Baseballs & Voices & the Winter Classic

[knightfan26917]

This time of year can seem to last forever with the cold temperatures, but the MLB season isn't THAT far away. Here are a couple things that might speed up the next few months + an interesting history about the NHL's Winter Classic.

#1 ... BASEBALLS:

Some of you may've already seen this ... but it's still cool how baseball seams are sewn:

http://www.reliableplant.com/view/25724/how-baseballs-are-manufactured

#2 ... VOICES:

People such as Walter Cronkite, Jane Pauley and Howard Cosell are widely known to most Americans and across the globe. Hometown sportscasters, however, may or may not be as well known. Enter Pat Hughes, the radio voice of the Chicago Cubs since 1996. He has created a series to celebrate broadcasters who have brought baseball (and other sports) home to millions of die-hard fans ... "Baseball Voices":

www.baseballvoices.com

I HIGHLY recommend this series; WORTH the price!

I have 5 of the CDs and have enjoyed each:

HARRY CARAY

...St Louis Cardinals

...Oakland A's

...Chicago White Sox

...Chicago Cubs

RED BARBER

...Cincinnati Reds

...Brooklyn Dodgers

...New York Yankees

MILO HAMILTON

...St Louis Browns

...St Louis Cardinals

...Chicago White Sox

...Atlanta Braves

["Here's the pitch by Downing...there's a new home run champion of all time and it's Henry Aaron!"; 1974 Braves home opener]

...Pittsburgh Pirates

...Chicago Cubs

...Houston Astros

MARTY BRENNAMAN

...Cincinnati Reds

JACK BUCK

...St Louis Cardinals

I plan to add these to my collection sometime:

BOB PRINCE

...Pittsburgh Pirates

BOB UECKER

...Milwaukee Brewers

DAVE NIEHAUS

...Seattle Mariners

HARRY KALAS

...Philadelphia Phillies

While I don't know what others are in the works, I'd be interested in CDs about, among others,

...ERNIE HARWELL

Brooklyn Dodgers

New York Giants

Baltimore Orioles

Detroit Tigers

...VIN SCULLY

Brooklyn Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers

...JON MILLER

Oakland Athletics

Texas Rangers

Boston Red Sox

Baltimore Orioles

San Francisco Giants

...DEWAYNE STAATS

Houston Astros

Chicago Cubs

New York Yankees

Tampa Bay Rays

...JOHN ROONEY

Minnesota Twins

Chicago White Sox

St Louis Cardinals

#3 ... NHL WINTER CLASSIC:

The NHL has featured 4 New Year's Day games with interesting results, compared to the Stanley Cup finals.

2008

...Pittsburgh Penguins @ Buffalo Sabres, RALPH WILSON STADIUM.

...Pittsburgh beat Buffalo.

...NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh (with Marian Hossa) lost to the Detroit Red Wings.

2009

...Detroit Red Wings @ Chicago Blackhawks, WRIGLEY FIELD

...Detroit beat Chicago.

...NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Detroit (with Marian Hossa) lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2010

...Philadelphia Flyers @ Boston Bruins, FENWAY PARK

...Boston beat Philadelphia.

...NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Philadelphia lost to the Chicago Blackhawks (with Marian Hossa).

2011

...Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins, HEINZ FIELD

...Washington beat Pittsburgh.

...NHL Stanley Cup Finals: TBD

Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * 06.2011_RT=us66+NW USA

MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"It won't hurt; we're just TV good guys" __ Andy & Terry Murray __ 'Tony and I'

[NOS2006]

Interesting thoughts on the Winter Classic. It will either be Washington or Pittsburgh in the Finals, but they'll be playing the Red Wings. Chicago won't make the finals. It'll probably be Detroit vs. Vancouver in the semi-finals.

[knightfan26917]

It almost sounds as if Washington HAS to win this year ... to "verify" the success they've had during the regular season the last few years or so.....

Guess we'll see....

These pics fit with the sports theme....

ANAHEIM (CA) STADIUM

I took these during a 1991 family road trip:

I don't remember what the Angels did, but the Boston Red Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles 7-3, and the Chicago Cubs beat the St Louis Cardinals 6-4:

WRIGLEY FIELD, Chicago IL

I took these at the "day before" festivities of the 1990 MLB All Star Game. The game itself, the next night, was rain-shortened.

3 RIVERS STADIUM, Pittsburgh PA

I believe these were taken prior to the New York Mets / Pittsburgh Pirates 08/08/1988 night game. The Pirates won, 1-0, and scenes from the rain-canceled first-ever night game at Wrigley Field were shown on the JumboTron.

FENWAY PARK, Boston MA

I took these (and a few other) pictures of this famed baseball venue during my August 2009 road trip.

AND ... found these pictures of a birthday cake a friend and I ordered MANY years ago for my sister, who loves playing soccer:

Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * CruiseNites_2011_Chi.IL *

MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Baseball time is here again" __ Steve Goodman __ 'Go Cubs Go'