Category Archives: baseball

The Martin Johnson Blog Network

Posted on October 5, 2019 by jmartin437

I write…a lot. I write about music, mostly jazz. I write about sports, mostly basketball (though drill down deep enough here and you’ll find a late 2014 piece that correctly called the rise of the Chicago Cubs). I write about … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives, Arts, baseball, basketball, Bullish, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, cinema, Clippers, culinary, fitness, Food, Gender, Jazz, Lakers, LeBron James, LGBT, Life in the 50s, Media, Miami Heat, movies, Music, Naked Women, NBA, NFL, Politics, race, Sports, Taking the Bulls by the Numbers, The Do Over, thoughts and musings, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s Different This Time

Posted on October 20, 2017 by jmartin437

Yes, I’m saddened that the Chicago Cubs season ended with a thud on Thursday night, but now that there’s a title in the bag, the ending feels different. For one, their opponent was the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The question entering … Continue reading →

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My Dad Was a Stathead Before They Invented the Term

Posted on June 18, 2017 by jmartin437

I don’t have any photos of my father, but I do have stories. Here’s One A lot of my fondest memories of my Dad are centered around sports and especially baseball. We went to lots of games together, not only … Continue reading →

Posted in baseball, basketball, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, LeBron James, NBA, race, Sports, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Lifetime of Rooting for the Cubs

Posted on October 9, 2016 by jmartin437

People sometimes wonder how I can root for a baseball team that hasn’t won a World Series in my lifetime, and I tell them it derives from growing up in Chicago in the mid ‘60s and early ‘70s.  During my … Continue reading →

Posted in baseball, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Sports, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wilbon Mess

Posted on May 30, 2016 by jmartin437

                The only thing worse than getting piss in your face is getting piss in your face when you don’t expect it.  That happened to me last week when veteran ESPN and Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon wrote a column … Continue reading →

Posted in baseball, basketball, NBA, Politics, race, Sports, thoughts and musings, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

By Jove, I Think He’s Got It!!

Posted on August 26, 2015 by jmartin437

With the Chicago Cubs surging toward the playoffs in part due to the play of four rookies, Third Baseman Kris Bryant, Shortstop Addison Russell and Outfielders Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler, it’s easy to forget that there’s more talent in … Continue reading →

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This is What a Window Opening Looks LIke

Posted on August 16, 2015 by jmartin437

A championship contention window, that is. The Chicago Cubs have won 15 of their last 16 games, and the team has been led by all star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, a stellar pitching staff, and four rookies. Here are their … Continue reading →

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Father’s Day and Baseball and Pullman Porters

Posted on June 22, 2015 by jmartin437

I don’t have any pictures of my father to share, but I have stories. This is one I’m fond of. In the late ‘60s, when my family still lived in Chicago, my father would often go into the office on … Continue reading →

Posted in baseball, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox | Leave a comment

Sports: Can the 2015 Chicago Cubs Win 90 Games?

Posted on November 30, 2014 by jmartin437

Can the 2015 Cubs win 90 games? For avid Chicago Cubs fans, this offseason may seem like a Christmas Eve from our childhood. We don’t know what lies ahead, but it’s probably really great. The 2014 team showed signs of … Continue reading →

Posted in baseball, Chicago Cubs | 2 Comments

Sports: Fixing the Chicago Baseball Teams

Posted on October 9, 2013 by jmartin437

I didn’t write at all about the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox this season because it was too painful.  Usually my distance–I’m in New York–shields me from the hysteria of the Chicago media and allows me to keep an … Continue reading →

Posted in baseball, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Sports | 2 Comments