Thoughts Medley: George Washington as a slave holder and baseball 22 Jul 25

by Tony Medley

On September 11, 1911, Cy Young, baseball’s all-time winningest pitcher in his last year, faced rookie Grover Cleveland Alexander, who would go on to become baseball’s third all-time winningest pitcher. Alexander won, 1-0 as both pitchers threw complete games (naturally). It was a famous game, representing a changing of the guard as two of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game faced each other, one at the end of his career and the other at the beginning.

On July 8, 2025, fading future HOF Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw faced Milwaukee Brewers up-and-coming rookie Jacob Misiorowski in what should have been and equivalent game as Misiorowski has had a stunning debut, striking out most of the batters he faces.

But it was not to be because today’s ignorant managers refuse to let pitchers pitch complete games and both pitchers were pulled after six innings with Misiorowski leading, 2-1, allowing only one hit, a lead off home run by Shohei Otani and striking out 12, and Kershaw allowing only two hits. Baseball has been ruined by the sabermetricians who insist that it’s a mortal sin, if not a felony, for any pitcher to throw more than 100 pitches. Both Cy Young and Grover Cleveland Alexander would guffaw at the thought, as do I. Refusing to let pitchers pitch complete games robs the game of classic pitching matchups and makes no-hitters by one pitcher virtually impossible. Dodgers’ Manager Dave Roberts pulled a pitcher only four outs from a perfect game because he had thrown his 100^th pitch. This is as much nonsense as letting men play in women’s sports.

On July 8, Roberts continued his abysmal judgment of pitchers as for the 8^th time this year, the pitcher he put in to throw the 8^th inning, Kirby Yates, threw a gopher ball to the first batter he faced. Just two days before, Roberts had inserted Tanner Scott and Christian Walker, the first batter Scott faced, hit a home run, for the 7^th time this has happened this year. Not be outdone, though, the next batter, Yanier Diaz also hit a home run. I have kept track. At least 15 times in 2023, the first batter faced by a Roberts reliever hit a home run. It happened at least 18 times in 2024 and, as I have written, has already happened 8 times this year.

So, it was no surprise that it happened in the All-Star game, too. In the top of 7^th inning, with 2 men on Roberts put in Randy Rodriquez of the Giants and the first batter he faced, Brent Rooker of the Athletics, hit a three run home run to make the score 6-3.

According to The Wrap, “More than 100 BBC journalists blasted the U.K. broadcaster in a open letter this week denouncing what they viewed as censorship in favor of Israel while reporting on the conflict in Gaza. It specifically called for the removal of board member Robbie Gibbs, citing a conflict of interest over his ties to the Jewish Chronicle.

“We’re writing to express our concerns over opague editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine,” the letter, which was signed by over 400 other media and entertainment figures including the highly overrated director Mike Leigh, “Harry Potter” star Miriam Margolyes and Marvel’s Zawe Ashton. Put them on your list of movieland antisemite bigots.

Doug Mackey, convicted over a 2016 satirical meme, has been fully acquitted by the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. The meme said: “Avoid the line. Vote from home. Text ‘Hillary’ to (deleted).” There was no evidence anyone was deceived.

Courageously, Mackey refused a pardon from President Trump and appealed, leading to a court decision overturning his conviction due to lack of legal basis.

This case now sets a precedent that online political speech—including memes—is protected under the First Amendment, even during elections.

Recommended Reading: Never Caught by Erica Armstrong Dunbar. If you think you know George Washington, think again. This is about a slave who escaped the first President, how she was treated by the Washingtons and what they did to try to capture her. It is an enlightening and upsetting book, capturing the awfulness of slavery. Washington and Robert E. Lee have been pictured as benevolent slaveholders, psychologically opposed to slavery. But nothing could be further from the truth, as this book emphasizes, at least as to Washington. Just as an example, the Washingtons brought their slaves to Philadelphia to serve them while he was President. He knew that Pennsylvania had a law that basically freed slaves who lived in the state for six months, so the Washingtons rotated their slaves between Philadelphia and Mount Vernon every six months, so none of them could claim freedom.

I have previously written about the book, Reading the Man; A Portrait on Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters by the late Elizabth Brown Pryor  that reveals Lee’s aggressiveness with keeping his slaves.

I’ve been a long-time fan of John Sandford and his more than 60 mysteries. I had not read a bad one. But here is a warning. His latest, Lethal Prey, is well written and interesting until the end, which should have been “to be continued…” because it doesn’t end. I loathe these Perils of Pauline-type writers who write mysteries that require you to buy the next book to learn what happens. Shame on Sandford for this non-ending. If you are a Sandford fan, I urge you to avoid this book with its dissatisfying non-denouement.

Stupid idea: The number of stupid ideas by professional politicians would make a list from here to China. One of the more recent ones is a change made to an environmental bill by Rep. Mike Simpson a GOP MC from Idaho to change the name of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts after Melania Trump. Specifically, it reads “Makes technical changes, designates the First Lady Melania Trump Opera House.” Idiotic partisan nonsense.