HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sdo@hoops.mitre.org (Sean D. O'Neil)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Why aren't there more baseball player actors?
Date: 31 Aug 92 19:28:34 GMT
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA

In article <1992Aug31.140343.27189@midway.uchicago.edu> thf2@midway.uchicago.edu writes:
>In article <31AUG92.14181014@vax.clarku.edu> hhenderson@vax.clarku.edu writes:
>>There are such a lot of ex-football players who turn into actors
>>(alleged actors, that is).  Alex Karras, Dandy Don Meredith, etc. etc.
>>and let's not forget that brilliant thespian Fred Dryer.  How come
>>there aren't any ex-baseball player actors?  There's Bob Uecker
>>I suppose, but other than that I can't think of anybody.
>
>There was Chuck Connors, the "Rifleman."
>
>>A sportswriter friend of mine has a theory about this.  He says
>>that baseball players are much, much stupider than athletes in
>>other sports (even hockey!  I was surprised at that) and therefore
>>are too dumb to be actors.  Any comments?
>
>That being said, is there really such a difference?  I count two from
>each sport -- Meredith is no more an "actor" from doing tea commercials
>than Jim Palmer is for underwear.  (I'm not counting Darrell Daulton
>playing himself.)  (Did Joe Namath try anything?  He hasn't done anything
>lately.  But then again, neither has Karras or Dryer.)


In addition to Karras and Dryer, I can recall, off the top of my head, 
the following football players in acting roles:


Jim Brown:		THE DIRTY DOZEN (and many other films) 
Roman Gabriel:		(some John Wayne flick.  Roman plays his
			adopted Indian son.  Also stars Rock Hudson)
Joe Namath:		CC RIDER AND COMPANY (with Ann Margaret)
Terry Bradshaw:		HOOPER (a Burt Reynolds flick)
Mean Joe Greene:	MEAN JOE AND THE KID (or something like that.
			A movie version of the Coke commercial---yuk!)
Larry Csonka:		episode of BANACEK
Lyle Alzado:		THE EXTERMINATOR (again, or something like that.
			Lyle plays a killer who is executed but comes back
			to life)
Brian Bosworth:		(can't remember the name.  Brian plays an
			undercover cop.  Currently languishing on video
			shelves everywhere)
(Oakland Raider and
Anthony Munoz):		A lineman and a linebacker, repectively, in
			NORTH DALLAS FORTY
Mike Ditka:		episode of LA LAW (actually, this shouldn't count
			since he played himself)


In addition, I have this nagging feeling that the following players have
acted in something other than commercials at one time or another:

Bubba Smith
Dick Butkus
Franco Harris


As far as baseball players are concerned, in addition to Chuck Connors
I can only think of one significant dramatic role, and that is
(drumroll, please)


Jim Bouton, who played a playboy murderer in a film starring Elliott
Gould as a detective (Phillip Marlowe, THE LONG GOODBYE, maybe?)

And of course, if we accept the Mike Ditka entry above, we must
also take the appearances of Keith Hernandez and Roger McDowell
in an episode of SEINFELD, where they played themselves.

All in all, it looks to me like the football players have a significant
edge in dramatic appearances.

Sean
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: hymowitz@whatever.cs.jhu.edu (Hymie!)
Subject: ending streaks (was Re: Longest On-Base Streaks? )
Organization: Creative Sensualities dept, Jacquie's House of Underwear
Distribution: na,local
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 05:45:03 GMT

f67700241@violet.ccit.arizona.edu (Greg Franklin) writes:
>A pitcher can snap a hitting streak by not throwing anything
>close to a batter.  Wussy. 

not necessarily -
10.24 (b) a consecutive-game hitting streak shall not be terminated if all the
player's plate appearances (one or more) result in a base on balls, hit
batsman, defensive interference or a sacrifice bunt.

by the same token, i think the orioles should give ripken a rest.
despite rule 10.24(c)-
a consecutive-game playing streak shall be extended if the player plays
one-half inning on defense, or if he completes a time at bat by reaching
base or being put out. [...] if a player is ejected from a game by an umpire
before he can comply with the requirements f this reul, his streak shall
continue.

let ripken take a 'day off' by batting first, then sit for a game, and
lkeep his precious useless streak going.  as it is, he plays somewhere
in the neighborhood of 99.5% of the orioles' innings.

