Michael Johnson and Associated Press

2 weeks ago

Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel reacts after being intercepted at first base on a throw by San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey in the sixth inning in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The struggling Chicago Cubs will be desperate to avoid a sweep in San Francisco when they end their four-game series against the Giants on Thursday afternoon.

At this point, any win for the Cubs would be welcome.

Their long misery continued late Wednesday night when the Giants' Luis Matos hit a crucial solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Cubs — hampered by three outs on the bases during the game — were unable to respond in the final four innings, falling behind 4-3.

NBA DRAFT: Chicago Bulls select Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft

The Cubs have now lost four games in a row and are 3-13 in their last 16 road games heading into Thursday's series finale in San Francisco. The Cubs also fell to a season low of seven games under .500 at 37-44 and remained in last place in the NL Central heading into Thursday's games.

After the series in San Francisco, the Cubs travel to Milwaukee for a three-game weekend series against the first-place Brewers, who are now 11 games ahead of the Cubs.

Big out on the bases

The Cubs trailed by one run on Wednesday night, but then put runners on first and second base with two outs in the eighth inning after Ian Happ hit a double and Christopher Morel walked.

But with Dansby Swanson at bat, the danger was averted when Giants pitcher Tyler Rogers intercepted Happ while attempting to steal third base.

“It's a risk,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of the play. “We tried to get two guys in scoring position, but it just didn't work.”

“But base stealing is a risk. We took a risk. It didn't work.”

Swanson then returned to bat to lead off the ninth, hitting a single against Giants closer Camilo Doval. But Doval retired the next three batters, picking up his 14th save in 16 chances, and the game ended with Swanson becoming the seventh Cubs runner to walk off.

The Cubs took a 1-0 lead early in the second inning when Pete Crow-Armstrong singled to right to score Happ, but the Giants took a three-run lead on two straight home runs by Hayden Wesneski to give the Cubs the start of a bullpen game.

Michael Conforto hit a two-run homer with two outs, then David Villar followed with a solo hit that gave the Giants a 3-1 lead.

BASEBALL: White Sox legend on Venezuelan migrants in Chicago: “Some ruined it for the good guys”

Crow-Armstrong raced home on a single by Miguel Amaya from first base in the fourth inning to cut the Cubs lead to 3-2, and Seiya Suzuki hit his ninth home run in the fifth inning to tie the game.

But Matos hit a two-out home run to left in the fifth inning against Drew Smyly, who had been substituted for Wesneski before the inning, and lost, dropping his score to 2-5.

“It feels good to hit a home run,” Matos said through an interpreter. “I went in there looking for something to hit. He threw me a sinker. I let it go. But then he threw me the curveball and I hit it.”

The Giants' three home runs on Wednesday came from their Nos. 7, 8 and 9 batters.

“All of these guys have power,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We talked earlier this year about having a strong lineup and feeling like you can score in every inning, especially with the power in the bottom end.”

Meanwhile, Giants starter Hayden Birdsong was called up from Triple-A Sacramento for his major league debut and allowed three runs and six hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

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“Super exciting, of course,” said Birdsong, 22. “My brain doesn't really know if it's excitement or nervousness, but we're just going to 'go with the flow and try to throw strikes and see what happens.'

“That's all I was thinking.”

Luke Jackson (4-1) followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and picked up his fourth consecutive win.

Wesneski, making his first start since May 8, allowed three runs on two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in four innings.

Trainer room

Boy: LHP Jordan Wicks (right oblique strain) is in the early stages of his recovery and will not return until the All-Star break, according to Counsell.

Next

Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (7-2, 2.96 ERA) will start on Thursday opposite Giants RHP Jordan Hicks (4-4, 3.24).

The first pitch is scheduled for 2:45 p.m.

The post Struggling Chicago Cubs looking for solutions, making an attempt to keep away from 4-game sweep in San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Gary Barlow has declared this year's X Factor finalists the “best ever” as 16-year-old Ella Henderson and chimney sweep Kye Sones easily progressed to the live shows.

Barlow was pleased with the selection of all the judges, saying: “This year we really got the crème de la crème with our finalists and it was difficult for all of us to choose our three acts.”

He continued: “The level of talent has increased this year and I think it is the best finalist line-up ever.”

Scroll down for video

“The level of talent has increased this year”: Gary Barlow and his X-Factor colleagues have selected their candidates for this year’s live shows

THE BOYS – Mentor: Nicole Scherzinger

WHO: James Arthur, 24, from Middlesbrough.

Did you know? After running away from home, he often slept outdoors and says music was his coping mechanism.

Why he thinks he should win: “I will bring versatility, passion and pure emotion to the competition and when given the chance to showcase my songwriting skills, I will hopefully show exactly why I should win the competition.”

What Nicole says: “He is so brilliant, he is a modern poet. He is really something special. He is a real artist and I am very happy to work with him.”

James Arthur: “I will bring versatility, passion and pure emotion to the competition”

WHO: Rylan Clark, 23, from Essex.

Did you know? When he reached boot camp, he was stripped naked and dragged through a bar before passing out in a hotel elevator.

Why he thinks he should win: “I'm going to perform on The X Factor that no contestant has ever done before. I want to be the first dance artist to come out of the show. I just hope people pick up the phone.”

What Nicole says: “He's full of spikes and glitter, we need diva music and powerful diva anthems for him. He would definitely have his own audience.”

Rylan Clark: “I want to be the first dance artist to come out of this show. I hope people pick up the phone.”

WHO: Jahmene Douglas, 22, from Swindon.

Did you know? Before wowing the judges at his audition in London with his rendition of Etta James’ “At Last,” he worked at Asda.

Why he thinks he should win: “I am not confident in any way, but I express myself through singing because speaking is not my strong point at all.”

What Nicole says: “He has an incredible voice – he needs a lot of support and love and I'm definitely ready to give it to him.”

Jahmene Douglas: “Singing is my way of expressing myself because speaking is not my strong point at all.”

THE GIRLS – Mentor: Tulisa Contostavlos

WHO: Jade Ellis, 25, from London.

