Citizenship
| Game 68: June 11, 2008 | |||
| Orioles | 3 | L: Garrett Olson (5-2) | 32-32, 1 game losing streak |
 Red Sox |
6 | W: Bartolo Colon (4-1) S: Jonathan Papelbon (19) |
41-27, 1 game winning streak |
| Highlights: Colon recovered from his prior poor showing to notch his fourth win of the season, going six innings with seven strikeouts and one base on balls. The only mar on his line was a solo shot by the seemingly unstoppable Luke Scott. The Red Sox’s first inning secured the early and last lead. Jason Varitek powered the rally with his three-run homer to the standing room only section of the Monster seats. | |||
My retinas were seared by Don Orsillo’s buttercream jacket and matching (?) yellow and red striped tie. So vibrant was the ensemble that after seeing him on screen for a while when the shot would switch back to the on-field action the afterimage superimposed itself over the players. It was like watching the game with an old-fashioned test pattern overlaying the field.
Jerry Remy said that Terry Francona gave Orsillo the business when he saw the play by play man’s outfit. I can imagine the ribbing:
- Can I have fries with that?
- Is that inspired by a barber shop pole? I vaguely remember what those establishments were for.
- The thrill of victory... and the agony of that jacket.
- I downloaded your group’s latest MP3s. Man, I love your version of “Don’t Stop Believing.”
- Since when did you get into real estate?
But Orsillo had the last laugh in the seventh inning when he made a play on hot-hitting Luke Scott’s foul ball. Announcer Boy and his jacket made last night’s SportsCenter Top Ten, not any play on the diamond. In that inning Scott eventually flied out to J.D. Drew who made yet another nimble play in right.
Carlton Fisk visited the booth in the second inning with a representative from the Museum of Science, which will be showcasing Baseball As America from June 15 to September 1. Along with the general themes of how the sport and America’s history are intertwined there will also be an exhibit of World Series memorabilia from last year.
David Americo Ortiz Arias became an American citizen yesterday, joining teammate Manny Ramirez who had done the same in 2004. Unlike Ramirez’s naturalization which happened with the Red Sox brass finding out by happenstance, Ortiz’s enfranchisement was attended by Larry Lucchino and filmed for posterity.
I love the ideals this country claims to be built upon if not the actual execution. Woody Guthrie penned “This Land is Your Land” but hardly anyone knows it in its entirety. Even though the first two uncontroversial verses of this hymnal are rote, these words have probably never been voiced by American schoolchildren:
I try to be a patriot as Guthrie was, as unpopular as it is these days.
