Friday, May 13, 2005
Reality Check. Testing, Testing.
On May 1st, the New York Times had carried a story called Bowling for Democracy, which pondered among other things, why cricket did not take off in North America as it did in other parts of the empire. In response, a Frank Deford of Westport, CT wrote a letter to the editor. I reproduce it here in full for your amusement.
To the Editor:
When looking at Americans' rejection of cricket, it's useful to look at why they also rejected soccer for their own brand of football. What baseball and American football have in common is the high level of skill required. Granted, the cricket bowler and batsman must possess approximately the same level of skill as baseball's pitcher and batter. But there is nothing in cricket remotely like the breathtaking, split-second cohesion required for a double play.
In soccer, we marvel at what players can do with their feet, but these are still, alas, feet. God gave us thumbs for a good reason. Any run-of-the-mill adolescent football player can do more with his hands than the world's best soccer player can manage with his boots, no matter how nimble his toes.
For whatever reason, late 19th-century Americans of all classes chose the more difficult team games to play. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the United States was really beginning to feel its oats then, and we were looking for greater challenges. Or maybe we just had the good sense to like baseball and football better than the rest of the crowd.
Frank Deford
Westport, Conn., May 3, 2005
This is ground control to Major Tom. Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong. Can you hear me, Major Tom? Can you hear me Major Tom?
To the Editor:
When looking at Americans' rejection of cricket, it's useful to look at why they also rejected soccer for their own brand of football. What baseball and American football have in common is the high level of skill required. Granted, the cricket bowler and batsman must possess approximately the same level of skill as baseball's pitcher and batter. But there is nothing in cricket remotely like the breathtaking, split-second cohesion required for a double play.
In soccer, we marvel at what players can do with their feet, but these are still, alas, feet. God gave us thumbs for a good reason. Any run-of-the-mill adolescent football player can do more with his hands than the world's best soccer player can manage with his boots, no matter how nimble his toes.
For whatever reason, late 19th-century Americans of all classes chose the more difficult team games to play. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the United States was really beginning to feel its oats then, and we were looking for greater challenges. Or maybe we just had the good sense to like baseball and football better than the rest of the crowd.
Frank Deford
Westport, Conn., May 3, 2005
This is ground control to Major Tom. Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong. Can you hear me, Major Tom? Can you hear me Major Tom?