Did you know? She worked as a bicycle mechanic and has a six-year-old daughter named Cayden.

Why she thinks she should win: “There is a gap in the market for young British female urban singers. From the beginning I have taken every opportunity to learn more about myself as an artist and I will continue to take steps to improve and grow.”

What Tulisa says: “She's amazing – when you hear a voice like that, you just can't let go.”

Jade Ellis: “From the beginning, I have taken every opportunity to learn more about myself as an artist and I will continue to take steps to improve and develop myself.”

WHO: Ella Henderson, 16, from Grimsby.

Did you know? Grammy-winning singer Cher recently expressed her joy over Ella's cover of her song “Believe” on Twitter.

Why she thinks she should win: “I believe I have a lot to give and I am fully dedicated to my music. I know that through this show I will grow as an artist and my confidence will grow every week.”

What Tulisa says: “She's so incredible. She just radiates this innocence when she sings and loses herself in the moment. It's beautiful, really.”

Ella Henderson: “I will grow as an artist and my confidence will grow every week.”

WHO: Lucy Spraggan, 20, from Sheffield.

Did you know? When she's not performing in shows, she sells baby portraits to earn some extra money. She used to work as a demolition expert.

Why she thinks she should win: “I want the public to see how hard I have worked, to share my experiences with them, to entertain them and to succeed in the music industry. If I could do that by winning this year's show, I would be over the moon.”

What Tulisa says: “I love her more than anything. As a mentor, you like the music your artists play and what they sing, but it's rare that you can be a fan of the contestants, and I'm a fan of Lucy.”

Lucy Spraggan: “I want the public to see how hard I have worked. I want to share my experiences with the public, entertain them and be successful in the music industry.”

OVER 28 YEARS – Mentor: Gary Barlow

WHO: Melanie Masson, 44, from North London.

Did you know? She has collaborated with the likes of Kasabian, Stereophonics, Fatboy Slim and Happy Mondays, released a single in 2007 and signed a deal with industry heavyweight EMI.

Why she thinks she should win: “It would be so positive to show that no matter where you are in your life, what you've done before or how old you are, you can still achieve your goals, achieve your dreams, be taken seriously and continue to be relevant.”

What Gary says: “She is an incredible talent. She is a true soul singer.”

Melanie Masson: “It would be so positive to show that you can still achieve your goals, realize your dreams, be taken seriously and still be relevant, no matter where you are in life.”

WHO: Carolynne Poole, 32, from Huddersfield.

Did you know? Her dreams of fame were shattered when Louis Walsh sent her home after the Judge's House stage of The X Factor in 2011.

Why she thinks she should win: “I think The X Factor needs to realise that country is more than just line dancing and cowboy boots!! It would be so great to show the world that the great country voices don't just come from America!”

What Gary says: “She has an incredible voice, she knows who she is and where she is going, and to top it all off, she is beautiful.”

Carolynne Poole: “I think The X Factor needs to realise that country isn’t just line dancing and cowboy boots!!”

WHO: Kye Sones, 30, from London.

Did you know? He makes his living sweeping chimneys for other people.

Why he thinks he should win: “If I won The X Factor, it would be a victory for anyone who has never given up on anything. It would show people that you should never give up on your dreams, no matter how many setbacks you experience.”

What Gary says: “I'm looking forward to learning from him because I think he's someone who knows a lot about music and I think he'll be a great candidate.”

He's through: Kye Sones has made it to the live performances

THE GROUPS – Mentor: Louis Walsh

WHO: GMD3 – Greg, 18, Dan, 19, Mickey, 18 – from Windsor.

Did you know? They met at school and enjoy watching the Inbetweeners, going to the gym and playing football.

Why they believe they should win: “We hope to show people something new and exciting that they haven’t seen before in this great show.”

What Louis says: “I love them. These guys can sing, they have a great harmony sound, they are nice guys, they work hard and they tick all the boxes.”

Cheeky guys: GMD3 will undoubtedly have many female fans on the show

WHO: MK1 – Charlotte Rundle, 19, and Simeon Dixon, 24 – from London.

Did you know? Before their trip to Las Vegas to see Judges Houses, Simeon broke his ankle and Charlie had to push him around in a wheelchair the whole trip. Now his cast has been removed and Simeon is getting physical therapy to make sure he is in top shape for the first live show.

Why they believe they should win: “The thought of being the first duo to win is really exciting. We're also a niche band that hopefully works in our current market.”

What Louis says: “They are so current and relevant to today's charts and Charlie has an amazing, original and brilliant voice.”

Double trouble: Duo MK1 also takes part in the next stage of the competition

WHO: Union J – Jamie Hamblett (JJ), 24, George Shelley, 19, Josh Cuthbert, 20, and Jaymi Hensley, 22 – from Ascot, Bristol, Luton and Newmarket.

Did you know? Jaymi is a part-time singing and dance teacher, Josh works in IT sales, JJ works with horses and George works part-time in a café.

Why they believe they should win: “We are new and fresh. We haven't been together long, but I hope the public sees the potential in us. We are four normal, down-to-earth guys who love to sing.”

What Louis says: “The guys have a great young image, the girls will love them, they have everything – great energy, looks and the singing to match.”

They are overjoyed: The boy band Union J jumped for joy when they found out that they had made it through

And of course they are all on Twitter…

The young

James Arthur @jamesarthur23

Rylan Clark @RylanClark

Jahmene Douglas @JahmeneDouglas

The girls

Jade Ellis @jadaface101

Ella Henderson @ella_henderson

Lucy Spraggan @lspraggan

Those over 28 years old

Melanie Masson @MelanieMasson1

Carolynne Poole @CarolynnePoole

Kye Sones @Kyesones1

The groups

GMD3 @GMD3music

MK1 @mk1official

Union J @UnionJworld

Bookmakers’ odds

Ella Henderson 5/4

James Arthur 6/1

Carolynne Poole 12/1

GMD3 14/1

Melanie Masson20/1

Christopher Maloney 28/1

Amy Mottram 40/1

Adam Burridge 50/1

Jahmene Douglas 6/1

Kynes Sones 8/1

Lucy Spraggan12/1

Jade Ellis 20/1

Union J 20/1

MK1 33/1

Ryan Clark 40/1

Times Red 50/1 (William Hill)

VIDEO: Tears at X Factor. The selection of the final 12 was more than just emotional…

The post Ella Henderson, chimney sweep Kye Sones and single mom Jade Ellis make it appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

It is a journey of self-discovery that puts participants in the spotlight and showered with the attention of a horde of adoring fans.

