Calling Balls & Strikes w/ Anthony L. Fisher

Today, we blog.

Welcome to the extremely-soft launch of my new repository of blogs:
Calling Balls & Strikes w/ Anthony L. Fisher by me, Anthony L. Fisher.

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If you’re reading this beta-test of a blog post, you’re likely at least a little bit familiar with my work, but in case you and my printed words haven’t yet met, here’s a quick bio.

I’m the Senior Opinion Editor at The Daily Beast, and for the previous two-and-a-half years I was a staff Columnist at Insider (née Business Insider) covering politics, culture, New York City, and parenting during the COVID pandemic.

My politics are heterodox, to the point that I usually don’t even fit into the island-of-misfit-toy groupings on any of those innumerable online political identity tests.

You could say I’m tribeless, but much like “classical liberal,” the “politically tribeless” label has been rendered worthless by internet personalities too embarrassed to admit they’re right-wingers who are kinda cool with abortion. But you could reasonably say I truly have no political tribe, certainly not the politically tribeless tribe.

The best compliment I’ve received from all-too-kind readers is that I’m fair. I’ll always try to live up that simple, but wonderful, descriptor.

I’ll call out hacks of any political stripe, and also befriend maniacs from across the spectrum — if they’re at least honest. I also won’t let my would-be allies off the hook when they fail to live up to the shared principles they claim to hold as dear as I do.

And I’ll admit when I’m wrong.

That’s why I’ve named this site “Calling Balls & Strikes” — or “Calling B&S” as a cheeky diminutive.

Now that we’re acquainted, here’s what I’ll be doing on this site.

I’m going to write personal essays, bloggy rants, and assorted takes that might be a bit too esoteric to run at my day job.

I’m going to mouth-off about culture — movies, sports, TV, music, podcasts, etc. — and there may or may not be a political angle attached.

And I’m going to write posts more tied to the news cycle, when time allows.

I’m tinkering with the possibility of a new podcast, various forms of audience outreach, and serialized stories.

But for now I hope you’ll be patient as this site finds its instrument.

This weekend, my very first Substack essay will go live. (Spoiler: It’s on David Ortiz, the Baseball Hall of Fame, and why it’s time to retire the pearl-clutching over steroids in the game once and for all.)

Calling B&S will remain a 100% free-to-readers operation for the time being, but I do accept voluntary paid subscriptions (the tip jar is out, so to speak).

Thanks for reading, watch this space for more Calling B&S!

PS: Please subscribe and share!