Harry Caray and Old-Fashioned Drinking

On the other side of the coin, the sciences of addiction, psychology, pain and neurology have certainly come a long way as well.

 

Only been living here 6 years, but compared to the UK I'd agree things seem a bit puritanical at times.

I mean FFS, even on here, a beer website, you get some very judgmental individuals.

 

Nice article, Rog. To my mind, there's only one guy left at Harry Carey's level--Vin Scully. Even as a Giants fan, I try to tune into his game calling whenever possible.

Here's the telling line of the article, near the end: "He went out because it was his job." For me, there's just no way I could drink like that during the day and do the work I do. Which I think is an overall cultural trend--desk jobs, "knowledge workers," virtual teams, etc. Even when the work isn't high-level, abstract stuff, most people have to stay pretty sharp in front of their computers.

Re: Mad Men, I think the show's ended up coming down hard on all-day, "functional" drinking. Don's fall from grace is pretty closely tied to his drinking, which evolves, in the end, to textbook alcoholism.

Maybe that's the overall cultural trend: high work performance (and the never-ending climb up whatever ladder you choose) simply trumps being pleasantly drunk all day.

 

I think modern attitudes towards alcohol consumption derive more from better understanding of the known health risks associated with consuming multiple alcoholic beverages every day, than any return to a more Puritanical attitude towards alcohol in general. For example, it is not uncommon on network TV to see people day drinking - in fact, the network morning show with Kathy Lee and Hoda Kotb almost always has both of them drinking wine at 9 or 10 AM. Every day. I don't think there has ever been a network show before where the hosts regularly drank alcohol live on the air, and this is in the morning. I don't bring this up because I think it's wrong, but only because I think it provides some evidence that maybe our attitudes towards alcohol aren't quite as Puritanical as you might think.

I DO think there is probably an overabundance of caution towards alcohol in our society, thanks in large part to over-the-top anti-alcohol messaging that kids have had forced on them since at least the 1980s. I think a lot of people who have received this messaging have a hard time differentiating between dangerous alcohol consumption, like drunk driving or drinking 3+ alcoholic beverages every single day, and harmless stuff like having a drink or 2 some evenings, or having a beer on your lunch break, or even putting a shot of whiskey or Bailey's in your morning coffee. The message that impairment begins with the first drink, while maybe technically accurate, is incredibly simplistic and does not offer an accurate message regarding the effects of drinking alcohol. I think that type of messaging has done more harm than good, and probably contributes greatly to anti-alcohol sentiment in this country, even while the attitudes that many have towards drinking are becoming relaxed.

In the other direction, I think that smoking bans have really gone a long way towards de-stigmatizing alcohol consumption. Many, many bars are now family-friendly establishments, and I think they strive to be such, because toting the family to your local back when it was filled with smoke would have been rightly frowned upon. Now, however, people are increasingly seeing families at bars, mom and dad having a beer and maybe a meal with Junior in tow. Drinking is no longer relegated to dimly lit, smoke-filled bars full of drunks and college kids. It's now a legitimate activity for people of all ages to participate in, at least as far as going to a bar is concerned.

 

swear i saw a show where Hoda Kotb explained that she was going to rehab for her drinking

guess not

 

Day drinking doesn't seemed to be all that frowned upon in Wisconsin (Milwaukee area). I actually do most of my drinking during the day now that I have kids. I can't stay up until 2 A.M. tying it on anymore. I actually think it taught me how to handle my beverages with more responsibility.

 

Being a Brewers fan, I guess I am partial to Bob Uecker (also once a Cardinal as a player).

 

Definitely puritanical here in comparison to Bavaria. While vacationing in the Alps a couple of summers back, we had, through our hotel, all-access passes to public transport. After a short bus ride down the mountain, my son and I were waiting for a gondola to take us up to one of the peaks for a hike. At the base was a small playground and a beergarden. As my son played, I decided to have a beer. This was around noontime. I highly suspect that had I been in the U.S., I would have received quite a few dirty looks...if not a few comments. As it was, no one gave it a second thought.

 

I think it depends on where you work. Regulation driven work places that don't apply practicality to their staff's performance frown upon a single drink at work. Technology, sales, small business etc. are much more open to drinking and usually don't care as long as your producing (i.e. more practically managed work places).

Overall, I see alot more openess about beer consumption out in the world. Many states have laws now that serve beer in fast food restaurants (Chipolte) and grocery stores (Wegmans, etc) and I never seen or heard of that years ago. Most races (5K etc) have beer served at the end. Lots of more beer festivals etc these days from my perspective as well.

 

Maybe it's much different in other states...but almost every day when I get home from work, my son goes outside to play in the front yard and I sit on the steps watching him play with a beer in hand. When I have to chase him down the block, it's usually with same beer in hand. Not once have I gotten a dirty look or comment. In fact, most of the time the questions I get are "what are you drinking" and "what do you think of it."

 

Yea, but I was in public, and the time was around noon. Different context....

 

True, but same applies on Saturdays when I do the same around lunch time. Or if we go out for lunch somewhere with the family. Perhaps because Colorado (Denver in particular) is so beer crazy, it is expected that when you go out somewhere, you will be ordering a beer. Or two. In fact, there is a beer garden nearby that is extremely family friendly and has games set up for kids and lots of space for them to run around. Parents drink, kids play, all is right in the world

 

Another totally unfounded thesis: I wonder about our overall sedentary lifestyle and (in)ability to metabolize alcohol compared to those old guys. Not just physical laborers, but even Harry Caray and other big-city guys who probably walked off their alcohol tramping all over New York and Chicago.

PS: I'm gonna give you Joe Buck, buddy. To say he's not well-liked out here is an understatement.

 

I enjoyed the article as well. Apparently, the source of this was Harry's expense ledger. Not only was he out at the bar, but he was expensing it off as work related. Definitely, a different era.

 

As for me, I'd rather be in Philadelphia.

 

Wc Fields was probably this countries most famous alcoholic and you can't help but be startled by some of his funniest quips. In my background eating and drinking went together. There was no social abnormality about serving wine or beer with a meal. A shot of whiskey came after dinner and in the morning if it was especially cold it was not unusual to see someone warm up their bones with a little nip. It's all about culture after all. If it's done right and if there is pure enjoyment in it then it's just what it should be. To bring a beautiful meal to the table and pour a lovely glass to go with is a pleasure for all concerned. That's why I like WBAYDN. If you look at that thread that is what we are doing eating and drinking. Makes sense that you would.

There's a mentality of people lately who deny themselves everything. No meat, no alcohol, no gluten no sugar, no fun and no fair! I am not one of them.

 

You've hit the nail on the head. The puritans who came here first REALLY left their mark. It's lasted close to 400 years.

 

I always wondered where his signature sound came from. Now I know. But the reality is, he was a functioning drinker. Although I've lived in NY for most of my life, as far as I recall, Harry didn't miss too many days at work during a season although I do remember listening to him occasionaly and thinking he sounded a little confused. Oh well, he had a good life. And his joint in the Navy Pier in Chicago isn't bad.