Guest Blogger Wednesday: Kathy Thomas
Here goes ---
Hi again, back for my second stint as Guest Blogger from the East Coast. Once again I contemplated thinking deep thoughts and writing something meaningful and profound on the human condition or society, but then I thought to myself - what the hell? Like most people, I spend my day dealing with the minutiae of the working world, and frankly I am too tired for more deep thinking. Not to mention there are millions (OK several) other blogs that pretend to contain deep and meaningful nonsense, do you really need more?
A little more about me, as I said, I am one of Rich's older sisters (but then again all of his sisters are older). I am a lawyer both by education and occupation (again, no jokes, I've heard them all and very few are funny. Additionally, there are still a few good lawyers left). I work at a five person firm in the Philadelphia suburbs. We all have our own little niches, mine is primarily municipal and non-profit law, but enough about me.
This week, Rich and I were having our annual discussion of baseball and baseball movies. We do discuss baseball from March through October (with occasional sidetrips during the remaining months), but every spring I have a ritual of watching selected baseball themed movies during spring training. I do this because I am in the mood for baseball but have no patience with spring training games. My current favorite baseball movies are: "Pride of the Yankees", "For the Love of the Game", "The Rookie" and "Angels in the Outfield" (the 1951 original not the remake). Other favorites which just have baseball in them are: "The Stratton Story", "Woman of the Year" (Katherine Hepburn at her character's first baseball game with Spencer Tracy) and "Take Me out to the Ballgame". And of course, who can forget any Charlie Brown show with spring time in it. (I identify with Charlie Brown because as a Phillies' fan, it seems that I am forever destined for disappointment). With the exception of "Pride of the Yankees" I think that Rich and I disagree on the list. I know there are lots of other movies with baseball in them or as the primary plot device (IMDb lists over 1,000), but these are my movies. I will watch others, especially "The Natural" in the fall, but these are my favorites.
The thing is that I like these movies for the movies not the baseball. I like baseball, but I am not especially fond of professional baseball players, but that is a subject for another day. I like baseball for many reasons, I grew up listening to it on the radio, I played more than my share of softball during high school, college and shortly afterwards and it gives me a connection to my Mom and my brother. I have lots of memories associated with baseball - opening day in the snow at Vet's Stadium in 1988, watching my younger brothers play in the youth leagues, many a heated discussion with my Mom and brother and a man I used to work with, just to name a few. To me it is not a great metaphor for life, it is simply a game, one to be enjoyed and even cherished.
--Kathy Thomas
Hi again, back for my second stint as Guest Blogger from the East Coast. Once again I contemplated thinking deep thoughts and writing something meaningful and profound on the human condition or society, but then I thought to myself - what the hell? Like most people, I spend my day dealing with the minutiae of the working world, and frankly I am too tired for more deep thinking. Not to mention there are millions (OK several) other blogs that pretend to contain deep and meaningful nonsense, do you really need more?
A little more about me, as I said, I am one of Rich's older sisters (but then again all of his sisters are older). I am a lawyer both by education and occupation (again, no jokes, I've heard them all and very few are funny. Additionally, there are still a few good lawyers left). I work at a five person firm in the Philadelphia suburbs. We all have our own little niches, mine is primarily municipal and non-profit law, but enough about me.
This week, Rich and I were having our annual discussion of baseball and baseball movies. We do discuss baseball from March through October (with occasional sidetrips during the remaining months), but every spring I have a ritual of watching selected baseball themed movies during spring training. I do this because I am in the mood for baseball but have no patience with spring training games. My current favorite baseball movies are: "Pride of the Yankees", "For the Love of the Game", "The Rookie" and "Angels in the Outfield" (the 1951 original not the remake). Other favorites which just have baseball in them are: "The Stratton Story", "Woman of the Year" (Katherine Hepburn at her character's first baseball game with Spencer Tracy) and "Take Me out to the Ballgame". And of course, who can forget any Charlie Brown show with spring time in it. (I identify with Charlie Brown because as a Phillies' fan, it seems that I am forever destined for disappointment). With the exception of "Pride of the Yankees" I think that Rich and I disagree on the list. I know there are lots of other movies with baseball in them or as the primary plot device (IMDb lists over 1,000), but these are my movies. I will watch others, especially "The Natural" in the fall, but these are my favorites.
The thing is that I like these movies for the movies not the baseball. I like baseball, but I am not especially fond of professional baseball players, but that is a subject for another day. I like baseball for many reasons, I grew up listening to it on the radio, I played more than my share of softball during high school, college and shortly afterwards and it gives me a connection to my Mom and my brother. I have lots of memories associated with baseball - opening day in the snow at Vet's Stadium in 1988, watching my younger brothers play in the youth leagues, many a heated discussion with my Mom and brother and a man I used to work with, just to name a few. To me it is not a great metaphor for life, it is simply a game, one to be enjoyed and even cherished.
--Kathy Thomas
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