You forgot about lights, artificial turf & domes/retractable roofs. Baseball was just fine without them. Maybe the uber-purists would like to see baseball go back to only day games.

As a mentor of mine once remarked, a tradition is partly constituted by disputes about what constitutes the tradition.

Okay, but it's still horsesh!t. Any more arguments?

I was speaking of the 140 years of tradition of NOT having replay in baseball, BTW.

The camera equipment back then was quite crappy...... :p

Yeah, those TV cameras in 1888 weren't HD!

That might be because there are so many MLB games on a daily basis than in any of the other sports, Bob.

As far as IR goes, I'm one of the staunchest traditionalists around, but I'm also a realist. Seeing something like 8 or more of these screwed up home run/foul/ground rule double calls in a 7-day span alone last month, I've come to accept, possible even advocate, the use of IR on a very limited basis, that being for these types of calls only.

"When I started, the game was played by nine tough competitors on grass, in graceful ball parks. But while I was trying to answer the daily Quiz-O-Gram on the exploding scoreboard, a revolution was taking place around me. By the time I finished, there were ten men on each side, the game was played indoors on plastic, and I had to spend half my time watching out for a man dressed in a chicken suit who kept trying to kiss me."

--Ron Luciano, MLB umpire 1968-1980

Hmmm....spend a bazillion dollars for instant replay cameras and equipment AND add one replay official at each site, or put another umpire under each foul pole. I'm for the working man - use 6-man crews!

JJ

That didn't seem to help Richie Garcia during the 1996 post-season when he blew the home run/spectator interference call in Yankee Stadium, John. ;)

I dispute that definition.

We could always go WAY back and put the umpire in a high chair in the stands!

Actually, we could put him in the high chair about 20 feet to the side as in the old days. Top hat and tails, beer in hand and a cigar to complete the ensemble!

Beer and cigar are old days? Oops, I better clean out my ball bag!

Maybe sooner than later
 

Just noted on ESPN.com that they are looking at replay for home runs for this postseason instead of waiting for next year.

Interesting poll where 23 percent say they want a challenge system ... ::(
Of course there is no way to implement something like that to baseball, but with today\'s society, who knows ...

Thansk
David