U.S. Open Quiz: I’ll give you the location and year, you give me
the winner. 1) 1979 – Inverness (Toledo, OH) 2) 1981 – Merion
(Ardmore, PA) 3) 1986 – Shinnecock (Long Island) 4) 1987 –
Olympic (San Francisco) 5) 1990 – Medinah (Medinah, IL).
Answers below.
Man”s Best Friend
Tuesday’s New York Times has a story on how some dogs’
noses have enabled them to carve out interesting career paths. A
dog has 20 to 40 times the number of nasal receptors that a
human has, so they can detect the tiniest of orders.
You’ve undoubtedly seen how some are now being used to sniff
out bladder cancer, but others are being used to detect anything
from bedbugs at ritzy Manhattan hotels, to pirated DVDs, to
cows in heat…even cellphones as part of an effort to thwart
terrorists who plan to detonate bombs.
But in reading a piece by Rudy Larini of the Star-Ledger the
other day, following the dedication of the U.S. War Dogs
Memorial at the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I
thought we’d talk about some real canine heroes.
Rudy Larini:
“Patrolling the perimeter of an air base in South Vietnam, Nemo
(a German shepherd) was the first to spot the approaching Viet
Cong and alerted his partner.
“Airman 2nd Class Bob Thorneburg shot and killed one of the
infiltrators before being felled by a bullet in the shoulder.
“Though shot through the eye himself, Nemo ferociously
charged the enemy guerrillas, fighting them off until they
retreated, and giving Thorneburg time to radio for backup.
“When help finally arrived, they found Nemo lying across his
wounded partner’s chest.”
More than 4,000 dogs, mostly German shepherds, were used
during the Vietnam War and only 200 made it back to the U.S.
Some were turned over to the South Vietnamese, the rest
euthanized.
But here’s some stuff I wrote over five years ago in this space…
a further tribute to our heroes.
I was glancing through the “Encyclopedia of American Facts and
Dates” (just something we do here at Bar Chat) and noticed that
in 1944, a German shepherd received the Distinguished Service
Medal for service in World War II. It was then I remembered I
had an article on “The Dogs of War” lying around for months
from Smithsonian magazine, as written by Bruce Watson. Such
pieces are normally filed away in the vast archives here at the
world headquarters of StocksandNews, never to see the light of
day until the editor realizes that writer’s block is no excuse for
missing a deadline.
But first, as you may be aware, the dog was not highly thought of
back in biblical times. [The editor is now able to employ his
very expensive book, “Dictionary of the Bible,” written by David
Noel Freedman.] They represented the “despised, the unclean, or
the enemy waiting to devour.”
And Freedman adds, “It was considered a horrible fate to have
one’s corpse eaten or one’s blood licked by dogs rather than
having a proper burial.” No kidding! Talk about being master of
the obvious, Mr. Freedman.
But he does add that in Mesopotamia, dogs were used in the cult
of Gula, the goddess of healing. However, this doesn’t exactly
have a happy ending. “In a healing ritual a dog and a pig were
waved over the patient to absorb the patient’s illness, then
burned. The dog and pig were also used in exorcisms of
Lamastu, the demon of sickness and fever.”
Now where were we? Oh yes, fast forward to World War II. It’s
July 10, 1943, and Generals Patton and Montgomery are landing
their forces on Sicily in the largest amphibious landing of the war
up to that time.
With the U.S. Forces was a dog, Chips, who until just months
earlier was sniffing the ground in Pleasantville, New York.
Chips’ owner heard that dogs were being used in the war and
said, “Chips, how would you like to go on a long car ride?”
“Rrruff,” barked Chips, realizing that he was being had, but what
could he do?
Chips was part of the Army’s K-9 Corps. Being a “German”
Shepherd, his value was of most import in the European Theater.
But first, Chips was a member of the security detail when
Roosevelt met Churchill at Casablanca.
Then on July 10, Chips participated in “Operation Husky” (the
real codename) and he went ashore with his handler. Watson
writes, “As man and dog approached a hut, it erupted with
machine-gun fire. All human soldiers hit the ground, but Chips
broke free and, trailing his leash, sprinted straight at the hut.
