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Ol Abner

Prose for the Baseball Fan.

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Category: Spring

On how I learned to stop worrying and learned to love the (base)ball

Posted by olabner on March 9, 2019March 26, 2019 in Fan, Minors, Missouri State, Spring

“Oh? You’re working with the summer league up there?” a broadcaster asked. “No, I’m just … going there,” I said. Oh. Fairbanks? Beyond – to Bettles, pop. 12 on Wikipedia and 7 in reality. It’s a village 35 miles north…

Be it Resolved

Posted by olabner on January 1, 2016April 27, 2017 in Chicago Cubs, Spring, St. Louis Cardinals

Pitchers and catchers report in six weeks or so. My head is full of Christmas lights and resolutions, like: I will continue to trust in John Mozeliak, though the narrow path is uncertain. If Chicago wins a World Series, I…

Ichiro

Posted by olabner on March 31, 2015April 1, 2015 in Spring

He points his right toe like an arrow. And he stands on his left foot, waiting to pounce. A pitch! A cut. He doesn’t stab the earth with this. He’s too far down the line. He’s taken off with his…

Seeing Things

Posted by olabner on March 26, 2015 in Spring

I watched a player dart from first base, running in the dirt with arms pumping. He slid into second base, popping up to his feet. There was no throw. It was only a spring training game a few days after…

Perspective

Posted by olabner on March 25, 2015March 25, 2015 in Spring

A Yankees batter stood at home. He took a strike. Then he took two more. Then he stood with his bat on his shoulder, staring at lines in the ash. From dust to dust. Maybe he wondered why he didn’t…

Yadier Molina: a True Delight.

Posted by olabner on March 24, 2015March 24, 2015 in Spring

Yadi stands on deck, chomping on bubble gum. He holds his bat on his shoulder, and swings it across his body. Then he knocks a donut weight off the bat and walks toward home. He straightens his helmet with his…

Play at the Plate

Posted by olabner on March 23, 2015March 27, 2015 in Spring

The third base coach draped his hand over the player’s shoulder. Spring training jerseys don’t come with names so players can be recognized otherwise. This one tapped third base with his foot, and sauntered toward home. The centerfielder pushed his…

Tickets. Soon.

Posted by olabner on March 22, 2015March 22, 2015 in Spring

Soon I will sit in a plastic seat, in a place etched with silver numbers. I might start way up near the rafters and watch players jog into the outfield. They will play long toss for a minute or two…

Tom Sawyer, Dodgers ace.

Posted by olabner on March 20, 2015March 22, 2015 in Spring

Zack Greinke tossed a pitch that slipped over the outside corner. He fell toward the plate as he followed through, holding his hand next to his heart. Another called strike, and another comparison with Greg Maddux. But with blonde hair…

Expanding Cardinal Nation

Posted by olabner on March 18, 2015March 22, 2015 in Spring

“I’m entering my 52nd season as a Cardinals fan,” he told me. I poured his coffee. I told him I’d been a fan since I was 8, and that Jaime Garcia pitched a couple of good innings the day before….

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