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October is a big month for the baseball world. And Jay would like nothing better than to talk baseball with George Will — which he does.
Will wrote a blockbuster baseball book, Men at Work. It keeps selling and selling. He himself is an encyclopedia of baseball. He has opinions, as everyone does, and they are all undergirt by facts.
With Jay, he talks a little about his boyhood. His family, his (brief) career in Little League, his attachment to the Cubs.
The two also talk about various issues in baseball: the length of the season, for example, and the length of the basepaths. Also the issue of drugs in the sport.
And don’t forget Pete Rose: Should he be in the Hall or not?
Jay asks Will to name some of his favorite pitchers, hitters, and managers, which he does. He also tells a story about his dinner with Ted Williams.
At the end, Will instructs Jay, “Don’t try to tickle metaphysics out of baseball.” Words to live by.
Anyway, celebrate baseball with one of the best minds in it, George F. Will.
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I fully agree with the idea that sports, baseball in particular, is an utterly meaningless activity which gives us permission to love it unashamedly. I disagree about Will’s resistance to football, however. I love football, probably more dearly than baseball.
However, I still prefer my father’s answer … asked what his favorite sport was, my dad always answered, “whatever sport I’m playing at the time.”
Jay, when your team isn’t in the running, do you do as I do and root for the American League, or are you free of partisanship at that point? I’m a Tribe fan (and a former Tigers fan – my family moved from Michigan to Cleveland when I was in grade school) so I’m riding high right now.
What an entirely enjoyable conversation, thank you Jay.
I truly appreciate the diversion of this conversation and the postseason, but, alas back to politics: “They don’t think it be like it is, but it do.” -Oscar Gamble
Mr. Nordlinger – I truly enjoyed and appreciated this podcast. Baseball is the greatest game and to hear those as well-versed and enthusiastic as George Will and you in a 40-minute conversation on the mystery and history of the Only Game is a rare privilege. Thank you.
I hadn’t watched baseball or cared one lick about it in over a decade, then I listened to this episode of Q&A and remembered why I loved this game as a kid. After listening to it I decided to watch the NLCS and just got to see the Cubs beat the Dodgers in game 6 to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1945. Jay and George, thank you for reconnecting with the great American game of baseball.