The name of the venerable author and humorist may be added to the highway currently honoring the former St. Louis Cardinals slugger.
“What goes up, must come down,” went the 1960’s song “Spinning Wheel.” So it may follow for the signs designating “Mark McGwire Highway.”
According to an AP report, on Monday the Missouri State Senate voted unanimously in approval of Senate Bill 841, which includes renaming a six-mile segment of Interstate 70 in St. Louis from “Mark McGwire Highway” to “Mark Twain Highway.” The road was selected to commemorate McGwire’s then-record 70 home runs hit during the 1998 season.
Apparently the 34-members of the Senate were not among those who gave McGwire a standing ovation in his first public appearance as the St. Louis Cardinals new hitting coach at the Winter Warm-Up fan event in January.
Twain is a national treasure best known as an author and humorist, traits not associated with the former slugger, under criticism for his admission of steroids use as he amassed those records as a player.
Perhaps the choice of Twain, born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens in Florida, MO in 1835, was made so most of the real estate on the existing signs could be reused. A more inappropriate, yet equally resource-saving alternative, “Jay McGwire Highway,” likely did not receive any serious consideration from the lawmakers.
To formally change the road’s designation, added in 1999, the measure must still pass the State House.
In acknowledgment of the occasion, I thought I would share a few of Twain’s countless timeless quotes, courtesy of twainquotes.com.
“By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity–another man’s I mean.”
“When a person cannot deceive himself, the chances are against his being able to deceive other people.”
“There is no suffering comparable with that which a private person feels when he is for the first time pilloried in print.”
“The most outrageous lies that can be invented will find believers if a man only tells them with all his might.”
“The public is the only critic whose judgment is worth anything at all.”
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Ouch. That is not a very friendly welcome back. Nice timing.
I have little doubt that Twain partook of whatever medicinals were available to the hippie generation of his era. Fortunately for him the internet, twitter, cell phone cameras, and page six were not around to publicize it.
“Total abstinence is so excellent a thing that it cannot be carried to too great an extent. In my passion for it I even carry it so far as to totally abstain from total abstinence itself.” – Mark Twain
Twain:
Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place.
I have a higher and grander standard of principle than George Washington. He could not lie; I can, but I won’t.
H. L. Menken:
Looking for an honest politician is like looking for an ethical burglar.
He was a physicist Brian. An earlier incarnation of Einstein trapped in a saloon writing for a paper that was used to wipe nothing in particular.
I rest my case about the Hall of Fame sentiments. But then again, Skilling may get a new trial. Mid west is incredible.
Right on Jumbo, The last group of people that I would take lessons from in regards to being truthful and doing the right thing would be politicians. Hypocrisy at its finest at work here.
Another case of much ado about nothing.Politicians adding more politically correct(which way is the wind blowing this minute) BS.
Amusing Twain version of the Adventures of Huckleberry McGwire:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/100303&sportCat=mlb
Tony at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2010/03/05/2010-03-05_la_russa_on_attack_over_mac.html
Amusing though H L Menken can be, his view of politicians is a little over-cynical. Politicians are elected by we the people, hence their foibles reflect on us too. They and we are imperfect, but have our positive sides.
In any event, it may be a good thing if the Missouri politicians express their reproval. There should be a Mark Twain highway, anyway. Samuel Clemens had marvelous gifts of humor and wisdom. A great writer is timeless.
And stripping McGwire’s name off a highway is a way to express civic disapproval, to comfort those who yearn for an ethical sign of opposition to the faux problem of performance enhancing molecules in MLB. Once this disapproval is officially expressed, this can help the issue fade away, while we turn our attention to the 2010 season. Clever rascals, those senators from Missouri.
I agree about the highway, who cares. As to the politicians we have here, there is 2000 miles between them and you Jumbo, and a mountain range, and the wind blows the other way, so I can see where you wouldn’t smell anything.
By the way, there is already plenty of stuff named after Mark Twain, including one of the larger lakes in the State, and a National Forest that takes in a good chunk.
I’ve been thinking outside the box for so long,
I’m not sure I would recognize one
should it not have Christmas paper holding on…………….. Winston Charles Bentley Watcher
Clever rascals, those senators from Missouri??? Deals a deathblow to any hope of Websters creating a meaningful definition of the word “clever”……………
Westy, its too early to start in on the Luddy thing. He will come around. He’s probably thinking “I already hit .265 and I already have the 130 K thing nailed, so what can He teach me?” He will come around.
Hope so BB. I didn’t see the game, but the box score suggests the opposition is already pitching around Holiday. Love Luddy against bad pitching. If that becomes a trend, we will either be kicking butt, or Luddy is stranding everyone. Its a pressure spot. You could put a contact guy there and make it allot tougher on the opposition. Its a game. If he hits 320. We win 100 games. 250 and we’re in trouble.
