predisposed to Like: This means my favorite musical categories: Classic Rock, light rock, 1950's Doo Wop, R&B (Soul Music), Easy Listening, New Age, Reggae, Broadway, Big Bands, Folk, Tex-Mex, Western, popular (Sinatra, Bennett, Streisand).
Favorite Classical Music:
Greatest Athletes of 20th Century:
Favorite Basketball Players:
Favorite Football Runners: (Half-Backs/Full-Backs)
Favorite Movie Directors:
Favorite Actors:
Favorite Actresses:
Favorite Books:
Favorite Sports Books:
Favorite Ice Dancers:
Those I Admire Most:
My Most Admired Americans:
Favorite Mixed Martial Artists of the Ultimate Fighting Championships: UFC
Technically Best-Made Movies:
Favorite Cool Stuff:
Hobbies:
Favorite Foods:
Favorite Comfort Junk Food from Childhood: (New Category)
Favorite Colognes: (New Category)
Favorite Rock Tunes: Might be cool to list your favorites as 'youtube' links!
Favorite TV Shows:
Favorite Comedy Stuff:
Least Favorite Comedy Stuff:
Least Favorite People: George Bush, OJ Simpson, Omarosa (The Apprentice)
Favorite TV Characters: Fred/Ethel Mertz (I Love Lucy), Festus Haggen (Gunsmoke), Barney Fife (Andy Griffith), Eddie Haskel (Leave It To Beaver), Maynard G. Krebs (Dobie Gillis), Ed Norton (Honeymooners), Dr. Zachary Smith (Lost In Space), Kramer (Seinfeld)
My Favorite Classic Baseball Movies:
I hope Fever members see me as . . .:
Pet Peeves:
Brief Notes on Dad: Was your Dad your hero?
Brief Notes on Mom: Was your Mom a saint?
Photos of me.
Your Facebook/MySpace links (New category)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Little did I know when I started this thread, that it would turn into this rich of a reference resource. Learning about all of you is an on-going joy.

I never expected to hit the jackpot like this. I recently added some new categories, and 'bingo'!, some of you have jumped on it with alacrity.

And the way most of you have expressed yourselves has astounded my old eyes! Not merely articulate. But eloquent. How you have expressed your musical tastes, political leanings, lifestyles, etc., has touched my heart in ways I wasn't expecting. I have opened to some of the things you've said you found value in. Never want to close up. Closing is death to the inner child and the inner man.

Just can't tell you how much I appreciate hearing your stories, and readings you bios. I wanted you to tell me your stories, and man, have you ever! There is a saying. 'Every creature longs to have its story told'. Which is why I wanted to hear from each of you.

The richness of this thread has kept it from harm. Fever has a policy of baseball-only. But they have allowed me to have this 'Welcoming Thread', to greet you all, and tell all of us a little bit about yourselves.

That they have kept their hands off of this thread, and allowed it to be somewhat of a community bulletin board, is a tribute to how well almost all of you have expressed and conducted yourselves.

So far, people have viewed this thread over 71,000 times! That is over-whelming proof of your value in telling your stories! That is more often than people have viewed my big photo archive in History, which is visual eye candy. So you must be doing something right.

Again, good morning to you all, and thank you all so much for sharing a bit about your lives, loves and interests. Appreciated way beyond what you know!

Bill Burgess

Here's the new revised list of everyone's Pet Peeves: Just thought you might find it interesting. I sure did!---Bill

Pet Peeves:

Bill Burgess:

1. Price of ink cartridges for my printer are $32. new.  Refills kits only last weeks.
2. Price of high-speed connections to the internet.  I pay $46./mo. Absurd.
3. ATM's only give out money in $20. denominations.  Wish it were $10.
4. Fast Food chains which don't accept credit/debit cards.
5. Friends who always choose the other person, in call-waiting situations.
6. My computer media player won't let me create a queue for my music.
7. TV/movies which make adults appear like dim-witted idiots.  Home Alone?  Married With Children?
8. Anyone who doesn't practice road etiquette/courtesy.
9. Baseball-Fever presently doesn't accept Excel files.
10. People in public, talking way too loud into their cell phones.  Don't they know no one else wants to hear their private stuff?
11. Women claim that looks are not primary, and personality comes first.  Wish they really meant it, and acted that way.
12. Women with weight issues going on TV, and insisting how 'ghetto-fabulous' they are.  NOT!!  Makes me puke.
13. Tabloid TV shows like Jerry Springer, Maury Povich.  Trash.  Should get dumped like Rickey Lake, Jenny.
14. Judge Judy:  Always bragging how smart she is.  Judges should be less rude, more modest, less emotional.  Like Judge Alex, or Judge Marilyn Milian from People's Court.

Product Placement in TV reality shows.  Examples:
1. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (Regis Philbin) - He says, "Our friends at ATT will connect you now."
2. American Idol - Big Coca Cola drinks in front of the judges.  And Ryan Seacrest constantly informing us how to use "text messaging".
3.  Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Ty Pennington constantly telling us that everything comes from Sears.

These shows feel like one huge infomercial to me.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catcher24 had these offerings:

Pet peeves:
1. Ugly women who wear t-shirts that proclaim "I'm Cute".  
2. Beautiful women who insist on defacing their bodies with tattoos.  
3. Beautiful women who love....other women.  
4. Baseball broadcasters who insist on talking as if their listeners were born yesterday, and were born retarded to boot.
5. Drivers who think that traffic laws were enacted only for all other drivers, and don't apply to themselves.
6. BBF posters who think Cobb was better than Mays or Ruth (JUST KIDDING, BILL!!)  

This is a very quick list. If I took a little more time, I could go on for pages, I'm sure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tonjes offers these Pet Peeves:

1. handicapped drivers. you may have some sort of physical hindrance, but your arms work, your brain functions, you can apply pressure to a pedal, what's the problem? why do you have to drive 35 in a 40?
2. the NBA. thugs have completely hijacked this once great league and have turned it into a street ball circus. thank god for Tim Duncan.
3. feminists. i am woman, hear me roar. enough said.
4. hostile Cobbie and royal fans. bitterness won't get you anywhere.
5. bbf isn't compatible with mozilla.
6. FM radio. we don't have any good music stations in st. Louis. i can't believe people like this linkin park and breaking Benjamin crap.
7. Katie Couric. little chicken hawk.
8. poor spelling. it drives me insane. I'm embarrassed to say this, but i have friends who are seniors in college that consistently make mistakes like spelling out I'll as "all" and "ussume" as assume. (of course, i probably have a few spelling mistakes in this post now that I've put this down.)
9. espn's baseball coverage. why don't they just rename sportscenter Yankees/red sox highlights?
10. fat people who sit around feeling sorry for themselves.
11. stinky feet.
12. snoring.
13. people who refuse to have a drink with you. ZzZzZz. I'm not talking about people who have legitimate reasons, ie drinking problems. I'm talking about mollycoddles. also, having a drink does not mean drinking to excess. relax a little, have a drink, and enjoy life.
14. small tippers.
15. hack comedians. Paul reiser, tom Arnold, Harold ramis, Howie Mandel, ant, Paula poundstone, etc.
16. Christian pop/rock music. i hear some emergency rooms are now using certain songs to induce vomiting in kids who have ingested household cleaners.
17. college-aged political activists. why does everything leave you so d*MN "outraged"? and please, hardly anyone takes your insignificant protests seriously.
18. over-the-top new York accents. just plain obnoxious.
19. drivers who sit in the fast lane and refuse to let you pass.
20. men who go to tanning salons. most people assume these guys are homosexual, and that's unfair to homosexuals.
21. people who chew with their mouth open.
22. dogs that lick. disgusting.
23. Texans. relax a little down there.
24. excessively flying the flag at half staff. this should be done rarely, yet it seems like we're doing this all the time. we need to be more selective.
25. men who frequent strip clubs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
VTSoxFan:
Pet Peeves: people who tailgate; bad drivers in general; the fact that I can get Yankees games on the radio where I live, but not Red Sox games; people who “write” illegible signatures; people who get drunk at ball games; the constant and aggravating mispelling of the word "DEFINITELY" (it's related to "finite" and "infinite" -- there is no "A" in there!!)...

Things I hate: Ostentatious displays of wealth and status. People who have to drive a silver Jag, or build an 18,000 square-foot mansion in order to impress have quite the opposite effect on me. Just as there are different sorts of poverty, there are different sorts of wealth, and I believe that the most precious and rare luxury of all is contentment. You can't plug a big, windy gap in your soul with STUFF. Wealth can’t buy contentment, and lack of wealth doesn’t preclude it. (I don't care too much for money; money can't buy me love. )

I also hate the taste of cumin, bitter and spicy foods, lamb, stinky cheeses and most seafood. Also McMansions built on arable land; Hummers; stupid movies; tourists; insincerity; roadside litter, and anything fermented. Can’t drink wine, beer, liquor, anything like that. Makes me sick as a dog.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
NeverJustAGame:
PET PEEVES -

Women that leave the seat up.

Women that love to spend my money.

Women that dont enjoy sports.

Women that drink all my beer.

Friends that drink the last beer in the fridge.(the last brew is always mine when at my house)

Mothers that will not let their daughters date an older man.

Dads that think you are not good enough for their daughters.

