Talkin' baseball on Capitol Hill

by Stacey on Jul 16, 2009 3:42 PM EDT in News & Rumors

The Orioles were a brief subject of conversation in Washington, D.C. yesterday, only it was much more lighthearted than when Mr. Palmeiro took his trip to see Congress. During the Sonia Sotomayor's senate confirmation hearing, Maryland senator Ben Cardin reminded everyone of Ms. Sotomayor's role in the 1994 baseball strike:

"You're a hero to the Baltimore baseball fan. During the Major League baseball strike, you allowed the season to continue so Cal Ripken could become the Iron Man in September 1995," Cardin said. "We want to invite you to an Oriole's game."

"That's a great invitation," Sotomayor replied. "You can assure your Baltimore fans that I have been to Camden Yards. It's a beautiful stadium."

Being only 15 years old when the strike occurred in 1994, I remember being annoyed at the whole thing but not really interested in the details. I have vague memories of people complaining about greed of both the owners and the players and how bizarre it was that there was no World Series. I remember the talk of replacement players, with Peter Angelos being one of the only to speak up against using the "scabs." What I didn't know until now was that current Supreme Court appointee Sonia Sotomayor was the federal judge who stopped the owners from going forth with the use of replacement players. Thanks to her injunction against the owners, the 1995 season was played with major leaguers despite no collective bargaining agreement having been reached.

As referenced by Senator Cardin, the injunction kept Cal Ripken's consecutive games played streak alive, allowing him to break Lou Gerhig's record that year. Is that why Peter Angelos opposed replacement players in the first place? I certainly don't know. I'd imagine it factored in. It's funny that Cal's streak and the festivities that went along with it were heralded by some as the event that brought fans back to baseball after the strike, and they almost didn't happen.

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Sotomayor is a Yankee fan

I think that fact, rather than her ethnicity, is more important to investigate in asessing her judicial wisdom.

I also go by Voltaire.

by birdman on Jul 16, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions

yup

cuz there is no such thing as a “wise yankee fan”

by twistedlogic on Jul 16, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

isn't Hillary a yankee fan?

by PhilR8 on Jul 16, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

that helps prove my point

by twistedlogic on Jul 16, 2009 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Sotomayor at least came by Yankee fandom honestly.

She grew up in New York, after all.

Hillary is the worst kind of Yankee fan – a bandwagon Yankee fan.

"Whether your name is Gehrig or Ripken, DiMaggio or Robinson, or that of some youngster who picks up his bat or puts on his glove, you are challenged by the game of baseball to do your very best day in and day out. That's all I've ever tried to do."

by spike2131 on Jul 16, 2009 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions

pish

well if thats the case she sure as hell better not be invited to camden yards.

by twistedlogic on Jul 17, 2009 8:37 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

When she isn’t a Cubs fan.

by mystery tramp on Jul 17, 2009 7:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Angelos's reluctance to use scabs

PA made his name and first fortune representing union and blue-collar workers in class-action lawsuits against their employers, most of it in asbestos cases. He went on to other issues, but his history of working as a champion of labor left him in a tough spot when the issue of replacement players came up. He was the one and only owner to declare that he would not use the replacement players. While Ripken’s streak may have been part of the decision, it also would have seemed incredibly hypocritical for him to use scabs when most of his money and reputation came from fighting for labor.

by TonySabs on Jul 16, 2009 4:04 PM EDT reply actions

exactly

I can’t imagine how PGA could’ve justified using scabs, though I find Angelos’ stance on Cuba interesting.

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Jul 16, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the info

While I’ve always heard his fortune was asbestos related, I’d never bothered to learn any more about Angelos’ history.

I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry

by Stacey on Jul 16, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

O's affordability

At the end of the day, Angelos has been a champion for working-class people and his philosophy permeates his law practice and the operations at Camden Yards. While tickets are not cheap, they are less expensive than most other professional ballparks and they’re certainly a lot less than the Ravens. Beer and food prices are less expensive. The food policy (bring in your own food) is an anachronism in today’s sports business landscape where teams soak their fans for all they can get. Drive down to DC and you can’t get a beer for less than $8.

Say what you want about Angelos, but he has kept the Orioles experience affordable for families.

by JoeBeercan on Jul 17, 2009 10:16 AM EDT up reply actions

I never even thought of that

I guess his streak would have ended had the replacements started playing and major leaguers sat.

Matt Wieters can get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop in under one lick.

by daveh873 on Jul 16, 2009 4:04 PM EDT reply actions

unless Cal crossed the line

I also go by Voltaire.

by birdman on Jul 16, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

heehee

daveh, your signature makes me slightly uncomfortable, but in a good way, if that makes any sense!

by O Nina on Jul 16, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

It actually was a Matt Wieters fact that my girlfriend came up with. It didn’t get published because of the trademark of Tootsie Pop so I use it here. But hey, enjoy being uncomfotable!

Matt Wieters can get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop in under one lick.

by daveh873 on Jul 16, 2009 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions

does he even need to lick tho?

by twistedlogic on Jul 17, 2009 8:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Probably not

Hence the qualifier “under one lick”.

"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson

by Brotz13 on Jul 17, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

ah yea

i probably should learn to read

by twistedlogic on Jul 17, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Dave, your gf’s fact was added a few days ago by my roommate, Daniel Moroz of camdencrazies.com. You can find it here:

http://www.mattwietersfacts.com/2009/07/matt-wieters-can-get-to-tootsie-roll.html

Also, major thanks for using my design of the Wieters Wheaties Box as your icon. That’s SO awesome! I hope you have the shirt!

by ioland1 on Jul 17, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

omg

I love those shirts. As soon as I get a full-time job (stupid recession) I’m gonna buy one. I just hope the men’s small will fit me (I am uh very tiny).

by O Nina on Jul 17, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

haaaaaaa!

“matt wieters is so good jim palmer stopped talking about himself”

I want that one. Except my dad might disown me, as Palmer was his childhood idol… hm, tough call.

by O Nina on Jul 17, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Jim Palmer has actually already seen the shirt and found it hilarious. one of our fans even got it signed. You can check that out on our fan page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Wieters-Facts/74405256497

Thanks so much for the t-shirt love! They took forever to make. I have a 40 hr a week job and almost all of those nights i went to bed at 4-5am and then woke up at 7am and went to work. it sucked. but it’s been 100% worth it! :)

by ioland1 on Jul 17, 2009 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions