How Did You Spend YOUR Friday?

Back in July, Olympic softball superstar Jennie Finch became the first (and still only) female to take part in The Hall's weekly "Friday 5" feature.  This Friday, I'm pretty sure she became the first to have a street named after her as well.

As part of the Chicago Bandits new $6 million stadium being built in Rosemont, Illinois...they included, you guessed it, Jennie Finch Way.

Not Batting Stance Guy Lane.

Not Matt Antonelli Boulevard.

Jennie Finch Way.

"Chicago and the Bandits have been such a big part of my career," Finch said at the groundbreaking. "They are both in my heart, and to be honored this way is nothing short of amazing."

Construction of the 2000 seat stadium should be completed in time for the 2011 season and will be built to comply with all NCAA standards so that it can also be used for college championships or tournaments.

So again, I ask...how did you spend YOUR Friday?  Did you get a street named after you?!?

(the above picture was stolen from @jfinch27)

Friday 5: Matt Antonelli's Five Favorite Baseball Movies

It's been a while since San Diego Padres Minor Leaguer Matt Antonelli contributed to the site. Recently, he posted his favorite comedy movies over at his site.

Naturally, he received a bunch of emails asking him about his favorite baseball movies.

I banged out one of those emails and what follows is Antonelli's Five Favorite Baseball Movies.

5. The Sandlot
I know, I know. How could I not put "The Natural" or "Field of Dreams" in here. I agree, they are both awesome movies, and definitely some of the best baseball movies ever. But for some reason I would watch "The Sandlot" over both of them if I were bored and had all three DVDs to choose from. I guess I just can't get over my crush on comedies. "The Sandlot" just reminds me of playing pick-up baseball as a kid, and it's funny as Hell. I had to put it in my top five or I'd be lying.

4) Rookie of the Year
Listen, Little League was one of my favorite baseball experiences of my life, and the Major Leagues isn't too bad either. Take both of them and combine them into one movie and I'm going to watch it and like it. I'm not going to lie, I usually wouldn't like a baseball movie that so unrealistically has a twelve-year old as a big league pitcher, but this movie is so damn funny I'll make an exception.

3) Bull Durham
You can see that I am biased towards comedies. "Bull Durham" is not only funny as Hell, but I think they hit the baseball part of the equation right on the head. I've played with Crash Davis types, I've been teammates with characters like Nuke LaLoosh, and you don't have to search very hard to find your Annie Savoys of minor league baseball. They just do a great job of making a really funny, yet serious baseball movie.

2) A League of Their Own
I almost wanted to put this movie at number one, but decided to put it just below. Jimmie Dugan is my favorite and funniest sports character of all-time, and hey, I'm no sexist, but who would have thought they could make a baseball movie with women players this damn good. I know I didn't! But it happened, and I'm glad it did.

1) Major League and Major League 2
I've decided to put both of these movies together on the list because I really can't decipher between the two. I actually wanted to put it on my top comedy movies of all-time, but apparently I've taken one too many fastballs to the dome and forgot. There are so many quotable lines in this thing I could go through a whole season and not have to use the same line twice. What an awesome pair of movies.

Just missed the top five: "The Natural", "Field of Dreams", "Angels in the Outfield", "Little Big League", "For Love of the Game" and "The Rookie"

Jose Canseco and The Apprentice...The Update

Write it down.

It's November 5, 2010...and I am missing the daily nonsensical ramblings of one Jose Canseco via Twitter.

I've written before about Canseco (HERE and HERE) and, honestly, I kinda hoped that he would keep us updated on his exploits while shooting "The Apprentice".

Well, outside of a tweet October 22 (which was promptly removed) mentioning that he was still in New York "auditioning"...we've gotten nothing.

Nada. Zilch.

Until now.

According to the New York Post:

Baseball stoolie José Canseco, who blew the whistle on steroid use, broke off a front tooth on a slice of pizza. Canseco, who was shooting Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" with Niki Taylor, rapper Lil' Jon and Meat Loaf, made an emergency call to Dr. Shawn Sadri, who opened his dental office Sunday night. A source said, "Sadri created a new tooth overnight." A rep for the show didn't get back to us.

Ouch. I'd say I feel sorry for Canseco...but I don't. 

Sure, losing a tooth is one of those irrational fears that keeps me awake at night, but c'mon...this is Jose Canseco we're talking about here.  Are we actually allowed to feel remorse for this cat?  Oh, and another question for you...what's the over/under on how many times this dude is going to flex on camera for the citizens of New York?

And in case you were wondering what the former American League MVP looked like working the counter of a pizza joint.

Here's some video.



A big tip of the hat to I Dream of Pizza for posting the video. Feel free to read their account of the goings on HERE.

Brian Wilson Drops by The Tonight Show

Let's get one thing straight right out of the gate...I hate Jay Leno.

He's not funny.  He's not a good interviewer.  He's just...ugh. 

I'm not a fan.

But then, tonight, I saw that San Francisco closer Brian Wilson was scheduled to appear on "The Tonight Show".  And I was torn. 

Do I watch?  Do I skip it?

I watched.

Wilson delivered...Leno did not. Leno was as terrible as he normally is, whereas Wilson delivered his normal amount of awesome.  They talked about all the normal stuff...Wilson's hair, his shoes and, of course, "The Machine".

And, oh yeah...this happened.



