1996 Olympics / Track and Field Quiz: What woman duplicated
Michael Johnson”s feat and won both the 200 and 400 meters?
Answer Below.
Fish Chat
So I”m reading one of my favorite columnists, the local fishing
reporter, Mr. Al Ristori, and Al describes how one Frank
Marchese of West Long Branch, NJ bagged a 742-pound giant
tuna off the Jersey coast in an area known as the “Mud Hole.”
Now I, myself, have only been fishing about 8 or 9 times and I”ve
never caught anything more than a sea robin, so I have an
appreciation for those who are successful.
Anyway, I got to thinking about a 742-pound tuna. What was the
record for a tuna? What was the record for other fish? Well,
don”t you wonder yourself?
So herewith for your own edification are some selected fishing
records, gathered from the New York Times Almanac.
Freshwater records:
–Nile Perch, 213 lbs., caught in Egypt
–Blue Catfish, 111 lbs., Tennessee River, Alabama
–White Sturgeon, 468 lbs., Mr. Joey Pallotta, Benicia, CA
Saltwater records:
–Giant Sea Bass, 563 lbs., CA
–Black Marlin, 1560 lbs., Peru
–Bluefin Tuna, 1496 lbs., Ken Fraser, Nova Scotia…for my
Canadian friends.
–White Shark, 2664 lbs., Alfred Dean, Australia…and you
thought all of the Aussie shark talk during the Olympics was
just a crock of soup.
Dog Chat
For the period 1993-98, rottweilers have been involved in 30 fatal
attacks…pit bulls just 15.
There have been 238 deaths from dogs over the last 20 years.
Now it”s commonly accepted, however, that the bulk of dog
attacks are owner-related, not dog-related.
The rottweiler has zoomed to #8 on the American Kennel Club
registration list as it has become a very “trendy” pet. People in
the drug trade just love them.
One word of advice from your editor. Never interrupt rottweilers
playing poker.
Mike Tyson
Tyson could really be part of any “Animal Chat.” As reported by
the AP, the other day Tyson had a news conference in Los
Angeles to promote his October 20 fight against Andrew Golota.
He spoke at length on his use of anti-depressant medication.
“I”m on Zoloft to keep me from killing y”all…It has really messed
me up and I don”t want to be taking it, but they are concerned
about the fact that I am a violent person, almost an
animal…That”s why I set pay-per-view records. There are 9
million people who see me in the ring who hate my guts, most of
them white.”
Then Mike stripped off his shirt and jumped on a table. He
doesn”t show up on the American Kennel Club registration list,
yet…
“The Wealth Revolution”
Barron”s Leslie Norton has a piece in the September 18 edition
with the above title. Thanks to the bull market, we can now
count the following:
–The # of millionaires in this country has risen to 7.2 million, up
from 3.4 million 5 years earlier. [Investable assets, not including
the home.]
–The # of “pentamillionaires” in America (investable assets of $5
million or more) rose from 90,000 in 1994 to 590,000 last year.
Some 33% of this wealth comes from stock options and 24%
from investment returns.
–Worldwide, there is a category labeled “superwealthy,” which
describes those having $30 million or more in liquid financial
assets. There are 55,000 in this group. If any of you qualify, I”d
be happy to sit down and have a chat.
Potential TV Shows
Sports Illustrated”s Steve Rushin from time to time muses about
shows that could be part of the fall lineup. I selected a few of his
picks.
–“Kids Say the Darndest Things”: Adorable slackers say
whatever comes to mind, to the delight of avuncular host Bob
Knight.
–“Everybody Loves Raymont”: When a Queens family takes in
Patriots running back Raymont Harris, boredom gets
evicted…and hilarity pays the rent!
–“Live with Regis and Eddie Lee”: Regis Philbin finds an unlikely
new cohost – former Packers running back Eddie Lee Ivery.
[I”m sorry…unless you are a total sports geek, the last two may
not make much sense.]
Al McGuire
Sportswriter Rick Reilly paid tribute to college basketball coach
and broadcast legend, Al McGuire. It seems that McGuire is on
his death bed (leukemia). I must say I was never a real fan of his.
But after reading some of Reilly”s comments, I have newfound
respect for the coach.
McGuire was known to frequent a watering hole or two, writes
Reilly.
“No matter where he was, he”d find the bar nearest the bus
station because, he said, it would have the best jukebox in
town.He liked the ”paper napkin places, not the cloth.””
McGuire said he never liked funerals.
“Why wait until the guy”s dead? Buy him a drink while he”s
alive!”
Here”s to ya, Mr. McGuire.
Britney Spears
Attention mothers of America. So you thought it was okay for
your little girls to emulate Britney? Ah, I don”t think so. I
commented last week on her MTV Music Video Awards
appearance, which was raunchy, to say the least. Now sweet
Britney has let it all hang out in a profanity laced interview in Elle
magazine. Don”t let your kids read it. [I”m not a parent…it”s
easy for me to issue these pronouncements.]
Tiger Woods
By now you”ve probably heard that Tiger”s Nike contract is being
renewed. The original one was $40 million for 5 years. The new
one will be $100 million for the same term. Said his agent:
“It compensates Tiger not just for what he”s done with Nike, but
what he has done for golf and sports.”
Actually, one reflection of what he has done for Nike is the case
of their Tour Accuracy golf ball which he started to use early in
the season. The market share for the ball has gone from 1% in
April to 4% last month.
Cos DeMatteo
Huh? Well, this kid set a Division I-AA football record on
Saturday when he caught six touchdown passes as Chattanooga
routed Mississippi Valley State, 72-17. His TD receptions went
for 61, 8, 57, 28, 23 and 4 yards. Overall, he caught 9 for 203.
Five different players previously had 5 TD catches, including
Jerry Rice who did it twice while at Miss. Valley.
Rickey Henderson
Rickey, currently playing for the Seattle Mariners, passed Hank
Aaron and Babe Ruth in runs scored on Friday and now trails Ty
Cobb by just 70 for #1 on the all-time list. And in walks, the
other big record he is pursuing, he trails Babe Ruth by only 6
entering Sunday”s play.
Runs: Cobb – 2,245; Henderson – 2,175; Aaron – 2,174; Ruth –
2,174; Rose – 2,165.
Walks: Ruth – 2,062; Henderson – 2,056; Williams – 2,019;
Morgan – 1,865; Yastrzemski – 1,845.
Rams Tidbits
The St. Louis Rams Kurt Warner is shattering all yardage marks
for a quarterback as he has thrown for over 1,200 yards in his
first 3 games; the most ever for a QB in any 3-game stretch.
The Rams have also become the first team in NFL history to
score 30 or more points in 9 straight games, going back to last
season.
**And on a personal note, this Jets season ticket holder is fired
up over the Jets 3-0 start. J-E-T-S…JETS JETS JETS!
Top 3 songs for the week of 9/19/70: #1 “Ain”t No Mountain
High Enough” (Diana Ross) #2 “War” (Edwin Starr)
#3 “Lookin” Out My Back Door” (Creedence Clearwater
Revival)
Olympic Quiz Answer: Marie-Jose Perec (France), became the
first woman to win both the 200 and 400 meters in ”96.
*As a follow-up to a Bar Chat piece from last week, Dara Torres
completed her quest of becoming the oldest woman to win an
Olympic swimming medal when she helped the U.S. win the 4 X
100 relay.
Next Bar Chat, Wednesday.
