A Fourth of July Spectacle
ByHello again this week to my trust of friends and readers. I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th! Was it loud enough in your neighborhood? My windows vibrated several times. It seems that Americans are now going to as much excess with the 4th of July as they do for Christmas. Some of my neighbors started setting off fireworks as early as June 24. When I was young, we looked forward to the 4th as the only day all year we got to see fireworks. That made it something special. Now we get firework shows for every celebration and 1-2 weeks for the 4th of July. It has become just another show. Plus, the rudeness factor is growing as people are setting off some fireworks as late as 12:30 am. Where are the manners and consideration for your fellow citizens? These are probably the same people who talk loud in restaurants on their cell phones. Can we use some common sense and make our holidays special again?
Where is American tennis and golf? With Wimbledon just ended, it is apparent no Americans will be challenging in the near future. Do Americans no longer have the zeal and drive to compete in sports in which there are no “guaranteed” contracts?
Speaking of sports, one of my favorites, the All-Star game, will be next week. I must admit the game has lost some of its luster due to the voting system and interleague play. The “us” verses “them” factor has been diminished. With the players now getting to vote on all but the starters, many “stars” are now left out. As I looked over the rosters for the upcoming game, I noticed that outside of the Yankees’ three veteran stars, there is no one in the game who has been to more than eight games. Where are all the veteran super stars? When I was young, the rosters would be practically the same every year. Rose, Aaron, Mays, Clemente, Killebrew, Jackson, Robinson, McCovey, Oliva. These guys were there every year and that’s who the fans wanted to see. Now it seems every year the rosters are half filled with one-year wonders who have disappeared by the next year. I miss the “glamour” of the game. Can we return the game to the fans and have the veteran super stars we want to see? Of course, one problem is a lack of veteran stars. With the big money now involved, the older high priced players are pushed aside for younger, cheaper players as soon as their skills start to slide. As the song goes, “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?”
Until next week, Doc.
