Live from the ballyard: Call Thumb No. 158 and win a T-shirt!
I’d all but abandoned hope. There Bobby Cox was, 32 games remaining as a big-league manager, and he was stuck on 156 ejections. My sweet dream was that the Thumb King would reach 162 before he retires, which would make him the only man who could ever truthfully say, “I wasn’t around for the end a season’s worth of games.”
Forget Cy Young and his 511 wins. Forget Joe D. and 56 straight. I was thinking 162 ejections would be the standard to end standards. I was thinking 162 heave-hos would impel the folks in Cooperstown to waive the waiting period and induct the crusty skipper posthaste..
But I had, as noted, begun to doubt the great man. His once-furious pursuit of history had slowed to a crawl. He was tossed only three times through 129 games, and I’d begun to think our roaring lion had resigned himself to going out with a whimper.
Then he got tossed Sunday, which was nice. But even with No. 157 in the book, my spirits were so low as to be a flickering ember.
Then I walked into the Braves’ clubhouse Monday and saw this written on a whiteboard:
“HP – B. Davidson.”
And hope sprang anew. Bob Davidson, known variously as Balkin’ Bob or Balk-a-day Bob, is famous for his quick trigger, and he, as noted last month by Atlanta writer Thomas Lake in a fine profile of Cox for Sports Illustrated, shares the record for most Cox ejections with six.
And here I’m thinking: Balk-a-day Bob in town for four games … two ejections easy, possibly three … Cox then has 159 with 28 pressurized games remaining. In sum, I’m thinking:
There’s still a shot.
And with that, I’ll open the figurative floor for questions, comments and ejection projections. Let the record show that yours truly has “bottom of the fourth” in tonight’s Thumb Pool. But I’m not, as you might have heard, much good at predicting. So I’m asking you to step right and make your picks. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
Oh, and by popular demand: We’ve made this a contest. Call the correct half-inning — we’ll cut off entries after the third, but you can predict a early ejection now — and WIN A T-SHIRT! (Of some sort.)
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936 comments Add your comment
Ted Striker
August 30th, 2010
7:12 pm
I call inning number 8 for the award t-shirt. However since I have plenty of t-shirts, just donate it to the single mom named Bambi down at the Cheetah who is putting herself through college. And be sure to wash it first. No need to dry it. Those things air dry themselves you know.
Bravissimo
August 30th, 2010
7:13 pm
Im 3 hours from ATL…not an easy up and back on a weeknite
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:13 pm
actually, as i understand it the game is a sellout, but when word spread about “Balky” being behind the plate most folks decided to watch the game on tv so they could see endless replays of Bobby getting the thumb.
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:13 pm
he should have blew on it
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:14 pm
if castillo is hitting 2nd things are bad
Headley Lamar
August 30th, 2010
7:14 pm
Enter your name copy and paste for later proof. (1st balk call)
1st inn:
2nd inn: TM
3rd inn:
4th inn: Headley
5th inn:
6th inn:
7th inn:clay
8th inn:
9th inn:
free baseball:
Mark a Tee-shirt to the winner?
Bob Davidson
August 30th, 2010
7:15 pm
As far as I’m concerned, all you people can just quit this nonsense and go toe the rubber.
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:15 pm
First ejection, TM. Of Bobby Cox. And we’re trying to narrow it down to half-innings. (But I’m doing this on the fly, so contest rules are in flux.)
Skip Carey
August 30th, 2010
7:15 pm
40,000 fans attending “dress-as-a-seat-night”.
5150 P.O.A.D
August 30th, 2010
7:16 pm
Mark I am going with:
Braves 5 9 1
Mets 2 6 0
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:16 pm
im related to some carters
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:16 pm
I believe I’m on record as saying bottom of the fourth, am I not? (But that doesn’t mean you can’t go with that, too.)
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:16 pm
sounds like all this may have struck a nerve with the balker.
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:17 pm
Enter your name copy and paste for later proof. (1st balk call)
1st inn:
2nd inn: TM
3rd inn:
4th inn: Headley
5th inn:
6th inn:hog
7th inn:clay
8th inn:
9th inn:
free baseball:
Phredd
August 30th, 2010
7:17 pm
good point Mark! It’s barely about the ballgame with them
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:17 pm
and the funniest part is, there’s no teeshirt.
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:17 pm
P.O.A.D., you need to enter our Thumb Pool. In what half-inning does Cox get the gate?
Media Watchdog
August 30th, 2010
7:18 pm
Who knew Ben Stein was now doing ESPN telecasts?
“Bueller…..Bueller…..Bueller….”
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:18 pm
cant have that
TM
August 30th, 2010
7:18 pm
okay bobby ejection:
T1:
B1:
T2:
B2:
T3:
B3:
T4:
B4
T5:
B5:
T6:
B6:
T7:
B7: TM
T8:
B8:
T9:
B9:
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:19 pm
somewhere i read ‘good things come to all those who wait”… bottom of the 9th.