Therefore, it is no surprise that Kye Sones has ended his relationship with American beauty editor Halle Carlson.

The couple have apparently split ahead of 30-year-old chimney sweep Kye's debut on The X Factor live shows this weekend.

X Factor Kye Sones Halle Carlson Twitter appearance: Kye sang for judge Gary Barlow and guest mentor Cheryl Cole in the judges' houses

A source told The Sun: “Halle supported him all the way to bootcamp. But Kye believes X Factor will change his life forever and that it has given him the push he needed to end the relationship.”

The handsome star was reportedly mobbed by women at trendy London bar Whiskey Mist last week and received a lot of attention from fans of the show.

Cheryl and Gary: The duo chose Kye, Melanie and Carolynne to take part in the live shows after their performances in the judges' houses

The singer performed in the competition's house round in front of judge Gary Barlow and guest mentor Cheryl Cole.

Kye flirted with Cheryl during filming, but his biggest mistake is said to have been when he told the Geordie singer that he had a girlfriend.

The source added: “If he had a second chance with Cheryl, he would take it.”

A spokesperson for X Factor confirmed the couple's split to The Sun: “Kye and Halle have separated. They remain good friends.”

Kye recently told MailOnline that he feels confident as a contestant over 28, explaining that contestants in this category are more confident in both their style and their music.

“I know I've had every worst haircut in the world. You stick with what works for you. So when you say, 'How about this?' you're more likely to say, 'No, I've done that before and it didn't really work out.'”

“So you know who you are as a person and that goes for music as well. So that's something we're all very comfortable with. We all know who we're going to be in the future,” he added.

Kye, who is close friends with TV presenter Fearne Cotton, wowed the audience at his first audition with an impressive rendition of guest judge Rita Ora's single RIP.

He will appear in the first live show of The X Factor 2012 this Saturday alongside the 11 other finalists and one wildcard contestant.

Handsome: Kye's ex Halle Carlson reportedly stood by him during the judges' boot camp and house rounds. Friends: Gary and Kye have become friends and will be heading to the live shows this Saturday to begin the competition.

The post X Issue chimney sweep singer Kye Sones splits up along with his girlfriend Halle Carlson appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

NLCS-Link:

Giants überflügeln Cardinals im 7. Spiel der NLCS und ziehen in die World Series ein: DJ Short, Hardball Talk

Schade, dass Spiel 7 in einem sintflutartigen Regenguss enden musste. Es waren die Baseballgötter, die über die Eliminierung der Cardinals schluchzten. Die Giants stehen jetzt bei 6:0 in Eliminierungsspielen. Die Serie endet in der World Series.

Spiel 7 der NLCS war kein besonders spannender Wettkampf, denn die Giants schlugen die Cardinals heute Abend im AT&T Park in San Francisco mit 9:0, holten sich die Meisterschaft der Nationalliga und zogen in die World Series gegen die Tigers ein.

Die Giants sind das siebte Team, das einen 1:3-Rückstand aufgeholt hat, seit die LCS 1985 von fünf auf sieben Spiele erweitert wurde. Bruce Bochys Team hat sich daran gewöhnt, in dieser Postseason mit dem Rücken zur Wand zu spielen und konnte auch während der NLDS einen 0:2-Serienrückstand aufholen und die Reds schlagen.

Detroit Tigers-Links:

Aufräumarbeiten: Grantland, Jonah Keri

Der De-facto-Closer der Tigers bekommt seine wohlverdienten 15 Minuten. Je mehr ich erfahre über Phil Cokedesto mehr mag ich ihn. Es hilft, dass er das lebende Klischee des exzentrischen, leicht aus dem Gleichgewicht geratenen linkshändigen Relievers ist.

Doch als seine Aussichten besser wurden, wurde das Geld noch knapper. Die Yankees hatten eine Regel, die es Spielern untersagte, während der Saison zu arbeiten, und wollten, dass sie sich im Frühjahr und Sommer auf Baseball konzentrierten. Eines Tages ging ein Mitarbeiter des Teams durch den Parkplatz des Hotels, in dem die Trainer während der Saison wohnten, um etwas Müll in den Müllcontainer zu werfen. Er blieb stehen, als er jemanden sah, den er erkannte. Es war einer seiner Pitcher, der sich von Ellbogenproblemen erholte und alles tat, um seine Rechnungen zu bezahlen, während er versuchte, wieder in Form zu kommen, um in der High-A Tampa zu pitchen. Er arbeitete als Hausmeister und trug einen Overall mit dem Namen des Hotels darauf. Es war Phil Coke.

Scherzer, Anibal, Coke werfen im zweiten Trainingsspiel: Jason Beck, DetroitTigers.com

Apropos Cola …

Phil Coke, der die letzten drei Spiele der American League Championship Series mit einem Sieg über die Yankees beendete, war ebenfalls in einem Inning dabei und sorgte auch für komische Momente. Sogar in einem simulierten Spiel stürmte er wie verrückt aus dem Bullpen. Dann, nachdem er drei schnelle Outs geschafft hatte, verlangte er den Ball zurück, damit er noch ein paar Würfe für ein weiteres Out bekommen konnte.

Nach einem weiteren Groundout versuchte Coke es erneut, doch sein Antrag auf ein Inning mit fünf Outs wurde abgelehnt.

Tigers-Pitcher konzentrieren sich beim heutigen Training aufs Bunting: Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press

Falls Sie sich gefragt haben, wann ein Artikel über das Schlagen der Pitcher der Tigers erscheinen würde, können Sie Ihre Fragen jetzt beantworten.

Die Detroit Tigers haben heute ihr Training im Comerica Park mit Bunts begonnen.

