Southern Bookman

Atlanta Braves do not go gently into that good night

The Atlanta Braves' patchwork season mercifully ended Wednesday night in San Diego.

Still fighting until the end, the Braves fell 5-4 to the high-powered San Diego Padres in the first round of the National League playoffs.

During the year, Braves stars spent more time on the bench than playing. Yet Manager Brian Snitker like a master mechanic keeping a car running with spare parts piloted the Braves into the playoffs.

With Ronald Acuna, Spencer Strider and Austin Reilly out with season-ending injuries, the Braves turned to willing troupers Gio Urshela, Whit Merrifield, Ramon Laureano and Eli White. Late in the season, the depleted Braves brought back 2021 World Series hero Jorge Soler for an engine charge.

During the strange season, Marcel Ozuna rose to all-star heights, playing in every game, hitting 39 home runs and batting .302. But first baseman Matt Olson struggled, reaching 29 home runs and 98 RBI with a late season flourish.

Emerging superstar Michael Harris excelled after a long stretch on the injured list. Second baseman Ozzie Albies was hampered by a wrist injury that kept him on the bench for weeks. Upon his return, Albies displayed his competitive fire, but never regained full strength.

Max Fried ended his Braves career with heartbreak in the season-ending loss to the Padres. Fried, soon a free agent, was hit by a line drive and gave up five runs before leaving the game in the second inning.

In his previous start, the emotional Fried tipped his hat to cheering Braves fans at Truist Park after pitching into the ninth innning and not giving up any runs in a crucial win.

Shaking off the loss, Snitker said after the game that he's eager for spring training to begin in 2025, ending speculation that he might leave. At age 69, the baseball lifer will put on the uniform for another year.

Snitker's looking forward to having Acuna, Reilly and Strider back in the Florida sunshine.

 

 

Farewell, Kris Kristofferson and Pete Rose

Kris Kristofferson and Pete Rose gained fame as American outlaws.

In a fitting juxtaposition of fate, Kristofferson and Rose both died over the weekend.

Kristofferson, 88, one of the ground-breaking Nashville songwriters who transformed country music in the 1970s, died Saturday at his home in Maui, Hawaii, surrounded by his family.

Rose, 83, who broke Ty Cobb's all-time hits record and was the driving force for Cincinnati's Big Red Machine, was found dead at his home Monday, according to the medical examiner of Clark County, Nevada. He had appeared at an autograph show over the weekend. 

A former Army officer and Rhodes scholar, Kristofferson refused a post teaching English at West Point to move to Nashville, where he worked as a janitor before achieving major success as a songwriter, with the help of Johnny Cash. Kristofferson wrote some of the most memorable lines in American music, and with his rugged masculinity found stardom as a Hollywood sex symbol.

Rose, known to detractors and fans as Charlie Hustle, shook up baseball with his reckless, devil-may-care play. He seriously injured Cleveland catcher Ray Fosse, barrelling into him in an all-star game, which once meant something to participants.

After propelling the Reds to two World Series titles in the 1970s, Rose brought his harem-scarem style to the Philadelphia Phillies. He finished his career with 4,256 hits, a record that Major League baseball doesn't honor because of Rose's banishment from the sport in a gambling scandal.

The 17-time all-star was banned in 1989 by Baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on games while managing the Reds. As one social media wag noted, Rose's lifetime ban has now ended, possibly making him eligible for election to his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

Kristofferson and Rose both exemplified a roguish, hyper-charged masculinity. Each of them were transformational stars who excelled in fields of entertainment that fascinate millions.

The rules-breaking songwriter and ballplayer sparked outpourings of acclaim and vilification, two outlaws who changed American culture.

 

 

Falcons loss brings early chill to Atlanta fans

Atlanta suffers again from its chronic seasonal malady: Falcons angst syndrome.

Highly anticipated quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled in a disappointing opening game loss to Pittsburgh's offensively challenged Steelers. Dumped Falcons coach Arthur Smith now directs the Steelers' attack, which failed to score a touchdown but kicked six field goals.

If you like field goals, the NFL is now the sport to watch.

After the 18-10 loss, the Birds stare at a likely 0-3 start with a Monday night game at the revived Eagles and a match against two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City.

Fear rages that Cousins hasn't recovered from a torn Achilles injury. The AJC's venerable Mark Bradley, a veteran diagnoser of Falcons woes, pointed out in Thursday's column that the Falcons apparently limited Cousins' formations and plays to reduce stress on his surgically repaired ankle.

As an aside, thanks to Bradley for disclosing the difference between the shotgun and pistol formations. I never knew that in the pistol, a back is placed in front of the quarterback, while the QB stands alone in the shotgun.

AJC Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter in his game post-mortem observed that Cousins was rusty after not playing in any preseason exhibition games.