Moments later, an Italian soldier staggered out with Chips
tearing at his arms and throat. Behind him were several other
soldiers, arms up. Chips’ handler called him off and took the
prisoners.”
But Chips was not unhurt. He had a small scalp wound and
powder burns suggested the Italians fired at the dog at point-
blank range, though he became quite the hero when he got back
home. But when General Eisenhower tried to pet him, Chips
nipped him instead.
One of the more famous war dogs was Stubby, a bullterrier
smuggled overseas by the 102nd Infantry as it shoved off for
France in 1917. Upon landing, Stubby did little more than keep
the troops company. But the soldiers should have known there
was something special about the dog because he seemed
unaffected by the constant shelling all around them.
So one night Stubby was sleeping in the trenches with the troops
when he awoke with a start and “gave a low growl.” He raced
around the corner and seconds later a cry was heard. Bruce
Watson writes, “Stubby’s best friend, Cpl. Robert Conroy,
grabbed his rifle and followed. There he saw Stubby with his
teeth sunk into the hindquarters of a German spy. The spy was
quickly disarmed, but Stubby held on until coaxed to let go.”
Stubby’s story spread back to Washington and later President
Wilson shook the dog’s paw. General Pershing gave him a
medal and Stubby was actually made an honorary sergeant.
Upon his death, Stubby was placed in the Smithsonian (well, he
was stuffed first) and today you can find him on display at the
National Guard Armory in Hartford, Connecticut. Better than an
NFL or NBA team for the city, mused the editor.
During World War II, over 40,000 dogs were volunteered for
service by their owners. [I imagine some of the humans said,
“Rusty won’t stay out of the shrubs, maybe a little combat will
cure of him of that habit.”] Recruits had to weigh between 55
and 85 pounds and be no more than 5 years old. Those who
passed muster were actually sent to boot camp for 14 weeks of
training and, after awhile, the Army narrowed the 32 breeds
that were represented down to 7; German shepherds, Doberman
pinschers, Belgian sheepdogs, collies, Siberian huskies,
malamutes and Eskimo dogs. Notice, no poodles.
After a Nazi submarine ran aground off Long Island in 1942,
“coasties” patrolled the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf shores. Then
the dogs were used as messengers and on search-and-rescue
patrols.
*And what were the hero dogs of war served upon successful
completion of their missions? Perhaps a little “Dogbolter.” Yes,
that’s Dogbolter Lager, brewed in Freemantle, Australia.
[Actually, to be historically accurate, my records show that
Dogbolter wasn’t first brewed until 1983. Plus, “The Complete
Guide to Beer,” written by Brian Glover, notes that the lager is a
strong 7% alcohol, so perhaps that wouldn’t have been such a
smart idea if it was available.]
Throughout history, dogs have played an important role in war,
even at the Battle of Austerlitz, it turns out. In his article for
Smithsonian, Bruce Watson points out that a dog named
Moustache was a hero to the French. When an Austrian
soldier killed the French flag bearer and tried to wrest the flag
from the dead man”s grasp, Moustache leaped at the Austrian’s
throat. The soldier dropped the flagpole, which Moustache then
carried in his mouth across the battlefield. Napoleon’s field
marshal decorated the dog for his valor. [This battle of 1805 was
one of Napoleon’s great triumphs. Alas, ten years later when the
little general met his Waterloo, Moustache was probably lapping
up champagne on the Champs Elyssee.]
But turning to World War II, while dogs were being readied for
service in Sicily, they were also about to see action in the Pacific
theater.
On November 1, 1943, 12,500 American soldiers and 36 dogs
invaded Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. While Japanese
and American troops were engaged in fierce fighting, the dogs
were deployed in patrols through snake-infested swamps. One
was in the front, the other in the rear of each column. The dogs
would then be sent to ferry messages between units since they
could maneuver through the jungle twice as fast as a human.
Andy, a Doberman, was particularly effective as he alerted the
Americans of an enemy presence three times in one day, each
time saving them from an ambush.
