i had my fatal encounter, as did rick ankiel. there is an element of of that for the everyone.u want it enough? are you lucky enough? that's a part of it, too. >> reporter: krauthammer's injury kept him off the playing fields and courts but he's pursued another competitive outlet, chess. which lights you up more -- baseball or chess? >> no comparison. it's chess. >> reporter: do you still play? >> no. i gave it up. it's an addiction, a poison. you reach a point on the internet, middle of the net playing speed chess where you realize you are in a motel room drinking aqua velva. >> reporter: your book was supposed to be a collection of essays on things other than politics. it didn't turn out that way. why? >> in the end, all the beautiful elegant things in life depend ultimately on getting politics right. >> reporter: you say science, art, poetry, baseball must ultimately bow to politics. >> i have a column in the book where i write about the ferme paradox. he was a great physicist who posed a simple question. we know there are millions of habitable worlds out the there. so there

. >> that's why the rick ankiel story resinated with me. i had my fatal encounter as did rick.ow points. do you want it enough or are you lucky enough? >> while his injury has kept him off of the playing fields and courts he pursued another competitive outlet. >> which do you like more baseball or chess when you are in the game? >> there's no comparison. it's chess. >> do you still play chess? >> no, i gave it up. it is an addiction. >> completely. >> it's a poison. you reach a point when you are on the internet middle of the night you are playing speed chess you realize you are in a motel room drinking aqua velvet. >> your book was supposed to be a collection of essays of things other than politics, but it didn't turnout that way. why? >> in the end everything all of the beautiful elegant things in life depend ultimately on getting politics right. >> you say science, art, poetry, baseball must ultimately bow to politics. >> i have a column in the book where i talk about the fermy paradox. he was a physicist who posed a system question. we know there are millions of habitable w