tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post1467969258829646069..comments2024-03-15T23:25:52.517-07:00Comments on the joy of sox: Updike: Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieuallanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04673233312198832937noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-2786721559143378762009-01-30T14:52:00.000-08:002009-01-30T14:52:00.000-08:00It's not controversial, laura--it's in the can and...It's not controversial, laura--it's in the can and a wrap. They named a tunnel after the man. End of story.<BR/><BR/>God knows men of lesser accomplishments have been honored in Boston--one need look no further than Logan Airport, Callahan Tunnel, or the Tobin Bridge. My beef is that they didn't find someone with greater accomplishments to honor. <BR/><BR/>His contributions to the city were all by-the-way and accidental. He happened to play in Boston, but for TW Boston was little more than the venue for half his ABs. He disliked Boston and Bostonians, and honoring him seems like after-the-fact sentimentality and jock-sniffing. <BR/><BR/>If it were up to me, I'd honor native son Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Or I'd name it the 2004 Boston Red Sox tunnel. If I were in charge and really wanted to stir things up, I'd name it the Sacco and Vanzetti Memorial Tunnel.johngoldfinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322562737172405323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-23781510511477050462009-01-29T18:30:00.000-08:002009-01-29T18:30:00.000-08:00But why would the city honor him at all?Men of les...<I>But why would the city honor him at all?</I><BR/><BR/>Men of lesser accomplishments have been honoured more. But what is this referring to? Is there some controversy over Boston honouring Williams?laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-65571432416323506842009-01-28T17:26:00.000-08:002009-01-28T17:26:00.000-08:00Of course. Gods do not answer letters, nor make a...Of course. Gods do not answer letters, nor make any effort to make themselves agreeable to mortals. Understood.<BR/><BR/>All I can say about Ted Williams is that when I read in his book that he pumped himself up by reminding himeself that he was Ted Fucking Williams, it stuck with me, and, silly as it is, when I have to face down my own difficulties, I too remind myself that I am...well, at least I am John Fucking Goldfine.<BR/><BR/>But why would the city honor him at all? He was a great athlete, but he was very small too. <BR/><BR/>And if it had to honor him, why give him that nonentity of a tunnel at one end of the Big Dig and name the wonderful bridge at the other after someone no one has ever heard of?johngoldfinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322562737172405323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-56109428862157463752009-01-28T15:59:00.000-08:002009-01-28T15:59:00.000-08:00the piece never made me like Ted Williams a jot mo...<I>the piece never made me like Ted Williams a jot more.</I><BR/><BR/>I don't think it was meant to. Part of Updike's point is that "like" is irrelevant.laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-26525875643771407612009-01-28T15:45:00.000-08:002009-01-28T15:45:00.000-08:00Updike was a wizard at putting words to the ineffa...Updike was a wizard at putting words to the ineffable, but, wonderful as it was, the piece never made me like Ted Williams a jot more.johngoldfinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09322562737172405323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-11390670769801481672009-01-28T13:12:00.000-08:002009-01-28T13:12:00.000-08:00I had never read it. It's lovely.I had never read it. It's lovely.Zenslingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06040836002694584468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-71576249860206895932009-01-28T07:13:00.000-08:002009-01-28T07:13:00.000-08:00Gods do not answer letters.Gods do not answer letters.laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5730822.post-65225330859195575512009-01-28T07:11:00.000-08:002009-01-28T07:11:00.000-08:00One of the greatest baseball pieces ever written.One of the greatest baseball pieces ever written.laura khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524593142290489958noreply@blogger.com