Comments on: Carl Morton

By: Jebstache

Jebstache — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:13:23 +0000

12. He hit more career dingers than Greg Gross!

By: ToyCannon

ToyCannon — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:29:02 +0000

11. You inspired it. Can't tell you how much I love your stuff.

By: Josh Wilker

Josh Wilker — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:26:24 +0000

10. 9 : Mucho thanks, ToyCannon. I think I fixed it. Great job with your latest piece in TrueBlue LA. (And thanks a lot for mentioning Cardboard Gods in it.)

By: ToyCannon

ToyCannon — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:15:09 +0000

9. Josh - Just a FYI but I don't think the link "to be continued" at the bottom of the Steve Garvey Vietnam piece is working. Maybe Bill Campbell didn't want to be linked to Gov Garv.

By: Ennui Willie Keeler

Ennui Willie Keeler — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:54:40 +0000

8. Josh, I think the only more obscure RoY is John Castino, but wait until the Listach Generation forgets about Pat. Poor guy (Morton) looks like Richie Cunninghan gone to seed. Do any of you guys know about getting some at the office? I think that I've fallen hard for our receptionist. So this is actually a case of trying to establish a relationship. Not that I think that I coud get away with a fuck and forget mission without repercussions.

By: Josh Wilker

Josh Wilker — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:01:08 +0000

7. 6 : So I guess I'm not the only one to be a little shocked that Carl Morton was the 1970 NL ROY. The weird thing about his obscurity is that he wasn't a Joe Charboneau one-year wonder (maybe he'd be better remembered if he was) but actually racked up double figure victories three or four times after his excellent rookie campaign. In fact, he'd been increasing his win total for four years in a row just prior to the melancholy card shown here and must have seemed on the brink of entering the kind of all-star caliber prime his rookie season suggested he'd one day enjoy. But instead he faded instantly, just when I was starting to really pay attention.

By: Ennui Willie Keeler

Ennui Willie Keeler — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:19:30 +0000

6. I was wondering what the hell Danny Frisella had to do with this serial. "He must be dead?" I thought. Sure enough. Dune buggy accident. I'm sure that I heard Morton's name before, but for the life of me, I can't recall him; and I was conscious of baseball by the end of his career. Did the Braves not appear on Game of the Week in '75 or '76?

By: mbtn01

mbtn01 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:38:53 +0000

5. I was jogging just last night in Williamsburg myself -- a habit I'm trying to take up to chase my own fears of death. They've built enormous new condos overlooking that track, you might not recognize the place today. I rarely if ever run on that track though. Last night I ran Kent St, then onto the Williamsburg Bridge at Driggs. Around halfway across I saw where they'd opened up a walk from the north sidewalk to the south sidewalk, but it was in deep shadow. I stepped and for a split-second did not know whether there'd be pavement just underfoot, or the East River hundreds of feet below. I ran home wondering whether they'd classify me a suicide or just an accident.

By: wireroom

wireroom — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:43:26 +0000

4. 2 As Murakami writes in his great short story, A Perfect Day For Kangaroos, "that's life." It is simplistic, but true. To start looking at all the complex variables in life is to set ourselves up for going crazy. It is awful to lose someone to death, and i don't think things can ever be rationalized for it. To do so would be to blame yourself, and that is where is gets dangerous and maybe insane. The only reasonable thing to say to someone before they leave is "please be careful and pay attention to your surroundings." I tell this to my girlfriend all the time and to other loved ones. I feel that if we at least train ourselves to do that, we can at least partially combat unfortunate incidents. That is a profound question you ask man. I don't think Josh is necessarily being morbid or depressing, but maybe just contemplative that here is this thing ahead of everyone of us, and no matter what, everyone has to deal with it. Some way or another, ya know. Thoughts like this make me want to rectify situations with old cohorts where we are no longer on talking terms over bullshit things. I have thought often lately of some people in my life that if one of us is suddenly gone, I want it to be on good terms. I guess try and find something positive about the issue, even if seems impossible. Now. I leave for the night, so I will wish myself "to be careful and pay attention to my surroundings," and hope that it works.

By: El Lay Dave

El Lay Dave — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:08:38 +0000

3. 2 It's a lame response, but what we almost never know is when that extra or unasked question kept someone out of situation like that. It's not consolation for the grieving, but there are countless variables in play for every moment of life that it is unfair to oneself to focus in on one. What if the on-ramp meter hadn't been on? What if she had stopped for that light instead of fudging through on the yellow/red? What if she hadn't had to wait for four cars at that stop sign? What if she hadn't waved the pedestrian to go ahead and cross in front of her? My wife and I have one child, our 18-year old daughter. I'd imagine I'd be in no mood for rational thinking if she were to be prematurely wrenched from our lives. Surely I'd ask, "how do we deal with shit like this?" and any response involving "countless variables" would get the cold, hard stare it earned.