Viele von ihnen.

Mit … anfangen Rick Porcelloübten die Pitcher der Tigers heute vor dem Schlagtraining das Bunting mit einer Pitching-Maschine und bereiteten sich darauf vor, am Mittwochabend in die Batter’s Box zu treten.

Gedanken vor der World Series: Es ist dumm, Pitchern beim Schlagen zuzuschauen: Matt Snyder, Motor City Bengals

Wort. Verdammtes Wort.

Hier ist mein Gedankengang während des zweiten Innings von Spiel fünf der NLCS:

„Wow, die Cardinals haben Läufer auf der zweiten und dritten Base und nur ein Aus. Wenn sie diese Runs erzielen, könnte die Serie vorbei sein.“

„Moment mal, die Giants lassen Pete Kozma absichtlich laufen, um die Bases im ZWEITEN INNING zu füllen? Ach ja, Lance Lynn ist an der Reihe. Er hatte was… oh DREI HITS die ganze Saison über?”

„… und ja. Er schaffte es durch einen Groundball in ein Double Play. Das muss man sich mal vorstellen. Der Typ mit dem Schlagdurchschnitt von .060 konnte keine Runs erzielen.“

WS-VORSCHAU-KOLUMNE: Ich habe meinen Platz verloren. Machen wir immer noch das „Fire Leyland“-Ding? Out of Left Field, Matthew B. Mowery – The Oakland Press

Mowery ist auf Twitter sehr aktiv und hatte an der Social-Media-Front schon mit der lächerlichen „FIRE LEYLAND!“-Brigade zu tun, er weiß also, worüber er schreibt.

Hmm. Nun, er kann vor der World Series gefeuert werden, oder? Ich meine, es ist noch Zeit. Er führt im Alleingang ein Team auf World-Series-Niveau in den Ruin (das wurde mir zumindest gesagt). Man kann ihm unmöglich erlauben, IN der World Series als Manager aufzutreten. Ich meine, das wäre heuchlerisch.

Jim Leyland-Kostüme sind der letzte Schrei in Detroit: Kevin Kaduk, Big League Stew

Trotz seiner derzeitigen Popularität wird es, wenn die Tigers das erste Spiel der World Series verlieren, Sport-Talkshow-Radio-Anrufer geben, die Leylands Entlassung fordern werden. Sie wissen es, ich weiß es. Das ist es, was die Leyland-Hasser tun: Sie lauern und sind bereit anzurufen, sobald Leyland etwas tut, was sie für falsch halten. Dafür leben sie anscheinend.

Während die Tigers auf ihren Termin für die World Series warten, ist es interessant zu sehen, wie sich Leylands Meinungsumfragen komplett geändert haben. Schließlich ist es noch nicht lange her, dass Leyland ein leistungsschwaches Team trainierte, das Gefahr lief, die Nachsaison zu verpassen, weil er negative Zeichen setzte, die sein bester Feldspieler nicht mehr anwenden konnte.

Tiger Stadium lebt weiter und weckt alte Erinnerungen: The Detroit News, Neal Rubin

Dies ist nur der erste von voraussichtlich einer metrischen Unmenge an Kommentaren über das alte Tiger-Stadion-Gelände in Corktown, während sich die Medien auf die Ankunft der World Series in Detroit vorbereiten.

Da Baseball in so vielen Köpfen ist und eines der Tore des Stadions auf der Michigan Avenue-Seite offen steht, war das Feld in den letzten Wochen so etwas wie ein Ziel für Besucher. Stunden zuvor standen im Regen ein junger Mann und ein älterer Mann auf der Shortstop-Position und imitierten den langen Wurf zur ersten Base.

Werden die Tigers-Fans Delmon Young jemals lieben? Dan Holmes, Detroit Athletic Co.

Nein. Nächste Frage.

Es war schon immer die Art und Weise, wie Young Dinge tut, die viele Tiger-Fans frustriert. Young hat einen fast zwanghaften Zwang, beim ersten Pitch zu schwingen. Nichts ärgert die Tiger Nation mehr. Sie vergessen die Tatsache, dass DY 2012 mit 97 First-Pitch-Schwüngen einen Schlagdurchschnitt von .362 mit 10 Extra-Base-Hits erreichte, sie erinnern einen lieber an die sechs Male, als er beim ersten Pitch einen Groundball in ein Double Play trieb. Young hat einen Bauch, der den Spott einiger Tiger-Fans auf sich zieht, die sich gerne über die Art und Weise lustig machen, wie er die Linie entlang rennt. Brandon Inge hüpfte wie ein Kreisel über das Feld und hatte Ohren, die ihn aussehen ließen, als wäre er ein 7-Jähriger in der Little League, aber die Tigers-Fans liebten ihn. Nicht so bei DY, der ein viel besserer Schlagmann ist, als Inge es je war.

Anderswo im Baseball:

Hochgeschwindigkeits-Videoclips der NLCS 2012: Die Physik des Baseball, Alan M. Nathan – University of Illinois

Ein Wort der Warnung: Das vollständige Laden dieser Seite dauert eine Weile und bringt einen langsamen PC in die Knie. Aber das Warten lohnt sich.

Diese Seite enthält Clips mit Hochgeschwindigkeitsvideos der NLCS 2012. Fox Sports verwendet eine Kamera mit 5000 Bildern/Sekunde. Die Super-Zeitlupen-Natur der Bilder enthüllt oft interessante physikalische Phänomene, die mit bloßem Auge nicht zu erkennen sind. Sehen Sie sich einige der interessanten Clips an, die ich gefunden habe, zusammen mit meiner physikalischen Erklärung dessen, was vor sich geht.

Drei Statistiken und du bist raus: Sports on Earth, Will Leitch

Eine nette Abfuhr für die Rundfunksprecher, die glauben, Sabermetrics sei das Stiefkind des Baseballs. Oder genauer gesagt: das Stiefkind eines Stiefkinds.

