The Squibber

THE DAVIDS CHAPTER E-NEWSLETTER

Summer 2007

This newsletter is produced by the Bob Davids Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), which serves SABR members in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware. Visit the chapter’s official website at www.sabrdc.org. For a current description of the chapter’s program of activities and volunteer needs, go to http://members.bellatlantic.net/~mccrayl/Projects.htm.

This quarterly newsletter is distributed electronically to members. The deadline for material for the next newsletter is July 1, 2007. Submissions can be sent to Squibber editor Walt Cherniak at wcherniakjr@aol.com. Keep sending us those squibs, and those ideas for squibs!

CONTENTS – Summer 2007

1. FDR and the 1937 All-Star Game: Seventy Years Ago at Griffith Stadium, by Fred Glueckstein

1. South-Central Pennsylvania Report: News from Lancaster, Harrisburg and More, by Barry Sparks

1. Marathon Battles Longest Games Viewed by Presidents and Other Luminaries, by Phil Lowry

1. Talkin’ Baseball:: Baseball Authors Scheduled to Speak, by David Paulson

1. Vintage Base Ball Update: Players and Volunteers Needed, by Jeff Turner

6. Richmond Baseball History: Bus Tours Resume This Month, by Scott Mayer

7. Report from Bethesda: Big Train Off to a Strong Start, by Bill Hickman

8. From the BioProject Warren Corbett’s “Conversations,” by Jan Finkel

1. FDR AND THE 1937 ALL-STAR GAME: Seventy Years Ago at Griffith Stadium – By Fred Glueckstein

“Once more baseball’s greatest artists are assembled before us in the game which in the short space of five years has become recognized as the outstanding contest of the national pastime. No better testimonial to the success of this All-Star game can be offered than the enthusiasm of the fans gathered here in Griffith Stadium today. To them, the game is culmination of your true fan’s dream.” -- Arch Ward, from the Introduction fifth annual All-Star Game program, July 7, 1937

I found the old glossy black and white 8x10 wire photo in an antique shop in Leesburg, Virginia. The photograph showed President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, smiling and bespectacled, wearing a pin-striped, double-breasted white linen suit, thin dark tie, and white fedora. His right arm was cocked back, and he held a baseball in his hand. With his left hand holding on to the partially flag-draped box railing, the President was poised to throw out the first pitch.

To FDR’s left were his son James Roosevelt, Clark Griffith, owner of the Washington Senators, and two men in New York baseball uniforms. Smiling and looking on to the field anticipating FDR’s throw were managers Bill Terry of the New York Giants, who wore the team’s road uniform with NEW YORK emblazed across his jersey, and Joe McCarthy of the New York Yankees, wearing the club’s traditional white pinstripes with an interlocking NY monogram on his left front jersey.

The date was July 7, 1937.

The ballpark was Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. The occasion was the fifth annual Major League Baseball All-Star game, and it marked the first time a U.S. President attended the mid-summer classic.

*

FDR began that day in the White House conducting the affairs of state. Despite the public persona of a smiling and outgoing man, each day was a personal ordeal physically for the president. FDR had contracted polio some 16 years earlier in August 1921 and faced each day knowing that he was permanently unable to use his legs. He had worked hard to stand up wearing heavy metal leg-braces, but even raising himself from his desk was extremely painful. In public, FDR walked with a cane, his arm resting for support on the upper arm of an aide. He faced his challenges with perseverance and courage.

Before leaving the White House for Griffith Stadium with his entourage and the Secret Service, FDR met with Senator Robert F. Wagner of New York, chairman of the Senate Banking and Currency Committee, and hosted a luncheon for Dr. H.H. Kung, the Chinese Finance Minister, and Dr. Cheng-Ting Wang, the Chinese Ambassador.

With Washington, D.C. baking in high 90-degree temperatures, Griffith Stadium was filled to capacity an hour before the 1:30 pm start of the game. (The cost of box seats was $1.65 and grandstand tickets $1.10.) Fans thumbed through the red, white, and blue All-Star Game Official Program, which featured on its cover drawings of the U.S. Capitol and FDR ready to toss the ceremonial first pitch. Baseball clown Al Schacht performed for the early arrivals, and Art Fletcher, coach of the New York Yankees, held infield practice for the American League players.

