Without much pomp and circumstance, journeyman Jim Thome smacked his 599th and 600th career home runs at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, powering his way into the history books. Thome became only the eighth player in Major League Baseball to hit 600 career homeruns, joining the likes of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
“In the visiting park, for them to give you a standing ovation is really cool. To watch them [Tiger’s fans] stand up and cheer, was very special and is something I will never forget,” Thome said in his post-game news conference broadcast on the Twins website.
There was no HBO special, weeks of speculation on where he would hit it, or even a countdown. Thome did what he has done his entire career and let his play do the talking.
When a reporter at the press conference asked if he thought hitting 600 home runs would get him into Cooperstown, Thome modestly replied, “That would be a dream.” Grab your pillow Jim.
The Bad
The soap opera that is Carlos Zambrano and the Chicago Cubs took yet another dramatic turn on Friday, August 12, when the volatile pitcher was ejected for throwing inside after having a horrible outing. The righty cleared out his locker and told the team he was retiring, resulting in the Cubs putting him on the 30-day disqualified list. On Tuesday, Big Z issued a statement saying he was sorry (again) and that he really wished to remain in a Cubs uniform.
Chicago’s own Umphrey’s McGee and their song “Slacker” seem to sum up Zambrano’s tenure with the Cubs, “I have always tried to do the right thing, but in the end my result was just a little bit off center from the most.” The song continues to describe Zambrano (and the Cubs for that matter:) “I really must confess that I have yet to ever offer my best.”
Big Z is under contract through 2012, but most speculate his time in the Windy City is up. No word from the Cubs if Zambrano will be allowed to play after he is eligible to be removed from the disqualified list.
The Funny
The Presidents’ Race takes place during the middle of the fourth inning of every Washington Nationals home game. The race features four contestants, each wearing an oversized head of one of the presidents on Mount Rushmore. Since 2006 Teddy Roosevelt has never won (as of press time, it has been 415 games!)
Scott Ableman, who first fell in love with the president’s race back in 2006, noted this phenomenon and created letteddywin.com. The website keeps an accurate tally of which president wins the race, provides videos, and even sells merchandise, including t-shirts, mugs and bumper stickers proclaiming, “Let Teddy Win!”
Perhaps Teddy should look to his past speeches for motivation, “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” (excerpt taken from “The Strenuous Life", found on theodoreroosevelt.org)
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