Old School Sports: Summer Lawn Jarts

I was listening to Sports radio this morning and someone mentioned Lawn Darts or 'Jarts' and it started me reminiscing about when I was a kid in Duxbury and I would steal away from my chores to walk down Hawkins Lane and visit Jim and Erva McDonald.

Jim and Erva were from the Quincy/Milton area and had a cottage in Duxbury for years. They were probably in their early 70's with children who had already grown and married. Erva was nice to me but when I stopped by I spent most of my time with Jim.

Mr. McDonald was a thin-wiry guy with a full-head of hair, big ears, and tan, leathery skin. I remember he always wore pants and a white t-shirt with an occasional unbuttoned short-sleeve collared shirt over it. He smoked a lot (but not as much as Erva) and liked his drink. Their place was a little brown cottage probably built in the 1930's complete with a screened-in porch, window boxes, and huge flat lawn that ran up against the woods which separated their lot from Mom's back yard. When they got into arguements, Jim would often spend his time in a large one room furnished shed that was just a few steps from the cottage and kind of like a small guest house.

Jim was a real character and sort of a surrogate grandfather to me. He told stories/fables about the war and facing Ted Williams as a young pitcher in a Spring Training game. I can't remember if Jim was still in HS or just out of the war when he faced Williams but chances are the story wasn't even true. Jim was big into golf and we would either watch golf on TV together or when Mom permitted, he would let me caddy for him at North Hill CC, a public 9-hole course in Duxbury.

Many times after watching golf or mowing the lawn, he would break out his cigarettes and the Lawn Dart set and we would play. Occasionally he would let me win, but he was definitely one of those old-timers who knew his way around a horseshoe pit and was equally adept at Lawn Darts.

Anyway, I hadn't seen or even heard of Lawn Darts until this morning but it reminded me of Jim and those few times times I played as a kid. Then I thought how cool it would be to own a set, so you could play at the beach or you could play in a yard where bocce ball doesn't fair too well. What I didn't realize is that Lawn Jarts were banned in North America back in the 80's due to several injuries and a few deaths.

Sure the product name 'Jarts' is taken from Javelin-Darts, but I think today's censorship only guards against people using their own common sense. Kids and drinking should defintitely be monitored when using the game, but isn't that obvious?!? It seems like no one is accountable for anything anymore...even their own stupidity. Anyway, although you can still buy a safer, rubberized version today; the true vintage, steel sets are now only available on the black market for $60 and up. So if you come across a set at a yard sale -- grab 'em!

Check out these links for more info...

http://lawn-jarts.com/lawn_jart_history.php

http://lawn-jarts.com/lawn_jarts_banned_in_the_usa.php

Dreading Manny

Stop the presses! Manny Ramirez finally decided it was time to have his haircut!

Even though he is almost 37 yrs old, Manny still conducts himself like a spoiled little child who acts out when he doesn't get everything he wants. Whether it's being made to take anger management classes after roughing-up a Team attendant or just cutting his hair, he doesn't like being told what to do. So when Manny finally decides to abide by the team rules and trim his dreadlocks, there has to be something in it for HIM!

Manny's comments on the big 'event': "It's still long. If I come back next year, it will be shorter."

Manager Joe Torre's reaction: "He haunts me with this. Manny says every time he gets a hit, it's the hair. I say it's the ability. He knows as well as everybody else around here that his ability is special. He's a character."

The plain truth is -- Manny cut his hair when he wanted to and only because it's part of his offseason campaign to get another big contract. However, as Jason Stark of ESPN points out, being a model citizen the rest of this season could backfire on him as many as GM's around the League realize that this is just an act and when Manny gets his money, he will probably turn back into the problem child he was in Boston.

Julio 'Wally Pipp' Lugo?

Similar to Wally Pipp getting injured in 1925 and losing his job to a back-up named Lou Gehrig, Julio Lugo may be in danger of losing his job to rookie Jed Lowrie. Even though Lugo makes $9 MM more a year than Lowrie, performance ranks supreme in Boston and based on the exibition Lowrie is putting on thus far, Lugo may never start another game at Shortstop.

Jed Lowrie's 2008 Stats:

Doubles - 13

Triples - 2

RBI's - 29

Avg. - .310

Games - 42

Lowrie's Last 7 Games:

Hits - 10

Doubles - 6

RBI's - 7

Avg. - .400

• Jed Lowrie tied a career high with three hits on Aug 14th against Texas. He also accomplished the feat May 10th at Minnesota.
• Lowrie has 3 straight multi-hit games, and has hits in 12 of his last 13.
• He also has at least one double and one RBI in each of his last four games.

Scouting Report (Offense):

"Lowrie hits for average very well, and equally from both sides of the plate. Outstanding plate discipline, in true Red Sox form his best attribute may be his ability to work pitchers for good at bats. Fundamental and athletic."

Scouting Report (Defense):

"An intelligent Shortstop with a decent glove and average range. His arm is strong but he needs to work on his throwing accuracy. So far Lowrie's defense is ranked 5th among the 62 major league shortstops (Derek Jeter and Jose Reyes are ranked in the 40's)."

All-Time Baseball Movie Hitters

1. Kelly Leak, 'Bad News Bears' Chico's Bail Bonds, .665
2. Roy Hobbs, 'The Natural' New York Knights, .422
3. Crash Davis, 'Bull Durham' Durham Bulls, .398
4. Dottie Hinson, 'League Of Their Own' Rockford Peaches, .377
5. Willie Mays Hayes, 'Major League' Cleveland Indians, .356
   

-Courtesy of ESPN

Red Sox Come Alive, Win the Battle of 1917!