FDR arrived 15 minutes before the game.

Riding in an open car, the President entered the ballpark through the right field gate. Surrounding the automobile were Secret Service agents wearing white straw hats. Walking ahead of the car as an escort were Clark Griffith, owner of the Senators, and 12 Boy Scouts chosen from a national jamboree tented on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

The President was accompanied by his son James Roosevelt, Marvin McIntyre, his secretary, and his naval aide, Captain Paul M. Bastedo. The entourage was escorted onto a green carpeted ramp that led to the flag draped Presidential box alongside the American League dug out. After FDR was seated, baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis and National League President Ford Frick came over and welcomed him. Press photographers swarmed around the box, cameras clicking away.

FDR was an enthusiastic fan and no stranger to ceremonies connected with major league baseball.

In 1917, FDR, who was Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson, participated in opening game ceremonies for the Washington Senators at National Park (re-named Clark Griffith Park in 1922). With the nation’s sudden entry into World War I, President Wilson was unable to attend and FDR ‘pinch-hit’ for him.

Following his own inauguration as the 32nd President of the United States, FDR, who was extremely knowledgeable about the game and its players, threw out the ceremonial first baseball on opening day at Griffith Stadium on April 12, 1933. (FDR went on to establish a record of nine presidential first pitches.) That afternoon, the Washington Senators under its new manager, Joe Cronin, beat the Philadelphia Athletics by a score of 4 to 1. Two years later in 1935, FDR pushed a button from the White House that lit up Crosley Field in Cincinnati for the first night game in major league baseball history.

Before throwing out the first pitch at the All-Star Game on that scorching afternoon in July 1937, FDR took a couple of warm-up tosses. As was the custom at the time, the players from both teams – stars such as Carl Hubbell, Ducky Medwick, Lou Gehrig, Hank Greenberg, Jimmy Foxx, Gabby Hartnett, Arky Vaughan and many others - lined up on the first base line.

The American League players wore their individual teams’ white home uniforms, and the National League sported their respective team’s road grays. The President threw the ball toward the players, giving one lucky player a chance to catch the ball and keep it. FDR’s toss was high and the players leaped for the ball. There was a mad scramble, and Jo-Jo Moore of the Giants ended up with the prized souvenir. Afterwards, FDR and the crowd of 31,391 settled in to watch the All-Star Game.

*

FDR liked high scoring games with a lot of action.

In a letter to New York Times’ sportswriter James P. Dawson on Jan. 23, 1937, the president wrote: “When it comes to baseball I am the kind of fan who wants to get plenty of action for his money. I have some appreciation of a game which is featured by a pitcher’s duel and results in a score of one to nothing,” FDR wrote Dawson. “But I must confess that I get the biggest kick out of the biggest score – a game in which the hitters pole the ball into the far corners of the field, the outfielders scramble, and men run the bases. In short my idea of the best game is one that guarantees the fans a combined score of not less than fifteen runs, divided about eight to seven.”

The 1937 American and National League All-Stars did their best not to disappoint FDR.

The starting line-ups for managers Bill Terry and Joe McCarthy were:

N.L. -- Paul Waner, rf, Pittsburgh; Billy Herman, 2b, Chicago; Arky Vaughn, 3b, Pittsburgh; Joe Medwick, lf, St. Louis; Frank Demaree, cf, Chicago; Johnny Mize, 1b, St. Louis; Gabby Hartnett, c, Chicago; Dick Bartell, ss, New York; and Dizzy Dean, p, St. Louis.

AL – Red Rolfe, 3b, New York; Charlie Gehringer, 2b, Detroit; Joe DiMaggio, rf, New York; Lou Gehrig, 1b, New York; Earl Averill, cf, Cleveland; Joe Cronin, ss, Boston; Bill Dickey, c, New York, Sammy West, lf, St. Louis; and Lefty Gomez, p, New York.

Charles Segar, president of the Baseball Writers Association, was the official scorer. Four umpires officiated: George Barr (National League) at home plate; Bill McGowan (American League) at first base; Babe Pinelli (National League) at second base, and John Quinn (American League) at third base.

