Ouisconsin Saga
Peter Rose. Allan Selig. RoseBud!
ARTIFACT: The camera silently pans the rows of boxes in a vast warehouse holding the detritus of a privileged life. Just when we think there is no sense to be made of the hoard of cast-off possessions, the lens centers on one small item. Slowly it moves in for a closeup of young Prince “Bud” Selig’s most-cherished childhood souvenir.
A baseball, of course. But not just any baseball. A ball innocently co-signed by boys practicing to be heroes when they grow up. As it happened, one would fail and leave the other helpless to redeem him. Their paired signatures symbolize the gamble that is sport ownership corrupted by the hustle needed to generate ever-increasing revenue of dubious origin. So the saga of passed time continues.
Prince Selig and club owners adrift on the great lake.
The secret to the ambidextrous Sveum’s switch-hitting prowess.
The evil von Wrigley deceives the prince with a faux Sveum.
Von Wrigley’s demise at the hands of the disenchanted swans.
Prince Selig and Sveum ascend to the Fame-Hall of the gods.