[Slippy]

Guys, did you ever notice that when professional ball players try to "check their swing" some of them go to far and get called for a 'strike' by an umpire. My point is that even the professionals make mistakes.

...Yeah, yeah, I've heard and seen Bagwell Bowies...

Very clever, I see what you did there!

Allow me to explain to those with low MLBIQ-That's Major League Baseball Intelligence Quotient--You see The Tourist began his post with an analogy about a Baseball player and the ability/inability of that player to successfully check his swing given the arguably subjective ambiguity of this simple baseball rule...The STRIKE.

Rule 2.0 Clearly defines what a Strike is;

A STRIKE is a legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which- (a) Is struck at by the batter and is missed; (b) Is not struck at, if any part of the ball passes through any part of the strike zone; (c) Is fouled by the batter when he has less than two strikes; (d) Is bunted foul; (e) Touches the batter as he strikes at it; (f) Touches the batter in flight in the strike zone; or (g) Becomes a foul tip.

There is no mention in the Baseball Rule Book regarding a "Check (ed) Swing".

It was either a Swing or Not a Swing. The pitch either was determined to be a Strike by the Umpire or Not a Strike.

Thats it DISCUSSION OVER.

And here is the cute little thing that The Tourist did that most of you missed; He tied the name of a famous "Bowie" Knife maker, Bill Bagwell, to the names of two Baseball Hall of Famers. Jeff Bagwell and Bowie Kuhn. I'm 100% confident that at least 1 of those Hall of Famers was involved in the imaginary phenomenon called the Check (ed) Swing while in the Bigs and 100% confident that the other never had a legal AT BAT in the show.

Play Ball!

 

[Prepared One]

Give me the gun. :vs_cool:

 

[watcher]

Check out "cold steel"...

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Being a life long Floridian, I have accumulated a half dozen or more machetes.
They are all standard design, various manufacturers, and have either the 18" or 22" blade.

My absolute favorite is a US made M-1942. Nice thick 1095 carbon steel 18" blade (with imports the blade steel can be a crap shoot).
Although I can't remember where mine came from, Charleys Surplus has them for about $25. Originals, made by Ontario.
www.charleyssurplus.com Go to the Knives And Bayonets section for a look-see.

I can vouch for Charleys excellent customer service and pricing. I have been a customer for years.

 

[The Tourist]

There is no mention in the Baseball Rule Book regarding a "Check (ed) Swing".

Oh, I believe you. But we're not talking about "fair play" here. I was discussing Brewers' Baseball.

Just about every night on the radio, a Brewer batter 'checks his swing' (less that half-way of a full swing) the umpire sees it and sometimes calls it or not. The guys in the booth report on whether the guy was guilty or not.

It's Milwaukee. All 43,000 fans in Miller Park have been drinking beer since 10:00AM and it's now 4:00PM in the afternoon.

And believe it or not, most of these fans are still sober enough to catch a foul ball with one hand and not set down their brewski...

 

[Slippy]

Oh, I believe you. But we're not talking about "fair play" here. I was discussing Brewers' Baseball.

Just about every night on the radio, a Brewer batter 'checks his swing' (less that half-way of a full swing) the umpire sees it and sometimes calls it or not. The guys in the booth report on whether the guy was guilty or not.

It's Milwaukee. All 43,000 fans in Miller Park have been drinking beer since 10:00AM and it's now 4:00PM in the afternoon.

And believe it or not, most of these fans are still sober enough to catch a foul ball with one hand and not set down their brewski...

I resemble that last remark! Once upon a time in a ballpark far far away, when our Sons still thought I was a capeless Superhero we were attending a Minor League ballgame. Of course, a couple of stadium dogs for the youngsters and a cold beer for Dad and a Coke for Mom, were in order as I headed back to our seats balancing a cardboard tray of Double A goodies.

I heard the crack of Ashwood against CowHide and out of the corner of my eye noticed a bright white projectile coming my way. Instinctively, from many hours of bullpen juggling sessions, I reached up and palmed the oncoming missile...and nonchalantly kept walking

The crowd went wild, but all I heard were two little boys screaming and pointing, "MOM! DAD JUST CAUGHT A FOUL BALL!"

Not missing a beat, I turned and tossed the ball to young sorority debutante wearing short shorts and a halter top...SCRRRRREEEEECH!

JUST KIDDING!

I'm pretty sure we still have that ball in a box labeled DADS SPORTS SHIT with a handful of other foul balls that I/We collected over the years. Most of them grass stained and scraped from me and our tossing them around in the backyard! :vs_wave:

 

[Smitty901]

As I would unlikely ever be carrying a Machete as a weapon but more as a tool for a task , I would say the best one for SD would be the one in my hand at the time. Surely when need be anything you can get your hands on can be used for SD.
The cheap ones that are all over the places would make lousy tools and even worst weapons. So purchase good tools and if you can afford it purchase great ones.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

As I would unlikely ever be carrying a Machete as a weapon but more as a tool for a task , I would say the best one for SD would be the one in my hand at the time. Surely when need be anything you can get your hands on can be used for SD.
The cheap ones that are all over the places would make lousy tools and even worst weapons. So purchase good tools and if you can afford it purchase great ones.

I keep a good South American 22" machete under the back seat of my truck. Along with a small shovel, hatchet, bow saw, shotgun, and other emergency items like water and a few cans of food.
It would make a good weapon if I was dismounted and very near the truck, but the shotgun would be an even better weapon.

 

[SOCOM42]

I keep a good South American 22" machete under the back seat of my truck. Along with a small shovel, hatchet, bow saw, shotgun, and other emergency items like water and a few cans of food.
It would make a good weapon if I was dismounted and very near the truck, but the shotgun would be an even better weapon.

I use to carry one in mine up to about 10 years ago, still carry tri fold shovels.

Today, depending on which Cherokee is used,

there is either a Mushberg 500 or a Winni mod 12 with 100 rounds of OO buck.

If I have to go past both handguns I carry and the 35 to 55 rounds I carry for them,

I need a long gun not a chopper (maybe my subgun) to do the job or I am dead before getting to it.

I am way too old to go hand to hand anymore, have been for at least about 15 years.

I do use a Tramontina around here on brush, light weight and easy to use.

One quick pass on the belt sander both sides and it is good to go again.

 

[rice paddy daddy]

I just clamp them flat on my Black & Decker Work Mate bench, hanging over the edge, and use a mill bastard file.

Same with the lawn mower blades.

 

[SOCOM42]

I just clamp them flat on my Black & Decker Work Mate bench, hanging over the edge, and use a mill bastard file.

Same with the lawn mower blades.

The file didn't have a father??:vs_laugh:

 

[KUSA]

This is my best machete. It's of the ninja variety.