--hymie
hymowitz@cs.jhu.edu                                         hymie@jhuvms.bitnet
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't want to be cute.  I want to be manly.  Stop laughing.
--me, to sandy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: genetic+@pitt.edu (Dr. Dave)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Help! FAQ(?): Arnsberg rule
Keywords: eat more sabrmoose
Date: 4 Sep 92 16:11:06 GMT
Organization: Department of Industrial Engineering

Thus spake rlopez@loanstar.tamu.edu (Robert Lopez):
>
>Help me Dr. Dave...You're my only hope....
>Alright, darnit, I don't care if this *IS* a FAQ...
>What on God's green Earth is THE ARNSBERG RULE??

I borrowed the term from our friends at the Binaca Blast Deep Drive Derby
(BB DDD), who use it to describe a process whereby an exceptionally bad
pitcher may be ranked among the worst even if he has insufficient innings
to qualify, by assuming that he gives up no HR for enough innings to make
him qualify, and then seeing where that would rank him.  It's similar to what
can happen in a batting race, where a batter who leads the league in batting
average at the end of the season, but has insufficient plate appearances, can
be charged with enough hitless plate appearances to make him qualify.  If he
would still have the highest batting average after that, he is awarded the
batting title.

In our case, I noted that certain players were so bad that, even if they were
to bat .500 for enough plate appearances to get them up to qualifying levels,
they'd still stink.


-- 
      David M. Tate      | From my dugout sleep I fell into the Game
 dtate@unix.cis.pitt.edu | And I crouched in the circle while my insides froze
 Randall 'Chico' Jarrell | One out from death, one hit from dreamt-of glory
"Death of a Pinch Hitter"| I woke to 'Strike One!' and the nightmare sliders...
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: hasch@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu (Bruce M Hasch)
Subject: Tim Belcher's Removal
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: Belcher, Rob, Dibble, Yikes! 
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 21:40:00 GMT

I'm not a Reds fan, but I'm really curious as to why Lou Piniella pulled
Tim Belcher out of last night's Reds-Mets game.  Belcher had retired
something like 22 straight Mets, and yet Rob Dibble came out to pitch
the ninth.  The fact that Dibble gave up a three-run homer to Bobby Bo
to cost the Reds the game makes this question that much more interesting...

I presume that one of these three things occurred:
1) Belcher told Piniella he had nothing left
2) Belcher was hurt in some way
3) Piniella suffered some kind of brain spasm

This loss really has to hurt the Reds chances of catching the Braves.
Does anyone know of Tom Glavine's status?  He looked AWFUL yesterday versus
the Phillies, and apparently, he may be hurt. 

The Braves picked up Jeff Reardon from the Red Sox for some scrubs to be named
later.  I'm not sure if this is a good move or not, Reardon has not exactly
been solid this year...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce 'Slower than Hector Villanueva' Hasch    hasch@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu
Bill Ripken Anti-Fan Club                      O's all the way in '92!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: cjross@eos.ncsu.edu (CHARLES JAMES ROSS)
Subject: Re: Blockbuster trade
Keywords: Canseco, Sierra, Witt, Russel
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 14:23:18 GMT

In article <Aug.31.23.19.41.1992.2112@ring7.rutgers.edu>, subhas@ring7.rutgers.edu (Subhasish Roy Choudhury) writes:
|> 
|> Just before roster freezing Oakland pulled off a big one.
|> 
|> Canseco for Sierra, Bobby Witt and Jeff Russell. Now Sierra is a free
|> agent, but how on earth could Texas give up twwo decent pitcher, when
|> their main problem is pitching. Now I like Oakland's chances over
|> Toronto or Baltimore/Mulwaukee. Over the Braves? Don't think so

I don't think they can win the west now. Probably finish 3 back of the 
Twins. Bad move on Oak's part. Why mess with somethin' that ain't brokE.
From: rinehart@aramis.rutgers.edu (Mark J. Rinehart)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Oh Cone-da!
Date: 28 Aug 92 17:09:24 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <1992Aug28.154336.11626@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (roger maynard) writes:

> In <8ebJS=q00awIM0uEkm@andrew.cmu.edu> Craig Steven Lyga <cl3l+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
> >     I know the Mets probably weren't going to sign Cone because they
> >wouldn't give him a five-year deal but they could have done better than
> 
> Is this correct?  If this is true then the Jays won't be able to sign him
> again either.  They don't give players more than 3 year deals.
> rm


According to Cone, he's real happy in NY. He indicated that he
wouldn't mind being back here next season, also indicating that he  
probably wouldn't be in a Mets uniform. That certainly makes this
Yankees fan perk up. 

