All-Star Break Ladybugs

In all my excitement about going to the Yankee game on Saturday I forgot to post another installment of my little Saturday Ladybugs Series. So, here's an abbreviated, All-Star Break edition:


The Home Run Derby is being held in a pitcher's ballpark. Bad news, especially for ESPN. Just because Barry Bonds can hit them into the China Basin doesn't mean any Derby contestants can.



If the All-Star Game counts, why does Baseball still insist on having all teams represented? This can lead to only one thing: A dark rainy day in October when the Mets will be cursing Bud Selig as they lose Game 7 of the World Series in a ballpark other than their own, because John Maine was not selected to the All-Star Team.

The Espys are being taped this week for airing on Sunday. I have only two words about it: Shameless self-promotion.

Speaking of shameless self-promotion, Reggie Jackson is at it again. He's pissed off at ESPN for not consulting with him on the making of "The Bronx Is Burning." Yesterday Jackson told the New York Times, "...they didn't have the decency to ask me a question. Portray me when you don't know the story? Why would you do something like that and no one asked me?" For their part, ESPN said, "...the 1977 season was extremely well-documented, so we relied on our advisers and consultants, including Reggie's best friend on the team, Fran Healy. And, at the end of the season, as any Yankees fan knows, Reggie Jackson is the hero."

A hero he certainly was. I was a high school student in 1977, with less than a budding interest in baseball. The day after the consecutive home run feat, I turned to a boy in my speech class who had a copy of the Daily News on his desk. On the cover was a picture of the Yankee scoreboard, which had simply said, "Re-gie, Re-gie, Re-gie...." I looked at the paper, then at my classmate and said, "Reggie, Reggie, Reggie..." and shrugged my shoulders. Without looking up at me the boy smiled, shook his head and said, "Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah!"

Enjoy the break!

The Lady