Baseball Quiz: 1) Top 3 all time, grand slams? 2) Top 5 all
time, games started? [Hint: 4 of the 5 pitched in the 1980s…and
were also part of an earlier quiz on innings pitched, to test your
short-term memory.] Answers below.
Mike Weir
Congratulations to the nation of Canada, whose favorite son,
Mike Weir, won this year’s Masters golf tournament, thus
becoming the first Canadian to win one of golf’s majors. Hell,
Canada may not have supported the U.S. in the war, but most of
the folks are good blokes and Weir is a deserving champion. Of
course I’m also a little bummed my fellow Wake Forest alum
Len Mattiace couldn’t squeeze out one more good shot on the
18th hole. Weir becomes only the second lefty to win a major,
New Zealand”s Bob Charles being the other (1963 British Open).
So no American lefty has ever won, ergo, why are we surprised
Mickelson hasn”t?
But did you catch the Annika Sorenstam piece on “60 Minutes”
following the golf? Is Lesley Stahl the biggest dope you ever saw
or what? I think Steve Kroft plays a lot of golf, why couldn’t he
have done that story? I guarantee you Stahl has never even
played miniature golf.
Note to Jeff Maggert. Nice 8 on that par 3. Geezuz, that was
awful.
[Notice how I didn’t even mention Martha Burk. 40 people
showed up for the big protest on Saturday. 40.]
Stuff
–The Wall Street Journal’s Allen St. John had some interesting
stats the other day concerning Tiger Woods. Now get this, in
2002 Woods was 107th on tour in driving accuracy, but 4th in
greens in regulation. Tiger was also only 83rd in putting, but his
Sunday scoring average was #1. Good stuff, except he choked
yesterday.
–To my old New Jersey friend and Anaheim Angels fan Steve
G., you’re right. The Mets did take a load off your team, in more
ways than one, when they purchased Mo Vaughn last year. And
here we heard all winter how Mo was getting in shape and might
even earn some of his $17 million salary, but nooooo….it looks
like he’ll hit .146 this season, or just 1/3 his weight. Johnny Mac
and I have used all our math ability to come up with these
figures.
–Thank God, Wake Forest basketball coach Skip Prosser is not
going to Pitt after all to replace Ben Howland (who went to
UCLA). All of us were convinced we lost this good man, but
credit the school for signing Prosser to a lucrative, 10-year
extension. Wake also signed its football coach, Jim Grobe, to a
10-year contract after last season. Ya gotta love that in your
alma mater. We actually have a top ten in the nation recruit
coming in this fall, guard Chris Paul. All the way next year, ba-
bee!
–Hey Mets fans, remember pitcher Dennis Ribant? Well, the
poor guy was just charged with bribery and two felony counts for
state income tax evasion in an Orange County, CA court.
Ribant, who only had a career record of 24-29 for various teams,
did compile an 11-9 mark for the 1966 Mets, a team that went
66-95 that year. So if you know Dennis, tell him that he was just
honored in Bar Chat….kind of. Just don’t give him our address.
–Speaking of the Mets, did I mention how they suck? Closer
Armando Benitez just blew his third save opportunity in 8 days
and the offense is nonexistent. Then again we knew this would
be a long year for us diehards, but my prediction of a 60-100
season (with two rainouts not being made up) is looking mighty
optimistic.
But in facing the Expos down in Puerto Rico the past few days
(San Juan being Montreal’s home away from home this season),
David Waldstein of the Star-Ledger had an interesting piece on
the total lack of security at the stadium where the games are
being played.
For example, Mets reliever Scott Strickland was sitting in the
bullpen Friday night when a guy in a neck brace sat down next to
him. It turned out to be a fan that blew past security. Then the
police officer assigned to the Mets dugout sat where the manager
normally sits and spent the first five innings talking on his
cellphone to his girlfriend, before the Mets convinced Major
League Baseball security to take matters into their own hands.
Finally there was the instance of a fan running across the
outfield in the 5th inning and no one chased him, as he scrambled
back into the stands, whereupon security guards just smiled and
waved at the nut.
–The NFL introduced the overtime rule in 1974 and of the 325
sudden death games played since then, 169 have been won on the
first drive by the team that gained the coin toss, with the losing
team never touching the ball. This is why the rule should be
changed, sports fans. [Source: Sid Dorfman / Star-Ledger]
–Not for nothing, but I thought Dennis Miller’s HBO special
Saturday night was terrific. Despite all his problems the past few
years, PR-wise, he’s clearly found his niche. Us Republicans are
glad to have him in our corner.
–Did I mention yet how much the Mets suck? They”ve scored 34
runs in their first 12 games. On Sunday, the Phillies scored 13
in one inning.
–Have you seen that Aetna commercial with the two sisters sitting
in the waiting room? Is that one woman creepy or what?
–Serena Williams lost her first match of the year Sunday to
Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium. Belgium, you”ll recall, is
part of the axis of evil. Serena let us down.
–Jeff Gordon won his 62nd career NASCAR race.
