Ok, while we’re all at each others’ throats going down the stretch of this election cycle, let’s agree to pull for a couple of hard throwing North Carolina country boys who are playing in the World Series. Madison Bumgarner from Caldwell County is the San Francisco Giants star pitcher and has had the best post-season of any pitcher in years. Greg Holland, the closer for the Kansas City Royals, is from McDowell County.
Bumgarner threw 21 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings before that streak ended in Game 1, which he won 7-1. That’s the longest streak since 1911. His post-season ERA is 1.4. Bumgarner also has two grand slams this season and is batting .258 for the season. Not bad for a pitcher. He is scheduled to pitch in Game 5 on Sunday.
Holland had four saves in the AL Championship series, tying a major league record. He was a walk-on at Western Carolina where the coach had never heard of him until he showed up for tryouts. His wife had a baby last month and they live in Asheville in the offseason.
Regardless of who you vote for, let’s pull for these guys.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
It’s worth noting here that Madison Bumgarner ruled the World Series. Well done, sir! He shutdown a very good Royals team last night in a most definitive way, to win a classic World Series.
Here here! “There’s no crying (nor politics) in baseball!”