The American League opened the scoring as Cardinal hurler Dizzy Dean looked to end his three inning stint. With two out in the third, Joe DiMaggio lined a single through the box. With a count of three balls and two strikes, Yankee slugger Lou Gehrig homered over the right field fence.

With the American League up 2 to 0, Indian outfielder Earl Averill was up next and smashed a ground ball off Dean’s foot. It bounced to Cub second baseman Billy Herman, who threw out the runner, ending the inning. (Dean broke his toe on the play. Later in the season when he tried to resume pitching too soon with the Cardinals, he changed his pitching motion to favor the toe. Unfortunately, that ruined his arm and ended his brilliant career prematurely.)

The National Leaguers cut the lead to 2 to 1 in the top of the fourth when Billy Herman singled and later scored on Joe Medwick’s double down the left field line. However, in the bottom of that frame the American League exploded for three runs and took a 5 to 1 lead after Carl Hubbell walked Yankee backstop Bill Dickey. Sam West of the Browns then singled. After Tiger hurler Tommy Bridges struck out, Yankee third baseman Red Rolfe tripled to right center, scoring Dickey and West. Rolfe then scampered home on a single by Detroit’ s Charlie Gehringer. Hubbell was replaced by the Pirates’ Cy Blanton, who ended the inning by fanning DiMaggio.

Despite the searing heat – FDR could be seen wiping his brow on occasion – the huge crowd enjoyed the game.

Billy Terry’s National League squad chipped away for another run in the fifth. Gabby Hartnett singled to center, advanced to third on Mel Ott’s double, and scored on Paul Waner’s fly to Sam West in deep left center. The American League answered with one more run in their half of the fifth to take a 6 to 2 lead when Boston’s Joe Cronin doubled to right off Cincinnati Reds’ rookie Lee Grissom with two outs. (Grissom had opened the inning by striking out both Gehrig and Averill on three pitches each.) Cronin later scored on Dickey’s two-bagger to right center.

After the National League scored a run in the sixth on singles by Medwick and Demaree, and a sacrifice fly by Mize, Joe McCarthy’s boys capped the day’s scoring. In the bottom of the sixth, the American Leaguers scored their seventh and eight runs off the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Van Lingle Mungo on a double by Gehrig, who set a new All-Star record of four runs batted in. The Indians’ Mel Harder shut down the National Leaguers in the final three innings, as the American League won the fifth annual All-Star Game, 8 to 3.

FDR stayed for the entire game.

Chicago Daily Tribune sportswriter Arch Ward, who originated the idea for an All-Star series in 1933, wrote: “He had a smile and a complimentary word for each of the victorious athletes as they came to the players’ bench. He autographed several balls for the players.”

Years later, his war-time duties forced him to discontinue his attendance at Griffith Stadium, but baseball was a wonderful respite for FDR from the constant pressures and politics of the Oval Office. In turn, his appearances at professional games such as the 1937 All-Star Game were esteemed by the players, fans, and sportswriters.

They all knew that FDR loved the game. Baseball will always remember FDR as a friend and a true fan.

2. SOUTH-CENTRAL PENNSYVLANIA REPORT: News from Lancaster, Harrisburg and More – By Barry Sparks

YORK REVOLUTION MAKES HOME DEBUT

Professional baseball returned to York, Pa., on June 15 after a 38-year absence. The York Revolution of the Atlantic League played the Newark Bears at Sovereign Bank Stadium before a capacity crowd of 5,300.

The home opener was originally scheduled for May 15, but had to be pushed back because the stadium was not ready.

Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, who made his professional debut in York in 1955 as an 18-year-old, threw out the first pitch. Plans call for a life-size statue of Robinson to be erected in the stadium’s plaza.

The York Revolution boasts a coaching staff of all former Orioles. Chris Hoiles is the manager, while Tippy Martinez is the pitching coach. Ryan Minor is the hitting instructor and Al Bumbry is the outfield and baserunning coach.

Sovereign Bank Stadium features its own version of Fenway Park’s famed Green Monster. The left-field fence, which is 300 feet from home plate, is 37 feet and 6 inches, making it the tallest in all of baseball.

The team announced that all 20 of its skyboxes have been sold for the next 10 years at a cost of $25,000 per skybox per year. The list of companies signing up for skyboxes includes some of the most influential businesses in York.

