Human Behavior GIF: Liam Hendriks Exhibiting Pleasure

by
September 22, 2015

While some people take for granted the ability to comprehend and decode signifiers of nonverbal communication, there’s a not insubstantial segment of the population who, for any numbers of reasons, lack those particular skills. The purpose of this post at FanGraphs.com is to provide an example of how a human might exhibit intense pleasure by means only of physical cues.

What one finds here is footage of Toronto right-hander Liam Hendriks from like five minutes ago, striking out Yankees batter Alex Rodriguez in an important moment during tonight’s game between the two relevant clubs. Hendriks, relieved to have escaped a perilous situation, first pumps his fists and then straightens out his left leg as though he were about to embark upon a sort of inspired triumphal march. Whatever the physiognomic antecedents for such a gesture, the meaning is clear: Hendriks is pleased. Specifically, he’s experiencing the sort of pleasure one feels by means of averting a more disagreeable outcome.

For further study, here’s the most relevant portion of the footage slowed down to 1/8th speed:

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Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.

13 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
ShinyThing
10 years ago

If only this technology existed when JD Drew played…

3
OBP
10 years ago
Reply to  ShinyThing

If only I existed when Stephen Drew played.

4
Eric
10 years ago

Little did he know the agony he was about to enjoy

0
Well-Beered Englishman
10 years ago

As soon as I saw this happen live, I knew I would need this NotGraphsian (Banknotesian!) content. Hard to watch this without feeling the same rush of euphoria.

0
Well-Memoried Notgraphsman
10 years ago
Reply to  Well-Beered Englishman

Whenever I see a Well-Beered Englishman comment, be it on a Cistulli instragraphs post or a Jeff Sullivan fangraphs post, I remember a simpler time; A time of notgraphs revelry, a time of poetry and the loosest baseball related humor. That day has died. That dream has died. But the Englishman lives on, and thusly so does the memory. Beard and all.

4
RichW
10 years ago
Reply to  Well-Memoried Notgraphsman

It might be beer. Something that brings me pleasure.

1
Pepperidge Farm
10 years ago
Reply to  Well-Memoried Notgraphsman

We remember

9
Well-Wined Englishman
10 years ago
Reply to  Well-Memoried Notgraphsman

Some day, NotGraphs will return triumphant from its year(s) of wandering lost in the desert. Until then, the exile bastards are actually letting me write for them.

0
Clock
10 years ago

Notgraphs comments section dead?

1
Whale-Beard Eskimoman
10 years ago
Reply to  Clock

Harpooned.

4
Garyth
10 years ago

Can we have the GIF for Cecil and Martin exhibiting pleasure?

0
Mr. Observant
10 years ago

“And you tell him, shame on him, shame on him for closing the NotGraphs Last Post Comment Section. You tell him that just like that. Now you say it to me like you going to say it to him!”

“Ummm, I’m probably not going to say that.”

0