Unfortunately, the tropics were as tough on the dogs as they were
on the soldiers. Watson describes, “Their feet swelled in the heat
and were bloodied by coral reefs. Many succumbed to
heartworm or heat exhaustion. Some were driven mad by the
constant shelling, and others, confused in combat, turned on their
handlers.”
On New Britain, dogs accompanied 48 patrols in 53 days and are
credited with playing a major role in the capture or killing of
some 200 of the enemy.
In Vietnam, the situation was pretty much the same. There was a
formal K-9 Corps, which after the enemy penetrated the airbase
at Da Nang in 1965, the U.S. military sped up the
implementation of. They proved to be an effective deterrent
against attacks and it led to an expanded program. The dogs
were used to detect booby traps, mines, and tunnels. And they
were terrific sentries as well.
The Army, Navy, and Marines all employed them. Dogs
couldn’t fly so the Air Force had to take a pass. Overall, it is
estimated that some 3,000-4,000 faithfully served, but only about
500 survived. [Source: “The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War”]
But, similar to the WWII experience, hostile action accounted
for less than 3% of canine deaths in Nam. Many fell victim to
accidents, but most probably died of illness endemic to the
region.
Dogs were credited with more than 4,000 Viet Cong deaths (I’m
not kidding). Additionally, they located some 3,000 mortars and
at least 2,000 tunnels and bunkers. They were so effective, the
North Vietnamese placed bounties on the handlers of the dogs.
As for the handlers themselves, 211 are listed on the Vietnam
Memorial Wall. The number of Allied lives that the dogs saved
is undoubtedly in the thousands.
Finally, back to Bruce Watson’s piece, there is the Vietnam story
of John Flannelly and his dog, Bruiser. In September 1969,
Flannelly and Bruiser were leading a patrol near Da Nang.
Bruiser suddenly stopped and his ears went up. Flannelly fired
and then “all hell broke loose,” in his words. John was hit, his
chest ripped open so he could see one lung. He told Bruiser to
leave and get out of danger, but the dog stayed, tugging at his
shirt. Flannelly then reached up, and, grabbing Bruiser’s
harness, the dog began to drag his master to safety. Flannelly
survived. The sad thing is that no one is sure what happened to
Bruiser.
Unfortunately, many of them were essentially abandoned or
turned over to the South Vietnamese, who had nowhere near the
respect for dogs that the Americans had. And it’s probably a fact
that many of them were even eaten, a common practice in the
region.
Well, thankfully a War Dog Memorial has been dedicated at
March Air Field in Riverside, California. But as Watson writes.
“Maybe the most fitting memorials are the scrapbooks kept on
shelves, the pictures hung on walls and the stories of heroism
soldiers share. ‘Don”t mention me in your article,’ one ex-
Marine told me after speaking about his tour in Vietnam.
‘Mention my dog, Tiger. He was my hero. All the dogs were
my heroes.’”
Stuff
–Now I don’t follow our national soccer team, except I read the
results as we attempt to qualify for the Olympics and the World
Cup, but could we suck any more than we did against the Czech
Republic? And since I’m part Czech myself (well it was easier
to say this when it was Czechoslovakia, but just work with me
here), why the heck didn’t I pick these guys? Why Paraguay and
Ivory Coast?
But back to the U.S., how the heck did we ever get a #5 world
ranking?
–Golf Bits
Those defending their U.S. Open titles haven’t fared well the
year after.
2005…Retief Goosen defending champ…T-11
2004…Jim Furyk…T-48
2003…Tiger Woods…T-20
2002…Goosen…MC
2001…Woods…T-12
2000…Payne Stewart…doh!
1999…Lee Janzen…T-46
1998…Ernie Els…T-49
1997…Steve Jones…T-60 (became NBA analyst)
1996…Corey Pavin…T-40
Ergo, don’t look for 2005’s champ, Michael Campbell, to
compete this weekend. [GolfWorld]
It’s believed the United States Golf Association (USGA) pays
the club where an Open is played $7 million in exchange for use
of the facility, which ends up being the largest money source.