Headley Lamar
August 30th, 2010
7:19 pm
The ump yesterday McClelland.
Isnt he the same guy who called George Brett out on the Pine Tar HR?
extremus
August 30th, 2010
7:19 pm
The home run by Brian McCann yesterday only seemed to re-emphasize that this could be a very special season. But the Braves aren’t the only team that is enjoyed such unlikely good fortune; a lot of teams that weren’t even considered in most experts’ preseason discussions regarding playoff contention are either leading their divisions or are in the thick of the hunt, and I for one think that’s a great thing for the game. The Texas Rangers look pretty scary over in the American League right now, and the Reds and Padres have given their fans a heck of a ride so far.
I remember another October when two less-than-likely teams met in the Fall Classic. The year was 1991, when the Braves met the Twins in a clash of “worst to first” teams. This year could see another set of fresh new faces and new heroes on Baseball’s biggest stage. Here’s hoping the World Series MVP goes to an Atlanta Brave, obviously, but kudos to many other deserving teams who’ve worked hard and performed above everyone’s expectations in 2010. MLB needed this in the worst way.
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
i miss erin andrews, only 3 more days..
cnels
August 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
im taking bottom 5
Bravissimo
August 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
Enter your name copy and paste for later proof. (1st balk call)
1st inn:
2nd inn: TM
3rd inn:
4th inn: Headley
5th inn:
6th inn:hog
7th inn:clay
8th inn:Bravissimo
9th inn:
free baseball:
kurula
August 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
top 6th
BravesFaninMD
August 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
Man, we need Jair’s A-game tonight.
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:20 pm
He was indeed, Headley. You know your brouhahas.
cnels
August 30th, 2010
7:21 pm
Enter your name copy and paste for later proof. (1st balk call)
1st inn:
2nd inn: TM
3rd inn:
4th inn: Headley
5th inn:
6th inn:hog
7th inn:clay
8th inn:Bravissimo
9th inn:
free baseball:
none: cnels
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:21 pm
there ya go
dawg4u
August 30th, 2010
7:21 pm
I remember that game 7 when McSherry was replaced by Randy Marsh and the Pirates may be right about Belinda’s pitch but we’ll never know now. I don’t think the Pirates have had a winning record since that ‘92 season have they?
5150 P.O.A.D
August 30th, 2010
7:22 pm
Mark will you give me a full leash to be live in the blog tonight? If I am bad then tell me or ban me forever.
Nice pitch JJ go to the dugout #5.
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:22 pm
They have not, dawg4u.
5150 P.O.A.D
August 30th, 2010
7:22 pm
Nice 1st pitch with a man on and # 2 is hot.
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
like a surgeon
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
Special thanks to TM for running the contest for me.
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
and the famous joe simpson is seen trying to hold Brett at bay.
kurula
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
jurrjens looks a lot better…so far.
Phredd
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
J.J. is always fun to watch
Selleck Waterfall Sandwich
August 30th, 2010
7:24 pm
Enter your name copy and paste for later proof. (1st balk call)
1st inn:
2nd inn: TM
3rd inn:
4th inn: Headley
5th inn: Selleck Waterfall Sandwich
6th inn:hog
7th inn:clay
8th inn:Bravissimo
9th inn:
free baseball:
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:24 pm
running or ruining?
cnels
August 30th, 2010
7:24 pm
so is there a better way to do this instead of clicking refresh?
cnels
August 30th, 2010
7:25 pm
Enter your name copy and paste for later proof. (1st balk call)
1st inn:
2nd inn: TM
3rd inn:
4th inn: Headley
5th inn: Selleck Waterfall Sandwich
6th inn:hog
7th inn:clay
8th inn:Bravissimo
9th inn:
free baseball:
none: cnels
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:25 pm
That’s correct, Coach Grantham.
Here’s what I remember about that game, or its fallout: Emery Air Freight commissioned commemorative pens in the form of a baseball bat, and the bottom third was covered with faux pine tar. Not really sure what the connection was, but I still have the pen. (Sans ink.)
Sons of Rick Matula
August 30th, 2010
7:25 pm
Is the downtown connector shut down? Where is everybody – the game is on ESPN – Linda Cohn will have a fit when she sees the crowd.
HOG IN DOUGLAS
August 30th, 2010
7:25 pm
misch??
todd grantham
August 30th, 2010
7:26 pm
shouldnt the game be closed now that baseball has started?
Mark Bradley
August 30th, 2010
7:26 pm
Infante didn’t misch that pitch, did he?
Sorry. I’ll be quiet.
No Triple Crown for You
August 30th, 2010
7:27 pm
INFANTE.