David Bentley Hart: On the Metaphysical Meaning of Baseball

[Inquisitor85]

I remember hearing a story that back when John Major was PM, he was explaining the rules of cricket to Bill Clinton. Clinton couldn’t understand how a match that takes five days could end in a draw.

 

[dochawk]

Just me…I really like Bob Costas, regardless of what he’s calling

There had to be one somewhere . . .

Costas is people’s exhibit #1 on why sideline reporters should be deported to someplace lacking any form of communication with the rest of the world, and no chance of return. At least with most sideline reporters, you see that they’re at the sideline, and lunge for the mute button. But, no, not for Costas, their king, who is presented as if he knew which direction a dropped rock would fall . . .

(Wild pitchers can just play shortstop or center field.)

Looking at this from the Physics side of things . . . the backstop has a far better chance at stopping a wild throw from a pitcher than a shortstop, let alone a fielder. Just look at the cone of probabilities . . .

hawk, who will bring up never again having to listen to Costas babble this Thanksgiving . . .,

 

[PetraG]

There had to be one somewhere . . .

Costas is people’s exhibit #1 on why sideline reporters should be deported to someplace lacking any form of communication with the rest of the world, and no chance of return. At least with most sideline reporters, you see that they’re at the sideline, and lunge for the mute button. But, no, not for Costas, their king, who is presented as if he knew which direction a dropped rock would fall . . .

Well, he offended your sensibilities at some point, lol.
(Um…by the way…are you saying you can’t predict the direction a rock will fall if you drop it?)

Looking at this from the Physics side of things . . . the backstop has a far better chance at stopping a wild throw from a pitcher than a shortstop, let alone a fielder. Just look at the cone of probabilities . . .

I think you’re describing inaccuracy that goes a bit beyond “wild.”

 

[ZMystiCat]

Clinton couldn’t understand how a match that takes five days could end in a draw.

I think that speaks less to cricket’s relatively high mental stamina and more to how foreign its rules and pace are relative to sports Americans care about.

 

[dochawk]

Well, he offended your sensibilities at some point, lol.
cdn.com/catholic/user_avatar/forums.catholic-questions.org/dochawk/40/55302_2.png) dochawk:

Only when his lips were moving . . .

(Um…by the way…are you saying you can’t predict the direction a rock will fall if you drop it?)

I can . . . but those other sideline reporters probably think that Costas could, too . . . and would go on for all the airtime they could get about it . . .

I think you’re describing inaccuracy that goes a bit beyond “wild.”

The angle of error from a pitch wild enough that it doesn’t bean the batter could well miss a small backstop from center field . . .