Mothers that come o to their daughters boyfriend.

Drivers that dont know how to use a turn signal.
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Janduscframe:
I ain't got no pet peeves unless it's when the liquor store clerk calls me by my first name. I don't think I go in there that often.
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Mojorisin71
Pet peeves: Anyone who has had the opportunity to an education, but willfully throws it away. I've seen a lot of people who have had their share of personal problems that impedes them from fully achieving their goals, but if you absolutely refuse to learn, then you've got another thing coming. I also hate people who drive 45 in the fast lane, and I hate people who drive and talk on their cell phones simultaneously. Take away these groups of people, and you have solved the LA traffic problem.
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Christian Gentleman
My pet peeves are arrogance and closed minds. We should be open to opinions and ideas of all kinds. It's just respectful and you can learn a lot just by listening.
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Williamburg2599
Pet Peeves:
1)Bad umpires,of course 
2)People who compare my baseball skills to my brother(whos one hell of a ballplayer,ill give him credit for that)I'm not my brother and shouldn't be compared to him.
3)People who are terrified of a certin area of towns or cities,like the second they walk in thier they think thell be killed.A lot of the time that isint the case,and its sorta rasict.
4) New England Yankee fans who have no connection to NewYork but do it to try to be cool,because they like the hat and/or to try to be a rebel.Half of them can't name 3 yankees,it really bugs me.
5)People who think someone getting slapped or punched in the face is funny.Its not funny if its you,is it?
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5LilPlayers
Pet Peeves: 
Hate, of any kind. It's stupid and pointless to dislike someone just because of race, religion, gender or anything else. Thankfully, we live in a very mixed neighborhood. I talk to the kids often, praying they don't get my grandfather's....well...let's jsut say I'm actually surprised we DIDN'T find KKK crap in his effects after he died. I never got along with him, because of that. I was rasied as an only, my parents wanted to give me everything they could, but I was adopted. My biggest fear when I was younger...always planned to find my birth parents...was "What if my dad/mom/grandparent(s)/whoever are African American/Mexican/etc.?" I grew up fearing that my grandfather would hate me if I ever did find my birth parents. Oddly enough...I found my birth mom 6 days after my 25th birthday (she was 17 when she had me, her father made her give me up - she always wanted to find me, too...but her father wouldn't support it until I was 25).....and my birth father's last name? Vasquez. (Though people always said I looked Native American or Asian growing up) Gramps died years ago, but I often wonder what he'd say if he had lived until I found this out. I really think that's my "biggest" pet peeve. I have a live and let live philosophy...if it doesn't hurt me, who cares? I guess I should thank my grandfather, if nothing else, because of his biased ways it taught me to be very open-minded.
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falkirk_buc
Pet Peeves - Just about anything if I haven't had coffee, other than that I'm rather difficult to annoy.
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Westlake
Pet Peeves: Nails on a chalkboard or anything of the like
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JeffFrancoeur7  
Pet Peeves:

1. People who always brag about how much money they have where in reality they are broke
2. People who do drugs
3. Mets fans
4. The fact that espn only shows Vick, Pacman, Yankees, Kobe, Lebron, and WHOS NOW
5. Sometimes I miss the braves game and ESPN doesn't cover it if it's not exciting enough last night it was 12-4 but no highlights
6. Mets fans who argue that 2 world series is a better accomplishment than 14 consecutive division titles
7. People who make fun of me for my leg disease
8. My ADD
9. Kids who talk so loudly when in reality all they need to do is use an inside voice
10. People that tell me they're better than me when they don't know my skill for whatever they're challenging me against
11. My school! Infested with drugs and a bad environment
12. Girls who starve themselves because they think it's "hot"
-----------------------------------------------------------
Chickazoola
Pet Peeves: People who walk slower than I do.
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Steveironcity
Pet Peeves: People who cant drive right
-------------------------------------------------
MadHatter
Pet Peeves: Destruction for destruction sake (see my note about teenagers)
------------------------------------------------------
Stray Cat
Pet Peeves: Hate people who talk on their cell phone all the time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kyle
Pet Peeves: Close minded people, tattoos, arrogant soccer players, Family Guy, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
OleMissCub
Pet Peeves: People who don't understand historical context, poverty pimps, snoring, the designated hitter
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philkid3
Stupidity
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Julusnc on Pet Peeves::
Pet Peeves -

Mother's that leave their kids in the car while they go into the Walmart to get a case of beer for their boyfriends.  
People that drive while talking on cell phones.  
Doctors that have no bedside manner.
People that complain I am late when they know I always get the job done before they ever could. 
People that are lost when it comes to politics. 
People that can not learn the English when coming to this country to make it their home. 
Baseball players that complain they are underpaid when they make more in one at bat than the average person makes for a full year of work.
School teachers that complain they work too hard when they really only work six months out of the year. 
People that show no respect towards the elderly.  
College baseball and metal bats. 
Wasted money on Major League Baseball draft picks.
Lawyers that think they know everything. 
Dodger fans. 
and People that just don't understand a man that won 90 games as a starting pitcher and also hit 714 home runs is better than a Georgia Peach
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Screwball45:
Here are my pet-peeves
When my catcher gets mad and only put's down that finger
Yankee Fans
Ty Cobb
Marty Brennamen saying "speed" (alright it is funny)
People who underrate Game 7 of the 1975 World Series(poor Jim Burton, it was a good pitch)
Walmart in general
When the opposing pitcher has better hair than I do. 
When the cop who gave me a ticket for driving while talking on my cell phone is seen 15 miles later talking on his cellphone
That Mike Piazza keeps making all-star teams
The fact he(Piazza) think he's a Johnny Bench or Jim Sundberg.
That my girlfriend uses Sex and the City as a barometer as how to behave in our relationship.
The fact the no one ever talks about Denny McLain.
The odds of Jim Kaat ever making the Hall of Fame.
The fact that there are no more good nicknames.
That Relief Pitchers never use cool intro music anymore when they come into the game, well Royce Ring uses "Sad but True" by Metallica(I think....)
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Tony (West Coast Orange and Black:
a quick dozen pet peeves

the deception by the current administration
the destruction by the current administration
the ineffectiveness of the current administration
the blindness of the current administration
the distortion by the current administration

the willingness to accept only what is offered
the unwillingness to not listen to one’s heart
apathy insensitivity intolerance lying meanness selfishness 
when fans move about the aisle during an at-bat 
that Audrey tautou is not my next-door neighbor -- see pic
the price of a good cappuccino
that there are but 24 hours in a day
----------------------------------------------
Chelle:
People who drive slow in the fastlane
Peter Angelos
When people assume I don't know about sports because I'm female.
middle seats on airplanes
when people talk during movies
players who don't run it out on a grounder to short
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Erik Bedard:
People reading what I'm typing on the computer
-------------------------------------------
EdmondsFan#1
Idiots, Jerks, Morons
--------------------------------
Wade8813:
Refrigerated ketchup, people that go to the bathroom and never flush, really big hypocrites, obnoxious people, jerks. Bumper stickers that say War IS Terrorism.
--------------------------------
Hellborn:
Yanks winning the AL East, Bosox tix being so hard to get
----------------------------------------
Pete Rose Rounding Third:
People who never leave their ideological hole no matter how wrong their group is on a particular issue.
People who think the other side (Democrats, Republicans, Conservatives, Liberals) is actually evil.
The supposed tolerance of liberals who never hesitate to call those in opposition to them racists, sexists, homophobes.
The movement to suppress the opinions of those who challenge the global warming crowd. The debate is not over, folks.
People who admire themselves excessively and as a result do not recognize when they are wrong.
-------------------------------------------------
Huntington Avenue:
Republicans, Democrats, Socialists and Communists, Anarchists, Fascists, Abusers of Capitalism, 
Welfare, 
lack of Health Care, 
reliance on flashy yet ineffectual gov't programs, 
Modern Prohibition (War on Drugs), 
smoking and drinking of any kind, 
abortion but not abortion rights, 
gun ownership but not gun ownership rights.
---------------------------------------------------
Dalkowski110:
---Baseball and politics mixing, 
---people talking on cellphones REAL LOUD on commuter trains especially, 
killing off movie characters in the Star Wars expanded universe (when they killed Chewbacca in Vector Prime, I stopped reading the stuff, and have followed it with bleak acceptance since then), 
---steroids, 
---epithets directed at me or my (inevitably East Asian or Southeast Asian) girlfriend 
---and/or that I'm somehow "abnormal" (or worse...a few Asian guys have accused me of "stealing their women," though most have been just fine) because I only go out with and am attracted to East Asian and Southeast Asian women. 
---Also that my room is a mess. It is NOT a mess. I literally know where everything is, Mom and Dad, but I'm organizing it MY way. Does it matter if it's on the floor? You're never even in here!
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Padday:
People blocking doorways. 
People who don't get when people are joking. 
Irish people who wear Yankees merchandise (because they rarely actually even know what sport they play).
-------------------------------------
Captain Cold Nose:
Pet peeves, eh?
Discourteous drivers are my biggest pet peeve. All the states I have driven to seem to have one particualr bad habit that stands out, although bad driving is everywhere. Tailgating to failure to use a turn signal to stopping to turn right or moving halfway into the right lane while turning left.
I cringe when I hear someone say anyways. No such word. And a lot is two words, not the combined alot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Rockin' 500:
Pet Peeves: sanctimonious people. People who think their opinions are better than everyone else's. Slow Drivers. loud kids/screaming babies. Extreme Negativity

[Bill Burgess]

Hi y'all. I'm the person maintaining this thread. Although this thread is supposed to be a non-chat thread, I allow all the chat you want, and leave it up for a good while, but eventually, the chat gets assigned to someone's post or gets swept away.

