Rubes by Leigh Rubin for September 16, 2009

  1. Grog poop
    GROG Premium Member about 15 years ago

    I don’t get it. Why would the first baseman want the pitcher to walk a pin cushion?

    A

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    Nairebis  about 15 years ago

    So he doesn’t have to try to tag him out?

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    andaph  about 15 years ago

    It’s a force out at first…no tag needed. And I don’t get this one either but it does have a Far Side like feel…

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    Hardhar  about 15 years ago

    With quills like that he won’t need cleats. It’s Ty Cobb reincarnated as a porcupine!

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  5. Grog poop
    GROG Premium Member about 15 years ago

    So is every one on pins & needles?

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    Hardhar  about 15 years ago

    Now if the porcupine was a woodchuck and the woodchuck threw the bat we would then have an idea of how much wood a woodchuck could chuck unless of course it was an aluminum bat…

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    eardroppings  about 15 years ago

    I don’t get it. Is there someone out there who knows the “point” of this cartoon?

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    CoBass  about 15 years ago

    The only thing I can think of is if it’s a close play at first. Yes, the runner would forced out, without the first baseman having to tag the runner. However, I’m not sure I’d want to get even that close to a porcupine. Aren’t they supposed to be able to shoot their quills when they get angry or scared? And what if the porcupine chose to “let fly” as he was approaching the bag?

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    JesseUWG  about 15 years ago

    No, porcupines cannot shoot their quills.

    http://www.iwrc-online.org/kids/Facts/Mammals/porcupine.htm

    There is no scenario in which the first baseman would benefit from having the porcupine walked (unless he has a fetish). If anything, he would be in worse shape having the porcupine on his base. What if the porcupine tries to steal second and gets caught in a rundown? Then someone MUST tag him out. I suspect that this cartoon is the result of a cartoonist being forced to produce new material every single day despite the possibility of not having a funny and simultaneously “logical” idea of what to publish for that particular day. Ultimately, I must agree with Nairebis. I think this was the cartoonist’s intended message. Coincidentally, I have read other posts in the past from people confused by a cartoon that may require specific knowledge to understand. I have even found myself in that predicament before. However, this is the first time that I have witnessed such universal confusion over a cartoon with no one able to clarify the meaning.

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    calvinandquestionmark  about 15 years ago

    It seems to me that the one who is confused here is the cartoonist as to regards to how baseball is played. The cartoonist must be under the misunderstanding that there is some reason for the porcupine to touch him if he were to come to first. There isn’t. This is why this cartoon makes no sense.

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