Mark
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: gidi@Hilbert.Stanford.EDU (Gidi Avrahami)
Subject: Re: A's Lineup!
Organization: Brotherhood Of Breath
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 16:26:44 GMT

usr3@faultln.UUCP (jeremyc) writes:
>> RFJose Canseco
>
>Well, change this to somebody else!  We got rid of Jose!  FINALLY!  The guy
>was a good player and all, but boy he sure was a jerk!  I think if he would
>have not been so cocky, he could have been liked by the fans.  

Well, this A's fan never had a problem with Canseco.  I never thought
he was a jerk, and I always believed he was an impact player.  A
championship player, the kind that produces all year long and then
some more in the playoffs.

This A's fan (still talking about myself) hates the trade with a
vengeance.  I find myself half-hoping that the A's lose the West just
so that I have the satisfaction of seeing Sandy Alderson committing
Harakiri live on KRON during an interview with Gary Radnich.

I don't care how good this Witt fellow is (and I hear he is bad.)
Canseco is an MVP type player -- the kind that can dominate a series.
None of those other three are like that.  This trade is so wimpy, I
could puke.  Just think of football for a second: It's like the New
York Giants trading Lawrence Taylor for a place kicker, a punter and
an offensive lineman "to get ready for the playoffs."

Alderson justified this trade in two ways: One, it makes the team
better for the stretch drive and the playoffs.  Sounds stupid to me:
Down the stretch the A's need only play .500 to win the West, and in
the playoffs, I would think, you need LESS starting pitching, not
MORE.  So you give up an everyday RBI man for two pitchers you might
not even use and a less productive outfielder with chicken pox?!

Two, it's supposed to make the A's more sound financially for the
coming years.  How so?  In Canseco they had a top 5 player at what
amounts to top 20 salary.  If they wanted to sign Sierra, they could
do it in the off season with or without the trade.  So what's the big
deal?

Only one explanation left: Alderson wants the A's to be bad.  Maybe he
thinks the next few years will see a decrease in income and he'd
rather stock on prospects, rather than on stars.  Well, good for Sandy
and the bottom line.  Bad for A's fans.  At least, this fan (yeah, me).

I could be wrong; I usually am.  Maybe the A's will win this thing
anyway.  Maybe they'll even win behind Sierra's power and Witt's
pitching.  But they used to be a team with a character, a team I
enjoyed watching.  Now, they're something else.  Something in a suit,
something I don't really like.


--Gidi


Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: jds23971@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Neff )
Subject: Re: Why aren't there more baseball player actors?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 04:20:00 GMT

David Justice and Darrin Daulton both have had bit parts on soap
operas this year.  I believe Daulton plays himself on One Life To Live
or one of those and it airs within the next 2 weeks.  Justice was on a
month or two ago.  Don't remember which soap. Young and the Restless maybe.

Probably got the soaps wrong but I know they both had soap parts recently.

Just my $0.02

Neff
From: hbrooks@uiatma.atmos.uiuc.edu (Harold_Brooks)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: THE trade... A ranger fan's thoughts..
Date: 3 Sep 92 18:51:50 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: NSSL

In article <2AA61B08.1170@news.service.uci.edu> jaykay@orion.oac.uci.edu (R. Jayakrishnan) writes:
>
>
>  There are a few things that seem to have been overlooked.

[Deletions]
>
>
> 4) Texas has *not* lost a whole lot of pitching. They have given up on
>    Witt, as well they should. They waited for 6 years. If he still gives
>    up 5-6 walks per 9 innings and doesn't feel ashamed of it, shouldn't
>    have a place in any real team.  
>
>    Jeff Russell would have asked for much more than he deserves. He doesnt
>    overpower too many people and gives up too many hits for a closer. 
>
>    Kenny Rogers is a better closer, if his role is defined as a closer
>    (as he was 2 years back, when Russell was out.), and his adrenaline is
>    pumping.

I think they'll also give Matt Whiteside a look.  He was good in Tulsa 
all year and in his two weeks at OKC.  If I were Toby Harrah, I'd let 
Whiteside have the job for the rest of the year. 

