There are lots of good baseball names.
Where else can you find a Yogi and Chipper and Moose and Boog?
(Spaceman and Satchel. And, Catfish and Goose. Campy and Crush. Oil Can and Babe.)
And, Mookie.
Mookie is beyond a good baseball name. It’s a great baseball name. There are no Mookies in football. (If there are, there shouldn’t be.)
Mookie’s a good name for the kid who mows your lawn, the wiry old jazz musician who never caught a break, the mysterious water-witcher with no fixed address, and the guy who stops when your car breaks down, digs around in the back of his truck for a piece of cable, ties something up under your hood, makes your car start, and then disappears before you can say thank you.
Mostly, Mookie’s perfect for baseball.
Like Mookie Wilson of the New York Mets.
In the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, outfielder Mookie Wilson hit the ball that dribbled between Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner’s legs, allowing the winning run to score, tying up the Series, and leading to the Mets’ “destiny” win in Game 7.
To one Curse of the Bambino, add one dash Mookie. Stir and serve.
Watch …
“We shoulda lost that game.”
Oh, that Mookie Wilson.
You may think I’m sharing this simply to stick it to the pesky Red Sox who beat the Orioles Friday night 7-0, and then again last night 8-0.
I’m not. If I were sticking it to the Red Sox, I would share this video instead.
(But, I’m not. So don’t watch that second video. Really, I’m serious. Don’t.)
Mookie is known for his heart and his hustle, especially on the base paths.
Here he is with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show last year. Watch …
“You were the one guy everybody loved and nobody ever worried about.”
But, there’s another Mookie now: 22-year-old Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts.
How can you not like a Mookie who does this on Opening Day? Watch …
He’s safe! And … he’s safe again!
A Mookie who does amazing things in the outfield. Watch …
Yes, he stole a “certain” two-run homer from the Orioles’ Chris Davis on Friday night. But, it was so awesome, how can I be mad?
(For pete’s sake, Crush, you couldn’t hit it a little higher?)
Mookie excelled at baseball and basketball in high school. He’s 5’9” and can dunk.
Plus, he was named Tennessee Boys Bowler of the Year in 2010.
He bowls!
And, if all that weren’t enough, he does Yoga to warm up before games.
OK, sure, almost all of them do nowadays, but this photo of mine from last season is one of my favorites.
© The Baseball Bloggess
How can you not love a guy named Mookie who is so happy to be warming up? How can you not forgive him for being a Red Sox?
But, today there’s another Mookie.
When you live in the country, feral cats show up in your barn. Ten percent of the ferals are old tom cats, with crooked faces and matted fur. The tips of their ears are often missing and their tails take funny turns in weird directions. These toms are stealthy and you’ll usually only catch glimpses of their back ends in the mornings as they slink from your barn and disappear into the grass of the nearby pasture. They know they are squatters and they do their best to stay unseen.
But, 90 percent of the ferals that show up in your barn are pregnant females. They will have kittens in your barn and then dare you to kick them out.
You can’t. You just can’t.
And, when you finally start to catch the ferals, for fixin’ and re-homing, you wonder if one – just one – will be able to make that challenging jump from wild thing to indoor cat.
And, when one does … with purrs so loud that they rumble through the room like the freight trains that pass through the edge of town at midnight …
© The Baseball Bloggess
You name him Mookie.
Because, he seems so happy.
Just like Mookie.
The Baseball Bloggess 
Mookies rule! Love your newest fur baby. Seriously, I’m in love. Welcome home, Mookie! :) Lee
He still has a lot of house to explore. We’re introducing him to his new world … inch by inch. Stevie’s a little unnerved by him, but I’m sure she’ll come around.
Have gotten more than one cat who just showed up and stayed, so I know the feeling. Great name for a cat.
v
and BTW sorry about your Orioles, Bloggess. As my Dodgers generally say “Wait ’til next year.”
Thank you, V. I’m still in the “denial” stage of my Orioles grief. I know it’s over, but still … the math says there’s a tiny sliver of chance. But, really deep down, I know.
Congrats to your Dodgers … your Boys in Blue are fun to watch!
I love this post! As a life-long Mets fan, seeing Mookie Wilson on Jon Stewart was a real treat. As for Mookie Betts, he played here in Greenville about a year ago for the Single-A Greenville Drive. It was easy to pick him out as a near-future MLB-er cause he displayed so much athleticism and instinct for the game.
As for the cats, well, I have a 1 1/2 year old German Shepherd mix who still hasn’t figured out if she likes cats, or if they are her mortal enemy.
Also, great new header. Kind of reminds me of New England, where I grew up.
Cheers, Bill
Thank you, Bill! I always loved how excited Jon would get when one of Mets came on his show. I’ll miss that. Congrats to your Mets … what a season (so far!)
That header you saw must have been the photo of our barn … the header is on random; there are about 4 or 5 photos that scroll around on top. Oddly enough, I took that photo with my phone but the light was so perfect, it turned out despite the crummy lens.
Heads up hustle by Mookie. I too think he was safe all around. Your feline Mookie seems to be making his way very well.
I’m a big fan of smart and speedy base running, too. I’m also a big fan of any play that shows up Washington Nationals color guy F.P. Santangelo who was just so absolutely sure that Mookie was out on second … and on third.
I’m so happy Satangelo left the bay area. i avoided him out here and now, when watching Nationals games, always choose the opponent’s broadcast. He is not good at his job.
I have another Mookie for you. We can’t forget about our very own Devils Lake classmate Mark (Mookie) Everson.
I love your new fur kid. He has a very handsome face.
Hmmmm … I wonder how he got his “Mookie” nickname?
Your blog is purr-fact.
:)
Life is sure better with a Mookie in it! Congrats on the patience to get Mookie inside and ‘at home’!
Thanks! He’s still got a little wild in him but he seems game to make the transition. It might take a little more time, but he’s quite a sweet soul so I think he’ll do just fine!
We have 2 ex ferrel cats. They are coming along, but still spook very easily. We are still discovering their talents and love they want to give. Truely a fun addition to our family!
That’s one cute kitty, and Mookie is a great name for a pet or baseball player. I wouldn’t rule out ‘Boog’, though…
-Mike
Boog could be a good name for one of the ginormous tom cats that show up here. Big and scary on the outside, but soft and sweet on the inside!
So cute!!! How about the name Joc??? Or Kikè.
:)
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