Profiles in W(h)iffle Courage – Brent Mackintosh

Many fans assume, quite understandably, that Brent Mackintosh hails from Europe.  A certain “charisme” and “machismo”, that are his stock in trade, to say nothing of his tireless efforts on behalf of Christian Democrats worldwide, make such a conclusion almost unavoidable.  Sadly, these fans would be wrong.  Not because they have misapprehended his virility, for it is real and it is tremendous, but because he’s a homegrown hero and Chicago, the “w(h)iffy city”, is his ancestral stomping ground.

TO SEE THE SMELL OF FEAR

Lead Butcher for the               league,

Run Maker, Stacker of Errors,

Player with Bats and the game’s Schedulizer;

Stormy, husky,brawling,

Man of Weary Shoulders

They tell me you are reckless and I believe them, for I have seen you give up fourteen runs in one inning, luring the laziest hitters into higher batting averages.

And they tell me you are cockeyed and I answer: Yes, it is true I have seen your pitches repeatedly hit the ground many feet before the wall.

And they tell me you are intoxicating and my reply is: On the faces of batters I have seen their lust as you approach the mound.

And, having answered so I turn once more to those who sneer at you, my teammate, and I give them back the sneer and say to them:

Come and show me another player with lifted bat swinging so proud to be alive and on the field and momentarily mistaken for Dave Matthews.

Flinging majestic change-ups amid the toil of piling hit on hit, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the little soft benchwarmers.

Fierce as a Kettering demographer lapping for action, cunning as a savage pitted against the wilderness,

Leg-thrusting

Swatting

Tripping

Panting

Erring, scoring, re-erring,

Under the dome, asphalt dust all over your mouth, laughing with your mitt aloft,

Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a rookie laughs,

Laughing even as an ignorant player laughs who has never lost a game,

Bragging and laughing that under your hat is the hairline of the people,

Laughing!

Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of middle age, half awake, proud to be lead butcher, run maker, stacker of errors, playing with bats and the game’s schedulizer