I, William Ligue Junior...

do take theee...

The Sox sink to a new low in an effort to generate revenue to pay the likes of Dustin Hermanson. The latest official press release on http://www.whitesox.com/ introduces the "Wedding experience" at the ballpark. Though prices aren't given, future unhappy couples can make their vows before God and every drunken dopey stranger in the stands. Take your pick, suckers "may be married on the field, the warning track or the center field Fan Deck." I'm assuming its an additional fee to have Frank Thomas to serve as best man. Or an even higher fee for him to dress up like a bridesmaid.

In all seriousness, I can see some clueless guy wanting this. But what kind of a woman would want the most special, memorable moment of her life to take place on an outfield warning track littered with empty beer cups, peanut shells, cigarette butts, and tobacco juice? Are cat calls from the visiting team bullpen are optional? I can almost hear the PA echoing though the stadium - "Presentation of the rings is brought to you by your local Ford dealers." How mortifying. Christ, if I even suggested getting married at a ballpark to a sane woman, I'd get my skull bashed in. Women want to be married in the safety of a beauitiful church (the more stained glass and light - the better) surrounded by close friends and family. Or, barring that, the beach of a sexy, exotic land.

As bad as this Comiskey Park wedding sounds, I have to admit that about a decade ago, I went to the wedding reception of a local celebrity at Wrigley Field. The wedding was at a church, but the reception was in some fancy upstairs club at Wrigley. It was November, and gates blocked every entrance to the field, so my date and I were thrwated in our attempt to have sex on the pitchers mound. On the positive side, Ron Santo was there, and was a super nice guy to chat with. So, I guess having a reception at the park is as good a place as any, I guess.

Upon finishing up A Day In the Bleachers, I now have to admit that it would make a pretty lousy movie. That said, its a great, short read. Hano writes about a subject (baseball) that has been done to death, and approaches it from a new, interesting angle and fresh perspective. Just one day - start to finish - of going to a game. That game happened to be game 1 of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians at the old Polo Gorunds, famous if only for one of the greatest superhuman moments in baseball history - the Willie Mays catch and throw from the deepest part of centerfield. Looking back, the time and place of this book really provides the reader a great sense of how both the game and the business of baseball have changed so dramictically in just 50 years. Age has worked to great advantage of this book. Highly recommended.

No Jimmy's tonight, I'm sick with some kind of nasty cold. Maybe tomorrow or monday. Sorry, girls.