This might be the first time I have actually enjoyed one of Bishop Clark’s weekly columns. Here is the latest Along the Way where he writes in favor of the Lord’s favorite baseball team (it’s somewhere in the Bible, right? 🙂 ) — the Yankees.
“Enjoy the playoffs — and go Yankees!
Some of you may be aware that the pastor of our Sacred Heart Cathedral, Father Kevin McKenna, is an unrepentant Toronto Blue Jays fan. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. After all, this is a free country. If Father McKenna wants to direct his energy and loyalty to a team named for a squawky bird, he is perfectly free to do that.
What concerns me, however, is that soldered to his allegiance to the Blue Jays is the ABY syndrome. For those who are innocent in such matters, the three letters are the short form of “Anybody but the Yankees.” Yes, Kevin takes delight in every Toronto win — especially if the win is at the expense of the Yankees. But a Yankees loss to any team fills his soul with at least as much happiness. What makes matters worse is that any combination of such wins and losses inevitably impels our good pastor to offer comments on same when he speaks to the assembly at the end of Sunday liturgy at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
As a Yankees fan and, therefore, heir to a noble tradition, I try to take such provocation in stride — not by trading pinch for poke but by encouraging my dear colleague to take delight in the energy of the competition, the elegance of the game, the cadence and rhythm of the sport.
The matter is on my mind because, as I write this column on Oct. 6, the annual baseball playoffs begin today. This evening the Yankees play an away game against the Twins. I will be rooting for the Yankees but not without a good deal of affection for the Twins, many of who were excellent players for the Rochester Red Wings in the last stage of their minor-league careers — Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel and Joe Mauer. Truth to tell, should the Twins win this series I would root for them for as long as they remain in contention.
A more concrete concern is this: Shall I, as a loyal fan, don my elegant Yankees pinstripe shirt with No. 2 on the back when I watch the game this evening, or shall I, fearful of my pastor’s taints and jibes, leave the shirt in my dresser drawer?
The truth is that it is not always easy to be a fan of the Yankees. For many years before I ever met Father Kevin — and to this day — I have had a similar struggle with my old friend Bishop Howard Hubbard. He too is ABY; the difference is that his team is not the Blue Jays but the Red Sox. The same — ABY, Red Sox — is true of my dear coworker Sister Mary Ann Binsack, RSM, with whom I spend more time day in day out than with anyone else on the planet. Given all of this, is it any wonder at all that my fastball has lost some zip or that I am a bit slower getting to first base? There’s a cost to wearing the pinstripes.
Kevin. Howard. Mary Ann. All wonderful people and dear friends. Do I argue that the world would be a better place if they all saw the light and converted to Yankeedom? Not at all. All I ask is that we humble, loyal fans of the Bronx Bombers be accepted for the peaceful individuals we are and not part of an evil empire.
Enjoy the playoffs.
Go Yankees!
Peace to all.”
Tags: Bishop Clark, Orthodoxy at Work
|
Metaphor alert: “All I ask is that we humble, loyal fans of the Bronx Bombers be accepted for the peaceful individuals we are and not part of an evil empire.”
What a nice column and thanks for giving credit where due. Maybe everyone would have been happier if Bishop Clark could have been the Yankee Stadium announcer. After all the late Bob Sheppard — a fine Catholic gentleman — was nicknamed “the voice of God.” Then who knows? Maybe the aptly named Bob Sheppard could have been our Bishop. Alas, Bishop Clark has had to endure thirty years of living and working with Yankee-haters and maybe it has taken its toll.
Mike lived in Boston and hated the Yankees. Whenever he drove around town, if he saw someone in a Yankee hat or shirt, he’d swerve the car as if to hit him and miss him – just to scare the Yankee fan a bit.
One day he’s driving along and he sees Fr. Murphy walking down the street. He pulls over and asks, “Where are you going? Do you need a ride Father?” Fr. Murphy says, “I’m saying the noon Mass at St. Monica’s, and I’d love a ride!” So he climbs in the back seat.
Just a block down the road, Mike sees that hated symbol of all that is evil in Baseball, a guy in a Yankee’s shirt. Per habit, he swerves over, and just as he’s pulling away he hears, “THOCK!!!!!!!”
Horrified and shocked, he asks, “Father, did you see that guy in the Yankee’s shirt?” Father says, “I sure did!”
Mike says, I missed him didn’t I?” Fr. Murphy says, “That’s OK, I got him with the back door!”
will be rooting for the Yankees but not without a good deal of affection for the Twins, many of who were excellent players for the Rochester Red Wings in the last stage of their minor-league careers — Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel and Joe Mauer.
I can’t believe that he neglected to mention Danny Valencia, a former Red Wing and son of our neighbor in Boca Raton.
Oh, he’s a Yankees fan, hmm? Guess he’s redeemable then.
Being a Cardinals fan with them out of it, I am rooting for ABY (since it’s fun to see big money go down) and focusing on picking my next football team when the Bills leave Buffalo. (rule 19 @ http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/020227 )
My thoughts are we should all convert to Saints fans (even you Ben since we all know about your boy Rothlesberger’s virtues):
Tommy Benson just donated $8M to Loyola university. And then there was this article not too long ago in the NCR:
http://www.ncregister.com/register_exclusives/the-faith-of-the-new-orleans-saints?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+NCRegisterDailyBlog+%40The+Daily+RegisterA#When:16:10:05Z
Didn’t I read somewhere that the Bible Code links the Yankees to the abomination of desolation? Or maybe it was the anti-Christ?
(Could be wrong on that.)
yankees are evil. Pirates will have first winning season in 18 years in 2011.
@Christopher. There is no stopping the Stillers this year w/ or w/out Roethlisberger. He got caught, but I’m sure many players behave in similar ways. I was personally for cutting him, but now that he’s back I will cheer for him.
Also, to all you ND fans – they are going down today. Pitt 35 ND 17
And who thought this blog wasn’t controversial enough already?