Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Bowling? Really?

It's amazing the things you can find buried in one of those omnibus reports from the GM Meetings:

GM Jon Daniels and Boston counterpart Theo Epstein talked Tuesday, but it
was more about bowling prowess than exchanging a young Red Sox pitcher for one
of the Rangers' catchers. Daniels and Epstein vied for the top bowler in the
annual GM tournament but had only passing conversation about the teams' mutual
trade interests.

I was a proud league bowler for many more years than I'd care to admit, I own my own shoes, and I can still sling the old Columbia Yellow Dot over the second arrow with the best of 'em, but I'm pretty darn shocked that two of the youngest GMs in the game are the best bowlers, because nobody bowls anymore.

Where's Jack Zduriencik in this? How about Dave Dombrowski? In age, geography, and ethnicity, they are way more of the bowling demographic than Daniels and Epstein. Does Pat Gillick get to participate even though he just stepped aside? If so, he'd have to be a lock because I'm pretty sure that guys born in 1937 were required to bowl by law. Does Doug Melvin -- a Canadian -- complain that they never get to play five pin?

So many questions.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm not sure about young people in general, but I know that bowling is quite popular among my friends (mostly mid-20s and middle class).

tadthebad said...

I am so tired of your age bias as it relates to good old-fashioned games. My fondness for bowling will not be marginalized! ;)

Seriously, who doesn't like to bowl a few frames every now and then? Especially if cold beer is served. Good - no GREAT - times! Now, if Theo can just get Jon a little tipsy and convince him to trade Laird/Salty for Lugo, we'll really be getting somewhere...domination through suspect negotiation.

Mark S said...

Head to Maine on your next vacation and try some candlepin bowling - you and your kids will absolutely love it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlepin_bowling

While there stop by Hadlock Field for a Portland SeaDogs game and their awesome chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich known as a Sea Bisquit.

Unknown said...

Moose- I was just going to mention that. It is actually disturbing that epstein is a good bowler. I grew up in massachusetts, and I did a lot of candlepin bowling, but I am an absolutely horrid 'big-ball' bowler. Seriously, i have fallen over while rolling the ball (i was drunk, but still). Epstein, as a native new englander, should be good at candlepin bowling, and candlepin bowling only. What else don't we know about Theo Epstein?

tHeMARksMiTh said...

Yay! A fellow bowler! I'm not the only one!

Eric Toms said...

Astounded to know that anybody south of the border knows about 5 pin! I was an avid 5 pin bowler as a youngin, mostly due to the fact there was little to do in Madoc. Not surprisingly, I also played a lot of snooker.

Now for the embittered " good old days " rant. Bowling has been ruined by technology. Back in the day in Madoc, kids set pins, not machines. You kept score with a pencil and a scoresheet, no computer. And on the rare occassion I bowl with my kids today, there isn't even any water to moisten your hands! You know, the wheel in the water, with the green towel hanging down? What's bowling without coming into contact with your fellow bowlers' germs? The shared shoes? Oh, the shoes! Bowling is the most egalatarian of sports. How can you feel superior to anybody else when you're all wearing those shoes?

Let's have a Shysterball bowling tournament! I'm willing to give 10 pin a stab. We'll smoke pot and watch The Big Lebowski in my hotel room afterward!

Craig Calcaterra said...

I have relatives in Sudbury, so I've been exposed to five pin. I'm a ten pin guy, though, so the tournament would have to be in the States. Otherwise, I'm down.

Eric Toms said...

The Big Nickel! You are an honorary hoser Mr. C!