Es ging ungefähr so: „Also … [audible snort] … da sind all diese Leute mit ihren … [choked-off inhale, as if he had entered the Cardinals clubhouse bathroom right after Lance Lynn had left it] … Mathematik, versuchen zu verstehen … [grasping of the microphone as if it is the neck of Bill James] … das Spiel. Es ist … es ist nur …“ Ich habe das genaue Zitat nicht richtig, vor allem, weil es schwer war, Smoltz durch die platzenden Blutgefäße und das Zähneknirschen zu hören. Wie der unsterbliche Twitter-Account @oldhossradbourn es prägnant zusammenfasste: „,Sabermetrics? Was kommt als Nächstes? Ein Tier heiraten?‘ – J. Smoltz.“

Padres stellen Mauern im Petco Park auf: Baseball Nation, Al Yellon

Lynn Henning nickt zustimmend, während er auf Comericas Power Alley im rechten Feld blickt.

Insgesamt schlugen die Padres 2012 121 Homeruns und belegten damit den 14. Platz in der Nationalliga; sie schlugen 74 Homeruns auswärts und 47 zu Hause. Diese Änderungen werden den Schlagmännern von San Diego helfen.

Die Pitcher der Padres könnten jedoch anderer Meinung sein …

Dick Bosman spricht über Strasburg, Innings Limit und mehr: Seamheads, Ted Leavengood

Interessante Meinung von Bosman, einem ehemaligen MLB-Pitcher und aktuellen Mitglied des Front Office der Rays, der seine Karriere in den vom Pitching dominierten 60er Jahren begann. Bosman spricht über die Entwicklung von Pitchern und Pitch Counts, Stephen Strasburg und wie die Rays mit ihrem jungen Personal umgegangen sind.

Er behauptete, dass die maximale Wurfzahl für einen Pitcher in der Entwicklung 110 bis 115 Würfe in einem Spiel betragen würde, „ab und zu wahrscheinlich auf AAA-Niveau“, damit sie bereit sind, auf Major-League-Niveau zu werfen, wenn sie von der Mutterorganisation dazu aufgefordert werden. Über die Wurfzahl und die Anzahl der Innings sagte Bosman: „Wir sind da ziemlich streng und haben gegen Ende des Jahres schon Leute vom Feld genommen“, sagte Bosman. „Wir haben das mit Leuten wie Shields gemacht, Matt Moore und verschiedene andere Jungs, wenn die Inning-Gesamtzahl etwas hoch wird. Manchmal gerät man dabei etwas unter die Lupe.“

Eine Sache noch:

Zum Abschluss möchte ich noch dieses Gedicht hinzufügen, das ich von einem langjährigen Tigers-Fan und Bless You Boys-Leser erhalten habe. Dies hatte „Bob L in Arizona“ zu sagen:

Ich bin Tiger-Fan, seit ich denken kann. Als Zwölfjähriger war ich 1967 am Boden zerstört, als die Tigers am letzten Wochenende der Saison aus dem Rennen waren und Boston die Meisterschaft gewann. Aber das nächste Jahr war das beste. Ich erinnere mich noch, wie der Lehrer 1968 die alten schwarz-weißen Trikots ins Klassenzimmer brachte und uns die Spiele anschauen ließ. 1981 zog ich nach Arizona und sah zu, wie die Tigers 1984 wieder gewannen, aber seitdem war es ein harter Weg. Ich glaube, das ist unser Jahr.

Mit meiner Entschuldigung an Clement Clarke Moore habe ich einige Änderungen an seinem Gedicht vorgenommen, um es diesem bevorstehenden besonderen Ereignis anzupassen.

Nur Nächte vor der Serie

Es war nur Nächte vor der Serie, als alle durch den Staat
Die Idee war, die Amis zu schlagen, das Team, das wir so gerne hassen.
Die Rotation wurde von Leyland mit Sorgfalt eingestellt
In der Hoffnung, dass die Starter einen Lauf haben würden

Die Fans lagen gemütlich in ihren Betten
Während Träume von einer Meisterschaft in ihren Köpfen tanzten
Mit der Frau in ihrem Tiger-Trikot und mir in meiner Mütze
Wir träumten von Homeruns und Hits in der Lücke

Als unten in Comerica ein solcher Lärm entstand
Wir machten uns auf den Weg zum Baseballstadion, um zu sehen, was los war
Wir fuhren ziemlich schnell die Woodward hinunter
Und kam gerade rechtzeitig, um die Geister der Vergangenheit zu sehen

Der Mond hatte Schatten in den großen Park geworfen
Aber wir wussten, wem sie gehörten, sogar im Dunkeln
Was sahen wir dann mit unseren staunenden Augen?
Ein Typ namens Sparky und einige Größen aus dem “D”

Als der alte Tiger-Manager uns einen Blick zuwarf
Wir wussten, dass er es war, der große Captain Hook
Mit ihm waren die Größten, die das Spiel gespielt haben
Und er pfiff und schrie und rief sie beim Namen:

Hey Cobb, hey Crawford, yo Greenberg und Kell
Und mit ihnen kamen Gehringer, Newhouser und Harwell
In die Batter's Box, lasst uns alle herumschlagen
Da haben wir ihn gesehen, es war der Vogel auf dem Hügel

Dann waren sie plötzlich blitzschnell verschwunden
Keine Cochrane, Schoolboy Rowe oder Stormin Norman Cash mehr
Wir dachten an Al Kaline, Horton, Tram und Sweet Lou
Von Freehan und Lolich und der ganzen “68”-Crew

Die letzten Worte, die sie sprachen, bevor wir aus diesem Traum erwachten
War “Hol sie dir, junge Jungs, ihr seid ein Meisterschaftsteam.”
Sie werden von Leyland, Dombrowski und Mike Ilitch geführt
Sie bekommen den Wimpel, und dann geht es weiter mit dem ersten Pitch der Serie.”