Harold
-- 
Harold Brooks                    hbrooks@uiatma.atmos.uiuc.edu
National Severe Storms Laboratory/CIMMS (Norman, OK)
Andres Galarraga (Through 2 September)  .242 BA  .376 SLG  .279 OBA
27 H from .300  4 H from .250  8 HBP  9 BB
From: zuhars@madrone.eecs.ucdavis.edu (Gary Bubble Bubble Huckabay)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Maddux is very good, yes, but..
Summary: A quick note...
Keywords: Hubbub, Brooks, Andres, OBP Envy
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:55:08 GMT
Organization: Jose Canseco Fan Club (Arlington Chapter)

In article <16561@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> fzchen@othello.ucdavis.edu writes:

{Regarding Greg Maddux...}

>He's been the best pitcher in 
>either league for the last two years.

Sorry, you're incorrect, but thanks for playing.  You see, there's
this guy in Boston that can make a REALLY strong claim for that - much
stronger than Greg Maddux.  Goes by Roger Something.  Ebert, I think.

Also, I believe you're forgetting Gene Nelson, who certainly deserves
to be described using some sort of superlative.

Perhaps "Homerrific."

-- 
*   Gary Huckabay   * "So what percentage of it is imbeciles, idiots, morons,  *
* "Played 36 games  *  and other wastes of skin?"  "Currently about 25% of the *
*    in 32 days."   *  posters, and 50% of the posts."  "Have you considered   *
* "Shoulder? Me???" *  aerial spraying?" "I think Sherri has.  I'll ask."      *
From: vreddy@das.harvard.edu (Venkatesh Reddy)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Atlanta Braves win streaks
Date: 27 Aug 92 14:09:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: das.1992Aug27.140956.362
Organization: Aiken Computation Lab, Harvard University

In article <10010677@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM>, lkc@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Lee Casuto) writes:
|> In rec.sport.baseball, rcbi105@muvms3.bitnet (Matt Leary) writes:
|> 
|> > In article <14308@mindlink.bc.ca>, Edward_Lunny@mindlink.bc.ca (Edward Lunny) writes:
|> > > How come the braves have so many streaks? Is it the pitching or do people just
|> > > get hot?
|> > 
|> > Both.  But, you can't win without good pitching.  The Braves will win it all.
|> 
|> The Braves have definitely gotten both, but I think Liebrandt (sp) has been
|> pitching beyond his normal abilities.  Fortunately for the Braves, I 
|> think they could lose the rest of his games and still take it all.  However,
|> a lot of the Reds are off the DL.  If there's any faltering, I think 
|> the Braves could be caught.
|> 
|> l\

And as much as it hurts me to say this, they are currently faltering... dropping
I believe 5 of 10 (and if they lost last night), 6 of 10... besides, Cinci
has been winning recently, and they have closed in like 2 or 3 games on the
Braves, to within 3.5 or 4 games...

-- Venk --
From: usr3@faultln.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: A's Lineup!
Date: 2 Sep 92 16:45:26 GMT

Re: Lineup
By: claudius #0 @leland.Stanford.EDU (Nelson Lu) USEnet      
 
> RFJose Canseco

Well, change this to somebody else!  We got rid of Jose!  FINALLY!  The guy
was a good player and all, but boy he sure was a jerk!  I think if he would
have not been so cocky, he could have been liked by the fans.  

Juan Gonzales in right?

Oh well.  i am kinda new here...  So, whats all of your guys's favorite
teams?  Mine is the Oakland A's.  I don't really like the Giants too much,
but I don't think I would ever pass up the chance to go to any major league
team!

My favorite players are...
Mike Bordick!  ->He is so awesome!  he plays my position too, and bats well!<-
Mark McGwire!  ->He is an awesome player, but he isnt so cocky! Awesome!!!!!<-  

Other than players on the A's, my favorite player is...

Ozzie Smith!!!  He is so amazing.  What I wouldn't give to see a guy like
that play everyday!  I saw plays of the week on ESPN the other day, and
pulling a DP, he had to be 4 feet vertical to get the throw off!  It was
amazing!

           
Well.  Anyway, Talk to all of you later...

               jeremyc@hotcity.com
                    OR
            usr3@faultln.hotcity.com
From: rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Athletics Minor League system
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:24:12 GMT
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino CA, USA

In article <vsjnsyr@lynx.unm.edu> kbos@carina.unm.edu (Kurt Bose "of Biscayzee") writes:
>And as far as immediate help goes, that's pretty much it.  There are a couple
>of players that intrigue me at AA, and Craig Paquette hasn't been a bust at
>third, but the Four Aces are all disabled or ineffective, AFAIK, and the pennant
>winning moves of the past couple of years have depleted the farm system pretty 
>badly.


