From RACEball to Baseball...Play fair...Play ball...Play DEAD...

Today's tale begins & ends with texts from friends:

Opening: with a friend's text (Thanks, Steven!!!) of a favorite band's Opening Day performance at San Francisco's Candlestick Park in April 1993. This was just posted at Dead.net - a favorite Truckin stop in the game of LIFE & DEATH...
Closing: Pedro's Metallica song finishes today's game...

PRE-GAME WARMUPS

Kickin’ off another season of America’s favorite pastime with the Dead’s April 1993 performance of the national anthem at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. | By Grateful Dead | Facebook

Moving east from Candlestick Park to New York's Central Park...

PLAY BALL!!!

Ladies first...

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?

A nation turns its lonely eyes to you, wo wo wo

What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson

'Joltin Joe' has left and gone away, hey hey hey

Hey hey hey

Simon and Garfunkel (The Concert in Central Park 1981) Full Concert 16:9 HQ (1:26:32) - opening song

NOW...LET'S HEAR FROM MR. ROBINSON...#42

Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball? by Buddy Johnson and Count Basie - Baseball Almanac article on song's history and lyrics

"Here was a player who had without doubt suffered more abuse and more taunts and more hatred than any player in the history of the game. And he (Jackie Robinson) had made a special effort to compliment and encourage a young white kid from Oklahoma." - Mickey Mantle

(#7 was my childhood hero)

Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball (02:41)

My birth year...plus, my grandparents (Mom's side) were from Brooklyn.

--The song's uploader wrote a special bridge for his version of the 1948 original by Buddy Johnson:

"He stepped up to the plate

Some thought he tempted fate

Others saw the new day

History showed it mattered

The color line was shattered

But Jackie just came to play!"

--This video is part of a civil rights project. Here's how the uploader sees it:

"This is the first of the Go Get Your Voice songs from and about the early civil rights movement. For the Dodgers to sign an African-American man to play on their major league team took courage and foresight. The color walls were slowly beginning to come down and the Dodgers, along with Jackie Robinson were pioneers in much the same was as other courageous individuals like Rosa Parks."

--One of the commenters added: "My sister was named after Jackie Robinson. Although her official name is Jacqueline, she has always been called Jackie, and she continues to introduce herself as Jackie Robinson - 40 years later. lol

Natalie Cole - Did You See Jacky Robinson Hit That Ball (02:41)

--Jackie and Martin

7th INNING STRETCH...

Musician’s version of “Is there baseball in heaven?” joke:

You know the premise of the baseball version, so here’s the musician’s one: two old rockers, let’s call them John and George, are hanging out…one says to his band mate, “Let’s make a pact that whoever plays their last gig first, will come back and tell the other if there’s rock music in heaven. OK? Deal!

So, John dies. Saddened, George recalls their pact and begins wondering if he’ll be able to get to play any gigs after he dies. To his amazement, as he’s wondering about his fate, John appears to him.

Overjoyed, George hugs him and they sit down to reminisce. Eventually, George gets up the courage to ask John about their pact.

George: “Is there rock music in heaven?”

John: “Do you want the good news or the bad news?”

George: “Give me the good news first.”

John: “Yes, there is rock music in heaven and plenty of available gigs. And, you won’t have to play for change – as you’ll already be changed – in the twinkling of an eye.”

George: “So, what’s the bad news?”

John: “Tomorrow, we got a gig together.”

Source: Birthday greetings to a great music man: All you give is what we need: love, love, love

Snack Time

Brought to you by the American Dental Associaton - an official sponsor of baseball

60s *Cracker Jack* Candy Commercial (0:1:00)

Crackerjack - Opening titles 1983 (00:58)

--UK Kids show

Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks (06:06) - Nabb Research Center at Salisbury University

--Great compilation of archival footage going back to 1927. Includes kids playing in the street like I did in Richmond Hill, NY and DONKEY baseball...

...Included, this photo of a young fan at his first game...

CLOSER

Mariano 'blessed' to be last with Jackie's 42 - MLB.com

[from this article]

Next to Jackie Robinson, no player has been more closely associated with No. 42 than Mariano Rivera.

When (Mo) Vaughn retired at the end of the 2003 season, Rivera was the lone 42 remaining in the Majors.

“I wanted to make Mr. Jackie Robinson proud of the legacy that he left us. Me, being the last No. 42, doing it in a great arena as New York, I was thankful for the legacy he left for us to continue and pushing it forward, passing it down to the next generation.”

“I don’t think someone could have written a script like that,” Rivera said. “Jackie being the first, me being the closer, being the last one, it was so great. His legacy will be carried forever. No one will ever wear the number again, but every year, once a year as long as baseball exists, everybody will be able to wear the No. 42. That is something special. That says a lot about the man, what he went through, what he did and what he stood for. We have to honor that.”

Sporting the same #42 as Jackie…

Entrance HIM/HYMN...

CLOSER HIM/HYMN

Enter Sandman: a Tribute to Mariano Rivera & the Yankees (05:16)

Assault & Battery Mates...Hip! Hip! Jorge!!!

Mariano leaves mound for the last time (9/26/13) - MLB (04:54)

EXTRA INNINGS...

“I Must be about my Father’s Business” – if Jesus’ dad was a Musician

Ancient of Days - Malverne's Church of the Intercessor Choir at Citi Field (4/19/20)

Local press coverage...

Cathedral choir of Malverne church sings at CitiField - LI Herald

--The baseball teams (Mets vs. Chicago Cubs) were distinguishable only by uniform color: all players on both sides wore Robinson’s number, 42, on their backs.

POST-GAME HUMOR

Baseball in the Bible

When I first heard Did you know baseball is mentioned in the Bible?, the answer was in Genesis; In the big inning. Later, someone told me of The woman who went to the well with her pitcher. While it may be assumed that Noah took a couple of bats on the Ark, it’s not specifically in print. Someone more “well-versed” than I told me of a third baseball reference, but it must have leaked out of my brain while I slept. Do you know of another place where baseball shows up in the Bible? –Nott

Here's the rest of this thread. Seeing the comment about the Red Sox, this version of the Bible must predate 2004 A.D.