School and college sports

[Fading Fast]

Cricket is a bit crazy. It wasn't my favourite sport (although I liked wearing cricket sweaters and still do occasionally). I was able to opt out of it in the sixth form but played occasionally if they needed an extra man.
My sports were Rugger and cross country running.

Well, we overlap with track / cross country.

Cricket and baseball clearly have to be related somehow - too many similarities not to be. But they also clearly went their separate ways long ago, so knowing how one works doesn't help you much with the other.

I was running a project at work once with a team in London and they came into New York for a series of project meetings. We went to a pub one night to watch a cricket match and I thought, this is great, they'll explain it to me.

Yeah, right - never happened. We drank, watched the game a bit and never talked about it. Had a great time, but that's as close as I've ever gotten to somebody explaining the game to me.

The sweaters and outfits overall for cricket are great thought - very elegant and British Empire looking.

 

[2jakes]

Which branch of the military were you in? Your commitment to physical fitness is admirable.

Originally the Army, but my older cousin who was in the Air Force, explained
the benefits of the A.F.

 

[Fading Fast]

Did you continue Baseball to college level or was it just a high school sport for you?

I did not have the skills to play at the college level. I was fine for high school , but quite humbling to see how elevated the play was at college .

 

[Ticklishchap]

Well, we overlap with track / cross country.

Cricket and baseball clearly have to be related somehow - too many similarities not to be. But they also clearly went their separate ways long ago, so knowing how one works doesn't help you much with the other.

I was running a project at work once with a team in London and they came into New York for a series of project meetings. We went to a pub one night to watch a cricket match and I thought, this is great, they'll explain it to me.

Yeah, right - never happened. We drank, watched the game a bit and never talked about it. Had a great time, but that's as close as I've ever gotten to somebody explaining the game to me.

The sweaters and outfits overall for cricket are great thought - very elegant and British Empire looking.

You might find this useful: www.rulesofcricket.co.uk
The wool sweaters are very comfortable as well as elegant and can fit nicely under a tweed jacket.

 

[Ticklishchap]

I did not have the skills to play at the college level. I was fine for high school , but quite humbling to see how elevated the play was at college .

I went on playing Rugby into my second year at university but it was for the camaraderie really as I wasn't a brilliant player.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Originally the Army, but my older cousin who was in the Air Force, explained to me
the benefits of the A.F.
Primarily, the first option I would be issued a rifle and or stop a bullet.
Which was the case when around the neighborhood, one would hear almost
daily how so & so got killed over there.
I still went overseas, but I was trained for a skill in the A.F. which helped
when I got out.

I’m not too keen on physical exercises. It’s my love for tennis, running and
cycling that has helped to stay trim.
And like Fading Fast, I don’t eat full meals. Instead, I eat in small amounts
when I get hungry.

The trick is not to eat close to bedtime.
Otherwise I stay up into the wee hours cruising on the Fedora Lounge
reading what the night owls have posted.
But, it’s very peaceful & eventually I fall asleep with mouse in hand.

Army training at high school was good discipline and structure as well as fresh air and exercise.
I enjoy long distance hiking these days.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I went on playing Rugby into my second year at university but it was for the camaraderie really as I wasn't a brilliant player.

I never played rugby, it simply wasn't something that was organized here in the US, but I think it's the sort of sport I'd have enjoyed playing had I the chance. Hockey is the same way. It was this bizarre martian sport they played in far off lands, and you read about it in Sports Illustrated, but none of us had ever actually *seen* hockey or knew any of the rules. It just looked fun.

 

[Ticklishchap]

I never played rugby, it simply wasn't something that was organized here in the US, but I think it's the sort of sport I'd have enjoyed playing had I the chance. Hockey is the same way. It was this bizarre martian sport they played in far off lands, and you read about it in Sports Illustrated, but none of us had ever actually *seen* hockey or knew any of the rules. It just looked fun.

Hockey was not an option at my boys' school and men's college because it was culturally a girls' aNS women's sport. I know men and boys do play hockey and did then in some schools/colleges but the association has stayed in my mind - as well as an association with somewhat 'mannish' women. I know it's a cultural stereotype but it's hard to dislodge!

 

[HudsonHawk]

Hockey was not an option at my boys' school and men's college because it was culturally a girls' aNS women's sport. I know men and boys do play hockey and did then in some schools/colleges but the association has stayed in my mind - as well as an association with somewhat 'mannish' women. I know it's a cultural stereotype but it's hard to dislodge!

