Tuesday, October 22, 2024
The day started and ended on sad notes.
First, the news that the Los Angeles
Dodgers 1980s pitching sensation
from Mexico had passed away
Laurie had commented a few weeks ago that when she saw him on TV at an event he did not look healthy.
Unfortunately she was correct.
In the 1980s "Fernandomania" swept up all of Los Angeles in general and the Latin American community in particular.
Then I spotted this on the way
home from Jacob's football practice
Dale was the Head Basketball Coach at Thousand Oaks High School when I started my teaching and coaching there in 1970.
He was a great man of high principles who would continue to be a counselor and administrator at various Ventura County schools over the years.
He and wife Jan were also key members of the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors for several years.
In September, Dale and Jan celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. A few weeks later Dale passed away peacefully in his sleep. Jan joined him just 18 days later passing in the exact same manner.
Fernando, Dale and Jan will all be missed.
On a much brighter note, I attended Jacob's practice tonight with but one goal in mind, to take pictures as the sun was setting.
I needed to fiddle with my camera and its settings as I have always had problems taking action photos at night games and the Stingers' next game kicks off at 7:00 p.m.
In order to do it right at night I really needed a better camera, super bright lighting or a $5,000 bazooka-like lens.
Not going to happen.
So I played with the settings.
Jacob in a Pass Rush Drill
Working Half a Man
Finishing with a flourish!
Not bad photos, but it was only 6:00 p.m.
Jacob's Junior team Defense was going to scrimmage the Stingers' Sophomore team Offense which would provide a better test for my photography skills as the Sun continued to sink into the Pacific Ocean.
Blurry as expected
Some focus on the Sophomore RB
By the way, the Sophomore team's
Offense is AWESOME in its design
They use lots of motion and misdirection much like Army and Navy.
SWEEP!
Misdirection
Photos are not too bad compared
to my past failures
I can live with this
Getting into an acceptable groove
Actually, tonight's photos were
much better than I expected
Let's circle back to the upcoming World Series and more about Fernando Valenzuela.
Dodgers vs. Yankees
A true Fall Classic
The 1981 season was 20 year-old Fernando's first season with the Dodgers. The "Fernandomania" erupted as he pitched eight complete games in his first eight starts! During that eight game span he pitched an unheard of five shutouts and had a streak of 35 scoreless innings.
He would garner both the National League's Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards as the league's best pitcher in 1981.
In the World Series that year against the New York Yankees, Fernando would start game three with the Dodgers in a deep 0-2 hole.
But of course, he delivered a great game in hurling a 147 pitch complete game 5-4 win.
From this pivotal win, the Dodgers would also take the next three games to win the 1981 World Series.
"Fernandomania" INDEED!
As for Friday's World Series
opener in Los Angeles, I wonder
how much a ticket would cost?
I checked on StubHub for two tickets.
Let's see, the CHEAPEST tickets
listed were $1,072 EACH!
That would be $2,144 for two ducats plus a heft StubHub fee on top of that.
We'll be watching it on TV if you need us.
Some thoughts from the net . . .
100% TRUE
Oh yes, yes we can
Laurie and I are thus considered
SUPER ELITE!
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