Here is a post I made a while back which addresses this. Hope you understand, and I appreciate your support. Chat can stay up for a few days/weeks. So, have fun!
-----------------------------------------------------
Friends,

I have been asked a question about how I conduct this thread. And I do admit to deleting posts on this thread. So I would like to talk to you about how I am maintaining this thread.

I started this thread to give us all a venue to express ourselves about ourselves, who we are, what we're about. And Fever, Sean, our webmaster has been unbelievably tolerant of us chatting about non-baseball topics.

When I was made a moderator, this thread had reached 10 pages, with only 2 pages of bios. The rest was bloated with chit-chat, long past relevance.

So I simply went back and sorted through the posts. I tacked some posts of some members to their original bios. Others, I consolidated into topics.

Others, I deleted. The entire point was to keep this thread relevant to Fever members. It's been my experience, that whenever a thread reaches a certain size, it sinks of its own weight. Few have the time/patience to read through the accumulated sundry chit-chat. Or would want to.

My purpose throughout this whole time is to keep this thread a viable, credible, functioning instrument. One where we can learn from each other.

So, if a post of yours suddenly disappears, do not despair. Many did not "disappear", but got reassigned to their original bios. We have 4 topics which contain the input of several members.

Post #59 is labeled "Pet Peeves". Several members contributed to this.
Post #73 & #74 is labeled "Rock Music". Many members contributed to this one.
Post #98 is labeled "TV Character Actors". Several members contributed to this topic.
Post #101 is labeled "Ken Burn's Civil War" documentary.

So, a huge number of posts are not really "gone", merely moved.

So, I will/do delete/consolidate extraneous posts to these threads. And I also spend a certain amount of time with the spell checker.

At the end of the day, I do all I do to assist Fever to be the best it can be. And if these few functioning instruments can remain viable, credible, trim, lean vehicles for our entertainment pleasure, I am happy to serve our community.

I appreciate your continued support.

I encourage all to use this thread as a community bulletin board. We will continue to leave up all new messages for a few weeks, as long as others are responding to them. And after that, the good stuff will either be consolidated in single posts, or attached to someone's original bio, or dumped into the unfathomable maws of eternity (deleted).

Bill Burgess
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Catcher24 is so gracious:
Bill - You're doing a fine job, and I for one appreciate it. Keeping the "flotsam and jetsom" of the threads to a minimum is an excellent idea. Thanks for all of your time and effort in helping to keep the Fever a viable and interesting site!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bkmckenna:
I'm new to bbf and I'm not so sure what goes on behind the scenes and quite frankly no so sure what this thread is but i second everything that was said - this is a great site - i wish i had been here a long time ago - you guys must be doing something right - i appreciate it - thanks
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Captain Cold Nose:
Bill, thank you very much for the above post. Hopefully it will alleviate any misunderstandings. Much appreciated.

[Bill Burgess]

Hi everyone. In my first post, when I created this thread, I listed my favorite rock songs. Only listed them.

Since then, I have now discovered youtube, and thus I am now able to create the youtube links, which gives me the ability to offer them for your listening pleasure. And several also have the additional pleasure of showing the artists perform their music. Wish they all did.

If anyone wishes to post their own favorite rock songs here via youtube links, feel free to post them.

Enjoy.

Favorite Rock Tunes: I've now translated my little list below into youtube links. So now you can actully hear my favorite tunes. Enjoy!

Island of Love (The Sheppards, 1959)
High Life (Herbie Mann, 1960)
Positively 4th Street (Bob Dylan, 1965)
You're My Everything (Temptations, 1966)
I Could Never Love Another (Temptations, 1967)
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Buckinghams, 1967)
Surf's Up, (Brian Wilson, 1967)
Revolution (Beatles, 1968)
Walking In Space (Hair, 1968 London stage version)This is NOT the best version. Only last 80 seconds are great.
3-5-0-0 (Hair, 1968 London stage version)
The Soft Parade (Doors, 1969)
Love & Peace (Buddy Rich, 1969)
All God's Children Got Soul (Dorothy Morrison, 1969)
Me & Bobbie McGee (Janis Joplin, 1970)
Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones, 1971)
Touch A Hand, Make A Friend (Staple Singers, 1973)
Rock Your Baby (George McCrae, 1974)
That's Where The Happy People Go (Trampps, 1975)
Look Into Your Heart, (Aretha Frankin, 1976, from movie, Sparkle)
Don't Play That Song (Aretha Franklin, 1976)
The Flesh Failures (Hair, 1979 movie version)
Waiting For A Friend (Rolling Stones, 1981)
Dreams (Cranberries, 1990)
Sugar Sugar (Duke Baysee, 1994 reggae version)
Stay (Temptations, 1998)

	

		

			

			
				
				
I actually know three of these
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
RuthMayBond -- You are living a sheltered life! This is a great list of tunes. There are many of them which would make my "favorites" list as well. I might add Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat." That song cracks me up.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
And you're retired, so what's your point? :hide: Dylan couldn't sing his way out of wet paper bag that was open on BOTH ends (and neither can a lot of today's singers)
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I was *kidding*, RMB! And Dylan wasn't about the singing.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
My bad 

<And Dylan wasn't about the singing.>

You can say THAT again
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
While it's true that Bob Dylan didn't have a good voice, he proved that if the music is good, and one's voice is well-suited to it, the music can be great.

If the test of a good voice is how well one sings the Star-Spangled Banner, then yes, many successful singers didn't have good voices.  But, if one's voice is perfect for the songs one sings, does that really matter?  Dylan, John Lennon and Hank Williams proved for all time that it didn't.  

If you listen to the Concert for Bangledesh, Dylan sounded great on Lay Lady Lay, Just Like a Woman, etc.  He really did.

This point was also made by legendary country singer, Hank Williams, Sr. and also by John Lennon.

While I don't particularly care for country music as a category, I love Hank Williams.  I listened to his greatest hits as a teen, and fell in love with his tunes.

Lovesick Blues, Lost Highway, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Crazy Heart, Jambalaya, Honky Tonkin', I Saw the Light, Long Gone Lonesome Blues, Howlin' At the Moon, Hey Good Lookin', Lonesome Whistle, Setting the Woods on Fire will always live in my heart as wonderful music.  An essential slice of Americana.  The pulse of the heartland.

And Lennon doing Imagine underlines the point that he didn't need a great voice to send his message of love out to the people.

Don't back down to him, Keystone!  You'll only encourage him.  She wasn't kidding, Jeff!  She was just being nice to you and not wanting to fight.  

Just because you didn't recognize the songs on my list, Jeff, doesn't make them less good music.  You simply haven't heard all the good stuff out there.

Why don't you actually give yourself a treat and listen to some of them.  Then tell me that they're no good.  Because then you'll have something to base your opinions on.  Make a little more sense?
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Most of these are not rock tunes.  At any rate, I will tell you what I like about them.  It's usually the style or songwriting I don't like, most have talented musicians

Island of Love (The Sheppards, 1959)

Doo-wop is so-so for me, but they do have good harmonies

Positively 4th Street (Bob Dylan, 1965)

Very repetitive but excellent organ playing

You're My Everything (Temptations, 1966)

I don't like the high male voice but great choreography

I Could Never Love Another (Temptations, 1967)

I like this singer more, kinda like this tune :dance

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Buckinghams, 1967)

Seem to be copying the Beatles

Surf's Up, (Brian Wilson, 1967)

Nice piano work

Revolution (Beatles, 1968)

Blistering guitar!

Walking In Space (Hair, 1968 London stage version)This is NOT the best version.  Only last 80 seconds are great. 

Good solo vocals and harmonies

The Soft Parade (Doors, 1969)

You know how I feel about the opening lyrics :rolleyes:

Me & Bobbie McGee (Janis Joplin, 1970)

Guitar isn't too bad

Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones, 1971)

Weird to hear them doing almost country style

Touch A Hand, Make A Friend (Staple Singers, 1973)

Nice harmonies

Rock Your Baby (George McCrae, 1974)

Sorry, I DID know this one, good vocals

That's Where The Happy People Go (Trampps, 1975)

Good vocals, but there was a reason for Disco Demolition Night :hide:

Look Into Your Heart, (Aretha Frankin, 1976, from movie, Sparkle)

No one can wail like her

Don't Play That Song (Aretha Franklin, 1976)

Wow, and she plays piano, I didn't know, wow

The Flesh Failures (Hair, 1979 movie version)

Good vocals, and I did know the end (Let The Sunshine In)

Waiting For A Friend 
(Rolling Stones, 1981)

A blah tune from the badboys

Dreams (Cranberries, 1990)

Vaguely familiar, vocals a little breathy but nice

Stay (Temptations, 1998)

They can still croon.
How about that, Bill?
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Wow.  I must say that you surprised me quite a bit.  I expected you to wax cynical to the stuff that makes me feel happy inside.

