Before Wednesday’s game, when his high and tight two-seamer would have started a riot in a Dodgers-Diamondbacks game, Alito had thrown out a first pitch twice: once at a spring training game between the Phillies and Tampa Bay, the other at a regular season game in Philadelphia.
How did those go?Slightly insulting to the speed of it...
“In Philly, I thought it was good. The fact that the Phillie Phanatic caught it without a glove was slightly insulting to the speed of it.”
I guess he threw the pitch — as they say in the Supreme Court — with all deliberate speed.
ADDED: The lawprof in me wants to probe into the statement that "the Phillie Phanatic caught it without a glove." What is the meaning of "glove"?
Is that "hand" not also/inherently a "glove"? It's not as if there are nerve endings in the green material of the costume. The human hand is inside that "hand," which can be said to make it a "glove," especially in the context where the issue is whether the ball hit so softly that the hand would not be hurt. On the other... hand... perhaps all that matters is the symbolism, and the "hand" however well-padded symbolizes a hand and not a glove, so even without any potential for pain, even from a fast pitch, the lack of a symbolic catcher's mitt sent the message that the pitch was weak.
And now that I'm getting this technical, do you want to criticize Alito for using the word "glove" rather than "mitt"?
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The fact that the Phillie Phanatic caught it without a glove was slightly insulting to the speed of it.
Alito was insulted that the Phillie Phanatic was not wearing a glove.
It was an insinuation that the Justice's throw would have nothing on it... that he would throw it like a girl.
Sam Alito tosses a supreme fit on the court drives his Ranger and eats plates of game with his baseball glove he was high and tightwad and his truck is a two-seater started a riot with a Dodge squashed a diamondback rattlesnake.
* coffee, sip *
Aaaaah. Oh. Nevermind.
I guess he threw the pitch — as they say in the Supreme Court — with all deliberate speed.
Funny!
Boy, Hugo Black hated that phrase. He was so pissed by the 1960's.
It took the Supremes so long to decide Roe, the baby was 2 years old.
"Alito was insulted that the Phillie Phanatic was not wearing a glove. It was an insinuation that the Justice's throw would have nothing on it... that he would throw it like a girl."
1. Alito says the PP caught it without a glove, so the prediction was correct... but...
2. Isn't the PP costume itself a glove?
Check my update on the meaning of "glove."
And whether he should have said "mitt."
Mitt is very basebally--so unlike "mittens"--but both phrases remind me of the Election That I Do Not Want To Think About.
Mitts are different from gloves - only catchers and first basemen wear them. I'm not privy to whether the Phanatic's glove is actually a mitt.
Back in the 70s, Johnny Bench was calling for a curve ball, but the Red's pitcher wanted to through a fastball. Bench gave in, but showed what he thought of that pitch by catching it bare-handed.
Could have used a glove or a mitt. Catchers & first basemen (basepersons?) generally wear mitts.
Thanks for sharing an image of the Philly Phanatic, as I didn't see it earlier and was about to Google it. No need to get hyper-technical on the definitions of glove or mitt for me.
Anyway, a mitt couldn't catch Obama in the last election.
LOL. All.. deliberate... speed.
Cum celeritate tota delīberata.
And now that I'm getting this technical, do you want to criticize Alito for using the word "glove" rather than "mitt"?
No, because I see this as a rare opportunity to be supportive of a Conservative Supreme who is usually on the news because of something he is perceived to have said or written that is "wrong".
So, even if he is technically wrong, using the word glove instead of mitt, he was right not to rub salt on the wounded Mitt.
Ann Althouse said...
Check my update on the meaning of "glove."
And whether he should have said "mitt."
It does not matter unless Alito said it *wittingly* ...
There's a article on time in baseball that looks pretty good, if you want a poetic essay on what's going on in the game, in the just-out Raritan
Stephen Seligman, Baseball's Time
It might be in college libraries.
Btw.. now that I know what/who the Philly Phanatic is, I can see why Alito was, or I should say had grounds to feel insulted.
