It's called Small Ball

Last night many of us witnessed one of the greatest games ever played in baseball history. I know it's the most exciting game I've seen in my sixty plus years of watching baseball. It had everything to keep us riveted for hours. Two great pitchers not used to losing. Power, speed and the x factor of a one game play-in to the post-season.  Each team had it's own compelling story this year,  making them both worthy objects of cheering.

For me, and some older folks, it was even more than all of that.  Both teams have a great place in Kansas City sports history.

The Kansas City A's called the old Metropolitan Stadium home, along with the upstart American Football League Chiefs, in the sixties. Charlie Finley owned the team and tried everything under the sun to get people to the park to see the A's play. Many called them the Yankees farm team since a good number of their best players ended up going to New York.  The old ballpark was amazing then. There was the first major league picnic area, a white mule named Charlie, a petting zoo, and a mechanical rabbit that came out of the ground behind the home plate umpire holding a basket of baseballs to replenish those lost during the game.

Finley was a marketing genius, probably driven by financial necessity and survival. I was present for a number of A's games, the most memorable two were Campy Campaneris Night, when the talented shortstop played all nine positions in one game. He rotated each inning to the next place and played ball, like we all used to do as kids.

The other night was, incredibly, a night when they gave the Negro League's super star, Satchel Paige, a one game contract to pitch for the A's in a real game. No one knew his age then, but reports were he was in his sixties. I thought the old codger might die, only to realize that I am now older than he was then. He did well and amazed everyone, causing us to wonder how great he was in his prime. I recall Findley did this to allow him to receive some benefit from being a major leaguer.  I will leave that memory fact to be checked by you, if you are interested!

But as pressing financial realities became more evident, Charlie Findley took his team to Oakland, where they continued to hold their place as the most innovative team in baseball, introducing white shoes, colorful uniforms, and a string of amazing teams that occupied the winner's circle for many years. Again, that's something worth researching if you don't remember it.

Meanwhile, back in Kansas City, we felt abused, betrayed and angry about losing our A's. It was humiliating and I do not exaggerate when I say the loss was palpable everywhere in town. We were a great city that felt like a bride left at the altar. Thankfully we had the Chiefs to keep us feeling like we mattered, at least a little. (They played in the first bi-league championship before it was called the Super Bowl in 1966. We lost to the Packer's, and  despite the score held our own most of the game. Research that too if you don't remember it.)

Then, a heroic man named Ewing Kauffman came along and restored our pride, purchasing a MLB franchise and naming them the Royals! Everything about that was refreshing and happy. The city went crazy for it's team, and especially adored it's first super star, George Brett. The Royals had done something right because a string a great players came to KC and set up a little dynasty of excellence: Freddy Patek, Willie Wilson, Bo Jackson, Dan Quisenberry, John Mayberry, Willie Wilson, Frank White, Lou Piniella, Clint Hurdle, Amos Otis, Cookie Rojas, Paul Splittorff, Dick Drago, Ted Abernathy, Moe Drabowsky, Steve Busby, Hal McRae...help, I can't stop!!!
Check out http://www.baseball-almanac.com for more.

SMALL BALL

Anyway, we learned to love the Royals because the played small ball. It differs from most of what we see today, which is driven by the huge contracts home run hitters get. So everyone swings for the fences so they can get mentioned on Sports Center and get a bigger contract next time. It's exciting when  it works, but it's no way to win. You win in the long run with good pitching, defense, timely hits, stolen bases and forced errors. The Royals last night reminded us of the glory days when Wilson, Otis, Patek and others would get on base, steal second, often then third and George Brett would double them in, followed by John Mayberry and others popped the occasional long ball to excite the fans.

We loved the game last night because it was the battle of David and Goliath all over again. The bombers and great pitchers of Oakland made it look like a four run lead was insurmountable. John Lester, the Oakland ace was something like 48 and 1 when he had a three run or larger lead. He had that lead last night but the pesky base-stealing singles-hitting Royals chipped away, and in the bottom of the twelfth, Salvador Perez, the guy who wildly swung and killed two winning efforts, spanked a hot liner past the third baseman into right, scoring the winning run. I admit, I gave up on them in the 6th inning but kept watching because they stirred something deep inside me, reminding me of the glory days.

Sure, the old A's fan in me smarted as I saw the looks on their faces after the game. What a horrible heart-break for them and their fans, but last night, at least, the old small ball philosophy of baseball made a comeback with the Royals. Maybe they can keep it going into the playoffs, maybe not, but I know I will be watching and pulling for them. It's the way baseball used to be played and I miss it.

Maybe my big-swing Cubs will watch how it's done?