Someone call the Punctuation Police!
Yesterday, as part of Opening Day ceremonies at Wrigley Field, the Cubs unveiled a statue of Cubs legend, Ernie Banks. I watched the replay of the ceremony during the 40-minute rain delay and, shortly after the statue was uncovered, I was horrified by what I saw. At the base of the statue is inscribed the phrase that Ernie made famous: “LETS PLAY TWO!”
Um, anyone see what’s wrong there? I noticed it right away and it almost sent this punctuation stickler into convulsions. Whoever did the engraving forgot an apostrophe! It should read, “LET’S PLAY TWO!” “Let’s” is a contraction comprised of two words, let and us; therefore, that apostrophe is vital! How embarrassing… I couldn’t believe that no one noticed the mistake ahead of time, as I’m sure this statue was in the making for a long time and that there was plenty of preparation for the unveiling ceremony. Lynne Truss, author of one of my favorite books, Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, would also be mortified. I have a desk calendar that has excerpts from the book printed on each day’s page. How fitting that today’s page would have the following excerpt:
We may curse our bad luck that it’s sounds like its; who’s sounds like whose; they’re sounds like their (and there); and you’re sounds like your. But if we are grown-ups who have been through full-time education, we have no excuse for muddling them up.
I couldn’t agree more.
Posted by Francesca
Tags: Chicago Cubs, Ernie Banks, Opening Day, punctuation blunder, statue
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:43 am
Only you would notice that. I guess all the money we spent on your education, paid off.
April 2nd, 2008 at 8:44 am
No comma before paid off. Sorry……..
April 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
When you were six months old , you were sitting on my lap while I was sitting on the couch and watching T.V. you looked at me and said Da Da. I was suprised and happy at the same time. Did you punctuate DaDa in that remark or were you calling for help?When you were stuck between the bed matress and the bedroom wall, while I was still sleeping at 7 a.m. in the morning, after I fed you your morning bottle of formula, due to the fact that I used to go to bed at around 4 a.m. because of my 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. schedule on the Police Department and you yelled “HEY”! did you punctuate that outburst? You were younger than six months old. Now I know why your mother went to work every morning and left me alone with you until she returned home and I went back to work the streets of Chicago.
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Actually, I noticed it too.
I CANNOT believe the Cubs organization did that. This mistake made last night’s news. How embarrassing! Like we need to give White Sox fans another reason to make fun of us! I hope the person(s) responsible were reprimanded. Some may think I’m making a big deal out of a small problem, but I disagree. Anything in print, especially a statue that commemorates a Cub legend, should be scrutinized to the tiniest detail. Is the Cubs organization lazy, stupid or both?