It's Starting to Feel Weird Commending Philly Fans

The other day, we gave necessary props to the Opening Day festivities at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.  After all, they had professional ballplayers entering the ceremonies through the bleachers and no one got zinged in the melon by an item labeled “Duracell.”

Yesterday proved to be another noteworthy performance from the Phillies organization as they invited former left-fielder Pat Burrell to their World Series ring ceremony on Wednesday afternoon. A lot of things went right in a situation that should have inevitably been sour. Again, it’s Philly.

Cheers to the Philadelphia front office for extending an offer to Burrell.  Cheers to the Rays’ skipper, Joe Maddon, for allowing Burrell to make the trip to his old stomping grounds...and fly back in time to bat him fifth against Boston at Fenway. 

And surely we must commend the Philadelphia faithful and their boisterous applause for their former left-fielder as he was announced in the pregame ceremonies. After all, he chose Tampa. But, they rewarded the former No. 1 pick who played nine season in their city, and helped deliver them a championship.

There. Now we’re finished. We’re quite sure the Philly fans have exhausted all of their “job well done” vouchers for all of 2009.

April 9

1965 - The Astros host the Yankees in a special exhibition game to open the Astrodome. President Lyndon Baines Johnson was scheduled to throw out the first pitch but arrived late. He then ordered the assassination of the responsible chauffeur.

1977 - Frustrated owner of McDonald’s and the San Diego Padres Ray Kroc apologizes to Padres fans for the team’s “stupid baseball playing.” During the tirade, a streaker runs across the field and everyone thinks it to be Grimace without the costume. It was just a drunk hooligan with ketchup on his tits.

1993 - Eric Young homers to lead off the inaugural game for the expansion Rockies in the club’s first win. Eric Young was dumb then, too. ###MORE###

That Nolan Ryan is awesome. Ryan became the oldest pitcher to start and win an Opening Day game on this day 16 years ago. He finished with his career with 5,744 strikeouts and kicked the living crap out of Robin Ventura later on during the ‘93 season. In fact, let’s watch it just for old time’s sake.

Oh wait, Major League Baseball is strict with their footage and we can’t watch the video. Anywhere. If you or someone you know has any information on whereabouts of some footage, let us know. In the meantime, we’ll have to settle for Ryan vs. Ventura - frozen in time.

It must have felt really good for Nolan Ryan to autograph that photo.

...if he investigated a shooting that took place on the 14th green at The Masters?

Horatio: “Frank, on this shot … there was no mulligan.”

Frank: “Um, they don’t have mulligans on any shot in the PGA, Boss.”

Horatio: “They don’t. And now they’re a suspect.”

YEEEEOOOWWWW!

Free at last we are free at last - a fresh heaping of worthless baseball cards has arrived to celebrate the new season. 'Tis the season to be hairy.

Speaking of hairy, our esteemed expert in mustachology Dr. Aaron has the second installment in the Mustache Shakedown for mustache/afro combo. The name on the marquee: Oscar Gamble.