Baseball just got a little more high-brow: An outfit called Novel-T is launching a line of baseball T-shirts with a dream fantasy team. But don’t expect to see names like Derek Jeter or Johnny Damon in the line-up. Instead, the roster includes a “team” of nine American literary icons from Tom Sawyer to Henry David Thoreau. (A cap tip to The New Yorker‘s Book Bench blog for this item.)
But I have to take Novel-T to task for some of their obvious swings and misses. Why put Moby-Dick at home plate when a creature that size could easily cover the entire outfield? Especially when, clearly, Holden Caulfield is a much more fitting choice for catcher. I will concede, however, that Walt Whitman is positioned well in center field, atop leaves of AstroTurf.
Shelf Lifers: What literary figures would you put on your fantasy baseball team? (Besides, of course, Roy Hobbs. Cheaters.) And would you pony up $25 to wear one of these jerseys, especially since some the proceeds go to a nonprofit group (826NYC)?
I think the Bartleby & Prynne shirts are the most clever. Hope the next team has Lenny and George!
Shakespeare!
Bartleby? Why would you have some one whose motto is: “I’d prefer not to” on your baseball team? He’s just going to stand there and do nothing. Walt Whitman is going to have to do all the work while old Bartleby just sits and stares blankly.
Plus, Ahab is going to spend the whole game trying to bean his catcher…with a harpoon.
As I know very little of American literature, and even less about baseball, and recently re-watched “A Knight’s Tale” (which recently renewed my appreciation for “The Canterbury Tales”), my completely random, superfluous, un-American, and probably nonsensical pick is Geoff Chaucer for shortstop. As long as he comes looking and sounding like Paul Bettany.
all good things