WSBA Radio announced it will broadcast all York Revolution games. The AM radio station (910 on the dial) will no longer broadcast Baltimore Orioles games. WSBA has broadcast Orioles games since 1988.

Matt O’Brien was named the team’s general manager. He was named the 2005 Carolina League Executive of the Year with the Class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

ATLANTIC LEAGUE CELEBRATES 10th ANNIVERSARY

The eight-team Atlantic League was established as an independent league in 1998. Joe Klein, former general manager of the Detroit Tigers, serves as the league’s executive director. Atlantic League teams include: The Newark (N.J.) Bears, Somerset (Mass.) Patriots, Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers, Camden (N.J.) River Sharks, York (Pa.) Revolution, Road Warriors (always on the road, never home), Long Island (N.Y.) Ducks and the Bridgeport (Conn.) Bluefish.

The Lancaster Barnstormers, in only their second year in the league, captured the 2006 championship by sweeping Bridgeport in three games. It marked the first professional baseball championship for Lancaster in 51 years.

General Manager Joe Pinto was named GM of the Year by the Atlantic League. Lancaster drew more than 370,000 fans for the second consecutive year. Kevin Cummings, however, assumed the general manager’s duties during the off-season.

Former third base coach Frank Klebe has been named Barnstormers’ manager, succeeding Tommy Herr, who accepted the manager’s position with Hagerstown, the Single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

Lancaster will host the Atlantic League All-Star Game on July 11.

HARRISBURG SENATORS SOLD

The Harrisburg Senators, a Class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Washington Nationals, have been sold to Michael Reinsdorf for a reported $13.25 million. Reinsdorf is the son of Jerry Reinsdorf, who owns the Chicago White Sox and the NBA Chicago Bulls. The sale of the franchise is contingent upon approvals from the Eastern League, Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball.

The $13.25 million is a record paid for an Eastern League team. The city of Harrisburg purchased the team in 1995 for $6.7 million. Mayor Stephen Reed purchased the team to keep it from moving. Under the agreement with Reinsdorf, the team will stay in Harrisburg for 29 years.

The Senators play in 20-year-old Commerce Bank Park and draw approximately 250,000 fans a year. The stadium’s capacity is 6,300. The city of Harrisburg had raised $16 million for planned renovations to the stadium, but it was unable to secure another $18.3 million from the state, which Mayor Reed said had been promised.

Harrisburg named Scott Little as manager and Tim Raines Sr. as hitting coach for 2007. Little is the first former Harrisburg player to manage the team. He played for Harrisburg in 1988 and was named the team’s MVP. Raines, who played 23 seasons in the majors, was a seven-time NL All-Star. In 2001, he and his son, Tim Jr., became the second father-son combo to play in a major league game.

3. MARATHON BATTLES: Longest Games Viewed by Presidents and Other Luminaries -- By Phil Lowry

The Pirates began their 2007 season April 2 in Houston's Minute Maid Park with a convincing 4-2 victory in 10 innings over the Astros, setting a new record in the process. Fans included 41st U.S. President George H.W. Bush

It is believed to be the longest Pirates victory ever attended by a U.S. President in terms of innings. President William Taft attended an 11-inning Pirates defeat in 1909. If anyone knows of a longer one, please let me know via e-mail at plowry1176@aol.com so I can correct the record.

Also, if anyone knows of any minor league extra-inning games attended by a U.S. President, foreign extra-inning games attended by a head of state, or long extra-inning games attended by Commissioners Landis, Chandler, Frick, Ueberroth, Giamatti, Vincent, or Selig, please let me know.

If anyone knows of a baseball game attended by 1st US President George Washington, please contact John Thorn.

Here are some similar records:

11 innings: First-ever extra-inning N.L. game attended by a U.S. President (Benjamin Harrison). Reds 7, Senators 4; June 6, 1892 at Boundary Field, Washington, D.C.

11 innings: Tied for longest N.L. regular season game attended by a U.S. President (William Taft). Cubs 8, Pirates 3; May 29, 1909 at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh.

