It’s no secret that I particularly enjoy books that make me think. Buddha Takes the Mound has a special place on my bookshelf and in my heart for getting me through some tough times.
No downplaying of biographies, histories, etc., but these works that almost go to the metaphysical aspects of the game are my meat (even though I’m a vegetarian). Yes, some can get a little esoteric, almost too poetic, but they also bring feelings of nostalgia and even sadness.
Andrew Forbes has released two such collections, the most recent of which — The Only Way Is the Steady Way: Essays on Baseball, Ichiro, and How We Watch the Game — was the primary focus of our Conversation. I already had an affinity towards Forbes because he hails from Canada, my ancestral manse, and is also a fan of the late John Prine. And he is a member of the Pandemic Baseball Book Club.
His previous work — The Utility of Boredom: Baseball Essays — is also highly recommended. The title of this one kind of reminds me of the “problem” many say they have with baseball: that it’s boring, too slow, devoid of activity (let’s ignore that the average football game has just eleven minutes of action).
Those people don’t get that that slowness, even the boredom, is what makes baseball so enjoyable. Hockey and basketball take place indoors. Inside is inside, one venue pretty much the same as the other. Football, while mostly held outdoors, is frequently played in harsh weather conditions, which can actually make the contests more interesting, if miserable for those in attendance. They are played on floors, rinks, and fields that have the same dimensions from one to the next.
Baseball is played in the summer, a season most want to enjoy as long as possible. Each field is different, spreading out to ever expanding vistas, if you remove the fences. Forbes notes in The Only Way that once September rolls around a melancholy sets in because even though there are still games taking place — some of which might still be “meaningful” — the season is winding down. School is in session, vacations are over and it’s time to get back to work. Fall and winter are on the horizon. And the countdown till the next reunion of pitchers and catchers begin.
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