Well, the time has come to write another sports article – in particular, an article about BASEBALL. This takes me back to the times when I used to live behind Wrigley Field, and listened to Harry Carry sing his famous version of, yes, you guessed it! “Take me out to the ball game…”

Baseball, has become a unique part of US as well as Japanese culture, and provides a very entertaining alternative to the often cryptic, and dare I say odd looking game of, yes, you guessed it! Cricket.

Baseball is a game of numbers, statistics, and probably one of the most difficult and technical sports games to master (sorry, cricket). Yes, baseball is a game of numbers and statistics, of averages, streaks, maximums, and minimums. However, baseball arithmetic has its own logic. Some might even claim that baseball arithmetic lives in left field.

In baseball, it is quite possible to have a “full count,” a “double play,” on occasion a “triple play,” the bases can be “loaded”, a series can be “swept,” and you can have, say a “1-2-3 8th…”

Statistics are also kept on other interesting baseball phenomena – one of which is that of flies. There are many kinds of flies in baseball. Consider the “fly ball,” the “sacrifice fly,” the “lazy fly,” and my favourite, the “foul fly!” Perhaps, rather than flies, I should say “flyes.” But I would not want to start another debate on baseball grammar, such as the one that has befallen our old friend RBIs.

Baseball is not without its dangers. Batters may get hit by pitches. On occasion, the audience may suffer as well: just the other day I watched in disbelief as the batter swung his bat, which, with immediate effect, left his hands and proceeded to fly on a parabolic trajectory straight into the audience, hitting a small hapless boy on his head – fortunately he was OK. However, he required much comforting from his bemused as well as concerned mother. But all in all, unlike the snarling soccer crowds, baseball fans tend to be good-humoured.

I would like to thank the present gratuitous cable ESPN coverage for providing the sights and sounds, which have inspired this article.

Actually, I got to the living room just fine. It was lunch time, and I turned on the TV to Eurosport (yes, I got cable). I started flipping through the channels, and lo and behold… There I came upon ESPN! And… ESPN America! Now, American administrations may have made a mess of foreign policy since the ‘liberation’ of Europe, but when it comes to ESPN, the entertainment value is fantastic: complete with eye soothing graphics, deep melodic broadcast voices, clean, manicured presenters with ultra-white teeth, camera hamming eyes, and well-studied smiles. You might say, “crikey, it is all make believe.” That may be so. But this is the show business, and a fine make believe it is – top notch entertainment indeed. Don’t know how long I will have ESPN for, but I am sure to make it count.

I have often wondered how the Americans have managed to be so successful at TV. I think the colour gamut of NTSC is slightly different. Something one might notice when applying broadcast-safe colours for example. They have got show business figured out. TV, and… the easy-chairs and couches with built-in fridges, or easy chairs, which actually help you get up! Yes, these strange inventions do exist.