25 innings (7 hours, 4 minutes): Longest regular season game attended by a Commissioner of Baseball (Bowie Kuhn). Cards 4, Mets 3; Sept. 11, 1974 at Shea Stadium, New York. (The Commish stuck around to the very end at 3:13 a,.m. along with 1,000 other diehard fans.

19 innings (5 hours, 40 minutes): Longest AL regular season game attended by a Commissioner of Baseball (William Eckert). A's 6, Tigers 5; in the second game of a double header, June 17, 1967 at Tiger Stadium, Detroit. (Eckert stuck around to the very end at 12:17 a.m. along with 200 other fans.

16 innings: Longest regular season game attended by a U.S. President (Woodrow Wilson). Tigers 2, Senators 2; May 24, 1918 at National Park IV (later named Griffith Stadium.)

14 innings: Longest regular season game ever attended by a U.S. President who attended two games in one day (William Taft). Indians 3, Browns 3; May 4, 1910 at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis. Taft attended the last part of this game after attending the Cards' 12-3 victory over the Phils at Robison Field earlier that day in the same city

12 innings (2 hours, 34 minutes): Longest exhibition game attended by a U.S. President (Lyndon Johnson). Astros 2, Yankees 1; April 12, 1965 at the Houston Astrodome.

11 innings (3 hours, 29 minutes): Longest All-Star game attended by a Commissioner of Baseball (Bud Selig). AL 7, N.L. 7; July 9, 2002 at Miller Park, Milwaukee. (Note: Does anyone know the length of the long umpires-Selig discussion delay before the game was cancelled before the 12th inning could begin?)

9 innings (3 hours, 27 minutes): Longest regular season game attended by both a U.S. President and a British Queen (H.W. Bush and Queen Elizabeth II). A's 6, Orioles 3; May 15, 1991 at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium.

9 innings: Longest regular season game ever attended by two U.S. Presidents (Warren Harding and future U.S. President Herbert Hoover). White Sox 4, Senators 3; May 22, 1922 at National Park (IV) (later named Griffith Stadium); (Note: I’m for possible longer game attended by both current President George W. Bush and his father President George H.W. Bush.)

9 innings: Longest World Series game attended by a U.S. President (Woodrow Wilson). Red Sox 2, Phillies 1; Oct. 9, 1915 at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl.

4. TALKIN’ BASEBALL: Baseball Authors Scheduled to Speak – By David Paulson

Here is the schedule for "Talkin' Baseball" presentations by baseball authors over the next six months:

July 14 – Brad Snyder: A Well-Paid Slave

Aug. 11 – Lee Lowenfish: Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman

Sept. 8 – Jack Smiles: “Ee-Yah”: The Life and Times of Hughie Jennings, Hall of Famer

Oct. 13 – Tom Stanton: Ty and the Babe

The “Talkin” Baseball group meets at 9 a.m., usually on the second Saturday of each month, at the East Columbia Library, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, Md..

5. VINTAGE BASE BALL UPDATE: Players and Volunteers Needed – By Jeff Turner

As many of you heard at the SABR Bob Davids Chapter annual winter meeting, the Chesapeake and Potomac Base Ball Club is recreating early base ball (sic) as it was played in the Baltimore-Washington area in the early 1860s.  We are a vintage base ball club playing by the rules of the 1860s and representing Baltimore, Washington and Northern Virginia.

While we are certainly looking for more interested players to join our club and to play by the old rules (no gloves, underhanded pitching, wood bats, outs on the fly or one bound, etc.), we are also looking for volunteers who are interested in learning the rules of the 1860s and serving as umpires or scorers for our home games.  Both the umpire and scorer will wear period-appropriate attire and will receive the respect and praise of both clubs and all of the players.

Last year, a SABR member came out of the stands for our matches in Baltimore and enjoyed serving as umpire for the second game of our doubleheader that day. For more information, contact Jeff Turner (410-409-4671), Scott Rogers (scott@madforjam.com) or go to our website at www.chesapeakeandpotomac.org.

