Baseball Reflections

A Post In Celebration of President’s Day

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What If There Were Baseball In Colonial Times?

The Coaching Staff

Manager: George Washington – a born leader who will make mistakes along the way (fans would have criticized his moves as a baseball manager just like they do in today’s game, but he is the master of learning from his mistakes. I’d take our first president to lead my team to the world series any day!

Bench Coach: Benjamin Franklin – he strikes me as the Don Zimmer type (in his role as the Yankees Bench coach under Joe Torre).

Bullpen Coach: Caesar Rodney – As an officer of the Delaware militia during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, his leadership in the face of adversity will be most valuable.


Team Dr./Trainer/Physical Therapist: Dr. William Rickman – he
was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known best as the first Director of Hospitals of the Continental Army during the war. This title would later evolve into the position of Surgeon General.

Team Treasurer: Alexander Hamilton –
first United States Secretary of the Treasury, need I say more? Somebody needs to take care of the team’s financial situation, who would be better qualified?

Chaplin: Rev. John Witherspoon – He was a preacher already so this one wasn’t much of a stretch at all!

Beat Reporter: Thomas Paine – Look what he did for the cause of independence with “Common Sense”, then think of what he could do for a ball club. Just make sure that management is on his good side! 🙂

The Starting Position Players

C: John Adams – An influential figure in the cause for independence and a former president who was known for his honesty and ability to speak his mind whenever necessary (for the cause). For these reasons, plus his physical appearance (he looked like he’d be a catcher, short and stout), I’d trust his honesty in telling the manager when the pitcher is out of gas. He’d be a great on field manager as is needed at the position. He talks a lot like a good catcher, he’d need to tell players when to cut off throws, etc. His political prowess would work well with the home plate umpire, too. I also hear he was good in the trenches, just ask the crew of the Continental Navy frigate Boston on their voyage to France in 1778.

1B:
James Monroe – He was involved, as our country’s fifth president, with contributing so many “firsts” I thought it was best to put him at the position with the most action aside from catcher. As president, he was involved in the decision to declare Maine and Florida as independent states and was also in command for the Missouri Compromise (1820), and the profession of the Monroe Doctrine (1823), declaring U.S. opposition to European interference in the Americas, as well as breaking all ties with France remaining from the War of 1812.

2B: Ethan Allen – a key component to the capturing of Fort
Ticonderoga and was well known as a guerrilla leader.

3B: Roger Sherman –  The only man to sign all four great state papers of the U.S.: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. He becomes the rock of our infield at the hot corner.

SS: Samuel Adams – His zeal for independence shows me that he had an untiring amount of energy for the pursuits he was passionate about and he was a jack of all trades sort of like most shortstops.

LF: James Madison – As he fought for checks and balances in our nation’s legislature, he stands for a balanced OF that I boast would be difficult to best by any other. He was also our fourth president.

CF: Richard Henry Lee – Like Samuel Adams, his zeal for independence was a driving factor in my selecting him for this position. Although I have to admit, that the way his character was portrayed in the film 1776 did sway my perception of Lee as a tall, energetic figure which I consider to be well suited for this position.

RF: Henry Knox – I hear he had a cannon! Just ask the Redcoats in Boston Harbor in1776…

The Main Pitching Staff

I’m going with a three man rotation here, because that’s that’s the way it would have been done back then. The Continental/US Army back then was always under staffed!

Staff Ace: Thomas Jefferson – The Ace writer of the Continental Congress is also my staff Ace. Like there was no other man the delegates would rather have to draft the Declaration of Independence, there is also no other man I’d have leading this team onto the field in an important game.

SP2: Patrick Henry – A fierce competitor whether it be in the court, legislature or (in this case, the ball field) leads me to filling the second slot in the rotation with Mr. Patrick Henry of Virginia.

SP3: John Hancock – The President of the Continental Congress is my choice as the third starter on this staff for his leadership and dedication to the cause of Independence.

RP:
John Jay – our first Supreme Court Justice can spell relief for me any day.

Closer: John Marshall – just like he closed out court cases in the Supreme Court, our most heralded Supreme Court Justice is my choice as the team’s closer.

Special note: If there were umpires on this list, Marshall and Jay would top that list with Marshall as the crew chief!

Feel free to agree or disagree with these selections, but either way, please tell us why. Also, please add your own list, borrowing from mine as needed in the comments sections below. I think this can be a fun activity this President’s Day! I hope you enjoy it.

Happy President’s Day!

Special note: most links and the text surrounding them were taken from Wikipedia.

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