I was born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania, which meant that by default of where my parents copulated and conceived, “My Teams” were the Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins. A recent interaction with Tyrone on my Rickey Henderson post brought back a particularly vivid and traumatic memory from when I was nine years old.

The memory revolves around a wild pitch thrown by a relief pitcher during the 1972 playoffs—a moment that cost the Pirates their chance at victory. To most, it might seem like just another heartbreaking sports moment, but to my 9-year-old self, it was monumental. I can still recall isolating myself and crying inconsolably, grappling with the crushing weight of disappointment for the first time. In hindsight, those moments teach us to handle life’s setbacks.

But today, with the clarity that comes from five decades of reflection, It’s obvious that it was all scripted. Yes—scripted for dramatic effect. Almost nothing we experience (in the media) is truly natural or organic. Let’s just consider this yet another piece of evidence that manipulation isn’t a new tactic—it’s something we’ve been subjected to for our entire lives.

The (1-minute) video picks up in the bottom of the 9th inning of the final game of the divisional playoffs. The winner would go to the World Series. When he throws the wild pitch, there were 2 outs and only a runner a third. He literally could have walked two more batters. Bob Moose was born 10/9/47 and “died” on 10/9/76 at the age of 29.

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