Texas Rangers versus the Baltimore Orioles in Arlington, Texas. Hank, Brian and I made it to the seventh inning stretch before it was time to head back to the hotel. I seldom see a game anymore but I would never leave before the stretch because I know the fans will enthusiastically sing that song. In 1908 a Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, became the unofficial song of North American Baseball. It is interesting that neither of the composers had attended a game before they wrote the song. Unlike the time it takes to play a modern day game, the song is only a bit over a minute long. “Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd, buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks, I don’t care if I ever come back. Root, root, root for the home team…you know the rest. This was America’s game. I understand attendance may be slipping across the country but on a blustery summer evening threatened by thunderstorms the fans were there for their home team. Next to the beautiful older ball park is the amazing football facility of the Cowboys and not far away a new retractable domed baseball stadium will soon be home to the Rangers. There are some very good things about sports in our economy and society.
The word for this week is disambiguation. The word refers to the removal of ambiguity, by making something clear. Disambiguation narrows down the meaning of words and it is an excellent thing. The word makes sense and it is simple if you think about its parts dis means ”not”, ambiguous, “unclear” and “tion” makes it a noun. I guess I am focused on this word because our current political situation apparently lacks clarity. Mueller tried to disambiguate his report while asserting it really speaks for itself. If you say the word “joker”, it is not clear if are referring to cards, a prankster, or Batman’s nemesis. Collusion, corruption, witch hunt, obstruction all apparently need better examples and explanations. When it comes down to it, seems obvious to me, if it quacks like a duck it is probably is a water fowl.
“Mystification is simple, clarity is the hardest thing of all.” Julian Barnes. “It’s a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal.” opined Steve Maraboli. And I am sure that my favorite tweet is still from the animated fictional yellow canary in Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies.
Enjoy the week end. Mike