But according to sources, “Winged Foot will only net an
estimated $2 million after losing revenue from guest play and
outings. Is it worth it? It is if a majority of the club believes it
has an obligation to host the National Open – as 85 to 90 percent
of Winged Foot’s members did in a 2001 vote inviting the
championship to return. The 63 hospitality tents, by the way, run
from $115,000 to $200,000. [GolfWorld]
Nick Faldo:
“I had only one sporting hero growing up: Bjorn Borg. He never
argued with the umpires or got into it with other players. Strong.
Quiet. Absolutely prepared for anything. Tough mentally.
Played the fifth set the same as the first set. No ebb and flow
emotionally. Four or five years ago, it occurred to me that I had
subconsciously modeled myself after him.
“Finally, after years of idolizing Borg, I met him. He played an
exhibition against John McEnroe at Buckingham Palace, and I
was introduced. I said, ‘Do you know you’ve been my hero for
the last 25 years? It is a great privilege.’ His reaction? He just
nodded, like he’d just won a point in the first set.”
And…
“Can’t figure women out, eh? You must accept that on virtually
every issue you are not right – she is. That is the key to peace
and happiness. I’m always mindful of something a friend once
told me: ‘When I’m out walking in the woods, all alone, I’m still
wrong.’”
And…
“When I was 20 I moved to a little English village, to a place
next door to a pub they said was at least 600 years old. The pub
truly was haunted. Many a time, nobody would be behind the
bar, and bottles would fly off the shelves. Not fall, but fly across
the room. It happened so often that the employees were used to
it and only got mad that they had to sweep up the glass.” [Golf
Digest]
Gary Player, who has flown more miles than anyone in the
world, on how to overcome jet lag.
“On the morning you depart, work out at the gym to tire yourself
so you can sleep on the plane. It’s important to try to book night
flights for this reason. No liquor, no bread and no meat while
you’re in the air. Only fruits and vegetables, and drink lots of
water even if you’re not thirsty. Altitude is dehydrating. And
remember, the re-circulated air of a cabin is a thriving spot for
germs.
“Before you board, chew a clove of garlic to protect yourself
against germs (then swallow a spoonful of honey to mask the
smell; otherwise your seat companion won’t enjoy your chat).
Stretch and arch your back before you nod off. As soon as you
land, take a hot shower, then a cold shower. This gets the blood
flowing. Then exercise outside – I try to play 18 holes
immediately. You’ve been trapped in unnatural light, and your
internal clock needs a dose of the real stuff to reset itself. [Golf
Digest]
Author Dan Jenkins on playing golf with presidents.
Things best not to say:
“If the phone rings in that briefcase the guy over there is
carrying, do you answer it before or after you three-putt?”
“Why do you want to give our ports away to the Democrats?”
“Have you ever paid a green fee?”
“I hate slow news days. Can we bomb somebody?” [Golf
Digest]
–Ken Root writes for High Plains Journal, a neat publication I
subscribe to, and Mr. Root is also host of a program on WHO
Radio in Des Moines. He comments on all things American and
while perhaps I should have heard this story before, maybe some
of you haven’t.
“One symbol that I wish we’d change is our national anthem.
Like many Americans I wish that Francis Scott Key had not been
given a window that looked out on Fort McHenry so he could
find inspiration to convert a British drinking song into our, hard
to remember and impossible to sing, anthem. The founding
fathers blew that one and yet, we can’t bring ourselves to say:
‘this doesn’t work’ when singers can’t remember the words and
crowds can’t hit the notes. I had my first talk radio laugh when a
caller, responding to Willie Nelson forgetting the words to the
Star Spangled Banner, said he served in WWII as a guard at the
front line in Germany. ‘If someone approached from the enemy
side, we asked them to sing the national anthem and if they got it
right, we shot ‘em!’”
–NCAA Baseball Elite Eight
Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Miami, Rice,
Cal State-Fullerton, Oregon State
Can the ACC finally win one of these freakin’ things?
–Studies appear to confirm that polar bears are turning into
cannibals due to lack of food, seeing as the ice pack they rely on
for hunting is disappearing. Of course we also saw recently
where it appears a polar bear mated with a grizzly. In other
words, polar bears probably should be avoided at all costs.