To have the Philly Phanatic catch the "ceremonial" first pitch was inconsistent with the spirit of the ceremony.
In baseball, glove = mitt = glove.
"Get your glove."
"Gimme your glove."
"Lemme see your glove."
"Where'd you get your glove."
However, having played the position, a catcher's mitt is almost, but not always, referred to as a "catcher's mitt" (as is a first baseman's mitt).
And, as the Phillie's mascot was acting as a catcher, you do have a point.
Saint Croix said...
"It took the Supremes so long to decide Roe, the baby was 2 years old."
One suspects that more than one of the justices in the majority would have preferred a more straightforward holding on mootness: That it wasn't too late to perform the abortion.
A society that will kill children in utero will eventually accept the killing of its children extra utero.
No glove, no love.
PS The Phanatic is still around?
Simon said...
It took the Supremes so long to decide Roe, the baby was 2 years old.
One suspects that more than one of the justices in the majority would have preferred a more straightforward holding on mootness: That it wasn't too late to perform the abortion.
A society that will kill children in utero will eventually accept the killing of its children extra utero.
As much as ninety plus years extra utero.
The lawprof in me wants to probe into the statement that "the Phillie Phanatic caught it without a glove." What is the meaning of "glove"?
Methinks the lawprof doth contest too much.
To have the Philly Phanatic catch the "ceremonial" first pitch was inconsistent with the spirit of the ceremony.
The Phanatic has a lot of ceremonial first pitch experience
Maybe Alito figured that the Philly Phanatic would not be assigned to catch Obama's ceremonial first pitch.
Something about a co-equal branch...
edutcher said...
"As much as ninety plus years extra utero."
Yep. The culture of death and the consumer mentality that we have coupled to it insist that there is no intrinsic value to human life; it is only valuable insofar as it is useful and enjoyable. Thus, if a baby is inconvenient, it can be killed, and if one's life becomes difficult, it can be ended. Joseph Card. Bernardin expressed it very concisely in saying that "When human life is considered 'cheap' or easily expendable in one area, eventually nothing is held as sacred and all lives are in jeopardy," but the real prophet here is, of all people, Rod Serling. The Obsolete Man, which first aired in 1961, is a powerful witness for life in an age that had not even yet realized that it cared about the question.
I'm not sure the definition should be around glove or mit. Rather, does Philly Phanatic refer to the fictional character or the real human inside the costume pretending to be the Phanatic? I suspect Alito was referencing the character.
No Mom Jeans?
Ann,
As a product of the Blue Hen state you might be interested to know that the original Philly Phanatic was Dave Raymond, son of legendary football coach, Tubby Raymond.
Sorry about the thread hijack, that was unintentional. (But who knows what my subconscious is up to!)
My brain is crammed with abortion factoids. And when I'm trying to think up "all deliberate speed" examples, Roe immediately pops into my mind.
I know pro-lifers can be exasperating. Justice Scalia writes about his exasperation in Casey. You get the feeling he really, really does not like January 22nd.
Here's a question. Why is Alito throwing out baseballs and acting like a politician running for office? Worried about the ol' Q rating? Trying to boost the Supreme Court's reputation?
P.R. flack: "You should kiss some babies. Voters love that."
Alito: "You're an idiot. I can't kiss any babies. I don't want them thinking about babies. I need some p.r. event that has nothing whatsoever to do with abortion so the damn thread can't be hijacked by those pro-lifers who won't leave us alone!"
P.R. flack: "I got it! Baseball."
Sometimes I wish the Court loved baseball less. After all, consider Harry Blackmun's worst opinion: not Roe v. Wade, but Flood v. Kuhn.
the real prophet here is, of all people, Rod Serling. The Obsolete Man, which first aired in 1961, is a powerful witness for life in an age that had not even yet realized that it cared about the question.
Found that episode on youtube.
Nice! I love the minimal set design. Not as cool as beautiful woman on pig planet, but you have to love the spirit of the thing.
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