But you have proved that you can see some of the things that make my feel good.  But you didn't sell out and patronize me, which was nice, Jeff.

If you like, you can leave me some youtube stuff that you think would broaden my creaky horizons.  Can you put your own stuff on youtube?  Have you figured that out yet?  

Maybe if you just strum some chords on your guitar, whistle, or hum or recite your lyrics.  

Oh, and by the way.  Remember you made that crack about Dylan's voice?  Well, Hank Williams, Sr. wrote some Christian music.  His voice is most decidedly country, but I wonder what you think of it.  

Try this one out.  I Saw the Light  Go to the top right, and wait for the software to come online.  Then push the icon in in the top right.  Let me know if his voice bothers you, or if you can see that it was just right for his stuff.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
To quote near the end of Wizard Of Oz, "You cut me to the quick."

<If you like, you can leave me some youtube stuff that you think would broaden my creaky horizons.  Can you put your own stuff on youtube?  Have you figured that out yet?  

Maybe if you just strum some chords on your guitar, whistle, or hum or recite your lyrics.>

I'll give you a list of some of my favorite songs that are on youtube.  I'll stick with one per group in case you don't like the group

<Oh, and by the way.  Remember you made that crack about Dylan's voice?  Well, Hank Williams, Sr. wrote some Christian music.>

Are you sure that he wrote that song below?  I'm more concerned if he meant it rather than if he wrote it

<  His voice is most decidedly country, but I wonder what you think of it.  

Try this one out.  I Saw the Light  Go to the top right, and wait for the software to come online.  Then push the icon in in the top right.  Let me know if his voice bothers you, or if you can see that it was just right for his stuff. >

His voice is probably right for HIS stuff, but a little twangy for me.  Good harmonies though
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
My time was the early years of rock and roll. Never thought I could care for Hank Williams, that western honky tonkish music. Some years ago heard Hank doing his thing. Went out and bought a double CD by Hank. What feeling he put into his singing, the words, the stories, Hank was a genius.
 What a list of great song writing. I wonder how many know that he was only 30 years old when he passed away,

 One note on Dylan. If you ever listen to Subteranean Homesick Blues, tell me, listen to the word structure, his delivery, sounds like a precursor to rap music...........in 1965.

Now back to the game.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
You say that like it's a good thing.  Well, if he wants to take the blame . . .
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I hear ya RMB, it does appear to be a good thing in my post, but I I didn't mean it to be a good thing.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Is there anyone in the house who is a Brian Wilson fan?  Anyone?  Am I the only one?

Is anyone into Pet Sounds or Smile.  The Smile DVD, where they played its February, 2004 world premeir in London, was a truly emotional experience.

Anyone who knows Brian's story is a fan forever.  For him to finish his 1967 Smile project was just all over their faces.  The Wondermints backed him up as well as humanly possible, and had harmonies quite equal to the Beach Boys.  For me it was an emotional/spiritual experience.  

Sometimes in life, something actually goes right.  Who would have thought!
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
OK Bill, it's your (and everyone else's) turn to critique me.  I don't know if these are the best recordings, but see if you can stand anything

Kansas, No One Together

Rush, Tom Sawyer

Yes, Roundabout

Jethro Tull, Locomotive Breath

ELP, Karn Evil 9

Genesis, Duke’s End

Chicago, 25 or 6 to 4

Neal Morse, medley

Boston, Smokin

Styx, Foolin Yourself

Asia, Wildest Dreams

ELO, Fire On High

Glass Harp, Can You See Me

AD, High On A Hill

I was going to say that this is my favorite post in a LONG while, but I'm afraid I've killed everyone off
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I like those choices, Jeff. Especially Boston, Kansas, and Yes. I think I'm a bit too old to know some of them, though.  <sigh>   Still made for good listening, and it's always good to learn new stuff!  :dance

I would have a terrible time making one of these lists. It would end up being three pages long, and include stuff from the 40's through the 80's.  :eek:
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
(Jeff) - OK Bill, it's your (and everyone else's) turn to critique me.
When you select 'live' concert versions of songs, it's seldom the best available versions.  I can only judge what you presented.  So, with that in mind, I'll do my best to evaluate this set of tunes.

No One Together, by Kansas.
Very repetitive.  Production was very poor.  The separation of the various instruments blurred into each other, reducing the desired effect.  Especially would have liked the horns to come through cleaner.  The long jams were fatiguing for me, who is not used to this style, or this band.  But it is still clear that the music itself was there, and the musicians uniformly excellent.  The lead voice was only fair.  Not memorable. 

If I were to wish to hear this type of song again, I'd probably opt for Chicago.  Tighter sound.  Better control of their material.  I give this tune a 5.  Not terrible, but not something I'd listen to again.  In this lifetime anyway.

Tom Sawyer, by Rush.
Ok, now we're going from a progressive style to a harder-edged sound.  The guitar is darker, and the mood is more ominous.  The moog synthesizer gets a little lost in his improves, and it descends into self-indulgence.  Less a song than a long improve for each instrument.  

I get the feeling of great talent in service of dark, gloomy message.  Kept awaiting for a lighter respite to give contrast.  In vain!  No let-up.  I'd give this tune a 3, despite the good efforts of the musicians.

Roundabout, by Yes.
Starts off with guitars having a conversation, then swings into the vocals.  Somewhat progressive, but the guitar tries too hard for speed, at the expense of structure.  Some nice back and forth interplay.  But the guitar once again opts for speed over structure.  Now some nice rapport between the members.  Hard to hear the lyrics over the hyper-speed of the guitar work.  Poor balance of the instruments.  Needs a studio cleanup.  I give this a 5.
  
Locomotive Breath, by Jethro Tull.
Promising start.  Maybe some relief from the Dark.  Nice piano intro.  Nope.  Descends.  Wild guitar gyrations, hard piano pounding, after such a promising intro.  Hope the entire set isn't the same genre of dark harshness.  

OK.  Now it's actually singing some nice stuff.  Going back and forth, between despair/hope.  At least this song has a story, if I could actually make out the words.  You should have stuck to the recorded version.  Inprov is cool, but usually the acoustics get sloppy.  Still, this is the best song, for me, by far.  I'd give this song a 7, for its type.

Karn Evil 9, by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
Starts off fine, maybe I'll find common ground here and be able to say something positive.  Nice keyboards, but a little wandering/rambling.  Drummer is obviously amazing.  This song is a showcase for the obviously-great drummer.  Nice chops.  I give it a 7.

Duke’s End, by Genesis.
Once again, progressive rock, with amazing percussionist, great technical musicians.  Will this entire set be cast in the same genre?  All these songs feature great musicians with amazing technical chops, but all in service to what?  Concert inprov, extended jams by musicians, driving aggressive percussion, but the songs themselves require some reigning in and less indulgence.  More attention to song-crafting, precision performing.  I give this a 5. 

25 or 6 to 4, by Chicago.
Finally, a tune that I know well.  I hope you realize that this clip is not what it pretends to be.  Someone simply played the studio recording to the footage of a concert.  It is not possible to get that tight, clean sound anywhere except the recording studio.  Ever.  Although not my favorite Chicago tune, I give this an 8.  Great material, good structure.  

Neal Morse, medley.
This piece is just dreadful.  Less a song than guys trying to strut their chops.  What happened to the music.  Got lost somewhere.  

The concert should be successful or not before the group takes the stage, based on whether or not the music is there.  The music should be great before anything happens.  And once the music is set, it should be adhered to and respected, not used as fodder for event excitement.  

Too often the music is the first victim of groups too concerned with using sound to excite a room of people.  Too much focus on volume, speed and visuals, lighting, smoke, theatrics, etc.  Anything but great music.  

My first taste of Neal Morse.  They have a long haul before they are a coherent musical experience.  I give this medley a 2.  Sorry.

Smokin, by Boston.
This group loses its way.  The keyboardist is good, but I can't find a song in here.  This type of organ is normally only found in churches.  Help me, somebody.  Where am I?  Almost phantom of the opera territory.  This music is now verging towards the Darkness.  Quite Gothic.  I thought Christians like the Light?  What happened, Jeffrey.  Did you miss that day of catechism.

This progressive rock tune needs some more tuning, for my tastes.  Remember, I was raised on the sweet sound of Motown.  Temptations, Supremes, Miracles.  This is a jolt for me, but I am trying to be fair to these guys.  I give it a 5.

Foolin Yourself, by Styx.
Alright, we're starting fine.  Finally some forbidden melody/harmonies!  Oh my gosh.  I thought it was out-lawed.  Or a sin.  Good!  Now this is a discernible song, as opposed to extended jams of improv.  Alright. OK.  This is good.  A truly nice tune.  And the production is great.  They may have arranged to have this be a recorded concert, and cleaned it up in the recording studio.  Exceptionally clean for live concert work.  And the music is most definitely there.  Finally.  Thank you, Jeff.  One great thing about progressive rock.  You can't fault the musicianship, especially the percussionists.  They have the finest rock percussionists that rock ever produced.  And some of the finest rock guitarists too.  This is definitely the jewel of this collection.  I give this song a 9.