Die O's und A's hatten beide ein tolles Jahr
Aber jetzt waren sie weg, und man musste nur noch die Amis fürchten
Also ging es nach New York, weiter an die Ostküste
Ein weiterer Wimpel für die Yankees, die Medien würden prahlen

Miggys Augen funkelten und Prince war ganz fröhlich
Wir hatten gerade die A's mit Garcia und Berry geschlagen
Ja, sie hatten CC, ARod, Cano und Derek Jeter
Aber wir hatten die Big Boys und Justins Heizung

Die Yankees wurden vernichtet, weggefegt in vier
Sie jammerten und weinten, als man ihnen die Tür zeigte
Zu viel von unseren Vorspeisen und einem Mann namens Coke Zero
Zu viel von Peralta und Young, dem ALCS-Helden

Er könnte im Schlagkäfig pummelig oder mollig aussehen
Aber er ist auf dem Weg zur Series, der größten Bühne des Baseballs
Mit einem Glanz in den Augen und einer Krone auf dem Kopf
Er ist der beste Schlagmann der Welt, Tiger-Fans haben nichts zu befürchten

Nein, es sind keine Lances, Blackjacks, Willys oder Kirks
Aber Ramon, Worth und Kelly werden bereit sein, zusammen mit Max und Dirks
Benoit und Valverde, sie werden nicht besonders hoch geschätzt
Aber auch im Stall sind Ricky P, Dotel, Al Al und ein Kind namens Smyly

Bald werden Fister, Sanchez und Omar gegen die NL-Champions antreten
Avila, Laird und Jackson werden unter einem Vollmond harken
Dann geht es zurück nach Motown, um den Kampf zu beenden
Wir machen es in fünf Minuten und wünschen der A-Nationalmannschaft eine gute Nacht.

The post Detroit Tigers hyperlinks: It is the Giants, Phil Coke was a chimney sweep and we’ll by no means love Delmon Younger appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The chimney sweep dance in “Mary Poppins,” led by Dick van Dyk’s likeable all-rounder Burt, is reminiscent of typical blackface motifs, claims a scientist.

Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, explained in a New York Times article that the sequence in PL Travers' book meant “race panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply refers to the scene as “blacking up,” and while this may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the chimney sweeps' blackened faces with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' cries a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943), as a house broom extends its dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: 'If that Hottentot goes into the fireplace, I'm going out the door,' she says, using an archaic insult for black South Africans that recurs in book and screen.

“The 1964 film re-enacts this racial panic in absurd fashion. As the dark figures of the chimney sweeps step onto a roof in time, a naval buffoon, Admiral Boom, shouts 'We are being attacked by Hottentots!' and orders his cannon to be fired at the 'insolent devils.'”

“We're in on the joke for what it is: these aren't real black Africans, but grinning white dancers with blackened faces. It's a parody of the black threat; it was even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who use this language. In the 1952 novel Mary Poppins in the Park, the nanny herself says to an exasperated young Michael, 'I understand you're acting like a Hottentot.'”

Pollack-Pelzner also pointed to other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, which in one case even led to her books being banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane and Michael Banks are abducted to a South Sea island, where the nanny uses the offensive phrase “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

However, she later said that this was “not an apology for anything I have written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

But in an online post after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner explained: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask if there was anything in it that was even the slightest bit racist that he should perhaps reconsider before it goes on the screen.”

“After writing this article and receiving tons of hate mail in response, I learned one thing about the alt-right: Mary Poppins definitely suits them very well!”

Read more
Duncan Jones criticizes David Bowie film
Russell Crowe transforms into Roger Ailes
Zombieland 2 first poster

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims educational appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Mary Poppins (Source: Disney)

The chimney sweep dance in Mary Poppins, led by Dick van Dyk's affable jack-of-all-trades Burt, is reminiscent of blackface themes, one academic has claimed.

In an article in the New York Times, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, said that the sequence in PL Travers' book means “racial panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply calls the scene “blackout,” and while it may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the blackened faces of chimney sweeps with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' screams a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943) as a sweep extends his dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: “If that Hottentot goes down the chimney, I'm going out the door,” she says, using an archaic slur for black South Africans that appears repeatedly on page and screen occurs.

“The 1964 film recreates this racial panic in a bizarre tone. When the dark figures of the chimney sweeps appear in time on a roof, Admiral Boom, a naval fool, shouts: “We are being attacked by Hottentots!” and orders his cannon to be fired at the “insolent devils”.

“We’re in on the joke such as it is: These aren’t really black Africans; They are grinning white dancers in blackface. It's a parody of The Black Menace; It is even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who invoke this language. In the 1952 novel “Mary Poppins in the Park,” the nanny herself says to the upset young Michael, “I understand that you are behaving like a Hottentot.”

Pollack-Pelzner has also pointed out other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, in one case her books were actually banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane, and Michael Banks are transported to a South Seas island, where the nanny uses the offensive phrase “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

The story goes on

However, she later said she “didn't do this as an apology for anything I've written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

However, after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner posted online: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask “If it was there.” If it was all a bit racist, maybe they should think again before it hits the big screen.

“One thing I learned about the alt-right after writing this article and receiving countless hate messages in response: They really like Mary Poppins!”

Read more
Duncan Jones hits David Bowie film
Russell Crowe turns into Roger Ailes
First poster for Zombieland 2

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims tutorial appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

DAN GELSTON, Associated Press

6 days ago

Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out 11 in seven innings, Bryce Harper hit a three-run home run and Kyle Schwarber added a solo shot to help the Philadelphia Phillies earn a four-game win over the San Francisco Giants by 6 :1 to complete victory on Monday.

Harper singled deep against Giants rookie Mason Black, spoiling the major league debut of the Giants right-hander, who pitched in the fifth inning against the team he rooted for as a kid.

“I hope he enjoyed it with his family, his teammates and everything else because there is only one debut,” Harper said.

This season's Phillies are winning as many as the ones Black cheered for as a child.

The major league-leading Phillies (25-11) won their sixth straight and have won 10 of 11 and 17 of 20 to open a three-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East.

The Phillies have also won 10 straight games at Citizens Bank Park, just two wins shy of matching the team record set in 2012. Philadelphia also set a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins against NL West opponents.

“I feel like we win in different ways every night. And it's a completely different player who makes it big, be it a hitter or a pitcher. It’s never the same guy, which is nice,” catcher JT Realmuto said. “There is not too much pressure on a player. We all feel like we play really well together and have a lot of fun, and the guys contribute every night.”

