Author: olabner

Welcome! I've followed baseball since I was 8 years old and started this site to illustrate the beauty of the game in prose, poetry, and photography. I have a Master's in Creative Writing at Missouri State University. For my thesis I wrote a collection of nonfiction micro essays about working in remote Alaska fishing lodges for five summers in my 20s. After graduation I worked as a northern lights guide in Bettles, Alaska, for 8 months. You can find my favorite aurora photographs at bestnorthernlights.com I am a freelance writer and photographer. You can find my portfolio at maryellenchiles.com

Talking baseball with Doris Kearns Goodwin!

Posted by olabner on April 12, 2017May 30, 2017 in Fan, Research

I’m working on an MA in nonfiction writing. In 2015, I wrote a research paper concerning happiness levels among Boston Red Sox fans after their beloved team finally won a World Series. The Hedonic Treadmill principle, essentially, maintains that humans adapt to…

My first foul ball: Jerry Lumpe and Justin Paulsen

Posted by olabner on April 11, 2017May 30, 2017 in College, Grief, Missouri State

I hopped down the steps toward the Missouri State dugout in the fourth inning. Earlier that night I’d waited in line with sorority girls and golf players so we could offer two dollars and a glimpse of our photo ID in…

Yadi in photos

Posted by olabner on April 4, 2017April 27, 2017 in Photos, St. Louis Cardinals

I shot these during the St. Louis Cardinals/Springfield Cardinals exhibition at Hammons Field on March 31, 2017. I use a Sony A600. by

Hunter Pence means …

Posted by olabner on April 2, 2017April 27, 2017 in NL

What wondrous love is this – to wait for Hunter Pence to take a 2-2 pitch With two runners on the basepaths And room for Pence at first (And he would walk 90 feet to load the bases). Pence wears…

I do not like them, Mary I am. I do not want the Cubs to win.

Posted by olabner on October 25, 2016April 27, 2017 in AL, NL, Playoffs

With thanks to Dr. Seuss. I AM FAN. NEW I AM. FAN. NEW FAN I AM. THAT NEW FAN! THAT CUBS FAN! WELL – I DO NOT WANT THE CUBS TO WIN. WOULD YOU LIKE THE CURSE TO END? I…

Losing in October: remember 1996

Posted by olabner on October 17, 2016April 27, 2017 in Playoffs

Really, this 1996 Cardinals team could hit because I’d seen it happen every inning before this And Dmitri Young and Brian Jordan made it 3-1 to start so it didn’t really matter if they won or lost because they would…

McGwire, a lifetime later.

Posted by olabner on September 8, 2016 in Ethics

I was only 14 when McGwire hit 70 home runs in 1998. Earlier that summer I worried that I’d miss his 62nd home run while paddling a canoe on a Missouri lake, far removed from secular radio: including broadcasts. I…

Alex and me

Posted by olabner on August 7, 2016April 27, 2017 in AL, Ethics

I wish to believe I am morally superior to Alex Rodriguez: the cheater, the jerk, the fraud. That if I had his talent, I wouldn’t need PEDs to get a bit closer to God. (That is, of course, if God’s…

new video!

Posted by olabner on July 21, 2016 in Videos

O Rosenthal Now Wounded Oh Rosenthal now wounded with grief weighing fans down you’re scornfully surrounded with runners, despite your crown of sacred saves leader in ’15 the blessings you have known Now despised as closer Please don’t pick up…

Felix video!

Posted by olabner on June 27, 2016April 27, 2017 in AL, Videos

I Just Couldn’t Wait to Be King (Felix) Text: Way beyond the bullpen full And between base lines The batters’ dreams of getting hits Aren’t scheduled on my time I’d say I’m the ruler  Of most everything that’s round  From…