I posted yesterday about a chat I will be doing at 11:30 a.m. PST today to promote a new article. The article’s live this morning, and if you enjoy my writing, this one might especially be of interest.
I wrote about how Joe Marty got hyped as the second coming of Joe DiMaggio, his teammate from the Pacific Coast League and why he failed to live up to it. This was a fun one to research and write. Marty’s near to my heart, as I grew up and live in Sacramento, where he’s from.
Please let me know what you guys think of my piece, good or bad. No one’s been commenting lately, and I want to make sure I’m writing things that are of interest. If not, maybe it’s time for me to go back to the drawing board and figure out a way to create better articles. I don’t want to waste my life churning things out that no one reads.
Well written and researched article. Would like to have a better understanding of minor league conventionans.
Graham, don’t stop writing these types of articles just because we’re not commenting. Believe me, they’re being read and enjoyed. I particularly liked this one because of its human interest emphasis. Sometimes we put athletes on a pedestal and forget that they’re subject to the same human frailties and self-doubt as the rest of us. Joe Marty, it appears, is a prime example. I’m sure his post-baseball career was a good deal more successful. I always thought, as I watched my Solons invariably wallow in or near the cellar of the PCL during the 50’s, that they must have spent an inordinate amount of time at his watering hole.
Mike
Hey, Graham. We enjoyed your piece on Di Maggio. Recently the New York Times had a story about the history of cemeteries in Colima, California (just south of San Francisco) and they included a photograph of Joe’s grave. Wonder what other noted baseball heroes are resting there….And by the way, we also always enjoy reading your non-baseball essays including the Giant Sacramento Chicken story!
@Amy — Baseball-Reference.com lists an astonishing 53 former major leaguers as being buried at Holy Cross in Colma. Without checking, I’m thinking it might have the most former MLBers of any cemetery. A few of the notable burials besides Joe D: High Pockets Kelly, who’s in the Hall of Fame, but maybe shouldn’t be; Ping Bodie, who used to room with Babe Ruth or, as he liked to say, his suitcase; and Babe Pinelli, who went on to more fame as an umpire. Looking forward to meeting you soon. 🙂
@Mike — Appreciate the comment. I think Marty was the kind of player who worked better as a big fish in a small pond. In that respect, Sacramento was an ideal city for him to play in.
@Chris — Thanks, Chris. I think minor league history is still a pretty ripe area for research.
Please don’t equate the lack of response with the lack of interest. I’ve read and enjoyed all of your articles from the beginning and look forward to reading them. As someone who has researched baseball (Dummy Hoy) and received little response, I know the feeling. I understand the process of researching and then writing about it. It is a rush and you are really really good at this.
One more thing-
My day job is owner operator of a retail optical store. Recent stats tell us that only 22 .pct of people open their emails and far less retrieve any message left on their phone. Recall cards for exam reminders are less than 5.pct nationally. our no-show rate of confirmed appointments is 10-15 percent. Hope you get the message. It’s hard making the connection all the tine but keep going forward my friend
Thanks, Gary. I appreciate the kind words about my work, and you’re right– response rates for anything are low.
nicely done.
Thanks, David.