Harper hit a home run for the second straight game and his eighth hit of the season made it 4-0 against Black (0-1). Black made his major league debut in front of his parents, younger brother, girlfriend and numerous friends and family who came to watch him play against his favorite childhood team.

The 24-year-old Black – rated the seventh-best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com – was the Giants' third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Lehigh University. Black recorded a 1-2-3 first inning that included strikeouts by JT Realmuto and Harper, the latter of which was caught in the 88 mph changeup.

Black allowed eight hits, five runs and three walks. He struck out four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Wheeler (4-3) showed the rookie how it's done. He rebounded from an 0-3 start – he allowed a total of six runs in his first three starts – to win his fourth straight start. Wheeler allowed one run, walked one and lowered his ERA to 1.64.

“Today Wheels did what Zack does every time he goes out there. It was fun to watch and keep us in the game,” Harper said.

Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless eighth and Orion Kerkering pitched the ninth to complete the five.

With shortstop Trea Turner out for at least six weeks with a left hamstring strain, his replacements are starting to fill the void. Bryson Stott moved from second base to shortstop and snagged a great grounder from Wilmer Flores in the first to set up an inning-ending double play. Whit Merrifield started second and gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the fourth.

Harper had a three-run toss in the fifth and Nick Castellanos, who hit 37 doubles last season, got his first hit of the year later in the inning for a 5-0 lead.

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 18 games.

HUGE BREAK

The Giants lost for the sixth time in seven games, falling 6-14 on the road. They lost two of three games in Boston and ended their 10-game trip with three games at Colorado, the only team behind San Francisco in the NL West. Maybe there will be a Mile High fortune change for the Giants — they are 18-8 at Coors Field with a plus-51 run differential since 2021.

“We need to clean up,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We have to play better. We left home one game under .500 and not playing very well. I thought (the road) could be a pretty good spot for us since we hadn't been playing well. And now we’re playing terribly.”

NEXT

The Giants send LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, 3.79 ERA) to the mound against Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93) on Tuesday.

The Phillies stay at home and open a two-game set against Toronto on Tuesday. They will send LHP Cristopher Sánchez (1-3, 3.68) to the mound against Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (4-2, 1.44).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The post Harper homers, Wheeler strikes out 11 as Phillies full 4-game sweep of Giants with 6-1 win – WWLP appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

DAN GELSTON, Associated Press

4 days ago

Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out 11 in seven innings, Bryce Harper hit a three-run home run and Kyle Schwarber added a solo shot to help the Philadelphia Phillies earn a four-game win over the San Francisco Giants by 6 :1 to complete victory on Monday.

Harper singled deep against Giants rookie Mason Black, spoiling the major league debut of the Giants right-hander, who pitched in the fifth inning against the team he rooted for as a kid.

“I hope he enjoyed it with his family, his teammates and everything else because there is only one debut,” Harper said.

This season's Phillies are winning as many as the ones Black cheered for as a child.

The major league-leading Phillies (25-11) won their sixth straight and have won 10 of 11 and 17 of 20, gaining a three-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East.

The Phillies have also won 10 straight games at Citizens Bank Park, just two wins shy of matching the team record set in 2012. Philadelphia also set a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins against NL West opponents.

“I feel like we win in different ways every night. And it's a completely different player who makes it big, be it a hitter or a pitcher. It’s never the same guy, which is nice,” catcher JT Realmuto said. “There is not too much pressure on a player. We all feel like we play really well together and have a lot of fun, and the guys contribute every night.”

Harper hit a home run for the second straight game and his eighth hit of the season made it 4-0 against Black (0-1). Black made his major league debut in front of his parents, younger brother, girlfriend and numerous friends and family who came to watch him play against his favorite childhood team.

The 24-year-old Black – rated the seventh-best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com – was the Giants' third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Lehigh University. Black recorded a 1-2-3 first inning that included strikeouts by JT Realmuto and Harper, the latter of which was caught in the 88 mph changeup.

Black allowed eight hits, five runs and three walks. He struck out four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Wheeler (4-3) showed the rookie how it's done. He rebounded from an 0-3 start – he allowed a total of six runs in his first three starts – to win his fourth straight start. Wheeler allowed one run, walked one and lowered his ERA to 1.64.

“Today Wheels did what Zack does every time he goes out there. It was fun to watch and keep us in the game,” Harper said.

Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless eighth and Orion Kerkering pitched the ninth to complete the five.

With shortstop Trea Turner out for at least six weeks with a left hamstring strain, his replacements are starting to fill the void. Bryson Stott moved from second base to shortstop and snagged a great grounder from Wilmer Flores in the first to set up an inning-ending double play. Whit Merrifield started second and gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the fourth.

Harper had a three-run toss in the fifth and Nick Castellanos, who hit 37 doubles last season, got his first hit of the year later in the inning for a 5-0 lead.

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm went 0-for-4, ending his 18-game hitting streak.

HUGE BREAK

The Giants lost for the sixth time in seven games, falling 6-14 on the road. They lost two of three games in Boston and ended their 10-game trip with three games at Colorado, the only team behind San Francisco in the NL West. Maybe there will be a Mile High fortune change for the Giants — they are 18-8 at Coors Field with a plus-51 run differential since 2021.

“We need to clean up,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We have to play better. We left home one game under .500 and not playing very well. I thought (the road) might be a pretty good place for us since we hadn't played well. And now we’re playing terribly.”

NEXT

The Giants send LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, 3.79 ERA) to the mound against Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93) on Tuesday.

The Phillies stay at home and open a two-game set against Toronto on Tuesday. They will send LHP Cristopher Sánchez (1-3, 3.68) to the mound against Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (4-2, 1.44).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The post Harper homers, Wheeler strikes out 11 as Phillies full 4-game sweep of Giants with 6-1 win – NewsNation appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

DAN GELSTON, Associated Press

19 hours ago

Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, May 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Zack Wheeler struck out 11 in seven innings, Bryce Harper hit a three-run home run and Kyle Schwarber added a solo shot to help the Philadelphia Phillies earn a four-game win over the San Francisco Giants by 6 :1 to complete victory on Monday.