Wildest Dreams, by Asia.
OK, we're back to performance energy again, and discipline, precision, structure is out the window.  Total focus on speed, volume & excitement.  Give it a 3

Can You See Me, by Glass Harp
Starts off fine.  I actually hear a female voice, and it's coherent!  Happiness!  The recognizable structure of a song!  Happy day.  Rather moody atmospherics, but in a good way.  Nice violin work.  Should rock violinists be placed on the endangered species list?  They were?  Hadn't heard.  Alright sonorous guitar riffs.  Little bluesy wail there.  Melancholy tune, but well-done.  Guitarist just went off in a speed contest to impress, which of course defeats itself.  Their set is just too long to sustain interest in the material.  Give it a 7.

High On A Hill, by AD.
Was this the best production you could fine?  It's barely visible.  Hard to make out the people.  I get the feeling that the song is actually good, but hard to tell on this version.  Sounds as if they have some good melody/harmony.  I actually liked their tune.  I give it an 7.5.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
So, that is my critique of this set of songs, Jeffrey.  In my day, when you said 'Progressive Rock', people took that for 'Blood, Sweat and Tears', Chicago, Santana, or Moody Blues.  

If you said, 'Progressive Jazz', people took that for Dave Brubek Quartet, or Modern Jazz Quartet.  

These groups all need rigid discipline.  And lots of it.

None of the above groups, despite their obvious vast talents, controlled their material.  It controlled them.  

If you want to watch a master rock musician, watch the following clip, Jeff.  It shows Brian Wilson at the top of his game.  He had rehearsed the Wondermints for 1.5 months for the 2004 concert of Smile.  They perform like studio musicians.  Absolute total mastery of their medium.  The music was there before they stepped onstage.  

And the audience had flown in from around the world.  All Brian fans/followers.  If you ever have the privilege of buying the DVD of that Event, you will see a musical master at the top of their game, with a cast of such disciplined musicians onstage as you will might never see.  Brian insists on that kind of commitment to the music, the song structures, the precision.  

This clip from that concert supersedes by far what others can do in a studio.  And this is not a record sound-over, but the concert.  

Brian is the Dave Brubek of Rock.

Brian Wilson's Smile, London premier concert
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I guess there really is only one way to rock for some. If this van ain't progressive rockin', don't bother knockin'.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
When you got the best, don't mess with the rest
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
To each their own. I like progressive rock, in general, but it hardly says it all for me. A little too much bombastic pomposity going on there for me to endorse it in full.  I can tolerate almost everything. But nothing hits me like Coltrane.

I always have liked both Chicago versions of 25 or 6 to 4 (Cetera and post-Cetera.). That's gotten a lot of mileage when it's just about the songwriter not being able to write anything just after 3:30 in the morning.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
When you can play like Kath and the horns (or find that instrumental songwriting quality), let me know
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Touchy, touchy. I said I liked the song. It was the songwriter himself who said that is what it was about. For a song about nothing it's done rather well.

Really, not being able to do what those artists Bill likes didn't stop you from having a less-than-enthusiastic response. And he didn't seem to mind.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Sorry, you said it like it was your comment

<Really, not being able to do what those artists Bill likes>

Well ... (only for a very few)

<didn't stop you from having a less-than-enthusiastic response.>

I pointed out what I liked
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
You did at that. Decent observations. You're like the anti-Dave Marsh.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I hope that's good
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
You have different tastes and views from the Rock and Roll HOF's resident historian but I'd say the knowledge is there.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Agreed, Cap'n Cold Nose. Lots of progressive rock takes itself too seriously for me. It's not that I don't like music that makes me think (e.g., Dylan, Neil Young, Steve Earl, etc.) but I also like music that makes me feel good. Depending on my mood, it could be Beethoven or Stevie Ray Vaughn. 

Wow, I never thought of looking for Ludwig on YouTube.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Correction, it's seldom the CLEANEST available version.  Anyone can have their crap cleaned up in the studio, but not everyone can do well live.  I wish I'd known that's what you're looking for.

<No One Together, by Kansas.
Very repetitive.>

Compared to your stuff?

<Especially would have liked the horns to come through cleaner.>

Bill, Kansas doesn't have horns.  Which really makes me question your musical expertise.

<The lead voice was only fair.  Not memorable.>

Bill, have you ever talked to anyone about classic rock vocalists?

<Tom Sawyer, by Rush.
Ok, now we're going from a progressive style>

Bill, do you even know what progressive is?

<The moog synthesizer gets a little lost in his improves, and it descends into self-indulgence.>

So now instrumental virtuosity is a negative?  (Is it ok for vocalists?)

<I get the feeling of great talent in service of dark, gloomy message.>

Yes, you do seem to go by your feelings rather than what's there.  Dark, gloomy message?  Like Positively 4th Street, Revolution, Dead Flowers, Don't Play That Song, Flesh Failures...?

<Roundabout, by Yes.
Starts off with guitars having a conversation, then swings into the vocals.  Somewhat progressive, but the guitar tries too hard for speed, at the expense of structure.>

Bill, progressive rock is about structure (which poorer musicians couldn't even play)

<Locomotive Breath, by Jethro Tull.
Promising start.  Maybe some relief from the Dark.  Nice piano intro.  Nope.  Descends.  Wild guitar gyrations, hard piano pounding, after such a promising intro.  Hope the entire set isn't the same genre of dark harshness.  

OK.  Now it's actually singing some nice stuff.  Going back and forth, between despair/hope.  At least this song has a story, if I could actually make out the words.>

So how do you know it does?  (and the other songs don't?)

<Duke’s End, by Genesis.
Once again, progressive rock, with amazing percussionist, great technical musicians.  Will this entire set be cast in the same genre?  All these songs feature great musicians with amazing technical chops, but all in service to what?>

Um, an excellent song?

<More attention to precision performing.>

So they don't do precision performing yet you say they have great technical musicians.  You're talking out of both sides of yoou mouth

<25 or 6 to 4, by Chicago.
Finally, a tune that I know well.  I hope you realize that this clip is not what it pretends to be.  Someone simply played the studio recording to the footage of a concert.  It is not possible to get that tight, clean sound anywhere except the recording studio.  Ever.>

How much footage are you going to find of 1970 stuff?

<Although not my favorite Chicago tune>

I'd be interested to know yours  

<Neal Morse, medley.
Too often the music is the first victim of groups too concerned with using sound to excite a room of people.>

If by music you mean simple songs, then yes, they don't employ that

<Too much focus on volume, visuals, lighting, smoke, theatrics, etc.>

I don't know what clip you were watching

<They have a long haul before they are a coherent musical experience.>

Strangely Neal's lasted longer than some of your groups that weren't even up against much competition

<Smokin, by Boston.
This music is now verging towards the Darkness.  Quite Gothic.  I thought Christians like the Light?  What happened, Jeffrey.  Did you miss that day of catechism.>

You're way off on the denomination.  Oh, you wanted light fluffy pop, why didn't you say?

<Remember, I was raised on the sweet sound of Motown.  Temptations, Supremes, Miracles.>

If by sweet you mean not that adventurous

<Foolin Yourself, by Styx.
One great thing about progressive rock.  You can't fault the musicianship, especially the percussionists.  They have the finest rock percussionists that rock ever produced.  And some of the finest rock guitarists too.>

Have you even read what you've been writing?

<Wildest Dreams, by Asia.
OK, we're back to performance energy again, and discipline, precision, structure is out the window.>

I would love to hear your "precision" groups even attempt these songs

<Can You See Me, by Glass Harp
Starts off fine.  I actually hear a female voice, and it's coherent!>

Impressive Bill, since Glass Harp doesn't have a female in the group.  Back to your musical assessment

<High On A Hill, by AD.
Was this the best production you could fine?  It's barely visible.  Hard to make out the people.>

This is an obscure Christian group from almost twenty-five years ago.  I'm lucky there are any clips at all

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
<In my day, when you said 'Progressive Rock', people took that for 'Blood, Sweat and Tears',>

They're more jazz tinged

<Chicago,>

Which I included

<Santana,>

scratching my head

<or Moody Blues.>

Which I could have included

<None of the above groups, despite their obvious vast talents, controlled their material.  It controlled them.>

Whatever, but at least their material took great skill to control

<you will see a musical master at the top of their game, with a cast of such disciplined musicians onstage as you will might never see.>

*The cast* is good, I'm not convinced of Wilson's "genius"

<Brian insists on that kind of commitment to the music, the song structures, the precision.>

Much easier with easier material.
It seems that my stuff really irritated you, it'd probably be better if I took it down
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
"Brian is the Brubek of rock." High praise, indeed! I can't argue with you there. While I greatly appreciate him and what he can do, I'm just not a fan of his style of music. The guy is a genius, though.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I find this comment quite fair, kind & honest.  Thank you, Keystone!
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Whew! I was afraid I was going to get 30 lashes!  :laugh

Brubeck's LP with "Take Five" is quintessential American jazz, IMHO -- every bit as important in the musical history of this country as the Carter Family.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Brubeck was the the Detroit International Jazz Festival last year and I wasn't able to go. :( Take Five is one of my all-time favorites in any musical genre.

