Baseball

[Orrin]

Have any of you ever tried to explain the game of baseball to your Chinese wife or sweetie? The other nigh, while Kellee and I were watching a Red Sox game on tv, it occured to me just how dammed complicated the game really is while I tried to explain the rules of the game to her. Football and basketball are pretty easy to explain since the basic objective of those games are pretty simple, ie. get the ball across or into your opponent's goal. Baseball, as we all know, is a completely different animal.

[Trigg]

Football and basketball are pretty easy to explain since the basic objective of those games are pretty simple, ie. get the ball across or into your opponent's goal.  Baseball, as we all know, is a completely different animal.

Maybe not so easy. My son plays in a spring time semipro football league and last night I took my wife to a game. We were loosing 18-0 and scored. She said "goot now 18-1 WE WIN!" OK, I know she has never seen a football game before and she didn't know a TD was 6 and not one points--but how did she figure that going from 18-0 to 18-1 or 6 or whatever, is winning.

 

I made several feeble attempts at explaining but soon shutup in defeat. Then she noticed the Down marker and how it changed. She somehow deduced that it gets harder every try and they change from 1-2-3-4 because you get more points when it get tougher. Once again, I tried but again shutup.

 

Finally we were behind 24-22 with a minute to play and ran the kickoff inside the 10. 1st down--"bu hao, no can win with 1 point only 24-23." 2cnd down-- "bu hao, can only be tong 24-24." 3rd down "now we win 24-25." We scored and won the game. Now I'll never convince her that her scoring system based on what down it is is not right. So, I'll just shutup and say "su, tai tai"

[frank1538]

Have any of you ever tried to explain the game of baseball to your Chinese wife or sweetie?  The other nigh, while Kellee and I were watching a Red Sox game on tv, it occured to me just how dammed complicated the game really is while I tried to explain the rules of the game to her. Football and basketball are pretty easy to explain since the basic objective of those games are pretty simple, ie. get the ball across or into your opponent's goal.  Baseball, as we all know, is a completely different animal.

First, Red Sox baseball has it own rules about winning and eventually losing, but that's another subject, best left for the Rompus Room.

 

George Carlin contrasted football with baseball best: http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/carlin.html

[Martytb]

Have any of you ever tried to explain the game of baseball to your Chinese wife or sweetie?  The other nigh, while Kellee and I were watching a Red Sox game on tv, it occured to me just how dammed complicated the game really is while I tried to explain the rules of the game to her. Football and basketball are pretty easy to explain since the basic objective of those games are pretty simple, ie. get the ball across or into your opponent's goal.  Baseball, as we all know, is a completely different animal.

First, Red Sox baseball has it own rules about winning and eventually losing, but that's another subject, best left for the Rompus Room.

 

George Carlin contrasted football with baseball best: http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/carlin.html

Thanks Frank, that was so George, I could hear his voice.

 

Love that man!!!!

 

Did you read the letter to Doctor Laura?

Maybe you can put it up on Mark's religion thread in RR

[DaveR]

This came up with my MM when I was visiting her. I told her I like to watch baseball and she asked me "What is baseball?". I thought baseball was everywhere. Dumb me!!

 

So after trying to explain the game to her without a point of reference, I decided it was a lost cause until a future date.

 

It makes you wonder how we ever learned to enjoy the game.

 

David

[tonado]

How about trying to explain to her about getting a girl to first base.

[Mick]

I cover local college and high school sports for the newspaper. This spring I took Li to several baseball games with me. The first game she was completely lost, didn't understand anything.

 

"Why do those guys out by the fence just stand around all the time?"

 

"Why do they call it home plate? It doesn't look like a plate?"

 

"I thought Americans didn't spit like Chinese do".

 

These were just a few of the notable quotes from our experience. Since then, she has learned a lot about the game as she has been exposed to it more. My suggestion is to take her to some live games. She can get a better overall view of the field. Explaining the finer nuances of the game can be tricky though. Kind of like when I used to have to explain various idioms to Li, idioms that were posted on the board by Candle members might I add. Yes, Don, that means you.

[tonado]

Wait until the Spiderman 2 movie comes out. Then you have to explain to her why the bases have spiderman on them.

[Mick]

I cover local college and high school sports for the newspaper. This spring I took Li to several baseball games with me. The first game she was completely lost, didn't understand anything.

 

"Why do those guys out by the fence just stand around all the time?"

 

"Why do they call it home plate? It doesn't look like a plate?"

 

"I thought Americans didn't spit like Chinese do".

 

These were just a few of the notable quotes from our experience. Since then, she has learned a lot about the game as she has been exposed to it more. My suggestion is to take her to some live games. She can get a better overall view of the field. Explaining the finer nuances of the game can be tricky though. Kind of like when I used to have to explain various idioms to Li, idioms that were posted on the board by Candle members might I add. Yes, Don, that means you.

Yep. So are you getting into the Dog Days of Summer yet?

Down here the dog days begin in August and man o man is it hot. I have already had to explain that one to Li because here in Ardmore we have the locally famous "Dog Days Flea Market".

 

"Why do they call it a flea market? Do the dogs have fleas?"