 The absurdist article detailed the convoluted rules of an imaginary sport, and made enough of an impression to be mentioned in both men's "New York Times" obituaries, including the first sentence of Koch's.In the article, new terminology is introduced with no explanation; much of the humor derives from the reader's half-successful attempts at gleaning a meaning from context.Exactly what everyone on the team is supposed to do, exactly what penalties apply, and exactly when or why the "yellow caution flag" is to be flown remains far from clear, even after repeated readings.