Brian Wilson is the Brubeck of rock? I'm not sure. The thing with Brubeck is, as Miles Davis predicted, his style really didn't open itself up to the constant changing that was necessary to keep up with his Jazz contemporaries. While Miles was bringing in his new quintet in the early to mid-60's and keeping his ear out there to what was new and different and using it to fit in with his own style, Brubeck was still playing Take Five. Now that's a good thing, but I think Brian Wilson, when sober and sane, was always trying to set the trends. If the man didn't have so many demons and actually had a musical partner whose ego was bigger than Wilson's talent in Mike Love, who knows where the Beach Boys actually could have went. They certainly wouldn't have ended the sixties as little more than a nostalgia band like they pretty much did.

Certain Progressive Rock bands sound better to me than others. I guess my musical tastes have changed. In the eighties I liked rock and even a little hair band/neo-metal. Having to get out of Miles Davis's way at Heathrow Airport in 1989 (I was probably gawking when i saw him coming my way. I can only imagine what Davis was thinking.) was almost an epiphany. Bands i liked growing up in the AOR 70s seem kid of blah to me, but bands like ELP and Traffic will always sound good.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
For those who aren't familiar with this vintage, classic evergreen song, enjoy.  Take Five

This tune is so good, strong and classy, that if I were a young man, and awaiting a new woman's arrival at my place, I'd have Take Five on my stereo when she got there, to show I had class/taste.  Such is the shallow male ego!

The Beach Boys became a traveling oldies act in 1968 because they couldn't/wouldn't follow Brian's lead in new directions.  They conceded to him in Pet Sounds/Good Vibrations in 1967, and then rebelled against Smile.  

If anyone knows about the history of the Beach Boys, Brian tried like heck to finish it in 1967, and break things open in rock.  Lead it in new, experimental areas, bordering on non-rock.  But the rest of the Beach Boys balked, fearing loss of their fan base.  This in-house family mutiny threw Brian into a tail-spin (that and a bad LSD trip), and brought on many years of mental illness, and took him out of the music picture for what should have been his prime productive years.

He had to fight for his sanity.  That he was able to eventually win most of his battles showed a lot of guts, fortitude, tenacity, courage and genius.  He finally got back into the recording studio in 1988, and even completed his abandoned Smile project in 2004.  Since 1988, Brian has put out 6 music CDs, and all of them are credible rock.  I have them all.  

Brian Wilson (1988), Sweet Insanity (1990), Imagination (1998), Live At The Roxy Theatre (2000), Gettin' In Over My Head (2004), Smile (2004). He had long ago split with the Beach Boys, who continued to sue him.  Mike Love sues him regularly, whenever his checking account gets low.  Almost by habit.

Brian never really had musical 'partners'.  They were all lyricists.  Love insists he helped write many of Brian's tunes, such as California Girls, Good Vibrations, etc.  And today, a court awarded Love with co-writing status, so now he horns in on Brian's royalties.  I read everything I can on Brian, and am so glad he broke with the Beach Boys.  He made his family millionaires and they still treated him like dirt.  Sorry for the detour, but Brian is one of my heroes.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
[Concerning Take Five.]It sounds like the bass (and presumably the drums) are playing the same thing over and over.  I can't even hear the piano.  Good sax though (or is it indulgent?)
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
You're just responding to Bill as he did to you, right? Making a point?

Rhythm sections are rhythm sections are rhythm sections, etc.?
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Tell me if you hear anything different

<Rhythm sections are rhythm sections are rhythm sections, etc.?>

Not at all
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
I can hear the piano very distinctly throughout the entire song.  It is Brubeck's quartet, after all. Always have been able to. I also hear tempo changes with both the bass and drums, but, like most jazz songs, the drummer and bassist will set the tempo for a song and keep it that way. Highlights the soloists. Which shouldn't be a knock on them, I think cohesion with other instruments is as important as virtuosity.

What's better, a group of four soloists playing on a song together or a group of musicians playing a song together?
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Goodbye RuthMayBond, hello TinEar
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
So why is what you're saying different?

A lot of people's problems with progressive rock is, despite the undeniable talent and musicianship, it could just appear as a bunch of musicians playing, waiting out their turn to solo. One musician after another strutting their stuff without concern of their fellow musicians or what's going on behind them. 

I can get Sean to make that name change if you wish. I wasn't accusing you of that, I was just saying I have always been able to hear the piano on that song, I firts heard it in a jazz appreciation class and we were told to focus on it.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Except that progressive rock is hardly only solos.

<I was just saying I have always been able to hear the piano on that song, I firts heard it in a jazz appreciation class and we were told to focus on it.>

Ah, so you heard it on a (probably better quality than youtube) recording and were told to focus on it.  Hmm ...
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Perhaps I should have made myself more clear. I didn't listen to the YouTube version here. But I've always been able to hear it, it is quite distinctive when you listen to it in a proper context. Like a standard recording. It's on quite a few soundtracks and various artists cds. You can't be blamed for the quality of what you hear. And I wasn't holding that above or against you. Just saying.

Progressive rock may indeed be hardly only solos, but it seems like each musician is "in if for themselves" in a lot of cases. Regardless of what the other musicians are playing. Thus, the indulgent tag.

There's more to music than musicianship.
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
:banghead
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Why bother? I'm very familiar with the song. Are you still taking this as a diss on you?
			
		
	
 

	

		

			

			
				
				
Because it was that particular version upon which I was commenting

<Are you still taking this as a diss on you?>

Are you still assuming that's how I'm taking it?
			
		
	

[9RoyHobbsRF]

Name: Cary C.
Age: 51
Residences: Santa Clara, CA, San Jose, CA, Palo Alto, CA, Dublin, CA, Federal Way, WA

NOTES: My mother was a southern country gal and a baseball fan who worked in a music store, my father was a San Francisco Italian and a professional baseball player and a music fan. In her capacity as a record store person (different 60 years ago than today), Mom was able to meet many stars who would come in and ask her to promote their records including Louie Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, etc. My father never made it to the ML although many felt he had an opportunity, he was maybe a RH Gus Triandos (a C with tremendous HR power, with slightly more speed) but he quit on his own soon after getting married. Among the baseball associates of my dad were Gus, Gil McDougald, Art Schallock, Frank Luchessi and others. My dad was a member of the 1947 Stockton Ports, which although a Class A team, has been voted one of the top 100 Minor League Teams of all time. They won 26 straight games at one point which got them into the Hall Of Fame. In 1998, my father was inducted into the Stockton Ports Hall OF Fame. While playing in the Texas League, on one off day my father went to the record store to look for a record. My mom was the person who helped him and being a baseball fan, she said “I know you, you are the catcher.” The rest is history and the twin loves of music and baseball remained in our family forever. My mother was transported from country Texas to downton San Francisco and a loud Italian family, the culture change was indeed shocking.

Growing up in Santa Clara, CA was great as it was a hot bed of baseball. My brother played pony league with Steve Bartkowski, they were all-stars and P (Steve) and C on the same team, and again as all-stars. Steve used to come watch me(!)play LL baseball (I was sort of a pheenom, especially with the glove) and later he became the overall #1 NFL draft choice. In 1968 with many 15 year olds (15-16 year old league) the Santa Clara Colt League finished second in the Colt World Series, and I was a 10 year old batboy for the team. There is a team picture in one of the tournament programs and I am in the front of them holding a trophy. In 1969 the same core group won the Colt League World Series. That same year, Briarwood LL made it to the LL World Series and became the first team to lose to the Taiwan juggernaut. Carney Lansford was on that team as was my friend Jeff Walsh, who would later become uncle to Carrie Walsh, the Olympic Volleyball Champion. Campbell LL also made it to several LL WS and some of the guys I played little league with before we moved to San Jose, played on World Championship Pony league teams (1973) and World Championship Colt League teams (1975) for Santa Clara.

P.S.: Santa Clara was also very famous for its swim teams, my brother went to high school with Mark Spitz and Joanna (Devarona) Kerns - sister of Olympic star Donna Devarona (who also went to Santa Clara High). Joanna Kerns was the mother on Growing Pains.

We moved to San Jose in 1970 and I played baseball at Oak Grove with Dave Stieb and my claim to fame is getting a 2 run single off Dave Righetti in JC ball in 1977. A new high school was built and I graduated from it in 1976, our QB, Rich Campbell later became a first round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers. There was a game in 1975 between our school and another league member where Jim McMahon was a sophomore starter, while Rich was a junior, which finished 55-34 (we won). They would later face each other in the NFL including a memorable game in 1984 when Rich threw 4 INT and was sacked and harassed by the 46 defense, but led the Pack to a win over the Bears, but I am not sure if McMahon played that game. Going to college, I was a night manager at a restaurant and some of my workers played on Oak Grove’s championship football team, which had future NFL head coach Marty Mornhinwheg as QB and Mike Holmgren as offensive coordinator. Seeing Bartkowski, Campbell, McMahon and Mornhinwheg in high school was great, so is living within 15 miles of De La Salle High, considered one of the premier prep football programs in the USA.

