No more Joe DiMaggios

With the continuing story of Tiger Woods' infidelities still emerging, I find myself a bit sad that yet another sports hero has disappointed so many. When I was a kid, stories of sports heroes going astray did not ever reach me - or, perhaps, I was just oblivious.

But that was back in the innocent 1950's and early '60's, long before Ted Turner pioneered our 24/7 news cycle, before Watergate, steroids, or recreational drugs made it into the mainstream of American culture.

As a child, my heroes were people like Duke Snider, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale - baseball players for the newly relocated Los Angeles Dodgers. I can't remember any transgressions of theirs back in the day. Some ballplayers did, however, like to imbibe in a few drinks occasionally. In fact, most major league games were sponsored in part by one or another Beer company, who also provided plenty of their product in the clubhouse after the game.

When these players left the clubhouse, they were at times, already, as we used to say, "Three sheets to the wind". However, as far as the world knew, this was the worst of their transgressions, and, for the most part, was viewed as harmless fun by the general public and the media they sometimes drank with.

As time rolled on and the media began to report mistakes made by so-called sports stars, very few "Super Stars" have remained clear of problems in their personal lives. Tiger Woods, who may be the best-ever golfer, appeared to be squeaky clean, above reproach, until the last few days. And that was good. For the game of golf. For sports in general. And, more importantly for children everywhere.

Though identifying a personal hero in sports is always dangerous, it is something that most kids do. Tiger let down his beautiful wife of some five years, his two children, his thousands of fans, and children throughout the world that looked up to him.

As Simon & Garfunkle said in song, "Where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio, A nation turns its lonely eyes to you, What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson, Joltin' Joe has left and gone away."

Unfortunately, there are no more Joe DiMaggios, and that is a pity.

Old Fart Mike