now say *that* with a mouthful of midge.
The following AP article notes a swarm of insects (midges to be exact) caused a baseball game, being played on Jacob's Field, to be halted.
This might be one for the record books. Some kind of record book. The article caught my eye a couple days ago. It hit me as so weirdly Biblical, that I just had to note it here. Not having dissected it fully, and not completely sure *why* I was so struck by it, here it goes without much ado or chatter:
[excerpts:]
Swarm of insects disrupt late innings
Posted: Friday October 5, 2007 8:18PM; Updated: Friday October 5, 2007 10:32PM
CLEVELAND (AP) -- This will forever be known as the Bug Game.
A swarm of insects descended on Jacobs Field in the eighth inning of the Cleveland Indians' 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night, leading to a bizarre scene featuring players from both teams waving their arms and gloves in an attempt to keep the pesky bugs away.
The two teams kept playing as millions of bugs nagged players on the field and in the dugouts.
The Yankees were on the verge of tying the series when the pesky insects arrived in a scenario only Alfred Hitchcock could imagine.
(Get that? MILLIONS)
The bugs seemed to subside somewhat after the game went into extra innings. Travis Hafner ended it with an RBI single in the 11th inning, leading to a celebration by the Indians in the infield.
With the Yankees ahead 1-0, the bugs clearly affected Joba Chamberlain and helped the Indians tie the game. Bug spray did little good -- Chamberlain's neck, face and hat were covered with the bugs, and he tried to spit them out of his mouth.
The bugs, which come out in warm weather, have plagued Jacobs Field in the past. During one memorable September 2004 game, play was stopped several times to allow players, who complained of swallowing the bugs while running the bases, were sprayed with repellant. The Indians lost to the Angels 6-1.
Ron Harrison, an entomologist who works for Atlanta-based Orkin Pest Control Inc., said the annoying bugs were a type of midge, an insect related to mosquitoes.
"My feeling is that there has been some breeding around Lake Erie, and air currents are pushing them onto land in mass numbers," Harrison said.
(might as well be called Lake EERIE)
The insects don't have piercing, sucking mouth parts, he said. "They aren't really biters -- more of a nuisance," Harrison said.
Indians won the game. We used to call these critters "no-see-ums." Job-a Chamberlain must be feeling like ... like ... well. Like JOB! Instead of Angels in the Outfield ... they got Midge. I wonder if the less than popular "Midge" (Barbie's pal) was poorly named?
6 comments:
Ow! If those were midges, as I understand it, they HURT. I remember being bitten by midges on the Isle of Skye once. So horribly, we had to leave. I remember the dogs (I think they were Border Collies) yelping too.
I haven't noticed any midges around here (and I live near Lake Eeeerie)... but what I HATE is those awful Mayflies.... ack!! They gather by the thousands (millions) and then die. Plastered all over buildings, parking lots, in your hair, on your clothes... and they're HUGE.
It's been a very hot summer, that's for sure. And it's almost mid October now, and I hear the cicadas!! What? They're supposed to make all that noise in August.
Global warming...
lol I think I read that the midge is a form of mayfly? Something like that. Some midge's bite, tho. I know the "no-see-ums" hurt like heck!
I know ... what's up with the weather patterns this fall? hm.
I don't recall a fall this hot, this long ever.
The mysteries of the Universe or global warming? hard to say ...
Hey Tink!
Wishing you a happy birthday!! Hope it was, is, going to be a fabulous one!
In regards to the weather, it has been in the 90's at home. I am here in Sweden and here too the weather has been great for Sweden standards. Don't know what is causing it, but I like it!
I never heard of Midges. Just the Barbie Doll type. Are they in Chicago? Never saw them there either. Hmmm...
I've been away and have missed out on the goings on. Read your previous post on PT. What have I been missing?!
XO
Zoe
Wonderful Zoe! You're with family in Sweden! Happy for you. :o)
Thank you for the birthday wishes.
I don't think Midge is made anymore. She was around in my youth.
Well, Zoe ... The new WHO website apparently was testing out a new blog called "Pete's Wire." Word got out and there ended up being something like well over 100 comments on a simple "test" post. lol Then, someone made up a Pete Townshend blogger ID, using the photo from that real blog, and posted a fake comment on the TOWHM blog. It was like the Keystone Cops meet The Nutty Professor. Rachel got in on the action by verifying that it was truly Pete's new blog; but, also confirmed that whomever posted on TOWHM was an imposter.
SO. The real developers shut down the real blog and made it an "invite only" deal. No one has actually been invited to read or comment yet. (as far as anyone knows) So, it's a bit of circus with people begging and whining and wondering *why* they weren't invited and how do you get invited and so on and so forth. It's all pretty funny in a mad, mad, mad world way!
So Zoe, in essence ... nothing has really changed since you've been away.
lol
Have a wonderful visit with your family!
xo Tink
duh ... your question about midges was in regard to the insect. Not the Mattel product. lol
They were a constant problem in Massachusetts - the no-see-ums. Sure, they come around in Illinois, but I don't recall swarms of them!
midges. barbie dolls... pete's blog.. imposter blog... what a funny stream of consciousness.
aren't you tired? (i am) of explaining over and over again to people what happened with the new blog? LOL! Not in a bad way.. just a funny way!! coz it's such a convoluted story.
I feel so stoopid now (and PO'd) that I originally was hoodwinked into thinking that im-poster was Pete.
However, I'm sure Pete was even more PO'd.
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