I'm pretty sure Brian Wilson's fifteen minutes won't last for that much longer because, really...how long can a closer milk this fame?  But until it flames out, I'm enjoying the Hell out of the Facebook group to get him to host "Saturday Night Live" and at least two of the pages dedicated to his shoes.

Fear the beard, troops.

Here's Wilson's appearance in its entirety (albeit broken up into two parts).

Collin Balester Raising Movember Bar

***From time to time, Dr. Aaron Perlut from the American Mustache Institute shares his wisdom.  This is one of those times.***

Despite not being a finalist for the Goulet award, In the Mustached American community, Collin Balester is a hero.

The Washington Nationals relief pitcher has withstood the pressures from agents, the Major League Baseball Player’s Union, the United Midgets Rights Union, and his seemingly mustache-friendly wife Ashley to remove his lower nose ruffage for several years.

He lost endorsement deals with Gillette and Summer’s Eve feminine hygiene products, and the Nationals went so far as to remove nearly every in-uniform mustached photo of Balester from his website.

All along, he has stood up to the negativity, tyranny, and intellectually inferior clean-shaven aristocracy of Major League Baseball.

“I’ll only pitch as well as my mustache allows me to,” Balester said. “I am my mustache, and my mustache is what I am.”

Indeed, but now Balester has joined the American Mustache Institute, of which he is the Southern California Bureau Chief (he lives in Dana Point in the offseason), in shaving clean for Movember and starting anew.

He’s now challenging other Major Leaguers to join his “Bally’s ‘Staches” Movember team and help contribute to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

He asks that any citizen within earshot of a major league player who does not suffer from Bare Upper Lip Disorder or BULD, walk up to them and state the following Haiku:

Grow a ’stache for Movember;

You’ll not regret it;

Join Bally’s ‘Staches or die.

In the end, Balester hopes to parade his unvarnished lip propeller at ‘Stache Bash 2010 in St. Louis on December 4.

For more information, email AMI at info@AmericanMustacheInstitute.org or call 877-STACHE-1.

Carry on.

Sparky Anderson...TV Star

I'm not sure about you, but I actually remember Sparky Anderson when he appeared on "WKRP in Cincinnati".

Now, admittedly, I didn't see the initial airing on December 24, 1979...but I do remember seeing it once it hit syndication.  That said, I know for a fact that I've never seen the 1980 episode of "The White Shadow" that featured the World Series winning skipper.

But enough about that.

The plot of the 12th episode of WKRP's second season is simple enough:

Mr. Carlson hires legendary baseball manager Sparky Anderson as the host of a new sports interview show. (courtesy of EPGuides.com)

Check out the show in its entirety below.  Good stuff.

Sparky Anderson (1934-2010)

Well...that didn't take long.

A day after it was announced that he was in hospice care, the world is saying goodbye to 2000 Hall of Fame inductee Sparky Anderson.

The outspoken former manager of the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers died this afternoon in Thousand Oaks, California from complications from dementia.

Anderson retired from managing after the 1995 season, finishing with a lifetime record of 2194–1834 (good for a .545 winning percentage). While most of his career was spent in Detroit (1979-1995), his plaque in Cooperstown shows him donning the cap of the Reds, whom he managed from 1970 to 1978.

The skipper guided the "Big Red Machine" to World Series championships in 1975 and 1976 and then led Detroit to the 1984 title.

"Sparky is one of the nicest persons you could ever know. (He's a) dedicated family man and he loves baseball," former Tigers pitcher Milt Wilcox (who played for Anderson from 1980-1985) told The Hall exclusively. "I was lucky to get to see and talk to him earlier this year in Detroit!"

On May 28, 2005, during pre-game ceremonies in Cincinnati, Anderson's number 10, was retired by the Reds.  His number with the Detroit Tigers, (number 11), has been inactive since he retired in 1995, but has not been formally retired. 

Something tells me that will be remedied soon.

Sparky Anderson was 76.

For an excellent, comprehensive look back at the Hall of Famer's career...check out The Baseball Page.

Sparky Anderson Placed in Hospice Care

When I read today that Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson was placed in hospice care...my heart sunk.

Here's what the Associated Press had to say:

Former Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson has been placed in hospice care at his Thousand Oaks, Calif. home for complications resulting from dementia. No further details were released.

Sure, I knew nothing of his current state and know nothing about dementia, but the guy was one of the best managers around (he sits sixth all-time with 2194 wins) and when, years ago, I saw him amid a sea of fans prior to a Detroit Tigers-Milwaukee Brewers game...I had to get something signed.

The 76-year-old Anderson was the first manager to win World Series titles in both leagues (Tony LaRussa is the other) and is the only skipper to lead two franchises in career wins.

Courtesy of Tom Weir of the USA Today...here are some classic "Sparkyisms".

On the aftermath of a 16-4 loss, in 1990: "The only reason I'm coming out here tomorrow is the schedule says I have to."

On Bowie Kuhn's time as MLB commissioner: "If I hear him say just once more he's doing something for the betterment of baseball, I'm going to throw up."

On the designated hitter: "I've changed my mind about it. Instead of being bad, it stinks."

On managing: "A baseball manager is a necessary evil."

And his line of admiration about Willie Stargell: "He's got power enough to hit home runs in any park, including Yellowstone."

Anderson led the "Big Red Machine" to back-to-back World Series wins in 1975 and 1976 and directed the Tigers to a ring in 1984. Twice named the American League Manager of the Year (1984 and 1987), he retired from baseball in 1995.