Monday’s post got me thinking, again, about baseball in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when I first fell in love with the game. (Actually I spend most of my waking hours thinking about baseball from when I was a kid.)<\/p>\n
I first published this poem more than five years ago, just after my son was born. I meant to reprint it at the beginning of the baseball season this year, but I suppose now’s as good a time as any. (It’s still Father’s Day week, right? Oh, and let’s make Father’s Week a thing.)<\/p>\n
With apologies to Ogden Nash, who first published a similar poem in 1949, using names from his days following the game as a young man, here is, again, “Lineup from My Youth.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cLineup from My Youth\u201d<\/p>\n
My dear little Franklin,<\/p>\n
My bundle of joy.<\/p>\n
Let me share a few names<\/p>\n
From when I was a boy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A<\/b> is for Alomar,<\/p>\n
Few families were better.<\/p>\n
But let\u2019s not forget<\/p>\n
The Alous at this letter.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
B<\/b> is for Biggio<\/p>\n
And Bagwell his buddy.<\/p>\n
Together they stuck<\/p>\n
Like old silly putty.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
C<\/b> is for Canseco,<\/p>\n
So powerfully built.<\/p>\n
The sight of him made<\/p>\n
A.L. pitchers just wilt.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
D<\/b> is for Dykstra<\/p>\n
With a mouthful of chew.<\/p>\n
He played for the Mets<\/p>\n
And Philadelphia too.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
E<\/b> is for Eckersley,<\/p>\n
Who began as a starter.<\/p>\n
From the \u2019pen A.L. hitters<\/p>\n
Found few pitchers harder.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
F<\/b> is for Frank Thomas,<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Big Hurt,\u201d they\u2019d cheer.<\/p>\n
No right-handed slugger<\/p>\n
Would bring out more fear.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
G<\/b> is for Griffey,<\/p>\n
The Kid had no match.<\/p>\n
He could run, he could throw,<\/p>\n
He could hit, he could catch.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
H<\/b> is for Henderson,<\/p>\n
Who sent other teams reeling.<\/p>\n
No one could catch him<\/p>\n
When Rickey was stealing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I<\/b> is for Ivan<\/p>\n
Rodriguez, or \u201cPudge.\u201d<\/p>\n
He threw out runners<\/p>\n
With a personal grudge.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
J<\/b> is for Jackson<\/p>\n
\u201cBo knows,\u201d they would say.<\/p>\n
Played football and baseball<\/p>\n
Both the same way.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
K<\/b> is for Kirby,<\/p>\n
As in Kirby Puckett.<\/p>\n
And kid-friendly poems,<\/p>\n
So no Man from Nantucket.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
L<\/b> is for Larkin,<\/p>\n
Barry\u2019s his name.<\/p>\n
Guy never lost<\/p>\n
A World Series game.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
M<\/b> is for Mattingly,<\/p>\n
McGwire, McGriff,<\/p>\n
Maddux, and Martinezes<\/p>\n
Too many to list.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
N<\/b> is for Nomo,<\/p>\n
The Japanese star.<\/p>\n
They figured him out,<\/p>\n
Then they hit the ball far.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
O<\/b> is for Olerud,<\/p>\n
Blue Jays first baseman.<\/p>\n
Two World Series make<\/p>\n
Our minds not erase him.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
P<\/b> is for Palmeiro,<\/p>\n
Quite a lesson he learned.<\/p>\n
Did too much juice<\/p>\n
As the Feds were concerned.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Q<\/b> is for Quisenberry,<\/p>\n
Dan to his friends.<\/p>\n
Quipped to Ronald Reagan:<\/p>\n
\u201cThere you go again.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
R<\/b> is for Ripken<\/p>\n
And games never missed.<\/p>\n
Few could deny<\/p>\n
His place on this list.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
S<\/b> is for Sheffield<\/p>\n
And Strawberry too.<\/p>\n
Both got in trouble<\/p>\n
With the boys they call Blue.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
T<\/b> is for Tony,<\/p>\n
Mr. Gwynn if you\u2019re formal.<\/p>\n
To be so consistent<\/p>\n
Is far beyond normal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
U<\/b> is for Ugueth<\/p>\n
Urbina, of course.<\/p>\n
Sticking with U\u2019s<\/p>\n
A tough rule to enforce.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
V<\/b> is for Viola,<\/p>\n
That\u2019s Frank not the fiddle.<\/p>\n
His pitches often made<\/p>\n
Big hitters look little.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
W<\/b> is for Wade,<\/p>\n
Not Phillips but Boggs.<\/p>\n
As important to the time<\/p>\n
As those things we called Pogs.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
X<\/b> is for Xavier<\/p>\n
Hernandez the pitcher.<\/p>\n
Six teams in nine years<\/p>\n
Made him quite the switcher.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Y<\/b> is for the man<\/p>\n
They call Robin Yount.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s got more Brewer records<\/p>\n
Than Elias can count.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Z<\/b> is for Ozzie,<\/p>\n
The Wizard with leather.<\/p>\n
Few men have so brought<\/p>\n
St. Louis together.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And so my dear Franklin<\/p>\n
I give you this roster.<\/p>\n
And a love for the game<\/p>\n
I hope it will foster.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Monday’s post got me thinking, again, about baseball in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when I first fell in love with the game. (Actually I spend most of my waking hours thinking about baseball from when I was a … Continue reading