I went to a professional hockey game for the first time ever a few years ago, and sat in the first row right up against the glass. A couple of things struck me, having only previously watched on television: 1) hockey players are REALLY big, 2) the game moves deceptively fast, and 3) they hit each other extremely hard. American football is a very violent sport due to the speed and sheer mass on mass collisions, but hockey is every bit as fast and physical.

 

[Fading Fast]

Hockey was not an option at my boys' school and men's college because it was culturally a girls' aNS women's sport. I know men and boys do play hockey and did then in some schools/colleges but the association has stayed in my mind - as well as an association with somewhat 'mannish' women. I know it's a cultural stereotype but it's hard to dislodge!

While hockey in the US is seen as a regular-Joe sport, I never got that as you needed a decent amount of money to participate in the sport - such as, equipment and fees for ice time. When I was too young to earn money, I had to get money from my dad for sports equipment. Since even a baseball glove was a long and arduous process (and I used mine till it literally fell apart), I would no more have approach him for hockey equipment than I would have asked for a lear jet.

Our girls field hockey team had the same stigma of "manliness," but that never made sense to me as many of those girls were quite attractive - to be sure, they weren't the make-up-to-the-nines girls, but some were lean, physical and cute as all heck girls - stereotypes and reality might overlaps but are never all inclusive.

I went to a professional hockey game for the first time ever a few years ago, and sat in the first row right up against the glass. A couple of things struck me, having only previously watched on television: 1) hockey players are REALLY big, 2) the game moves deceptively fast, and 3) they hit each other extremely hard. American football is a very violent sport due to the speed and sheer mass on mass collisions, but hockey is every bit as fast and physical.

I've been to a few games and enjoy it every time, but for some reason, I don't think the sport televises well; whereas, football seems made for TV. My one complaint (greater than a "quibble" which I first typed) is the fighting. If, IMHO, you want to be a serious tier-one professional sport, the fighting has to stop, period. It should be no more tolerated than it is in football or baseball. Think how stupid it would look if refs in football walked in a circle behind two football players having a fist fight - too stupid to imagine.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We never had organized hockey here, but it was commonly played "in the rough" on frozen ponds with just skates, sticks, and a puck. It wasn't as popular as various street-level adaptations of baseball but it was played.

I had friends who played field hockey in high school, and if you called them "mannish" they'd beat your head in with their sticks.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I've been to a few games and enjoy it every time, but for some reason, I don't think the sport televises well; whereas, football seems made for TV. My one complaint (greater than a "quibble" which I first typed) is the fighting. If, IMHO, you want to be a serious tier-one professional sport, the fighting has to stop, period. It should be no more tolerated than it is in football or baseball. Think how stupid it would look if refs in football walked in a circle behind two football players having a fist fight - too stupid to imagine.

Hockey doesn't televise well because you can't see the entire ice, so it's difficult to see player movement, plays develop, etc. However, sitting at ice level it was VERY difficult to follow. Perhaps that's just my inexperience, but it seems viewing from a higher level would actually be easier to follow. And I agree about the fighting. There's no reason that should be tolerated.

A lot of sports are much different in person than they are on television. I have NFL season tickets, and sit fairly close to the field in the end zone. When the play is on my side of the field, say on inside the 10 yard line, it's almost like being on the field with them. One thing that surprises people who have never seen an NFL game up close is how fast it is. Every player is insanely fast and the action starts and stops almost immediately. You don't get that sense from the high level view you see on TV. Baseball is the same way. Baseball pitches are almost exclusively shown from behind the pitcher, with the pitch moving directly away from the camera. A 95 mph fastball doesn't look that fast, but stand there and let one whizz by your ear...it's literally a blur.

A funny story about baseball and our British friends...in college, I was part of a team that was hosting the Oxford debate team. We were out goofing off with them, and they wanted to play softball. So we struck up a game. During the fun, one of them commented he was a cricket player and wanted to try his hand at hitting a baseball. So he asked me to take the mound and throw him a few pitches. I threw a couple, but didn't want to throw *too* hard, and of course he never came close to making contact. He asked if I was throwing as hard as you see on TV, like 90 mph...I said no, that's about 70. You have no idea how hard someone like Aroldis Chapman throws until you stand there and feel it pass within inches of you.

 

[HudsonHawk]

We never had organized hockey here, but it was commonly played "in the rough" on frozen ponds with just skates, sticks, and a puck. It wasn't as popular as various street-level adaptations of baseball but it was played.

I had friends who played field hockey in high school, and if you called them "mannish" they'd beat your head in with their sticks.

There's nothing as attractive in a woman as one knowing the infield fly rule or who covers 3B on a bunt.

 

[Fading Fast]

There's nothing as attractive in a woman as one knowing the infield fly rule or who covers 3B on a bunt.

