Metaphysics of Baseball

Baseball lingo and metaphors permeate our culture. Many believe there is something metaphysical about the game. (Just watch Field of Dreams.) Last year’s American League playoff series was a prime example.

The 2004 American League playoff series featured Boston, the cradle of Puritan virtue, taking on the Great Babylon, the New York Yankees. (Hey...It’s my hermeneutic and I am sticking to it.) The Yankees have played in about one-third of all World Series and have won about one-quarter of them. Boston won the first World Series in 1903 when they were called the Boston Pilgrims. They also won in 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918. Then it happened. They sold the “Bambino,” the “Sultan of Swat,” the one and only Babe Ruth to the Yankees. They succumbed to temptation from the apple (the Big Apple) and fell under the curse (otherwise know as "the curse of the Bambino.")

Over the next 86 years the Sox made it to the World Series four more times only to lose each time. Last year they made it in to the American League playoff finals against the Yankees. They lost the first three games of the seven game series. The fourth game found them down by a run in the ninth, only three outs between them and elimination, and the best closing pitcher in league (and maybe of all time) on the mound. In short, the Red Sox were dead under the curse.

Then it happened. The Red Sox were resurrected. The Sox came back to win game 4…then game 5…then game 6…and then they sent the mighty Babylon down to defeat. The proceeded on to the World Series and brought all earthly powers (at least major league baseball) under their dominion by sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals four games to zip. The curse had been lifted. Even a diehard Cards fan like me was rooting for them. It was an event of mythical proportions.

What metaphysical lessons are we to learn from this season? For instance, the regular season is over and we in Missouri find we are home to the worst team in baseball (Kansas City Royals with 106 losses) and the best team in baseball (St. Louis Cardinals with 100 wins.) The Royals’ primary color is blue and the Cardinals’ color is red. Hmmm…is this an omen about future political outcomes? (i.e., blue states vs. red states?)

Anyway, playoffs begin tomorrow. Who knows what metaphysical realities may be revealed to us by the boys of October. I just hope that whatever the scenario is, it includes a World Series championship for my beloved Red Birds. Go Cardinals!