Night Owl Cards

Phillies fans probably aren't going to like this, and I'll probably pay by watching Hiroki Kuroda get lit up by the Phils this afternoon, but I couldn't help but notice some similarities between last night's comeback by the Dodgers and a certain game 32 years ago also against the Phillies . First last night's game. The Dodgers entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2 and facing Phillies closer Brad Lidge . Rafael Furcal struck out. One out. Orlando Hudson grounded out weakly to the pitcher. Two out. Then, Casey Blake, down to his final strike, singled on a 1-2 count. James Loney worked a seven-pitch at-bat into a walk. Russell Martin hit a hard grounder to third on a 1-2 count that Pedro Feliz couldn't handle for an error and loaded the bases. Then Andre Ethier blasted the first pitch he saw into the right field corner for a double that scored Blake and Loney and gave the Dodgers a glorious 4-3 walk-off victory. Now, on to the game 32 years ag...

Since last night's game reminded me so much of the Dodgers' Game 2 victory over the Phillies in the 1977 NLCS, I thought I'd post this awesome night card. Note the word "overpower" in the blurb. A little like last night, huh? This photo is from Game 4 of that series, the clinching game for the Dodgers, played on a Saturday night at Veterans' Stadium in Philadelphia. Note that the Dodgers are wearing the road unis. Games 3 and 4 were in Philly, but Tim McCarver, pictured here, didn't catch in Game 3. Also, this photo appears to be of the first at-bat of the game, a lineout to second base by the Dodgers' leadoff batter Davey Lopes (Lopes walked during his other two times at-bat when McCarver was catching). The Dodgers won 4-1 on that day, Oct. 8, 1977, to advance to the World Series for the second time in four years. Then Mr. October and his cronies had to ruin everything.

Maybe this doesn't happen to everyone, but it did to me. At some point in my life, probably during my adolescence, I arrived at a vision for what my life would be like as an adult. I would have a house and a car, a wife and children, a dog and a decent job. I loved sports at the time, and I figured I'd still enjoy them as an adult, but maybe not quite as much. When I was old enough, I'd find more mature pursuits. I'd golf, or sail, or carve wooden ducks or whatever greeting card companies are always depicting as Mr. Dad-ly pursuits on their Father's Day cards. My vision came true, for the most part. I have a beautiful and sweet wife and a nice home and a decent job. I'm an adult. Have been for awhile. I'm old enough to have a daughter who is old enough that when she's in the living room and the TV's on, I cringe when the endless Viagra and Cialis commercials pop up between innings of a baseball game. But that's the thing. I'm not watching go...