Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for July 03, 2023

Quite obviously, Calvin isn’t doing this for love of the game.

And also build character.

He should try turning Calvinball into a national sport.

And the number of silly games has only increased in the last 30 years

Calvin needs to understand that the Secret to baseball (and any game involving a ball) is to keep. your. eye. on. the. ball. Everything else just follows after. And here in this toon his eyes are closed. No wonder he thinks it is silly. He’s not winning.

Calvin’s dad doesn’t get to determine who’s overpaid. All that matters is that someone is willing to pay athletes. They aren’t objectively wrong.

Yup, badminton players make millions. And their promos get them so much tail!

Wrong, Dad—the “honor” of being overpaid belongs to politicians!!

I once met Barrington Williams, an Olympic sprinter, at church. In the course of conversation he was amazed that I have never had any interest in sports or athletics of any kind. I replied that I found it odd that grown men and women get paid to play what are essential children’s games. He had obviously never considered it from that angle.

I am surprised Dad did not say that “Failure builds character.”

I’m surprised Calvin isn’t planning to pitch the idea of Calvinball to a sports network or a billionaire entertainment mogul.

Wow, folks take their sports seriously here. Perhaps ”overpaid” is subjective, but I find more value in doctors, teachers, people who keep our streets repaired, and those who provide us food. I like to play certain sports but never got too worked up about watching others do it.

Dad’s right, but while the players are overpaid, they still only make a very small fraction of what the owners make, even though the latter do little or nothing to earn it.

Sorry, I never saw the point in hitting or kicking a ball………

Where else can you get paid for failing 7 out of 10 times and be considered a good player?

At Calvin’s age he should still be playing T-ball, fungoing is not easy especially when the bat is bigger than you.

He just has to nationalize Calvinball!

I don’t do sports cause they pay well, I do them to have fun.

Panel 3 put a song in my head: Dressing up in costumes, playing silly gamesHiding out in treetops, shouting out rude names…

Not unlike my next-door neighbor who became a dentist for the money.

Keep trying, Calvin.

Sadly, a very true statement by dad.

Getting paid to play a game is a very good gig. Being rich enough to own a club that pays people to play a game is awesome.

true then. even more so today – talk about bizarro worlds – we definitely live in one

ya know sometimes it does feel like you are living life by playing silly games

As long as Calvin doesn’t try out for women’s basketball he should make money

Stopped watching pro sports when salaries exceeded that of the President of the US. That was in the late 50’s, early 60’s.

Stopped watching college basketball a couple decades ago when pampered players received ‘scholarships’ to do nothing but practice for the pros. It became much worse when ‘once and done’ came into the rules. Lowered the standards of some fine schools that allowed it to happen for the money and ‘winning season’ prestige.

Dad knows how to motivate Cal – to go outside and leave him to read his paper.

Aside of course from many actors and CEO’s.

The problem with high wages (in any field) is you get so many people who are doing it for the $ instead of a good reason.

The only sports I like playing are Cornhole and bowling. People getting payed millions to hit a ball with a stick is personally ridiculous.

But you must have a level of natural athletic ability. Nikola Jokic, Larry Bird, many other greats in some team sports are said not to be great athletes. But their ability is still far above the regular guy on the street. Tim Tebow is a great example. Nobody worked harder at being good at football, and then baseball. But he didn’t have the god-given athletic ability to make it in the pros.

Calvinball still hasn’t caught on yet

Of course, the odds are better with a state-run lottery.

You can also get lots of money for NOT playing the game. Just ask Bobby Bonilla https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37938979/bobby-bonilla-day-2023-new-york-mets-paid-119m-every-july-1

Is Calvin not going to address the fact that he tried baseball at one point and got bullied for messing up? (one of the worst storylines btw)

Sports is just entertainment, same as acting and singing. They are all overpaid for what they actually contribute to the world, but people really like being entertained.

It takes certain talents, Calvin. Not all of us have them.

He’s talking about the current San Diego Padres team.

Calvin, you are already paid err… fed well by parents and you have the attention of millions across the globe. The silly game can wait till you develop nuances.

Said Dad, with great cynicism.

Uh, Calvin? Maybe if you opened your eyes when you swing at the ball…

Iin our culture the brawn is lauded the brain derized.

Calvin and Hobbes were honored today in Maria’s Day by John Zakour and Scott Roberts.

Keep trying, Calvin. It might be worth it someday.

It sure looks like he’s having a blast and loves the game.

Their might be other motivation…

He just needed monetary motivation. :)

Overpaid, non-intellectual and abhorrently ignorant in some instances.

Such a sad state of affairs – the most important societal workers get paid the least – teachers, nurses, firefighters and EMS workers, etc.

Ohtani making 1.2 billion