That was my complaint last year about the A's. When they made the Willie
McGee and Harold Baines deals two years ago, they traded most of their
best prospects. Last year I said they had basically decimated their
system above A ball. The best prospects in the system are Van Poppel and
Zancanaro(both have sore arms right now) in AAA, Erwin in AA(bad start
only decent numbers but a great fastball) and Brent Gates who just went
up to AA I believe(2B, so so glove, good bat, some speed, last years
top pick). Marcos Armas is starting to show some power and may be in
this list, Paquette as you mentioned is intriguing, but he also missed
most of 1 year with a serious injury(knee I think) so he's not a sure
thing. I like Scott Brosius, but I don't know if the A's like him enough
to give him a shot yet. Neel I'm not sold on, Peters looks like a bust,
and Dressendorfer's arm might fall off, the poor kid was abused bigtime
at Texas, and he may never recover.

If they let some free agents go, and somebody actually signs these
guys(several of them are old and not that good and may get no offers),
they could load up on picks and replenish their system, but they
probably have to let Sierra go too in order to guarantee enough
draft picks, and they'll need Reuben's bat in the order.

If they resign Sierra, they'll have to either redo Rickey's contract
or trade him because he won't stand for Sierra getting close to
double his salary.

In short, you're right, if they are intent on rebuilding, the system
is awfully thin to start the process.

:


Russ Smith
*******************************************************************************
"A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather, and ask
for it back again when it begins to rain."
                                          Robert Frost
********************************************************************************
From: 5912ramasubr@vms.csd.mu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: RC/27 for 3Bs
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 1992 18:10:05 GMT
Organization: Marquette University - Computer Services
Reply-To: 5912ramasubr@vms.csd.mu.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: vmsc.csd.mu.edu

In article <1992Aug30.232533.11659@leland.Stanford.EDU>, claudius@leland.stanford.edu (Nelson Lu) writes:
>NATIONAL LEAGUE

>Gary Sheffield, Milwaukee	9.46
                 ---------

ooops!!

************************************************************
RAM            		       BULLS -93	

Politicians' statements tend to have a low specific gravity.
They carry less weight  than their volume would suggest.
		- Jonathan Miller
************************************************************
From: ron@osf.org (Ron Birnbaum)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Jose Canseco to Texas...
Date: 1 Sep 92 18:06:11 GMT
Organization: Open Software Foundation

In article <1992Sep1.152532.3667@osf.org>, ron@osf.org (Ron Birnbaum) writes:
|> 
|>  The major concern I have with Canseco is that he is extermely injury prone.
|>  And he's a dusruptive influence in the clubhouse. He's also about 5 years 
|>  older than Sierra, isn't he? 

  Sorry - Canseco is only 2 years older than Sierra. But I still predict
  Sierra will be playing many years after Canseco has to retire.

-Ron

|> If I were starting a team right now I'd take Sierra over 
|>  Canseco for these very reasons.
|>  
|> |> Cheers,
|> |> -Valentine
|> 
|>  Sienfield,
|>  -Ron
|> 
|> |> -- 
|> |> Clemens may not win his 4th CY, but he still rules!	tedward@cs.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
From: dwarner@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (david j warner)
Subject: Re: A first on rsb? 
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 15:50:58 GMT

In article <1992Sep1.064658.2561@newshost.anu.edu.au> gerry@macadam.mpce.mq.edu.au (Gerry Myerson) writes:
>In article <31AUG92.14181014@vax.clarku.edu>, hhenderson@vax.clarku.edu writes:
>[...]
>> A sportswriter friend of mine [...]
>
>I can't recall anyone on rsb admitting to having a sportswriter as a friend...
>
I can understand why. I'm one of the sports editors of the Indiana Daily 
Student this semester, and half of the people that write for this section are
total scrubs.  There are maybe two or three people on this whole staff with
whom I'm friends, and one with whom I pal around on a regular basis.  If I've
learned anything in the J-school here, it's that journalism is full of some
really arrogant people -- this paper, especially.  Nobody wants to work
together here; they just want to get their name in the paper and get paid for
it.  Last time I checked, that was not what journalism was all about.




-- 
- David J. --------- BLUE RIDDLE PRODUCTIONS.  Bloomington, IN; Durham, NC. -
- e-mail: dwarner@miami.ucs.indiana.edu -------------------------------------
***************** "RAP IS AN ART/TURN UP THE MICROPHONE" ********************
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