Lesson #28: Willie Mays Wasn't That Special

My dedicated readers have no doubt noticed that there have not been many postings on this blog of late. That is because the Professor generally takes summer off from teaching to spend more time on his research projects. I realize these breaks are frustrating but I think we should consider ourselves lucky to have access to such a luminary figure on a regular basis throughout the school year that we should not begrudge his summer vacation.

But the Professor is back on the dais which brings us to today's lesson delivered during the heart of baseball season.


It's known in most circles simply as "The Catch". Willie Mays made an outstanding play in the 1954 World Series by chasing down a fly ball hit over his head and catching it on the fly. Many people think it is the best defensive play in the history of baseball.

Oscar McLovin is here to tell you that we shouldn't get so carried away by Mays's dramatic display. The Professor performs this same feat at least once a day during our ball-throwing session. Let's compare the human to the canine:

- Mays catches the ball on the fly whereas McLovin allows it to bounce once or twice. Advantage: Mays
- Mays needs special equipment to catch a ball whereas McLovin doesn't. Advantage: McLovin
- Mays made his catch in a pressure-packed situation whereas McLovin doesn't know what pressure is. Advantage: Mays
- Mays caught his ball with his hands (a part of the body ideally designed to perform such tasks) whereas McLovin catches balls with his mouth. Advantage: McLovin
- Mays had to wait for the ball to be hit to take off whereas McLovin generally anticipates where the ball is going to be, taking off before the ball is thrown his way. Advantage: Tie
- Mays made his catch once in his lifetime whereas McLovin makes the catch routinely. Advantage: McLovin

I'll let you decide which version of "The Catch" is more impressive but the spectator wins wither way as each one is fun to watch.