Monday 2 December 2013

Baseball Etc

Here is a detail that I missed when summarizing the contents of Poul Anderson's and Gordon R Dickson's Hoka (New York, 1985). On the cover and the title page, the title is Hoka whereas, on the second title page, the title is Hoka!

I do not understand baseball and certainly do not understand the Hoka-Sarennian baseball game in "Joy In Mudville":

"...to lay down a bunt..." (p. 41)

"...the first six men up scored two men and loaded the bases." (p. 42)

"Lefty bounced the next pitch off the right field wall for a stand-up triple." (p. 47)

"The tying run was on, and there were two outs left to bring it home." (p. 54)

OK?

But it ends with yet another insight into Hokan psychology:

"To Hokan taste, it was almost an anticlimax after the glorious victory of the fictional Casey when the factual one playfully tapped a home run over the left field and won the Sector pennant." (p. 63)

That fits with everything that we have been told about the Hokas in the six previous stories.

At the end of Earthman's Burden, Alex said that he would visit Earth after a baseball game and, sure enough, he is back on Earth at the beginning of "Undiplomatic Immunity" so maybe I am about to read something more comprehensible?

6 comments:

Ketlan said...

I remember reading a John Grisham novel that revolved around a baseball team and its games: I didn't understand a word of it. :-)

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

I fear the mysteries of baseball puzzles me as much as it does you! I was never a fan of baseball. I focused on the comedy and deeper undercurrents of plot and character development in "Joy in Mudville."

If it's any comfort to you, the subtleties of cricket, that analogous British passion, is lost on most Americans! (Smiles)

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
I knew you would bring up cricket! I was never a fan of it but in the last few years I have joined a social group one of whose activities is indeed cricket so I have become interested enough to spectate.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

Ha! Am I getting that predictable? Well, I can think of far worse hobbies than cricket. Have fun!

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
It is predictable that, if we talk to any American about baseball, they will talk to us about cricket!
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Hi, Paul!

Because the passion fans of baseball and cricket have for these games makes them easily analogous to each other! (Smiles)

Sean