However, teammates noticed he never dived for a ball in the outfield and noticed his special care and handling in the clubhouse. He got along well with Ken Griffey, who traveled to Tokyo for Ichiro’s farewell - superstars bonding via their respect for the game. Ichiro was a force of his own, who would not have won a popularity contest in the clubhouse or the press box. He was already a force.īut young American hitters are hearing the “wisdom” of the age that is turning Major League Baseball into a dreary home-run derby, hard to watch, with players trudging impassively back from home plate with the secure knowledge they took their launch-angle cut, on orders from on high.Ģ. He was going to do things his way, and he had the advantage of a Japanese ownership with the Mariners. Ichiro arrived in North America with his climate-control bat case and his pre-game snack of a rice ball. Ichiro and Oh could do that because they had the security of a culture that prizes ritual and history. He also had the martial discipline of Sadaharu Oh, the greatest home-run producer in baseball history, who took time out to swing a Samurai sword to help him with his home-run cut. Of course, Ichiro arrived in Seattle with the statistics of the greatest hit-producer in Japanese history. 329 in his debut last season, making him scramble for a utility job in the outfield. I see how the Mets are doing their best to minimize Jeff McNeil, a late bloomer who made 74 hits and batted. The analytics crowd is currently retrofitting the new generation of hitters. The numbers guy might see him produce long balls in batting practice – which he could do, any time – and insist he do the same during games. He might be turned over to the analytics types in their bat cave, who would "suggest" he could have more “pop” if only he had a better “launch arc.” I can only speculate what would happen today if a player with similar skills arrived from Japan to the so-called Major Leagues. Brian Peterson is currently the owner/operator of the Logan Square venue and restaurant, Township.Ī documentary about the Fireside is currently in the works.Two thoughts about Ichiro Suzuki, who just retired:ġ. ![]() ![]() Regardless, the Fireside still played a very important role as a galvanizing epicenter for the burgeoning punk scenes of the mid 90s through the mid 00s, with ripple effects reverberating out until the present day. While all three of these venues catered to the punk and hardcore acts of their eras, the Fireside's main difference was that it was not necessarily organized as a DIY community center. The legacy of the Fireside, in someways, will be compared to that of the venues 924 Gilman of Berkeley, CA and ABC No Rio of New York City. ![]() From 1994-2004, the Fireside played host to thousands of local and touring bands, a number of which would go on to become note-worthy. Currently, the Fireside's primary function is as a bowling alley and hosts seasonal leagues, however occasionally, some shows have been happening mostly put on by Phantom Note Productions. The Fireside was booked primarily by Brian Peterson but also by Dave Eaves. The Fireside Bowl is a Logan Square bowling alley that was also a punk haven in the 1990s.
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