–Harry K. relayed the important story concerning the east Indian
state of Jharkhand. It seems that pregnant women are delivering
their babies in treetops because there are too many marauding
elephants. One woman’s baby died anyway, though, after being
accidentally hit by a stone thrown by a villager intended to scare
an elephant away.
Once again, it appears that the elephants’ love of the villagers’
rice beer is a major source of the problem. 350 have been killed
in this state over the past year alone.
–Wohhh…an 11-year-old girl was bitten by a fox in New Jersey
the other day. She’s fine, but it’s more proof that my state is
heading towards real conflict with the animal kingdom. If I start
seeing reports of marauding elephants where I live, I’m outta
here.
–Congratulations to the Minnesota Golden Gophers for
capturing their second straight Frozen Four NCAA hockey title.
The last school to win back-to-back was Boston University 31
years ago. Minnesota, featuring 3 New Jersey Devils draft picks
on the roster, defeated New Hampshire for the championship.
The only school to win 3 in a row is Michigan, 1951-53.
–Forbes Magazine published its list of the most valuable
baseball franchises. The Yankees are first at $849 million, with
the Mets second at $498 million. Boston is next, $488mm,
followed by the Dodgers, $449mm, and Atlanta, $423mm.
Montreal is last at $113,000…err, $113 million. By year end the
Mets will be worth about $194,000.
But this just in, the Wall Street Journal reports that Disney may
only receive $160-$180 million for the sale of its Anaheim Angels.
Forbes listed the team”s value at $225 million. Nice miss.
Abe Lincoln
Abe is responsible for the quote “Never swap horses in
midstream,” in case you were just driving around trying to figure
this one out. According to Hugh Rawson in American Heritage,
the saying is a distillation of more extended remarks the
President gave to the National Union League on June 9, 1864,
upon receiving the nomination for a second term. Lincoln said:
“I do not allow myself to suppose that either the convention or
the League have concluded to decide that I am either the greatest
or best man in America, but rather they have concluded that it is
not best to swap horses while crossing the river, and have further
concluded that I am not so poor a horse that they might not make
a botch of it in trying to swap.”
And now you know….the rest of the story.
–Simon Barnes in the Times of London reports that sprinter
Marion Jones, the world’s fastest woman, is giving birth. The
father is Tim Montgomery, the world’s fastest man. Ergo, the
result is the world’s fastest baby. Looks like the kid is getting
starting blocks for his/her first birthday.
1945
For those age 70 and over, here are the #1 hits for the year 1945:
Rum And Coca-Cola / Andrews Sisters…dangerous on a first
date…at least in college it was.
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive / Johnny Mercer and the Pied
Pipers
Candy / Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers
My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time / Les Brown and
his orchestra (with Doris Day)
I’m Beginning To See The Light / Harry James and his orchestra
(with Kitty Kallen)
Sentimental Journey / Les Brown and his orchestra (with Doris
Day)
Dream / The Pied Pipers
There! I’ve Said It Again / Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra
On The Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe / Johnny Mercer and the
Pied Pipers
Till The End Of Time / Perry Como
Chickery Chick / Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye (Nancy
Norman / Billy Williams)…never dated a chickery chick, by the
way.
It’s Been A Long, Long Time / Harry James and his orchestra
(with Kitty Kallen)
It’s Been A Long, Long Time / Bing Crosby with Les Paul and
his trio…yes, same song.
I Can’t Begin To Tell You / Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro
at the piano
White Christmas / Bing Crosby
*Did you know that Slim Whitman had a top ten back in 1952?
He sure did, “Indian Love Call,” which peaked at #9. We used
to order his collection for one of our friends back in high school.
His mother would always be like, “Bob, why did you order Slim
Whitman?” Hey, no one was hurt!
By the way, in 1945 the New York Yankees were sold by Edward
G. Barrow and the heirs of the late Jacob Ruppert to a syndicate
headed by Lawrence MacPhail and including Daniel Topping and
Del Webb for an estimated price of $2,800,000.
Also in ”45, Miss America was won by Bess Myerson, 21, from
New York City.
Top 3 songs for the week of 4/16/66: #1 “(You’re My) Soul And
Inspiration” (The Righteous Brothers) #2 “Daydream” (The
Lovin’ Spoonful) #3 “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)”
(Cher)
Baseball Quiz Answers: 1) Grand Slams: Lou Gehrig, 23; Eddie
Murray, 19; Willie McCovey, 18. Among actives are Robin
Ventura, 16; Manny Ramirez, 15 (he should smash Gehrig’s
mark); Ken Griffey, Jr., 14; Mike Piazza, 14, 2) Games started:
Cy Young, 818; Nolan Ryan, 773; Don Sutton, 756; Phil Niekro,
716; Steve Carlton, 709. If you got Sutton you’re good. Tommy
John is 6th with 700.
*A friend recently gave me a beer sampler from around the
world and one of them was Zhiguly from Lithuania. Ex-cel-lent.
Next Bar Chat, Thursday. A little Civil War story about a Medal
of Honor winner.
