Tonight was a good night for the Tigers. The offense churned out 10 runs against a reeling Phillies pitching staff and Max Scherzer, Al Alburquerque and Evan Reed held their hitting to 2 hits and no runs at all. But that's not really what kept running through my mind tonight.
The city of Detroit lost two iconic citizens last night. "Eat 'Em Up Tigers" James and "Dreadlock Mike", two famous buskers, were killed in a hit and run incident on the east side of the city around 3 AM on the morning of July 27th. Both men were fixtures around events in downtown Detroit, and you couldn't help but feel bad for them. Mike got around in a wheelchair because he had no feet. He was always emaciated, frail, and you knew that he was actually in need of every cent he was given. James was a bright spirit, always chanting outside Comerica, his enthusiasm for the team evident in every syllable he spoke. He never had a bad word for anyone, and was always quick to bless you and your family as you walked past, whether or not you had a dollar to spare for him. Both men were gracious, even as their hard-luck forced them to panhandle, you'd never think that they were anything but thankful for the time they spent with us.
Now, thanks to someone who took the role of God into their own hands, they're gone before their time.
It's inevitable, I guess. Death. We live to die. But I think this is hitting hard for me right now, because of what I'm going through in my personal life. My grandmother is succumbing to Alzheimer's disease, and it's hard to fathom that such a beautiful soul will soon be gone. You always think you have more time...
But you don't. It's inevitable. And it's something we all have to deal with eventually. Time for me to step up to the plate, I guess.
*if you would like to help donate to James and Mike's funeral costs, purchase an "Eat 'Em Up Forever" t-shirt from www.downwithdetroit.com*
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
All-Star Break
The Detroit Tigers rode a strong Justin Verlander performance and some power displays by Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta to a 5-0 win today, finishing the first half of their season at a win-loss record of 52-42, still in first place in the AL Central.
There's not much I can say about these guys but I'll try. There's an ASTOUNDING level of talent present in Detroit these days. With Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Austin Jackson and Omar Infante playing well, Victor Martinez heating up finally, and Torii Hunter showing glimpses of the player he'd been for the past decade with Minnesota and Anaheim, the team that hits the field every day is definitely one of the most talented lineups in all of Major League Baseball, possibly one of the best lineups on paper of the past several decades. Cabrera is the first modern batting Triple Crown winner, which is an amazing feat in this day and age. And as far as the starting pitching goes, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are basically Ace-A and Ace-B while leading the pitching staff to some of the best starting pitching numbers in all of MLB. Yes, there's a few problems with the team, mainly the ineffective bullpen and lack of depth in the outfield, as well as the drastically-underperforming Alex Avila at catcher, but this team is built to win and go deep into the playoffs. I believe in them.
As far as work goes... I've seen some wonderful things lately. I see something new, something heart-warming every time I go to the ballpark. I look at kids hanging out with their parents, riding the ferris wheel or the carousel, eating cotton candy with a big smile on their face, or getting autographs from the players before the game, and I remember that this truly is a game. It's entertainment. It's supposed to relieve us of our burdens for a few hours at a time, make us happy. Kids seem to get that more than adults, who sometimes use the goings-on on the field to exacerbate their own problems in life. Alcohol also plays a factor.
Personally, I've been having issues with my own life. Fatigue has set in from working two jobs. Stress is everywhere, with a car that's been needing its fair share of repairs lately, and a family that seems to be falling apart. My grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer's and might not have much longer to live. It's sometimes hard to gather myself together to work day in, day out. But then I remember that when I get to the ballpark, I'm surrounded by Tigers fans, and I'm getting paid to be a part of the Tigers. That helps make me happy, regardless of the outcome on the field.
There's not much I can say about these guys but I'll try. There's an ASTOUNDING level of talent present in Detroit these days. With Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Austin Jackson and Omar Infante playing well, Victor Martinez heating up finally, and Torii Hunter showing glimpses of the player he'd been for the past decade with Minnesota and Anaheim, the team that hits the field every day is definitely one of the most talented lineups in all of Major League Baseball, possibly one of the best lineups on paper of the past several decades. Cabrera is the first modern batting Triple Crown winner, which is an amazing feat in this day and age. And as far as the starting pitching goes, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are basically Ace-A and Ace-B while leading the pitching staff to some of the best starting pitching numbers in all of MLB. Yes, there's a few problems with the team, mainly the ineffective bullpen and lack of depth in the outfield, as well as the drastically-underperforming Alex Avila at catcher, but this team is built to win and go deep into the playoffs. I believe in them.
As far as work goes... I've seen some wonderful things lately. I see something new, something heart-warming every time I go to the ballpark. I look at kids hanging out with their parents, riding the ferris wheel or the carousel, eating cotton candy with a big smile on their face, or getting autographs from the players before the game, and I remember that this truly is a game. It's entertainment. It's supposed to relieve us of our burdens for a few hours at a time, make us happy. Kids seem to get that more than adults, who sometimes use the goings-on on the field to exacerbate their own problems in life. Alcohol also plays a factor.
Personally, I've been having issues with my own life. Fatigue has set in from working two jobs. Stress is everywhere, with a car that's been needing its fair share of repairs lately, and a family that seems to be falling apart. My grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer's and might not have much longer to live. It's sometimes hard to gather myself together to work day in, day out. But then I remember that when I get to the ballpark, I'm surrounded by Tigers fans, and I'm getting paid to be a part of the Tigers. That helps make me happy, regardless of the outcome on the field.
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