Harper singled deep against Giants rookie Mason Black, spoiling the major league debut of the Giants right-hander, who pitched in the fifth inning against the team he rooted for as a kid.

“I hope he enjoyed it with his family, his teammates and everything else because there is only one debut,” Harper said.

This season's Phillies are winning as many as the ones Black cheered for as a child.

The major league-leading Phillies (25-11) won their sixth straight and have won 10 of 11 and 17 of 20 to open a three-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East.

The Phillies have also won 10 straight games at Citizens Bank Park, just two wins shy of matching the team record set in 2012. Philadelphia also set a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins against NL West opponents.

“I feel like we win in different ways every night. And it's a completely different player who makes it big, be it a hitter or a pitcher. It’s never the same guy, which is nice,” catcher JT Realmuto said. “There is not too much pressure on a player. We all feel like we play really well together and have a lot of fun, and the guys contribute every night.”

Harper hit a home run for the second straight game and his eighth hit of the season made it 4-0 against Black (0-1). Black made his major league debut in front of his parents, younger brother, girlfriend and numerous friends and family who came to watch him play against his favorite childhood team.

The 24-year-old Black – rated the seventh-best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com – was the Giants' third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of Lehigh University. Black recorded a 1-2-3 first inning that included strikeouts by JT Realmuto and Harper, the latter of which was caught in the 88 mph changeup.

Black allowed eight hits, five runs and three walks. He struck out four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Wheeler (4-3) showed the rookie how it's done. He rebounded from an 0-3 start – he allowed a total of six runs in his first three starts – to win his fourth straight start. Wheeler allowed one run, walked one and lowered his ERA to 1.64.

“Today Wheels did what Zack does every time he goes out there. It was fun to watch and keep us in the game,” Harper said.

Matt Strahm pitched a scoreless eighth and Orion Kerkering pitched the ninth to complete the five.

With shortstop Trea Turner out for at least six weeks with a left hamstring strain, his replacements are starting to fill the void. Bryson Stott moved from second base to shortstop and snagged a great grounder from Wilmer Flores in the first to set up an inning-ending double play. Whit Merrifield started second and gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the fourth.

Harper had a three-run toss in the fifth and Nick Castellanos, who hit 37 doubles last season, got his first hit of the year later in the inning for a 5-0 lead.

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 18 games.

HUGE BREAK

The Giants lost for the sixth time in seven games, falling 6-14 on the road. They lost two of three games in Boston and ended their 10-game trip with three games at Colorado, the only team behind San Francisco in the NL West. Maybe there will be a Mile High fortune change for the Giants — they are 18-8 at Coors Field with a plus-51 run differential since 2021.

“We need to clean up,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We have to play better. We left home one game under .500 and not playing particularly well. I thought (the road) could be a pretty good spot for us since we hadn't been playing well. And now we’re playing terribly.”

NEXT

The Giants send LHP Kyle Harrison (2-1, 3.79 ERA) to the mound against Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93) on Tuesday.

The Phillies stay at home and open a two-game set against Toronto on Tuesday. They will send LHP Cristopher Sánchez (1-3, 3.68) to the mound against Blue Jays RHP José Berríos (4-2, 1.44).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The post Harper homers, Wheeler strikes out 11 as Phillies full 4-game sweep of Giants with 6-1 win appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The chimney sweep dance in Mary Poppins, led by Dick van Dyk's affable jack-of-all-trades Burt, is reminiscent of blackface themes, one academic has claimed.

In an article in the New York Times, Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, a professor of English and gender studies at Linfield College in Oregon, said that the sequence in PL Travers' book means “racial panic.”

Pollack-Pelzner simply calls the scene “blackout,” and while it may seem harmless, it has other, more disturbing connotations.

“This might seem like a harmless comic scene if Travers' novels did not associate the blackened faces of chimney sweeps with racist caricatures,” he writes.

“'Don't touch me, you black heathen,' screams a maid in Mary Poppins Opens the Door (1943) as a sweep extends his dark hand. When he tries to approach the cook, she threatens to stop: “If that Hottentot goes down the chimney, I'm going out the door,” she says, using an archaic insult to black South Africans that appears repeatedly on page and screen occurs.

“The 1964 film recreates this racial panic in an absurd tone. As the dark figures of the chimney sweeps step onto a roof in rhythm, a naval idiot, Admiral Boom, shouts: “We are being attacked by Hottentots!” and orders his cannon to be fired at the “insolent devils”.

“We’re in on the joke such as it is: These aren’t really black Africans; They are grinning white dancers in blackface. It's a parody of The Black Menace; It is even posted on a white nationalist website as evidence of the film's racial hierarchy. And it's not just fools like the Admiral who invoke this language. In the 1952 novel “Mary Poppins in the Park,” the nanny herself says to the upset young Michael, “I understand that you are behaving like a Hottentot.”

Pollack-Pelzner has also pointed out other examples of archaic, racially charged language in Travers' Poppins books, in one case her books were actually banned from the San Francisco Public Library in the early 1980s.

Travers later rewrote the chapters in a revised edition of the book, in which Poppins, Jane, and Michael Banks are transported to a South Seas island, where the nanny uses the offensive phrase “pickaninny” and speaks in a racially charged South American dialect.

However, she later said she “didn't do this as an apology for anything I've written, the reason is much simpler: I don't want to see Mary Poppins hidden in a closet.”

Disney has not yet commented on the matter.

However, after the Times article was published, Pollack-Pelzner posted online: “The main reason I wrote this article was in the hope that a Disney executive would read it, take another look at the upcoming Dumbo remake and ask “If it was there.” If it was all a bit racist, maybe they should think again before it hits the big screen.

“One thing I learned about the alt-right after writing this article and receiving countless hate messages in response: They really like Mary Poppins!”

Read more
Duncan Jones hits David Bowie film
Russell Crowe turns into Roger Ailes
First poster for Zombieland 2

The post ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep ‘blackface’ dance is racist, claims tutorial appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.