Post by Copperfields on Oct 13, 2004 7:59:26 GMT -5
I didn't see the final game of the Cardinal-Dodger series, so didn't see the teams shake hands afterwards (see story below for details in case you missed it too).
Even though it would seem to go against baseball tradition, I like this concept. (At least it goes against the tradition of MLB baseball - it's well-established in the Little League. What's that about "And a child shall lead them? (and no, I'm not referring to the intellect of the incumbent))
I'm curious - did the Cardinals do the usual celebrating out on the field, then invite the Dodgers out; or did they forgo the frenzied mob scene that's typical of clinching games?
Here's the article where I first heard about the handshake:
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/0EE70B3871E11E8786256F2A00265912?OpenDocument&Headline=Cards,+Dodgers+break+tradition+-+or+start+one
LOS ANGELES - A hockey game broke out after the Cardinals defeated the Los
Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the National League playoffs Sunday
night. At least, it was like the aftermath of a Stanley Cup playoff series.
"It was a little sloppy, but we'll work on it," said Cardinals outfielder
Larry Walker, who had proposed that the Cardinals and whoever they played
in the first round shake hands and embrace when it was over. There was no
organized line, but the emotions between the teams seemed genuine.
Late in the season, apparently in September when the two teams played at
Dodger Stadium, Walker, a Canadian and a big hockey fan, approached
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa about the teams shaking hands when the
Cardinals had finished with an opponent in the playoffs, no matter the
outcome.
"I think it sends a great message," La Russa said at the time. "But it
depended on who we go up against. I know some managers better than others.
But I know Jim Tracy really well."
The two managers talked about it before Game 1 of this series and then not
again. But as La Russa went onto the field to wave to Tracy after the final
out Sunday, he made a handshake motion to Tracy, and Tracy led his team
onto the field.
Pitching coach Dave Duncan, who said he never had seen this before in his
more than 40 years in the game, said: "It was a class act. Tracy led the
way."
La Russa said: "I'm not sure how it's perceived, but I think it's a good
thing."
Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green called it "a classy thing to do. It's a
foreign deal. I had never seen it done before. It was nice. Hopefully, it
will catch on."
Walker said: "You see it in hockey, and in football and basketball they
come out and shake hands and say their prayers. This is something I've
thought about for long time. You can laugh at it, but I think it's
something that can be done. It can't hurt.
"It has nothing to do with me. It has to do with the game."
Baseball will know this really has caught on if the New York Yankees and
Boston Red Sox do it a week from now.
"I don't think so," Duncan said of that potential happenstance.
Even though it would seem to go against baseball tradition, I like this concept. (At least it goes against the tradition of MLB baseball - it's well-established in the Little League. What's that about "And a child shall lead them? (and no, I'm not referring to the intellect of the incumbent))
I'm curious - did the Cardinals do the usual celebrating out on the field, then invite the Dodgers out; or did they forgo the frenzied mob scene that's typical of clinching games?
Here's the article where I first heard about the handshake:
www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/0EE70B3871E11E8786256F2A00265912?OpenDocument&Headline=Cards,+Dodgers+break+tradition+-+or+start+one
LOS ANGELES - A hockey game broke out after the Cardinals defeated the Los
Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the National League playoffs Sunday
night. At least, it was like the aftermath of a Stanley Cup playoff series.
"It was a little sloppy, but we'll work on it," said Cardinals outfielder
Larry Walker, who had proposed that the Cardinals and whoever they played
in the first round shake hands and embrace when it was over. There was no
organized line, but the emotions between the teams seemed genuine.
Late in the season, apparently in September when the two teams played at
Dodger Stadium, Walker, a Canadian and a big hockey fan, approached
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa about the teams shaking hands when the
Cardinals had finished with an opponent in the playoffs, no matter the
outcome.
"I think it sends a great message," La Russa said at the time. "But it
depended on who we go up against. I know some managers better than others.
But I know Jim Tracy really well."
The two managers talked about it before Game 1 of this series and then not
again. But as La Russa went onto the field to wave to Tracy after the final
out Sunday, he made a handshake motion to Tracy, and Tracy led his team
onto the field.
Pitching coach Dave Duncan, who said he never had seen this before in his
more than 40 years in the game, said: "It was a class act. Tracy led the
way."
La Russa said: "I'm not sure how it's perceived, but I think it's a good
thing."
Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green called it "a classy thing to do. It's a
foreign deal. I had never seen it done before. It was nice. Hopefully, it
will catch on."
Walker said: "You see it in hockey, and in football and basketball they
come out and shake hands and say their prayers. This is something I've
thought about for long time. You can laugh at it, but I think it's
something that can be done. It can't hurt.
"It has nothing to do with me. It has to do with the game."
Baseball will know this really has caught on if the New York Yankees and
Boston Red Sox do it a week from now.
"I don't think so," Duncan said of that potential happenstance.