60 Days to Opening Day

Opening Day 2008 for the Timber Rattlers is April 3. That is 60 days from today. This off-season, the countdown will be based on books. Each day between now and Opening Day 2008, I will pick a random book out of my library and excerpt a passage off the page number corresponding with the number of days remaining to the first pitch of the new season. I will try not to repeat a book during the countdown.

Today’s book is When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi by David Maraniss. This passage is from Lombardi’s playing days at Fordham. The Marie mentioned near the end is the future Mrs. Lombardi.

At the start of the baseball season, Lombardi had correctly predicted that the Yankees and Giants would win the pennants, so Frank decided to ask him who would win the Rose Bowl. “Lombardi maintained a complete and dignified silence. He probably knew the answer, but he is one of the gladiators who considers premature talk an ill omen.”

Lombardi’s reticence on the Rose Bowl issue seemed his alone. The motto at Fordham after the Pitt victory became “From Rose Hill to the Rose Bowl.” Anticipating more of the national spotlight, the athletic department outfitted the Rams in brilliant new uniforms, with gilded helmets, bright yellow sateen pants, and maroon jerseys with gold numerals front and back. The expectations only increased that Saturday after Fordham gained revenge on Purdue, defeating the Boilermakers 15 to 0 in another impressive defensive performance that was keyed by Crowley’s decision to shift his defense. He moved Lombardi out from his middle guard position to a post across from the strong-side end, where he could help thwart the sweeps of Purdue’s star running back, Cecil Isbell. After the game, the Fordham band paraded out of the Polo Grounds blaring “California, Here I Come!” To the thousands of desperate families whose lives had been shattered by dust storms in Oklahoma and Texas that year, the popular tune was a bittersweet anthem of meager hope as they made their way west to California. To the football fans of Fordham, it was all rollicking fun as they marched behind the band. In their legion was Harry Lombardi, who had attended every game on a free ticket from his son (each player got two freebies; Harry sat next to Jim Lawlor’s dad, while Marie Planitz was usually with Lawlor’s girlfriend).

Put today’s excerpt in a baseball context.