Its a new week and another assignment from the League of Extraordinary Bloggers.  This is the 9th weekly question and while some of my fellow League members might have an easy week, I’m having difficulty answering this question.

Take me out to the ball game! America’s past time has been prominently featured  in pop culture for over a century, so this week, we’re talking baseball!

Most of my friends and family love sports.  I am constantly asked “did you see that game” or “did you see what happened last night”.  Not even nine times out of ten, more like 999 out of 1000 times the answer is no.  A frequent answer in these parts is, “I didn’t learn how to read and write well because I can catch a ball.”  I’ve loved comics since I was 9, wrestling just as long, but the lure of baseball never resonated within me.  My entire family are die hard Yankees fans.  I’ve had the opportunity to go to Yankee stadium numerous times but the lyrics to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” don’t invoke my memories of these days.  More like “New York, New York”.  That is the city that Spider-Man swings through.  This is the home of Madison Square Garden – site of many of WWE’s biggest moments.  However I still have a young memory involving baseball that changed my life.

The Avengers annuals in 1987 were bookended with a baseball game featuring both coasts of teams.  For those of you who may not be aware, way back 25 or so years ago (fuck I feel old) there was not only the main Avengers book, but also the West Coast Avengers.  I’ll go through my first year of comic book reading at a later date, but quick to say the West Coast Avengers were the greatest thing in the world to me.  Being new to Marvel comics, I still thought characters could die.  Permanently.  So when this cover showed up on the spinner racks I had to find out what the West Coast Avengers were going to do now that their companions from New York are gone.

Matters of life and death like this start with, what else, a baseball game.  Just look at the opening splash page:

I mean, where to begin?  Thor doth need not Midgard’s weak lumber!  He shall swing mighty Mjolnir much in the same manner as your legendary Casey from whenth he was at the bat.  Wonder Man is the only one wearing a costume that might be comfortable while playing baseball.  Chain mail, bathing suits, and of course Dr Pym’s jumper and no catcher’s mask!  Wonder Man is pitching to you and you don’t grab some sort of protection?  Sure, the mitt is over sized but that’s not enough.

Cap loves baseball because its the ultimate American pastime.  Read all of the witty banter, which also establishes what is going on in every title.  Pym’s problems, She Hulk joining the Avengers, Thing leaving, even what is going on in the Fantastic Four.  All we need is some “hey how are the X-Men doing?” panel and the entire Marvel Universe is covered.  Watch out Hank Pym!  That fastball that just burst into flames is going to be a bitch to catch unless that oversized mitt is also made of unstable molecules.

The Silver Surfer has shown up.  Some energy charge is released, and the East Coast Avengers are dead!  Because what happens in the Marvel Universe is that anytime a cosmic being goes on a sollioquey, half the heroes around are allowed to walk away and take a sit.  Its going to be a long day so may as well give the calves a rest before doing battle before the Elders of the Universe.

We’ll skip ahead here.  The Avengers must face off against each other to decide the fate of everything.  There are some great one on one battles and you’ll be shocked at who comes out the winner in at least half.  (Hmmm if only Marvel would do some other battle between teams.)  The story is continued in the Avengers annual, out later that year.

Its a great two part story for those of you who love Marvel lore.  Back when death meant a little bit more, many characters made another appearance in this issue.  Legendary villains like Korvac.  Still dead heroes like Captain Marvel.  People who have since come back to life like Drax the Destroyer and Green Goblin.  Most surprising of all those is Bucky.  I’d love to see the current continuity explanation for this.  I’ll guess that the Elders go along with who is perceived to be dead, in addition to who actually is dead.

Anyways, Hawkeye tricks the Grandmaster and Death rewards the Avengers by bringing them all back to life.  Well, all of them who were alive at the start of this story.  Hmmm, maybe she messed up and brought back Bucky too.  That would be a good explanation.  Could bring back Captain Marvel, or Korvac, or any of the other dead characters in this way.  When I get hired by Marvel!

After battling the Elders of the Universe, and dead teammates, and dying themselves there is only one way to end the day.  By finishing their baseball game!

Cap asks Thor to keep an eye on Hawkeye, because he cheats.  This is before the Thunderbolts, his Solo work and at least one more death.  This must also be why Hawkeye has yet to be voted into the Hall of Fame.  But he has the most hits!