The Quake and the World Series: Baseball Takes Back Seat to Safety

Never before has baseball been humbled. Never before has the national pastime been told to shut up and go hide in a corner.

That, however, has changed. Yesterday afternoon, Commissioner Fay Vincent announced that Game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's was postponed again due to the earthquake that hit the Bay area on Tuesday.

"We want to be very sensitive to the state of the community," Vincent said. "Our modest little sport of baseball doesn't mean much at this time. It's a very difficult time for San Francisco."

Before this week, baseball was chugging along at a rapid pace. Today, baseball is silent, along with the rest of the nation. For the first time since anyone could remember, no one cared about baseball.

"We found out where the priorities of life are," Giants catcher Terry Kennedy said. "The World Series doesn't mean anything compared to what happened in this city [Tuesday night]. People were hurt and people lost their homes. It makes me feel sick."

Yes, America, this nation does not revolve on the axis of professional sports, no matter what television networks or advertisers might think.

Baseball must be commended for the way it has handled the situation. It has taken a back seat instead of worrying about losing revenues and Budweiser commercials.

Last night, Vincent announced that the Series will be resumed next Tuesday at Candlestick Park. Not moving the Series away from the Bay Area is the best decision baseball could make. So the Series has to wait a few more days. It should. Moving it to a neutral site may have been a faster and easier way to get back on track, but it would have just been another blow to Bay Area residents.

Is Herschel Walker really that good? For all those players and all those draft picks the Minnesota Vikings gave up, Walker better run like O.J., catch like Largent, throw like Unitas, block like Upshaw and tackle like Butkus.

What happens if the Vikes don't win the Super Bowl this year? Walker will be a free agent in 1990, meaning that Minnesota will have to pay him more money to stay. Sounds like good business to me.

As for the Dallas Cowboys, they just traded Darren Nelson--one of the five players acquired in the Walker deal--to the San Diego Chargers. Dallas is already assured of another draft pick from the Vikings because Nelson is no longer a Cowboy (that was really quick).

Jimmy Johnson's squad also received two more picks from Kansas City when it dealt quarterback Steve Pelleur to the Chiefs. It's official: the Cowboys are thinking about the future. Draft picks in 1990, 1991 and 1992 don't win football games in 1989. Dallas will go 1-15 this year.

My eyes are a little less sore these days, now that the Globe has decided to can the computerized mug shots of its columnists. Is it me, or did Dan Shaughnessy look like he belonged in the Disney movie, Tron? And Mike Madden looked like Mike Dukakis' younger brother. That's scary.

Just received a letter from the Quad. It reads:

Sir:

And what exactly is wrong with Debbie Gibson, the greatest singer to enter the American musical community since Amy Grant?

Besides, I hate the Chicago Cubs. I hate the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland Athletics, and the New York Mets. As for Will Clark, maybe, with a little honest hard work, he could be one-tenth of the player and human being that Don Mattingly is. I also think Phil Rizzuto can announce rings around Vin Scully. Well, at least he's colorful.

Scott A Hanna '92 President--Debbie Gibson is a Godsend Association P.S. I have Debbie Gibson and Don Mattingly posters hanging in my room. Ask anyone--it's the pride of the Radcliffe Quadrangle.

P.S.S. I chose to live in Currier.

Hey, Scott, just two words: Electric Youth.