–Here in the New York area we’ve had these two sportscasters,
Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, “Mike and the Mad Dog,” who
basically pioneered modern sports radio and have been on the air
at WFAN for years. Many of us, though, have never figured out
how Chris Russo, truly an idiot, fell into his position.
So the other day the New York Post’s media critic Phil Mushnick
wrote of a segment on the air between Chris and Mike. At first I
didn’t believe it, but then I heard the audio on Imus’ radio
program. This is real, folks. From Mushnick:
“Thursday, Mike Francesa revealed that, following medical tests,
he must change his diet. For starters, Francesa said that he can
no longer eat meat from ‘four-legged animals.’ His partner,
Chris Russo, asked for an example. ‘Cows,’ Francesa replied.
‘What about hamburgers?’ asked Russo. Francesa also said that
he should no longer eat bread. ‘Can you eat bagels?’ asked
Russo. Francesa told him that bagels are made from bread.
‘French toast?’ asked Russo. French toast, Francesa told him, is
made from bread. ‘Pancakes?’ asked Russo.”
Oh brother.
–In the same column, Mr. Mushnick also spoke of Arizona’s
Luis Gonzalez. Now the Mets played the Diamondbacks in a 4-
game series last weekend and from time to time the Mets
broadcasters noted that Gonzalez hasn’t hit a home run in over
160 at bats. Of course this is the same guy who hit 57 in 2001.
As I listened it was almost uncomfortable. Everyone knows that
Mr. Gonzalez is undoubtedly a poster boy for the steroids era,
even more so than Bonds in some respects. But by all accounts
he’s a super guy and thus gets a pass.
–Boxer Mike Quarry died at the age of 55. Mike, brother of
Jerry, was a light heavyweight who never lived up to his
brother’s fame…except in death as it turned out. Boy this is
depressing…from Steve Springer of the Los Angeles Times.
“Quarry died…at an assisted-living community. Mike, who tried
to emulate his older brother in life, emulated him in death as
well, succumbing to pugilistic dementia…
“Jerry, a renowned heavyweight, died of the same cause in 1999
at the age of 53. (Their sister said) Mike started not being able to
talk or walk three months ago. His brain was atrophying in many
areas.”
Mike Quarry was 63-13-6 in his career but only had one shot at
the light heavyweight title, losing to Bob Foster on a 4th-round
knockout. That same night, Jerry Quarry fought Muhammad Ali
and also lost. [I remember this.]
–The other day I noted the passing of relief pitcher Moe
Drabowsky but didn’t have time to mention he was one of his
sport’s better practical jokers. I love this one, courtesy of
Richard Goldstein / New York Times.
“Drabowsky’s years in the bullpen gave him time to plot
practical jokes. He tormented his teammates with snakes, once
placing a boa constrictor inside the uniform of Orioles catcher
Charlie Lau while it was hanging in the clubhouse. During a
game at Kansas City in 1966, he phoned the Athletics’ bullpen –
he knew the number because he pitched for them the year before
– and ordered Lew Krause, his former teammate, to warm up.
Krausse did so, presumably figuring that the voice was that of
Manager Al Dark. That puzzled the A’s starter, Jim Nash, who
was pitching a shutout.”
And Drabowsky once gave commissioner Bowie Kuhn a hot
foot.
“ ‘I struck a book of matches under his foot and then got a can of
lighter fluid, ran a trail all the way back through the room about
40 feet away, all the way into the training room,’ Drabowsky told
Bob Cairns in ‘Pen Men,’ a book of interviews with relief
pitchers. ‘So I lit it up from back there and all of a sudden you
see the flame snake out to where the book was, and it exploded
and it lit Bowie up real good.’”
–Alex Rodriguez has been booed unmercifully by Yankee fans
lately. Aside from the fact he hasn’t exactly been Mr. Clutch,
despite wracking up huge overall numbers every season, he also
comes across as the most insincere, calculating personality
around. And so I loved the following from the New York Post’s
Joel Sherman which really cuts to the core.
“Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri have IT. Peyton Manning and
Mike Vanderjagt don’t.
“You don’t have to be one of the greatest players to have IT.
Sam Cassell, for example, has IT and so does Robert Horry.
Meanwhile, Patrick Ewing most definitely did not, and Stephon
Marbury would not know IT if IT hit him upside the skull.
“David Ortiz, as if he needed to prove the point any more,
showed again yesterday (Sunday) at Fenway Park that he is a
master of IT with a two-out, three-run, ninth-inning walkoff
homer to lift Boston to a 5-4 victory. Meanwhile, 200 miles
away, Alex Rodriguez once more was the Big un-it….
“This is not a subject I tackle with naivete. We live in an era of
advanced statistical analysis and, en masse, that group would tell
me there is no such thing as clutch or non-clutch, and that
qualities such as IT are media-generated hogwash….But how do
you ignore that at the most intense moments Rodriguez seems to
be carrying his 32-ounce bat and the weight of the world into
each at-bat?…
“His failures are not about indifference. Alex Rodriguez cares.
But too much of that caring is about justifying his contract and
place on the Yankees. He so badly wants to swat away the
choker label that he is exacerbating the problem. A-Rod would
be better off being dumb, instead of being a smart as he is….
“The players who have IT are best at living in the moment,
eliminating the distractions, the history and the pressure. They
do not overthink. They do not always succeed. But they do not
fail by tripping over their brains. It is just about their skill.
Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera have faltered in the clutch, but
they are IT guys because they do not care what the fans or media
think. A-Rod says he doesn’t. But he does….
“(A-Rod) should be dominating the big moments more. Maybe
he will eventually. John Elway and Phil Mickelson shed
uncomfortable labels along the way.
“More than ever, the Yanks need A-Rod to do the same, to
become the Big IT.”
–It goes without saying that we have a new prohibitive favorite
for Bar Chat “Idiot of the Year”…Steelers quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger.
–Can you believe that Barbaro had his cast removed? Imagine
the pride that surgeon has.
–This just in…a Finnish hunting team has now joined the search
for Bruno, the brown bear that fled Austria and crossed into
Germany, where it has been terrorizing World Cup attendees.
The Finnish team is comprised of four tracker dogs and a
marksman. Look for Bruno to pick ‘em off, one by one.
[London Times]
–The New York Post reported on the ongoing battle between
HBO and some cast members of “The Sopranos” as they head to
filming of the final eight episodes.
While James Gandolfini receives $1 million per episode, Silvio
and Paulie take home about $80,000 to $85,000 per. Meadow
and A.J. also earn about this amount.
So if they don’t reach a settlement soon, creator David Chase
could just write them out somehow. Here’s hoping they get the
money they want, only to be blown away in episodes 6 and 7.
Top 3 songs for the week of 6/19/65: #1 “I Can’t Help Myself”
(Four Tops) #2 “Mr. Tambourine Man” (The Byrds) #3 “Wolly
Bully” (Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs)…and…#7 “Help Me,
Rhonda” (The Beach Boys) #8 “Engine Engine #9” (Roger
Miller…incredibly underrated artist… “Dang Me, Dang Me, they
oughta take a rope and hang me!”) #9 “For Your Love” (The
Yardbirds)
U.S. Open Quiz Answers: 1) 1979 – Inverness…Hale Irwin. 2)
1981 – Merion…David Graham. 3) 1986 – Shinnecock…Ray
Floyd. 4) 1987 – Olympic…Scott Simpson. 5) 1990 – Medinah
…Hale Irwin.
Correction: Well, maybe. The other day I poked fun at sprinter
Justin Gatlin for finally agreeing to a match-up with Asafa
Powell for the title of world’s fastest man, to be held in late July
in London. I said London wasn’t normally too warm then, this
after Gatlin and his agent said they preferred the heat. Well I just
saw that Heathrow Airport set a new record this week…88 F.
So with this latest example of global warming, I now project that
the Gulf of Mexico will be lapping at the outskirts of Oklahoma
City by August 2008.
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday.