Those are the ones you marry.

 

[Ticklishchap]

While hockey in the US is seen as a regular-Joe sport, I never got that as you needed a decent amount of money to participate in the sport - such as, equipment and fees for ice time. When I was too young to earn money, I had to get money from my dad for sports equipment. Since even a baseball glove was a long and arduous process (and I used mine till it literally fell apart), I would no more have approach him for hockey equipment than I would have asked for a lear jet.

Our girls field hockey team had the same stigma of "manliness," but that never made sense to me as many of those girls were quite attractive - to be sure, they weren't the make-up-to-the-nines girls, but some were lean, physical and cute as all heck girls - stereotypes and reality might overlaps but are never all inclusive.
.

I agree. It's the seemingly unimportant stereotypes that are sometimes harder to challenge or dislodge from one's mind.

 

[Ticklishchap]

I went to a professional hockey game for the first time ever a few years ago, and sat in the first row right up against the glass. A couple of things struck me, having only previously watched on television: 1) hockey players are REALLY big, 2) the game moves deceptively fast, and 3) they hit each other extremely hard. American football is a very violent sport due to the speed and sheer mass on mass collisions, but hockey is every bit as fast and physical.

As I admitted, my stereotype is out of date! But the stories of players being hit with sticks contributed to the mannish woman mythology!

 

[Fading Fast]

Hockey doesn't televise well because you can't see the entire ice, so it's difficult to see player movement, plays develop, etc. However, sitting at ice level it was VERY difficult to follow. Perhaps that's just my inexperience, but it seems viewing from a higher level would actually be easier to follow. And I agree about the fighting. There's no reason that should be tolerated.

A lot of sports are much different in person than they are on television. I have NFL season tickets, and sit fairly close to the field in the end zone. When the play is on my side of the field, say on inside the 10 yard line, it's almost like being on the field with them. One thing that surprises people who have never seen an NFL game up close is how fast it is. Every player is insanely fast and the action starts and stops almost immediately. You don't get that sense from the high level view you see on TV. Baseball is the same way. Baseball pitches are almost exclusively shown from behind the pitcher, with the pitch moving directly away from the camera. A 95 mph fastball doesn't look that fast, but stand there and let one whizz by your ear...it's literally a blur.

A funny story about baseball and our British friends...in college, I was part of a team that was hosting the Oxford debate team. We were out goofing off with them, and they wanted to play softball. So we struck up a game. During the fun, one of them commented he was a cricket player and wanted to try his hand at hitting a baseball. So he asked me to take the mound and throw him a few pitches. I threw a couple, but didn't want to throw *too* hard, and of course he never came close to making contact. He asked if I was throwing as hard as you see on TV, like 90 mph...I said no, that's about 70. You have no idea how hard someone like Aroldis Chapman throws until you stand there and feel it pass within inches of you.

You are so right about the speed - that comes through so much more in person. Those big "lumbering" football linemen on TV move insanely fast (not just for their size) in person.

In baseball, I was fortunate to Chapman (and Miller) this summer at Yankee Stadium before the trades.

Both are crazy impressive - their pitches just whistle buy - but Chapman also brings a physical presence and intimidation factor that is off the charts.

I am convinced he intentionally throws as many wild or at least very high pitches as he does to get the batter thinking one of those errant missiles could clock me. Well worth a few balls here and there to keep the batters off their game. And the man's body English and stare are insanely intimidating. You see that on TV, but you feel it in person at a much more visceral level.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I am convinced he intentionally throws as many wild or at least very high pitches as he does to get the batter thinking one of those errant missiles could clock me. Well worth a few balls here and there to keep the batters off their game. And the man's body English and stare are insanely intimidating. You see that on TV, but you feel it in person at a much more visceral level.

The ol' "purpose pitch". You might give the batter a little "chin music" or maybe just "spin his cap". Extremely effective.

 

[Fading Fast]

The ol' "purpose pitch". You might give the batter a little "chin music" or maybe just "spin his cap". Extremely effective.

Heck, I was in the "300" seats, and I was intimidated. The thud those pitches made hitting off the backstop was gruesome - no one wanted that to happen to their body.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

12th grade was considered my “senior” year in public school.

But my pals and I still maintained a “freshman” attitude.

Spent many times in the principal's office and a trip to
the boiler room for a spanking with a wood paddle.


Not too keen on class reunions.
The thought that all my teachers are gone is
something I don’t look forward to at these gatherings.

I would not like to go to a school reunion, it's too long ago now.

Yes we too had corporal punishment from some of the masters, also the prefects could award detentions and or making you have to write out large quantities of lines. Different times. !