His passion undefeated,
his record 10-0
All shutouts in the making
to vanquish every foe
The stadium electric
the crowd in fever pitch
Expectations through the roof
as hope has been enriched
The pressure feeds the fury
like diamonds still to mine
Leaving it all on the field
—glory to define
(The New Room: October, 2022)
Categories:
shutouts, destiny, sports,
Form: Rhyme
THE BIG TRAIN
IS A COMING.
HE'S STEAMING
IN TOWARDS TOWN.
ONE THING IS
FOR CERTAIN.
HE'LL MOW
SOME BATTERS DOWN.
NOW WE'RE
TALKING BASEBALL.
WHEN BASEBALL
WAS THE GAME.
A LEGENDARY
PITCHER.
WHO RESIDES
IN THE HALL OF FAME.
HE WAS SAID
TO HAVE A FASTBALL
THAT HISSED
AS IT PASSED BY.
ACCORDING TO
OLE TY COBB
AND I DON'T BELIEVE
HE'D LIE.
HE STRUCK OUT
MANY BATTERS
THE MOST OF
IN HIS TIME.
TAKE THE TIME
TO READ HIS STATS.
THEY'LL BLOW AWAY
YOUR MIND.
ONE CAN
JUST IMAGINE.
STANDING
AT THE PLATE.
THINKING YOU CAN
HIT THE PITCH.
JUST END UP
SWINGING LATE.
WHEN IT COMES
TO SHUTOUTS.
IT SURE MIGHT
CROSS YOUR MIND.
HE TIED
OR LED THE A.L.
A RECORD
SEVEN TIMES.
TALK ABOUT
HIS EARNED RUNS.
THAT NUMBER
SEEMS TO GLOW.
TWO POINT SEVENTEEN
MY FRIEND.
IN CASE
YOU DID NOT KNOW.
TALKING ABOUT
WALTER JOHNSON.
THE GREATEST
OF HIS TIME.
HIS LEGENDARY
DAYS OF PLAY
IS WHAT MAKES
BASEBALL SHINE.
06032020.
Categories:
shutouts, baseball, history, sports,
Form: Free verse
Listen what I say
Soccer say
Love to watch them play
U S A play
Jump into the fray
Football fray
Going all the way
World Cup way
I've got the soccer itch
My team has perfect pitch
Three shutouts with no glitch
First place their current niche
Begin the knockout stage
Best teams will now engage
World Cup is all the rage
Women's soccer's come of age
'Bonne chance' to other teams
Pursuing football dreams
Planning out their winning schemes
While the crowd cheers and screams
Listen what I say (say)
Soccer say
Love to watch them play (play)
U S A play
Jump into the fray (fray)
Football fray
Going all the way (way)
World Cup way
It's in their DNA...
Women's World Cup's brand new day!
Categories:
shutouts, football, soccer, usa, women,
Form: Lyric
Your fabulous career started in Minnesota.
It ended many years later in California.
Your statistics included sixty lifetime shutouts.
You had over three thousand seven hundred strikeouts.
A power right-hander considered among the best,
your accomplishments placed you above much of the rest.
Well Bert, despite your amazing prowess for the game,
I cannot believe you have not made the Hall of Fame.
Your lack of recognition appears as quite a shame.
With two hundred eighty-seven wins in your career,
you had a lot more than many other pitchers here.
Why don’t I see your plaque? The reason is hardly clear.
Like many others who follow the game of baseball,
I want to see your name enshrined in Cooperstown’s Hall.
Bert Blyleven was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year after thirteen
straight years of unsuccessful attempts. He will be enshrined later on this summer.
I wrote this poem back in 2004.
Categories:
shutouts, dedication, sports
Form: Rhyme