If Cousins' woes continue, the Falcons can always turn to surprise rookie draft selection Michael Penix Jr. Many other teams are trying to make a go with first-year quarterbacks.

That's why quarterback mediocrity grips the NFL.

Don't panic, Falcons faithful. Although the Saints and Bucs won, the Falcons still stand a good chance of winning the NFL South.

An upset in Philadelphia will restore Atlanta's Super Bowl delusions.

 

Braves' Brian Snitker raises a glass to his 4,000th game

Brian Snitker might never make the Hall of Fame, but his career defines the essence of baseball.

Snitker in the Braves' 9-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins Monday night managed his 4,000th game, all with the Braves organization.

After years managing in the minor leagues, he's enjoyed a stellar reign in nearly a decade as the team's Major League skipper.

His players love him, giving him a signed bottle of wine Monday night in honor of his milestone and expressing their appreciation for his steady leadership, as noted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article.

In his years running teams like the Anderson Braves and the Durham Bulls, Snitker endured a lot of bus rides, saw countless repetitive baseball plays and watched the major league dreams of many young men blossom or crash.

At last taking over the big club in 2018, Snitker has taken the Braves to a level of success not seen since the great Bobby Cox era, winning the World Series in 2021 and capturing several division titles.

Snitker's calm, impassive presence on the top step of the dugout rarely changes no matter what happens on the field. Unlike Cox, he doesn't cheer, and rarely gets into arguments with umpires.

His press conferences are a treat, packed with folksy baseball wisdom.

Braves fans hope Snitker wins another World Series before saying farewell.

Whatever happens, they'll always fondly remember the man who's risen much larger than his nickname, "Snit."

 

 

 

 

Dynamic cover marked Sports Illustrated's first appearance 70 years ago

Sports Illustrated's first issue appeared on this date in 1954.

A framed copy of the magazine's inaugural cover hangs on our den wall, a cherished gift from my son.

In Mark Kauffman's color photo, Milwaukee Braves slugger Eddie Matthews, wearing No. 41, swings at a pitch as kneeling New York Giants catcher Wes Westrum reaches out his mitt and home plate umpire Augie Donatelli crouches.

White type above the famous title proclaims "FIRST ISSUE."  The cost is 25 cents.

Washington Post writer Frederic J. Frommer in an article about the 70th anniversary of the magazine's first appearance discloses that Time-Life founder Henry Luce's new sports magazine was considered a foolish gamble by many of the company's executives.

As Frommer reports, sports at the time had not yet obtained a widespread national appeal. Leagues had much fewer teams, and fan bases were regional. Sports followers were considered blue collar, not the wealthy consumers that magazine advertisers hoped to attract.

Despite the corporate misgivings, Luce's idea was an instant hit with readers and advertisers, revealing an incipient national sports market. In the late 1950s and 1960s, pro football's popularity soared as the biggest beneficiary of sports' new national appeal, with the rising AFL's merger with the long established NFL bringing new teams into the sports landscape.

As Sports Illustrated's first cover reflects, the magazine arrived at a time when major league baseball stood alone as a national sport. Each league only had eight teams, with the World Series dominated by the Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers.

The Braves' move from Boston to Milwaukee prefigured an era of expansion, with the Dodgers moving to Los Angles, the Giants to San Francisco and the A's to Kansas City, then  Oakland. But the sport once known as the national pastime slowly receded as pro football surged.

The weekly Sports Illustrated, with its color photos and lively writing by Dan Jenkins, Frank Deford, Roy Blount Jr., Tex Maule, Mark Kram, Paul Zimmerman and others, chronicled sports' increasing hold on the American imagination.

Over the years, Sports Illustrated covers gained a mystique for athletes and fans. Making the cover meant a player had arrived as a star.

But the first cover surpasses them all in illuminating the magic of sports.

 

 

 

 

 

With Paris Olympics over, history moves toward fateful moment

Like a strange exquisite dream, the Paris Olympics have ended.

No more beautiful women sprinters. No more soocer, swimming, gymnastics and pole vaulting. No more views of the Eiffel Tower and  the River Seine. No more tears at the playing of "La Marseillaise."

To add to our sadness, the Braves are collapsing. College football has lost its romance. The NFL slogs toward another grueling season.

The energy of the Kamala Harris campaign stirs hope, but I'm afraid to grow too optimistic.

It's August. Autumn will be here soon, with its day of reckoning for the future.

 

As excitement soars in Paris, heartbroken Taylor Swift fans mourn in Vienna

The joy of the Paris Olympics strikingly contrasts with the sadness of Taylor Swift fans filling the streets of Vienna.

Bereft young "Swifties" mourned the cancellation of three concerts they came to the Austrian capital to revel in.

