We have a tough time placing things in some sort of proper context, I think.
Which is natural enough.
But it seems like sometimes we go on and on and on about something that's not really so special ... while not always appreciating when something incredibly rare happens. Exhibit A: Two men named Ken Griffey hitting home runs in a real Major League Baseball game, one after another, 25 years ago tonight...
I'm not saying it wasn't big news. It was. But just a few years earlier, Hal McRae and Brian McRae were in spring training together, and there was some faint hope that Hal would hang around long enough to play in a real game with Brian. Which of course didn't happen (but Hal did manage his son for a while).
There was also Pete Rose Sr. and Jr. and Tim Raines Sr. and Jr, and 20 or 25 years ago you might have thought we'd soon see another father and son playing on the same team. And if they played on the same team, couldn't they hit home runs in the same game?
But of course it's not nearly so easy. There aren't many 39- or 40-year-old hitters in the majors, and there are even fewer -- a lot fewer -- 39- or 40-year-old hitters in the majors who have 19- or 20-year-old sons in the majors. And then you gotta get 'em both on the same team. And then you gotta get 'em to homer in the same game.
I'm not saying it'll never happen again. I just don't suppose I'll ever see it again.
