I was browsing the answers to a question that MLB posted on Twitter today. A photo of Ted Williams with the caption “who would you go back in time to watch” featured a lot of interesting responses. A lot of Babe Ruth, a lot of Satchel Paige. I myself said Bob Feller. Then I noticed this exchange, which I screencapped for your viewing displeasure:
Notice anything unusual here?
This woman is basically “make me a sandwich’d” by a perfect stranger who decided that it was his place to test her baseball knowledge. The nerve of this dude.
I take it for granted that I surround myself with men who understand and appreciate that women can love the game of baseball and know a lot about it. There are guys I know who openly admit I know more about it than they do. But I don’t forget – can’t, really – the years of anonymous posting at baseball blogs and message boards, hiding under a masculine pseudonym because if I even remotely seemed like a female, my opinion was automatically invalid. I was obviously there for tight asses and to find a boyfriend (no, and no).
The other day, women-in-baseball pioneer Justine Siegal was attacked by trolls – male and female alike – leading to this tweet:
If you’re so intimidated by a woman who wants to merely give back to a game that she loves, the problem is with you and not with her. I don’t want to coach or scout, I only want to write about this beautiful sport, and yet I understand where Justine is coming from.
Our voices are important to hear. Our views are valid. Our experience is key. And our love of the game cannot be matched, just as any man’s. I urge you to support the ladies in your life who love baseball – love them back. Lift them up. Have their back when people tell them they can’t.
Fan Interference 
My two nieces are Angels fans, thanks to their father (my brother in law). They attend lots more live games. One is more intuitive and likes players who show effort and spirit – she hates players who don’t run out infield grounders. Her younger sister ( a bit more cerebral) tried to explain WAR to me a decade or so ago and baffled me! And I’m supposed to be the math guy in the family! Today I have a better understanding of WAR, but she’s moved on to far more esoteric calculations. When I attend a game with either (or both) of them, they frequently notice things I don’t. AND they are less annoying than most radio/ TV analysts.
It’s no secret in CA that women are better at most things than men.
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One of the really good things about my ex-husband was that he sincerely liked to hear me talk about baseball. I re-introduced it to him during our marriage, and he was always curious to learn more about it, the history, etc. If we were watching a national game, he would generally mute the play by play and ask me to call the game for him.
Now if it was a Brewers game, we always listened to Brian Anderson, because that guy is a gem.
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There really is a unity in fandom. Costner cutting down the corn to see his father is so retro. Now we can cross gender and generational barriers as well as racial differences. In this time of year, I’m tempted to say baseball: it’s a wonderful life!
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Prof, I have all sorts of interessin’ charcouterie here, plus pates and rillets. Let me know if you’d like me to make you a sandwich.
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If you have a thick sliced turkey, some triple cream brie, and a tart apple on some cranberry bread, I will take it.
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I’ll take a Rueben made with pastrami, if you don’t mind catering to my plebian preferences.
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As a Subway Sandwich Artist emeritus I am offended by anyone who can’t make their own sandwich. Also now I’m hungry.
What were we talking about? I’m going to make my own damn sandwich.
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My wife makes the sandwiches around here, but that’s a quality issue. I cook a lot of stuff pretty well, but she makes almost perfect sandwiches.
As to our little Mr. Chauvinist, I am impressed he using a real name on his posts. I expect he will need some bleach for cleaning out his inbox for a couple of days.
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Call me a Communist or whatever, but I’ve never really liked sandwiches much. The exception being grilled cheese, which I make myself, thank you very much. Now get out of the kitchen!
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You should try grilled peanut butter with banana sandwich. Recommend by The King!
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Grilled peanut butter…forget about the banana part…could this somehow be worked in with jalapenos, horseradish and bacon ??? What kind of bread if any???
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Surely a pita pocket.
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Thankyouverymuch.
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I’ll fully admit you know more about baseball than I do. Now get back into the kitchen and write up some blog posts!
(The kitchen is where I keep all the freshly baked goods that helps inspire all the writers.)
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My 18-year-old daughter will regularly launch into diatribes against “middle-aged white men” – then, she will turn to me and say, “I don’t mean YOU, dad – you’re okay, I guess…”
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