The Sox and Texas Rangers tied the record for most combined runs in an American League game as Dustin Pedroia grabbed 5 hits, David Ortiz hit 2 HR's, and Kevin Youkilis had a 'hat trick' of sorts with 2 HR's along with 2 strike outs and 2 errors!

A Byrd in the Hand

Cleveland's 37 yr old Paul Byrd was aquired by the Red Sox to support the Pitching Rotation. Now Clay Buchholz can go back to Pawtucket and get his head straight, Bartolo Colon can take his time rehabbing, and Curt Schilling can feel less guilty about taking $8 MM to sit on the DL this year. More importantly, the clubhouse is buoyed knowing the Sox brass went out and got someone to help out down the stretch. Let's just hope Byrd can help the Sox staff and doesn't fly South this October like his namesake.

Dog Days of Summer

There are only 52 days and 46 games left in the Red Sox season, yet it still seems to be dragging. I’m not sure if it’s a World Series hangover, a case of Manny 'Malaise', or the lingering affects from the Japan trip, but the Sox seem to lack consistent energy and are not the exciting team they were last year. Earlier in the season, they led the league in come from behind victories and you felt it was just a matter of time before they hit their stride and started dominating again -- but they never did and probably never will this year.

Things I am getting tired of in 2008…

1. All the one run losses on the Road
2. J.D. Drew striking out without swinging
3. David Ortiz’ nagging injuries
4. Lack of production/fielding from Julio Lugo
5. Getting swept at Tropicana Field
6. Okajima’s blown leads
7. General lack of power in the line-up
8. Jason Varitek at the plate
9. Daisuke Matsusaka’s frequent walks/high pitch counts
10. Don Orsillo laughing at Jerry Remy
11. Manny Delcarmen’s grooved fastballs
12. Tampa Bay’s many wins in the bottom of the 9th
13. The ‘Shift’ on David Ortiz
14. Theo Epstein not acquiring bullpen help
15. Waiting for Bartolo Colon to get off the DL
16. Coco Crisp not fulfilling his potential
17. Josh Becket having a below average year
18. Manny Ramirez ‘Mania’ spreading in Los Angeles
19. The Front Office trimming payroll
20. Papelbon allowing runners on base
21. Getting smacked around by the Angels
22. Lack of spectacular catches from Crisp
23. Buchholz’ and Ellsbury’s sophomore slumps
24. Mike Lowell looking like he’s 52 with all his gray hair
25. The pathetic bottom third of our Batting order

The Manny Rules?

Will Manny Ramirez cut his hair as Manager Joe Torre and the Dodger's organization has requested he do to conform to team rules or will his production at the plate allow him to play by his own rules (as he did with the Red Sox)? Ironically, people in LA feel like they already know Manny and an LA Times beat reporter and Torre even have a bet on what Manny will do by next Monday when the Dodgers return to LA from their road trip. Good luck with that one!

Meanwhile back in Boston, the Boston Globe is reporting that the Baseball Commissioners Office is investigating Manny's fake knee injury and possible tanking of games to get out of his contract with the Red Sox. Can you say 'Integrity of the Game' violation? They seem to take that pretty seriously at MLB headquarters...just ask Pete Rose.

The Revenge Bowl: Sept 14, 2008

Bring on the J-E-T-S! The Patriots will now face Eric Mangini & Brett Favre this season with the chance to avenge both the Super Bowl XXXI loss and SpyGate!

Early Returns on Big Trades

Xavier Nady: Left Fielder -New York Yankees

• Games (9)
• Hits (12)
• HR's (4)
• RBI (11)
• Avg. (.400)

Manny Ramirez: Left Fielder -Los Angeles Dodgers

• Games (4)
• Hits (10)
• HR's (2)
• RBI (5)
• Avg. (.625)

Jason Bay: Left Fielder -Boston Red Sox

• Games (5)
• Hits (9)
• HR's (1)
• RBI (6)
• Avg. (.429)

Are you kidding me?

It came out an hour after the trade was finalized with the Dodgers that Manny Ramirez asked his agent Scott Boras to tell the Red Sox he would behave the last 2 months of the season if the Red Sox would drop the (2) $20 million options on his contract.

Too little, and way too late. Sure he was well received (like Wayne Gretzky and David Beckem before him) in Los Angeles on Friday and went 2-4 in his debut with the Dodgers but Ramirez may have realized Thursday night that he shot himself in the foot by forcing the Red Sox hand. Not only is he now in a new league but also a league without a DH, so he'll have no days off in the field the rest of the way. Also, he will be to patrolling the huge left fields of the NL West which will expose his lackluster defense. On top of that, but he'll be facing the top NL pitching in the West while hitting in a weak Dodger line-up with little protection behind him. All of which will not help his campaign for a huge new contract.

Ramirez is seeking a 4 year $100 million deal to finish out his career but early reports are that he would probably only get about $35 million for 2 years (less than the 2 Red Sox options). In the end, what Manny (and Scott Boras) probably wanted was for Boston to void the 2 options on his contract, so he could become a free agent at the end of the year. Then, with Ramirez raking at Fenway the last 2 months of the season, Boston and their deep pockets would be in the bidding to help drive up the price on a new contract.

It's obvious that Manny Ramirez does not like to be controlled nor told what to do, so him having to take anger management classes for an altercation last month and the Red Sox holding all the cards on his contract was enough for him to quit and hold his talent hostage from the team. Unfortunately, it got ugly when the Red Sox called his bluff. His plan backfired and now the word his out on Manny as a possible 'quitter'. Big market teams won't be as interested in giving the 36 1/2 year old Ramirez what he wants this off-season unless he really tears it up the rest of the season and now that may not be as easy as Manny once thought. Oops!