The Great American Pastime on our National Holiday

Our American national game on the American national holiday in the birthplace of American liberty:

Unfortunately, the last-place Baltimore Orioles (25 games out of first place!) humiliated our second-place Boston Red Sox (who trailed the evil first-place Yankees by only half a game) by a score of 6-1.

Here, star player Kevin Youkilis at bat early in the game.  He redeemed the team's performance by scoring our only run when he homered in the bottom of the ninth.

Here, to raise the spirits, NPR's  "A Mix for America."

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Update (6 July):  as chance would have it, a new article on the history of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," which we, like baseball fans everywhere, sang during the "7th Inning Stretch."