Officials called off Swift's appearances in Vienna despite the thwarting of a terrorist plot targeting the singer's fans. 

Three adolesent boys were arrested for planning to explode a car bomb or use knives outside 65,000-seat Ernst Happel stadium to "kill as many people as possible" during concerts Thursday or Friday, according to the main suspect, a 19-year-old. The young males reportedly had been indoctrinated by the Islamic terrorist groups ISIS and Al-Qaida.

A crowd of 30,000 onlookers were expected to gather outside the venue during the concerts.

Swift still plans to perform in five concerts at London's Wembley Stadium from Aug. 15-19 to close the European leg of her record-setting Eras tour.

While the Swifties commiserated with each other on the Viennese streets, crowds packed the stadiums and arenas for the Paris Olympics.

Under heavy security, the Paris Games have gone on without major trouble, outside of an unsuccessful effort to disrupt train service on the Olympics' first day.

As with the Olympics, the Swifties came from across the globe for an unforgettable experience. Sadly, their joy was stolen by the fantasies of three deranged young males.

 

 

 

 

Patriotism soars over American performances at Paris Olympics

My American pride's overflowing during the Paris Olympics.

Beginning with LeBron James bearing the wind-tossed Red, White and Blue at the front of the U.S. boat during the Opening Ceremonies on the Seine, I've been thrilled by the U.S. athletes' performances.

Gabrielle Thomas, Cole Hocker, Katie Ledecky, Scottie Scheffler, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Ryan Crouser, Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee and others represent America's diversity and excellence.

The Paris Olympics recall the long history of friendship between France and the United States. As NBC's Jimmy Roberts revealed in one of his sparkling essays on the City of Light's culture and history, Eiffel Tower engineer Gustave Eiffel also helped design the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France.

From golf to gymnastics, swimming, track, soccer, basketball, water polo and other sports, U.S. athletes of different races and backgrounds have shown America's diverse strength.

Louisiana newspaper covers Paris Olympics, while Atlanta Journal-Constitution stays on sidelines

Scott Rabalais, the Times Picayune-Advocate's ace sports columnist, is giving the Louisiana newspaper's readers compelling daily reports from the Paris Olympics.

In glaring contrast, our Atlanta Journal Constitution has no one in the City of Light, although the 1996 Olympics took place in Atlanta.

While the AJC runs generic Associated Press stories, Rabalais is producing pieces packed with local color for the Baton Rouge-New Orleans newspaper and its NOLA web site. 

The veteran Louisiana columnist, who also covers the Masters each year, is reporting on the many LSU athletes competing in Paris, led by women's 100-meter dash favorite Sha'Carri Richardson.

In recent years, the AJC has boosted coverage, adding correspondents in Savannah, Macon and Athens. But the newspaper recently announced layoffs, cutting back on local coverage.

Atlanta's a global city, with the world's busiest airport. Yet the city's daily newspaper is staying home from the Olympics. 

 

 

Arnold Palmer's 1962 victory at Troon raised British Open's international stature

Like a great comic actor, Arnold Palmer playfully staggered from the crowd engulfing him on Royal Troon's 18th hole at the 1962 British Open.

Palmer, who'd clinched winning the tournament for the second straight year, emerged from the wildly cheering gallery that had been allowed to flood the fairway and surround the people's champion as he headed to the final green to secure his victory.

The Open championship returns Thursday to Troon, where Palmer's six-stroke triumph over Australia's Kel Nagle in 1962 is remembered as launching the tournament's rise to its present international prominence. 

Even after Ben Hogan's victory at Carnoustie in 1953, American players remained reluctant to play in the ancient championship until Palmer began making the pilgrimage across the Atlantic. Palmer first played in the Open championship at St. Andrews in 1960 and urged other Americans to join him.

Palmer won the title in 1961 at Royal Birkdale, but his 1962 victory receives greater acclaim for reviving the tournament's stature and exciting golf's international popularity.

In 1962, Americans Gene Littler and Phil Rogers joined Palmer at Troon, along with 22-year-old Jack Nicklaus, playing in his first British Open. Nicklaus, who'd beaten Palmer in a U.S. Open playoff earlier that summer, finished 34th after an opening round 79.

Grainy black and white film taken for ABC's Wide World of Sports captures Palmer breaking free from the crowd, his famous grin reflecting their love for their hero.

Masters champion and No. 1 ranked Scotty Scheffler, U.S. Open winner Bryson deChambeau, U.S. Open runner-up Rory McIlroy, PGA champion Xander Schauffele, and Tiger Woods, winner of 15 majors, will compete in an international field at the Open championship beginning Thursday at the old links course along Scotland's Firth of Clyde.

The tournament's massive international popularity first blossomed 62 years ago, when Palmer thrilled adoring crowds at Troon.