Posey's Perfect Number

Best by Numbers: Who Wore What With Distinction
was published in 2006, highlighted Marshall Faulk,
Rams running back as best athlete wearing #28;
Buster Posey not mentioned as he debuted in 2009.

Baseball pitchers wearing uniform #28
include my favorite Dodgers' Preacher Roe
as well as Bert Blyleven with 3700 strikeouts,
relief aces Sparky Lyle and Randy Myers.

28 is atomic weight of nitrogen
molecule, 70% of the air we breathe,
also the lunation and menstrual cycles—
Norman Fischer wrote a poem about them.

Listening to Posey's Press Conference
on his retirement from baseball despite
$22 million offered to play another year,
realized he was putting his family first.

He led Giants to 3 World Series titles,
with career .304 batting, 1500 hits,
158 homers, 729 RBI; he's even more
valuable to pitchers calling 3 no-hitters.

Remember Buster Posey wore #28—
the second perfect number, no wonder
he is blessed by Nature's number gift
according to the sage Pythagoras.

Buster mentioned highlight of catching
Matt Cain's perfect game, the only one
in Giant's franchise history. Did he know
that he was wearing a perfect number?

This poem honors that special moment—
Cain pitches 20th perfect game in baseball,
it is worthy to be exceedingly joyful—
pitcher & catcher hugging in celebration!

        — Peter Y. Chou
            Mountain View, 11-5-2021