Matches take place at 23rd Street and Independence Street in Washington, D.C. Here is the upcoming schedule:

Saturday, July 7

12 p.m. -- Brooklyn Atlantics vs. Talbot Fairplays, Field 7

12 p.m. -- Flemington Neshanock vs. Chesapeake & Potomac, Field 8

2 p.m. -- Elkton Eclipse vs. Brooklyn Atlantics, Field 8

2 p.m. -- New York Gothams vs. Chesapeake & Potomac, Field 7

4 p.m. -- Elkton Eclipse vs. New York Gothams, Field 8

4 p.m. -- Talbot Fairplays vs Flemington Neshanock, Field 7

Sunday, July 8

9:30 a.m. -- Elkton Eclipse vs Flemington Neshanock, Field 6

9:30 a.m. -- Chesapeake & Potomac vs Brooklyn Atlantics, Field 7

11:15 a.m. -- Talbot Fairplays vs. New York Gothams, Field 7

11:15 a.m. -- Medal Round match -- lowest round available, Field 6

1 p.m. -- Highest Medal Round Match, Field 6

1 p.m. – Next-Highest Medal Round Match, Field 7

Come see how base ball was played in 1864, as six of the finest 19^th-century base ball clubs from the Mid-Atlantic states gather in the nation’s capital. Authentic uniforms, equipment, customs and rules of 1864 will be represented in matches that were played before million-dollar contracts, television…and gloves!

6. RICHMOND BASEBALL HISTORY: Bus Tours Resume This Month – By Scott Mayer

The Valentine Richmond History Center has once again asked me to serve as a guide for a bus tour of Richmond’s baseball history. This will be the third summer for the tour.

The date is Saturday, July 21. The tour begins at 1 p.m. at the Diamond, with a behind-the-scenes tour of the ballpark led by a Richmod Braves staff member. There is a game that night (against the Toledo Mud Hens), so the tour will not be able to include the locker rooms, but in the past it has included the offices, batting cages, press box, scoreboard/electronics operations room, the dugouts and bullpen.

Tour members are allowed on the track, but not on the grass field. After the tour, the group will board a 28-passenger bus for a tour of the historic locations of the old ballparks and a discussion/conversation of Richmond’s baseball past. Combined, the tours last two to two-and-a-half hours. More information can be found on the Valentine’s web site: www.richmondhistorycenter.com/ Scott Mayer also is available for additional information at 804-317-9472

7. REPORT FROM BETHESDA: Big Train Off to a Strong Start – By BIll Hickman

The Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League's season is well under way and the Bethesda Big Train is in second place. We have a bunch of new faces this year, with only a handful of players returning from past seasons with Big Train. As usual, our players come from all over the country, with the most distant hometowns being located in California. Andrew Foster has a team-leading .385 batting average and Jimmy Saris leads our pitchers with an 0.60 ERA and a 2-0 record.

One of our players from the 2004 and 2005 teams has returned to Big Train as an assistant coach. Greg Lemon was an outstanding second baseman who went to camp with an Independent minor league team this spring, but suffered an injury before the 2007 season started.

Another of our former players, Jahsan Page (Big Train 2001 and 2002) showed up at Povich Field as the starting pitcher for the Military All-Stars in an exhibition game against Big Train. Jahsan is an active duty member of the Air Force and is currently stationed in Okinawa.

Our regular season of home games will continue through Friday, July 27. Six league playoff games are scheduled for Povich Field during the three-day July 31 – Aug. 2 period.

If there's a need for a tie-breaker, there will be a game on August 3. See the Big Train website for dates and times of all of our games. The URL is http://www.bigtrain.org/

8. FROM THE BIOPROJECT: Warren Corbett’s “Conversations” – By Jan Finkel

What does summer mean to you? The voices of Arch McDonald, Red Barber, and Mel Allen? Ralph Kinder launching bombs in a losing cause? Howie Pollet, Ken Raffensberger, Murry Dickson, Tiny Bonham, or Art Houtteman? Marge Schott? A ballpark in Nashville that players called “Suffer Hell”?

If one of those names brings back a memory, check out Warren Corbett’s work at the BioProject. You’ll notice that you don’t read Warren, you listen to him. His writing is like a conversation with a good friend. You find yourself nodding in agreement, shaking your head in disbelief at a player’s or owner’s folly, smiling or chuckling at a sly joke, sensing a pregnant pause, watching a slowly raised eyebrow—being with a friend.

If you already know Warren, you know what I mean. If you haven’t been so fortunate and visit him at the BioProject, you’ll soon find out.