Last year, pitchers threw Luddy a slider a higher percentage of the time than any other hitter in MLB. He was 4th I think in fewest fastballs seen. If I know that, MM does too, so I’m optimitic. .320 is, of course, out of the question.
I think it’ best to have a doubles guy 5th rather than a contact guy. Albert and Matt make too much money to have them getting dinged up on baserunning plays all the time.
BB, the competition is real. Its about pressuring their pitching. Its not about getting dinged up on the base paths. The Met’s seem impressed……………..but we have aces WC, and an expensive roster. We will out marquee everyone. When there are people on base, the type of pitch and location become restrictive. That’s good. Somebody takes a single because they knew where to look. That’s how a good team plays. A few hits and you’re into their pen. If its game 1, you are looking good better for 2,3,4. Its about scoring runs.
A meaningless solution for a non-existant problem may be “clever.”
Some of baseball’s most interesting aspects are not statistics, but the individuals who make them.
And as the shells stop their pinning
the fools lay their money down,
nary a pea is to be found
least you look upon the ground…………………a nonexistent problem for some.
And as the shells stop their spinning
and the fools lay their money down,
nary a pea is to be found
least you look upon the ground…………………a nonexistent problem for some.
Albert says he wants to play………and does. Marlins go right after him, tempting him with openings on the left side, keeping the ball away, and up, and on the hands………..giving him looks away, even down wind. Scouts are watching Frustration is mounting. This will be a spectacle after awhile if he doesn’t break through.
Gotay doesn’t know that he has made the team. He seems determined to blow it somehow.
I admire Lohse for asking for the ball after 2 innings with the front end of that line coming to the plate. Those guys rake…………………..
.
Westy, have a look at this article.
http://www.whiteyball.com/pujols-worth-money/
As to your posts above, you call that verse? Try
all winter it’s a bummer,
but the remedy is near,
hear come the boys of summer,
and the bratwurst and the beer!
– – – – William Wordsworth Blingfellow -
He didn’t write that to throw at Jumbo……..
Gotay has made the team? I can’t imagine how, unless Lugo is moved or Ryan stays out with injury.
Nut, you have to understand Westie’s conspiracy theories (this one a combination of racial and their ability to re-sign Pujols (even though he says they will trade him mid year))
Nut, you will admit then that if he does make the team, the grassy knoll was well populated!
I didn’t say he couldn’t blow it. All he has to do is hit and stay out of trouble..
Gotay is the only NRI position player left after the reasignments.
Is Hawksworth out of options? Don’t know how to look that up.
They’re along ways from doing anything with Hawksworth. Delescalo was 3 for 4 and clutch, so he had to go because he further buried Gotay. Tony is a fool for hitting Yadi behind Holiday. 29 teams will be pitching around Holiday just to explore the double play stats. I would.
Above, I admonished Westy not to jump the gun on Luddy. Arguing that he would come around to letting MM help him. I hadn’t realized MM has already ‘fixed’ Luddy’s swing. Yikes.
Here is Luddy telling all about it.
http://www.lvrj.com/sports/swinging-mcgwire_s-praises-85938832.html
One way or another he’s going to be out there. If Colby starts spraying and moves closer to 300 he will inherit that job because Tony likes to alternate L – R.
Hawk is out of options. There is a sticky at birdsonthebat.org that has a pretty good list f player’s option status.
Option information is held fairly closely. Not sure why. Yes, Hawksworth is out of options.
I don’t often go to that board as the personality of it does not fit me, but s.f. over there is very knowledgeable. A quick glance of his information tells me most of the important ones are accurate, but there are a few minor differences from what I was told by the club and what I have compiled over the years.
The reason I didn’t answer bb quickly is that I have a story all ready on both options and outrighting that will go up on the main site, probably Tuesday. Outrighting has to do with removal from the 40-man roster, which is allowed at most once without risking losing the player. It is another important factor to consider.
Thanks for the info. I’m not thinking Hawk will have a meltdown or anything. Rather, I’m considering what might happen if McClellan goes into the rotation. Somebody might step up to be that 5th-6th inning type guy who comes in throwing strikes and keeping the ball in the park. Like the guy we didn’t really have last year.
But if not, Mo might package a Lugo and a Hawk in exchange for a guy. I’m not sure that a team would want to take a guy who really hasn’t established himself but is out of options. But the rest of our RHRP’s either can’t be counted on to throw strikes or to keep the ball in the park. We’ll see. Be nice if Hawk ends up filling that role. Mo says he’ll be patient.
Pen sucks. Put Hill and K-Mac both in it. Pitch the kid on a short leash and use these other guys as possible long men or 5th inning salvage divers. This team has to start coming from behind. That’s the best hope to encourage pitchers to grind.
“Mark Twain, Baseball Fan, Had an Eye for a Short-Stop” from the New York Times.
The bill to rename the highway is awaiting the governor’s signature: link to article.