July 26, 2004

Real Men Pitch from the Mound

bushpitch2A.jpgkerrypitch2.jpg
Left: 2001, a strike. Right: 2004, dirtball

LIFE IMITATES FOREIGN POLICY: "Some fans cheered and some booed as Kerry threw a ball that sank and hit the dirt before the catcher -- a soldier home from Iraq -- could catch it. "-- NBC Newschannel 6

DUKAKIS TAKES THE FIELD: The fateful ball game -- Kerry's Changeup

UPDATE: File under "That soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq Made Me Do It:

John Kerry bounced the ceremonial first pitch during last night's Red Sox-Yankees game at Fenway Park, but he said he was just going easy on the National Guard soldier and Iraq war veteran standing in as catcher.
    "I held back," Mr. Kerry told reporters early this morning, on the plane ride after the game. "He was very nervous. I tried to lob it gently."
-- Kerry hurls wild pitch

Now to pitch like a dork is not, in itself, such a shameful thing, but to lay the blame on your catcher is just vile. Who said "It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools."

One of the subtexts on this whole small but sorry incident is that, with all the hoople around Kerry's snowboarding, skeet shooting, wind surfing, bike riding, etc. it seems as if all the "sports" this man does are sports that don't really involve the concept of "team." Give him a moment in a real team sport, he fluffs it. Now, I might have missed something in Politics 101, but it seems to me that the ones who are successful are those that know about playing on a team.


Tip via: Bob Hawkins in the Comments.

Posted by Vanderleun at July 26, 2004 10:44 AM
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"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper N.B.: Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately. Comments that exceed the obscenity or stupidity limits will be either edited or expunged.

Real men throw,
Girlie men flip...

Dan Patterson
Winston-Salem, NC

Posted by: Dan Patterson at July 26, 2004 11:24 AM

Not one netrwork mentioned he threw like a girl. Perhaps Theresa showed him how.

Posted by: Walter E. Wallis at July 26, 2004 12:29 PM

Balls thrown from 45 feet don't "sink", they fall.

Posted by: Christopher Cross at July 26, 2004 2:06 PM

I was really impressed when Bush actually stepped to the mound, wound up and fired one across the plate, in the strike zone. But then, this is a metaphor for his presidency. There are many things (foreign policy, responses to terrorism, etc.) that some presidents treat merely as photo-opportunities, and consequently they soft-ball them. Bush steps to the mound, checks bases, winds and delivers. And the press can't believe he actually takes it seriously.

Posted by: Steve Bragg at July 26, 2004 2:30 PM

Bush throws a strike from the mound. Can't even get it to the catcher in the air from 45 feet. There is a lesson here.

Posted by: Scott R at July 26, 2004 2:39 PM

Sorry. Meant to say; Kerry can't even get it to the catcher in the air from 45 feet.

Posted by: Scott R at July 26, 2004 2:41 PM

Kerry blamed the National Guardsman to whom he was throwing the ball. I know you're shocked.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040726-023652-7782r.htm

Posted by: Bob Hawkins at July 26, 2004 3:44 PM

Steve,

Look at the dashboard. The reality check light is on.

Posted by: Charles Croninger at July 26, 2004 4:42 PM

Take a look at the way he is holding the ball. The grip he has is all his fingers around the ball, that usually is a grip for a change-up. Most baseball pitchers will curl two fingers under the ball for a fastball, I think Bush threw his that way. Kerry is a fraud, what a lame excuse, " holding back". Lame.

Posted by: sw at July 26, 2004 10:10 PM

Wow, he made a bad throw. Clearly he's not qualified to be president.

Please tell me you idiots don't vote.

Posted by: MD at July 27, 2004 12:51 AM

Uh MD...the pitch that John F'ing Kerry threw is a metaphor for the man. Weak, ineffectual, and once he failed to deliver he blamed the other guy. John John puts out airs of being a regular guy when in reality he is a stuffy, elitist snob who has as much in common with Joe Six Pack as the Queen of England (however the Queen wd have probably thrown a better pitch).

Please tell me you don't vote.

Posted by: hen at July 27, 2004 4:54 AM

Please don't confuse him with the word "metaphor."

Speaking for myself, I usually find I can vote six or seven times if I get started early enough.

Posted by: Gerard Van der Leun at July 27, 2004 5:28 AM

Kerry played soccer, ice hockey, and lacrosse in high school/college. All of those are team sports.

Posted by: Jeremy Wahlman at July 27, 2004 2:01 PM

Hen,

"Metaphor for the man" is treading very close to "stuffy, elitist snob" talk. Get control man, you're sounding left.

Posted by: Charles Croninger at July 27, 2004 2:35 PM

MD: Kerry allowed himself to be photographed breaking immutable rules of gun safety thus flaunted the fact that he doesn't know beans about guns. He claimed to be a baseball fan then threw like a girl, tried to blame the NG guy who was originally supposed to throw the pitch and muffed easy questions from the game's color commentator.
John Kerry, Regular Guy.
I may be an idiot, but I know an intellectually condescending fraud when I see one.

Posted by: Spike at July 28, 2004 10:41 PM

Kerry strikes me as a poser, whether on the mound or in the Senate. Being Canadian I'm used to that type of politician, eastern Canadians seem determined to keep re-electing them. Trust me, you don't want to go there.

Posted by: Kevin at August 10, 2004 4:13 PM

Sorry, should have expressed that I wish your great nation the best of luck in the War on Terror.
It is unfortunate that America so often has to do much of the heavy lifting in protecting freedom & liberty, while a significant part of the world would rather indulge in endless rhetoric. While there should be more gratitude extended towards the U.S. for its military expenditures, both in American lives and dollars, this is sadly not the case. There are however some of us that do feel this gratitude.

Posted by: Kevin at August 10, 2004 4:42 PM

Goodness, even Hillary could do better!

What a sham, what a weakling, and him making himself out to be a gung-ho sportsman and war hero

Even an orang utan would look better, I just want to vomit.

Posted by: S Wye Kay at August 15, 2004 11:30 PM

Not being able to pitch really doesn't say much about you as a person, but shifting the blame certainly speaks volumes about the man. It seems to be the status quo for the man. Check this out:

"Mr. Kerry's explanation of his imperfect throw was reminiscent of his comment after his topple while snowboarding on the ski slopes this winter.
'I don't fall down,' Mr. Kerry told reporters, blaming a Secret Service agent for that tumble. "

Posted by: Q at August 16, 2004 3:46 AM

Not being able to pitch really doesn't say much about you as a person, but shifting the blame certainly does. It seems to be the status quo for the man. Check this out:

"Mr. Kerry's explanation of his imperfect throw was reminiscent of his comment after his topple while snowboarding on the ski slopes this winter.
'I don't fall down,' Mr. Kerry told reporters, blaming a Secret Service agent for that tumble. "

Posted by: Q at August 16, 2004 3:47 AM

Sorry about the double(now triple) post, my friend hit enter when I wasn't looking :p

Posted by: Q at August 16, 2004 3:50 AM

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