Thirty Eight

ESPN's documentary series, "30 for 30", continued tonight with Albert Mayles' "Muhammad and Larry", about the 1980 fight between Larry Holmes and the fat, old, out of retirement Muhammad Ali. It is a tremendous film-Mayles made the film in 1980, but recut it with discussions from boxing experts and journalists that extended it to the hour that "30 for 30" entries are. Ali was 38 when he fought Holmes.

On Thursday, Pedro Martinez, who was the best pitcher in baseball from 1997 until 2000, is scheduled to pitch Game Two of the 2009 World Series in Yankee Stadium for the Philadelphia Phillies. Martinez has a long history with the Yankees and Yankee Stadium, mostly due to his penchant for hitting batters, most notably New York's Derek Jeter, and from his role in the 2004 ALCS. Pedro Martinez is 38 years old.

I am, to borrow a phrasing from Spider Robinson, in no particular order, a husband, father, son, brother, colleague, health professional, blogger, and in no particular order. I am 38 years old. However, I am capable of neither fighting Larry Holmes nor starting Game Two of the World Series.

Boxing has always fascinated me in the way that war does. I want to know about it- I think it is interesting-but I abhor its effects. Baseball has always fascinated me in general, even though it can be, frankly, a tremendous waste of time and money. I tie these two 38 year old men together, I suppose, because I can empathize with their struggles, in a sense.

I, too, no longer have the good fastball or the crisp jab any more. I feel like life is getting away from me, and I have to rely on guile, changeups and footwork and evasion, if I hope to continue. I understand the struggles of the older athlete, in some small way, because it reminds me of my mortality, which is something that is on everyone's mind at times.

Eventually guile won't do it any more, and no matter what you throw up there, they bang it off the wall. I can feel my skills fading, and the punches are getting through now.I'm still bobbing, and weaving, but I don't have the knockout punch any more, and eventually my guard is going to drop.