Today, October 21st, will be celebrated across the pond by remembering Nelson entering the aquatic arena at Trafalgar in 1805 a 6 ship underdog & pitching a 20-0 ships lost shutout against the French. Over here, on the eve of the World Series, the Blue Jays face-off against the Dodgers & Shohei Ohtani’s $33,333 a minute check stub for diamond supremacy like Henry V & his happy English few against the French nobles at Agincourt. 

      Tonight on YouTube just like this night in 1975 when the baseball commissioner seemed as inept & in the pockets of the owners as the present day commissioner but did seem to have an affection for the sport he commished, I watch Game 6 of the World Series & Boston’s Bernie homer in living color late to send the game to extras against the Cincinnati club led by Pete Rose. The all time hit king Pete Rose who entered every game that season as one of MLB’s highest paid players at just over $1,000 a game & was guaranteed to exit the game with the dirtiest uniform. 

      As the epic night wore on thanks to more Fenway heroics from Dewey in right field, again in living color with Joe & Tony & hometown announcer Dick on the call, my father informed me I needed to go to bed at the corner of Awahila & Sunalay but I could watch on the little black & white portable tv with the rabbit ear antenna adjusted just so, in my bedroom.

    I did as Pudge homered over the Green Monster much later, so much later it was October 22nd, & sent everyone to Game 7 & this Red Sox fan to his first face to face confrontation with Calvinism as the Spaceman threw an ill timed eephus pitch to Tony Perez less than 21 hours later. Miss Julie had her first brush with the disease of Calvinism in the Fall Classic’s 1986 Game 6, only 14 days into wedded bliss in apartment 57.       

     During the overtime, Pete Rose walked to the plate & queried Carlton Fisk, “…isn’t this fun?” If the millionaires, more concerned with exit velos, launch angles, & walk up music than hitting the cut off man or hitting to the opposite field with two strikes while playing for checks signed by billionaires had that attitude, I might find joy in the MLB again…