ATHLETIC HISTORY: I made my first organized ball team in 1966. I made the middle level (minors, farm, majors) as an 8 year old by winning a drawing straws contest with a 12 year old. I was so excited I slept in my uniform. I made the majors as a 10 year old. I was known as a superb fielder, and although not fast, the best baserunner on our team. Our LL all-star team (not me) made it to within 1-2 games of Williamsport both my 9 and 10 year old years. In fact, my first LL AB as a 10 year old was a single off a 12 year old all-star preserved forever with some nice pics. I did not make all-stars as we moved with a few weeks left in the season when I was 12, although still eligible, the fact that we moved coupled with the fact that 7 SS (out of an 8 team league) and no 2B were selected, plus I was not a coaches son (all 8 were selected). Our LL lost to Campbell in their first or second game when a converted SS made 4 errors playing 2B. Someone commented I had not made 4 errors in three years of majors. I am fairly certain that Campbell team went to Williamsport that year. For some reason after we moved in 1970, I did not play Pony League in 1971, but came back and played in 1972, being very versatile. I played SS when our SS pitched, I was catcher when our C pitched, I played 2B when our 1B pitched. I made all-stars as an alternate. One game as a C there was a ball in the dirt and two excellent baserunners on base and the guy on second froze and the guy on first ran to second. I sprinted to second base in my catching gear (over the mound) and when the runner broke back for first (he was later a star high school running back and was drafted twice by the Dodgers), I chased him down and tagged him out from behind. My father never said anything to me about baseball in general (he was low key) but told my mom it was the best defensive play he had ever seen at any level in 30 years. My freshman year we went 11-1, on JV’s my sophomore year we went 15-3. A new school was built and I was varsity team captain my junior and senior years. We played with 3 juniors starting my junior year and 6 sophomores. We came in third place in our division against senior dominated competition. The football team had gone 0-9 in its first year and the basketball team had gone 2-12. We went 11-13 and were considered a phenomenon (having no seniors and only 3 juniors). The next year, the football team went 10-0 and the basketball team went 12-3. We were predicted to go off the charts. But the year before we saw a lot of second string pitchers and this year we saw all aces, we kept losing games 2-1, 1-0 and we finished with a 10-12 record. The six sophomores who started in 1975 came back and won the league in 1977, although to a man they felt our 1976 team was much better. I finally made all-stars as a 16 year old in Colt League and then as a 17 year old in a city wide (San Jose) PAL all-star team. I was named varsity team MVP in 1975.

SCHOOLING: I graduated with a BA in Political Science (emphasis pre-law) with a minor in philosophy. My experiences in those upper division philosophy classes where you are asked to present a paper to a class (where any side is arguably correct) and have to defend it against near professional debaters not only helped me in my long career as a salesperson (persuasive selling) but also gets me into trouble for debating too vigorously on chat boards.

EMPLOYMENT: After graduating I continued in the restaurant business as a general manager, then made the switch to sales at the age of 27. I worked for about 15 years as a Fortune 500 account manager, working for some fo the most famous companies in America and switched to medical/pharmaceutical about 9 years ago.

BASEBALL: Of course as stated I was born into a baseball and music loving family and those passions continue to this day. I am a lifelong San Francisco Giants fan. I started collecting baseball cards at the age of 6 in 1964 and started my love affair with Strat-O-Matic baseball in 1969. At one time I was considered (at worst) the second most knowledgabe baseball/strat-o-matic history fan on a site with 5,000 members. My current collection of SOM has everything from the original 1963 teams (less 2) to present with some hard to get gold stock oldtimer teams, to extremely rare red ink 1931 A’s oldtimer team to hard to get expansion sets. I consider my SOM collection to be my most cherished possession. I also like baseball books and some of my favorites include the original Koufax autobiography given to me for my birthday in 1967 and Ball Four plus I’m Glad You didn’t Take it Personaly, the Fireside Book of Baseball collection (4 volumes) lots of Bill James stuff, A Pitcher’s Story (Marichal), The more recent Clemente biography etc.

MORE BOOKS: Besides baseball, I am an avid non-fiction reader and my two favorite subjects are The Pearl Harbor/WW2/Pacific Theater and the JFK Assassination. My favorite book of all time is At Dawn We Slept by Gordon W. Prange, along with the companion books (Miracle at Midway, etc. by Prange). I also like Crossfire by Jim Marrs and On The Trail Of The Assassins by Jim Garrison. If you want to read bout De La Salle and their 151 game win streak get "When The Game Stands Tall".

FAVORITE MOVIES: The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Sting, The Natural (duh! see my name on this forum), James Bond, Austin Powers, The Great Escape, The Right Stuff , The Firm, The Runaway Jury, The Wanderers.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Seinfeld, Nature (PBS), The Crocodile Hunter, The Apprentice, The Restaurant, High Stakes Poker, World Poker Tour

MUSIC, GENRE: British Invasion, Funk, California Folk Rock, Motown, Rock Instrumentals, Christmas Music

MUSIC, ARTISTS: Beatles, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gloria Estefan, The Pretenders, Journey, Beach Boys, Norah Jones, David Sanborn

MUSIC, SPECIAL SONGS: The Girl From Ipanema (Stan Getz), Suavecito (Male), The Very Thought Of You (Natalie Cole), All Star (Smash Mouth), I Left My Heart In San Francisco (Tony Bennett), I’ve Been Everywhere (Johnny Cash), Woman Tonight (America),FM (Steely Dan), My City Was Gone (Pretenders), Beginnings (Chicago)

FAVORITE FOODS: BBQ, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, teriyaki, BBQ ribs, "Joe's" style hamburgers, prime rib, spaghetti and meatballs, jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp cocktail, home made tacos, enchiladas, chile colorado

TRAVEL: I love Hawaii, and have been to the Phillippines several times and can't wait to go back. I have never been to Mexico or the Carribean and wish to go one day (we were scheduled to go to Cancun, New Orleans and Orlando in 2005 but then there was Katrina). I love Lake Tahoe and Yosemite and wish one day to go to Yellowstone. I like outdoors and the Sierras in general but have not been able to get my wife to go camping.

MISC: I met my future wife (she is from the Philippines) on the internet. I am an extremely good ping pong player, being “company champion” at several companies. My brother was featured as one of the 10 best outdoor kitchens in America on an HGTV show called “Sizzlin’ Outdoor Kitchens.” I once met Miss Universe, Brooke Mehalani Lee (from Hawaii) and proposed to her on the spot. My grandmother was friends with Joe DiMaggio’s mother both in Italy and USA. I almost won the lottery one year, back when they had just 6 matching numbers. I got 5 out of 6 and missed the last one by just one number. I started my own Strat-O-Matic forum (there are bigger but not necessarily better ones) and the site is listed on my profile. I also am an avid poker and chess player. I have a photographic memory.

I should add (and will) I am an avid collector of things, including Strat-O-Matic baseball (of course), I had every Seinfeld taped the day it was first broadcast, I have about 300 episodes on Nature (PBS) in inventory and of course lots of sports including very rare (though often rebroadcast) baseball games.

<My mom refused to go along and gave my brother then my sister somewhat unique and matching names. When I came along, there were no more matching names, so mom and dad decided to think of a name that would sound good coming out of a large baseball stadium PA system, such as “NOW BATTING…. “and they came up with “Cary Cardinale.”>

If only she'd name you Louis, and you were canonized

<Carney Lansford was on that team.
We moved to San Jose in 1970 and I played baseball at Oak Grove with Dave Stieb and my claim to fame is getting a 2 run single off Dave Righetti in JC ball in 1977.>



<SCHOOLING: My experiences in those upper division philosophy classes where you are asked to present a paper to a class (where any side is arguably correct) and have to defend it against near professional debaters not only helped me in my long career as a salesperson (persuasive selling) but also gets me into trouble for debating too vigorously on chat boards.>



<MUSIC, SPECIAL SONGS: My City Was Gine (Pretenders)>

The song about my hometown

thanks

Oh you remnded me

I should add (and will) I am an avid collector of things, including Strat-O-Matic baseball (of course), I had every Seinfeld taped the day it was first broadcast, I have about 300 episodes on Nature (PBS) in iventory and of course lots of sports including very rare (though often rebroadcast) baseball games

I worked for Rubbermaid (Wooster OH) which was actually on Akron Road and for Procter & Gamble as well, but as a sales rep in CA

[Lurch]

Hello, my name is Lurch. I'm 27 and live in St. Louis, MO.

We're like one big family . . .
. . . even if it IS the Addams family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjpSxP18fJA

That was awesome. Thanks.

[NJMetfan4life]

Name: Chris P
D.O.B. August 19th, 1994
Height 6'3"

Favorite Players: Mike Piazza, Jose Valentin, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Freddy Sanchez, John Lannan, Johan Santana, Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese, and Mike Pelfrey

Movies: The Hangover, Step Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Major League, The Sandlot, and Live Free or Die Hard

Favorite actors: Will Ferrell, Tom Hanks

TV Shows: Seinfeld, Criminal Minds, Baseball Tonight, Sportscenter, Psych, White Collar, Family Guy, and South Park

Music: Classic Rock mostley, I kinda hate Rap with the exception of a few songs.

Teams: New York Mets, kinda getting into football but I can't pick a team but I think it'll be the Jets

Favorite Baseball Memories: I remember first getting into baseball in 1998(I think) my dad was watching the Mets game and I believe Robin Ventura hit a homerun.

Being at the Game 2 of the 2006 NLCS

[AJbaseball00024]

Since I am new here, I am going to Introduce Myself. Thanks for allowing me into the forums!

