In his article, No Rust for Mo in Flawless Spring Debut, Bryan Hoch creates the image of an American super hero as he plays out Mariano Rivera's possible last season. The forty-two year old has been playing in the major leagues since some of his colleagues were still in high school. Though they are saying this could be his possible last season, as almost all sports writers must mention at some point, Hoch reminds us that Rivera is still in incredible condition as his spring debut displays his incredible mid-season physique. He then goes on to discuss his inconceivable talent being premiered at this spring debut.
"Rivera induced a Ty Wigginton flyout to right field, a Lou Montanez
lineout to center field and a Hector Luna groundout to third base in his
14-pitch appearance, kicking off a season that many have speculated
could be Rivera's big league farewell tour." His command over the ball is considered to be one of the best in the league, and most players are honored to be able to go up against it, or catch that pitch. He is in control, he is a warrior as he can produce such talent after so many years of being part of the league, and he is rewarded of his years of heroism with a standing ovation. Just like the book Mythology discusses, his original title as just a baseball player, has been displaced by this new meaning of an empowered human being.
There is nothing saying or giving us reason to care that Rivera is still playing such an incredible game at the age of forty-two, or that it could be his last season, or that we should care what type of pitches he can throw, like the Ty Wigginton flyout to right field. We care about these things and make then news worthy threw giving him this position of heroism. He is someone to idolize for young baseball players, or anyone that thinks their age can stop them from succeeding in doing something they want to do. His importance comes from this need for someone to compare to, someone to give us hope for ourselves, an idol, a hero. Take out this human need for something greater to look up to, and all you have is a baseball player playing a game.
I think you're correct and its interesting to fathom that many people wouldn't care as much about baseball if there wasn't the humanistic aspect to the game, that these players aren't just players, they're people as well. As for Wigginton playing great at such an old age, I am not sure whether people should create this myth in their mind that if he can play baseball at age 42, then they themselves can do the same thing or be as "heroic"as him. It is enticing and optimistic to believe that if he can play baseball still great at 42 then, all people including ourselves can conquer situations like that, but I don't think it makes it true that people can do those same things indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteMaddie, I think you bring up a really interesting human need to compare people to one another. Someone has to be amazing, some need to be terrible, and some need to fall in between. When thinking about this idea, I wonder how different the players we consider terrible are from such "heroes". Billy Beane was clearly interested in this as well. Although there is something very impressive about Wigginton playing at his age, I believe we label certain people as heroes because heroes are more fun to watch.
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