On the theory that even HuffPost readers cannot live on Scooter & Karl alone, I cannot let the just-ended World Series go by without a comment. It was a great series.
It was made better for me by the fact that the very diverse Chicago White Sox, who look like America, defeated the retro-looking, and very pale, Houston Astros.
Hank Aaron is right. It is disturbing that the Houston Astros, whose World Series Opening Game roster featured 0 African Americans, 0 Asian players, 1 Latino, and 9 Whites (counting the DH), are just too White to root for. I mean, it is 40 years since Texas El Paso whipped Adolph Rupp's Kentucky...
Contrast Houston's Game One starting lineup with the White Sox 10 starters (including the DH): 2 African Americans, 1 Cuban, 1 Dominican, and 1 Japanese player--plus 5 Whites. A team that looks like modern America. And they won!
Former Astro Joe Morgan is right, too. It's worrisome to watch a team play in the World Series without one African American player on the roster, for the first time in more than half a century, since the retrograde Yankees finally broke down and started playing Elston Howard. The White Sox have more African American general managers (1) than the Astros do African American players (0). (The White Sox, admittedly, are an exception, since their general manager is the only African American in that position in baseball.)
I'm not saying that individual Astros are racist. I am saying that the Houston ownership must not be trying very hard, much like the CEOs of most big corporations. Here's an example--even though Houston opened the first training school in Venezuela more than a decade ago (a good thing), the White Sox have as many Venezuelan managers (1) as the Astros do Venezuelan players (1).
And I am definitely saying that the White Sox are to be applauded.
The problem with most corporate job searches is that, absent strong affirmative action rules and laws, most CEOs find their most "compatible" candidates from within their own sex and race. Even when it's not racist, it's "easier" for them to do a job search that way. Perhaps that's what's happening in Houston. After all, the Astros have more Whites born in the South on their roster (7) than they do minorities (6, all Latinos).
And what's with the "B" fetish? Is there a Sesame Street dropout in Houston's top management? The Astros have as many White players whose names start with the letter "B" (6), as they do minority players total (6).
This is weird, but does it mean Houston is part of the evil empire?
No--but it did give me extra incentive to root against them.
Here were some other good reasons:
*George H.W. Bush at the game. (Given the Bush family's current "hot streak", my first reaction on seeing Poppy in the stands was that the Bush blessing was probably the kiss of death to the Astros.)
*Barbara Bush at the game.
*The Astros play on Enron Field. Yes, that Enron. (They changed the name when Enron tanked.)
*George W. took time out from the campaign trail in April of 2000 to attend Opening Day at Enron Field, with Ken Lay and Poppy. Here's a picture. This was strange, given that the Rangers were W's old team, and given that Texas was a totally safe state for W. Then again, Enron was W's #1 lifetime contributor...
Perhaps it was fitting that the final game rally started with an African American pinch-hitter's clutch single, and finished when he scored the only run of the game on a two-out hit by another African American.
Go, Sox!
One more point: I like the wild card idea, but baseball needs to figure out a bigger advantage than just one extra game for division winners playing against wild card teams, especially when they come from the same division. The Cardinals outplayed the Astros all year long, won 100 games, and were never threatened by Houston--eventually winning the division by 11 games. Yet all they got for that dominance was one (potential) extra home game. It's not enough, which may be why so many wild card teams have won in recent years.
Bonus Sports Quote of the Day--take note, all you Washington Beltway insiders:
Mike Wise of the Washington Post had a nice piece about Billy Mills yesterday, the Native American who stunned the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with his come-from-behind gold medal in the 10,000 meters.
Here's what Mills has said about misusing Native American symbols for sports teams: "I'm not a sports team mascot. I'm a Lakota. These images damage our self-esteem."
Billy Mills knew that back in 1972. When do suppose the Redskins' management will get it?