My name is Andrew Johnson. I was born in and live in Brooklyn, New York. I was born on October 31, 1992 at Brookdale Hospital. I currently am a soon to be Senior in High School. My favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. My other favorites include the New York Mets and the Philadephia Phillies. My favorite current players are Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Albert Pujols, Tim Lincecum, David Wright and Johan Santana. My all-time favorites are Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, and Yogi Berra. My favorite ballparks are the Original Yankee Stadium, the New Yankee Stadium, Camden Yards, Coors Field, Citi Field, PNC Park, New Busch Stadium, AT&T Park, Citizens Bank Park, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Angels Stadium and Dodgers Stadium. My other interest outside of baseball include football, basketball, Politics, U.S. History, and transit technology and equipment. My favorite buildings are the Empire State Building, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and Taipei 101. My favorite statue is the Statue of Liberty.

Well, I'd have to submit the statue of Stan Musial outside of Busch Stadium as my favorite statue.

Unless, of course, we are talking non-baseball statuary, in which case I would have to go with the pose my dog assumes when taking care of bidness. Amazing!

Updated Profile

Real Name: Andrew R. Johnson

Gender: Male

Race: African-American

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Date of Birth: Saturday, October 31, 1992

Location of Birth: Brooklyn, New York, Brookdale Medical Center

Occupation: High School Student

Favorite Sports: Baseball, Football and Basketball

Favorite Baseball Team: New York Mets

Favorite Football Team: New York Jets

Favorite Baseketball Team: New York Knicks (Its hard to root when James Dolan screws with this team)

Favorite Current Baseball Players: Johan Santana, David Wright, K-Rod, Tim Lincecum, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols

Favorite All Time Baseball Players: Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Nolan Ryan, Yogi Berra, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mike Piazza, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio

Favorite Baseball Managers (Present and Past): Gil Hodges, Davey Johnson, Joe Torre, Tony LaRussa

Favorite Parks (Past and Present): Citi Field (Where I saw my first major league game in person), Original Yankee Stadium, New Busch Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citizens Bank Park (Phillies Suck)

Favorite Baseball Movie: Field of Dreams

Favorite Regular Movies: Cloverfield, Bonnie and Clyde, The French Connection, Money Train, The Taking of Pelham 123 (1974), The Hangover

Favorite Radio Shows: Opie and Anthony, Benigo and Roberts, Ron and Fez, Sean Hannity Show, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh

Favorite T.V. Shows: Any Crime Show like Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, 48 Hours: Hard Evidence and others; Hannity, Baseball Tonight, NFL Live, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, $25000 Pyramid and $100000 Pyramid,.

Favorite Books: The Outsiders; That Was Then, This is Now; Bone Collector, Lord of the Flies; Breath, Eyes, and Memory

Non Sports Interests: Rail and Bus Technology and Photography, Crime Shows, Politics.

Favorite Skyscrapers: Empire State Building, Twin Towers of the World Trade Center (miss them), Tapiei 101, CN Tower

Favorite Statue: Statue of Liberty

Favorite People: My Parents, My High School Peers, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Martin Luther King.

Least Favorite People: Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, John Sterling, Susyn Waldman, Wendy Williams, The Hosts of "The View", Al Sharpton and his fellow race baiters.

[killebrewski]

Hello everyone, I am brand new to the forums. What a great thread. Here is a bit about me ...

Name: Jason

Born: May 23, 1974

Birth City: Philadelphia, PA

Raised: South Philadelphia, PA

Currently Live: West Chester, PA

Occupation: Radio

Handed: Right

Favorite baseball team: Philadelphia Phillies

Current Favorite Ballplayers: Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Vladimir Guerrero, Derek Jeter, Prince Fielder

All-time Favorite Ballplayers: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Richie Ashburn, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mike Schmidt, Jackie Robinson, Robin Yount, Ozzie Smith, Kirby Puckett

Favorite Sports: Baseball, Hockey, Football

Favorite Ballparks: Fenway, Citizens Bank Park

Favorite Movies: Slap Shot, Rocky, Taxi Driver, Pulp Fiction, Little Miss Sunshine, Inglorious Basterds, Jaws, Goodfellas

Favorite Actors: Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Edward Norton, John Malkovich, Robert Downey Jr., Philip Seymour Hoffman

Favorite Actresses: Meryl Streep, Charlize Theron, Edie Falco, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ellen Page, Emily Blunt

Favorite TV Shows: True Blood, Nurse Jackie, Lie To Me, Sopranos, Man vs. Food

Favorite Music: House, Techno, Trance, Electronica

Favorite Baseball Uniform: Brooklyn Dodgers, 80s Oakland Athletics

Favorite Baseball Logo: Milwaukee Brewers vintage MB glove

Favorite Cities: Philadelphia, Montreal, New York, Boston, Chicago, Ocean City, NJ

Favorite Food: Pizza, Tacos, Wings, Doritos, Sun Flower Seeds

Favorite Cereal: Golden Grahams, Life, Trix

Favorite Beers: Molson, Stella Artois, Heineken, Corona

Favorite Video Game: EA Sports NHL 10

Favorite Browser: Firefox

[AussieYank]

Name: Andrew

Age: 40’s

Marital status: Married with children

Occupation: Teacher

Lives: Sydney

Hobbies: Sports – mostly played soccer; Reading – both fiction & non fiction; Photography – just messing about nothing too serious; Bush walking.

TV: Cold Case, documentaries

Music: Grew up listening to 60’s & 70’s rock; as a teenager Punk & alternative; these days anything not too loud.

Baseball: I became fascinated with baseball as a kid principally because I liked the uniforms & logos (bring back the stirrups!). I started watching baseball on TV in the late 80’s & early 90’s when it received some coverage in South Australia for a few years. It was at this time that I took a more active interest in the teams & rules, etc.

Teams: I like a number of different teams which I suppose isn’t all that common. A particular team appeals to me because of its city, its uniform, its history, & its ballpark.

The Yankees: New York is one of the world’s great cities. I have been in the love with the place since I was a kid. A world of concrete canyons & the home of the Velvet Underground, the Ramones & CBGB’s. Everything about the Yankees is just so iconic – the logo, the stadium, the Babe, Di Maggio how can you not love them?

St Louis Cardinals: St Louis seems to be the quintessential baseball city. The New Busch Stadium is a nice looking ballpark in the shadow of the Gateway Arch. A team with a rich pennant winning history & some of the game’s great players – Rogers Hornsby, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, etc. The uniform & logo are among the best in MLB. Also love Chuck Berry & St Louis Blues.

Baltimore Orioles: Camden Yards with the inclusion of the warehouse is so unique. I want to visit this ballpark more than any other (with the exception of Yankee Stadium). The city of Baltimore has a history which interests me – the Edgar Allan Poe museum & grave, Babe Ruth museum, the Star Spangled Banner house. I read the book Black & Blue by Tom Adelman about the ’66 World Series & the Orioles team impressed me – Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell, etc.

Detroit Tigers: To me Detroit represents the heartland of industrial America. As the home of the Stooges, the MC5, & Motown, it has been a city of innovative music. Everything about the Tigers typifies the spirit of the city – Ty Cobb uncompromising & aggressive, the old English D logo is hard edged & the uniform looks sharp. The ballpark however with its giant tigers & its ornate scoreboard may be a bit overdone.

Chicago White Sox: Excellent cap logo & also the logo from around the time of the Black Sox scandal. Beyond this my interest in the White Sox is primarily due to Shoeless Joe Jackson, one of the all time greats. I hope one day he will be included in the Hall of Fame. Cellular Field doesn’t appear to be anything out of the ordinary. The city of Chicago strikes me as a very dynamic & progressive city.

Others: Boston Red Sox are ok (Strange for a Yankee fan but I am far away from the action in Australia). I like the history of the team & the city. Ted Williams was one of the great batters & Fenway Park is a baseball icon. But I really don’t like the whole Irish Celtic thing which seems to typify everything Boston. The Cincinnati Reds in the mid 70’s must have been awesome to watch – Pete Rose, Johnny Bench & the Big Red Machine. I like the ballpark on the banks of the Ohio. The Phillies are also ok, the Liberty Bell logo looks a bit odd to me. A fascinating city historically however. I don’t mind the Twins – their logos are quite unique & look cool. Love Joe Mauer. The Pirates seem to be a ball club going nowhere fast, but I would like to visit PNC, & the city of Pittsburgh. The ballpark is visually impressive with the city backdrop. The team logo is ridiculous (what do pirates have to do with Pittsburgh anyway – river pirates?).

To narrow it all down: The New York Yankees are no.1 in the American League; The St Louis Cardinals are no.1 in the National League – Yankees no.1 overall. I basically don’t like West coast teams or teams south of the Ohio.

I visited the US when I was very young & don’t remember much. I have a little nest egg saved away which I hope to one day use for a holiday involving a tour of some MLB games.

[keystone]

Welcome, AussiYank! I think we've got another fellow on this board who's from Australia -- DownUnderDodger, maybe? And we've done a thread on our "closet" teams, too. I think if you are truly a fan of The Game, it's hard to love just one team. I'm a Cardinals fan first and an Astros fan second (yeah, one of those southern teams you wouldn't like.) But I also like the Dodgers and Tigers. So, I think you're in good company here.