ABA Quiz: Get out your ABA basketballs. 1) Who was the
only 3-time MVP in the league (which existed from 1967-76)?
2) Who garnered Coach of the Year honors 3 times?
3) Name the last All-ABA team (1975-76). I will give you the
initials of each. B.K., J.E., A.G., J.S., R.S. Answers below.
Clement Clarke Moore…Dirtball?
Back in 1823, a poem titled “An Account of a Visit from Saint
Nicholas” appeared in the Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel. In 1837, an
editor gave credit to the poem, that would later be titled “The
Night Before Christmas,” to a Manhattan biblical scholar,
Clement Clarke Moore.
Moore had previously been responsible for rather somber efforts
on the literary front. To him, Christmas was a time for solemn
religious observance. But friends of Moore began naming him as
the author of “The Night Before Christmas” and, in 1844, Moore
claimed credit for it when he included it in a book of his works.
So why talk about it now? Well, you may have heard that a
Vassar English professor by the name of Don Foster has recently
published a book titled “Author Unknown,” wherein he
establishes authorship for heretofore anonymous texts. Foster is
best known for identifying journalist Joe Klein as the author of
“Primary Colors” (as well as attributing a work to Shakespeare).
Foster analyzes a text”s style and vocabulary, and uses a
computer to count words. But his real skill is pinpointing a
“stylistic fingerprint.” Foster says his deductions are mostly
cerebral.
And so it was that last year he received a tip from a descendant
of the Revolutionary War hero and latter day Renaissance man,
Henry Livingston Jr. The relative, Mary Van Deusen, asked
Foster to solve a family mystery: Did Henry Livingston write the
poem?
Foster believes that contemporaries confused Livingston”s
anonymously published piece with a forgotten Christmas poem
by Moore. Livingston died shortly after publishing “The Night
Before Christmas,” thus opening the door for Moore to
eventually claim credit. But the clues as to real authorship are
awful hard to deny.
For example, Livingston used the word “all” as an adverb in his
other work, just like in “The Night Before” – “all snug in their
beds.” Livingston had also studied Lapland, the home of
reindeer, and frequently wrote of animals that could fly.
And check this out. Livingston had for years written a light
poem for newspaper carriers in the New York area to be
published around holiday time. Here is the ending to a work he
did in 1802.
And something to wake us on Sunday, beside!
To the farmer, fine crops! To the merchant,
Much trade!.
But to printers, the shiners, as oft as you please!
In short, to conclude my nonsensical song
To all, what they wish, if they wish nothing wrong.
Compare the above with the ending to “The Night Before
Christmas.”
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Livingston also loved to use exclamation points in a manner
unlike any other author of his time. Notice the use in the 1802
piece. Then.”Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and
Vixen!” [Yes, the “now”s” were with small letters.]
Reporter David Kirkpatrick reported recently that Foster also
couldn”t find any precedent for the use of “Happy Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas” had been the standard for centuries.
“Yet, in Livingston”s earliest surviving letter, in the very first
line, he writes: ”A happy Christmas to my dear Sally Welles!””
Well, it seems pretty clear to me who the real author is. But
historian Stephen Nissenbaum of the University of
Massachusetts disputes Foster”s findings. “Textual analysis
doesn”t prove anything,” he says. [Kirkpatrick] Nissenbaum
goes on to attempt to prove that Moore is, indeed, the poet.
The verdict here…Clement Clarke Moore…dirtball.
[Sources: David Kirkpatrick / New York Times; Rachel Hartigan
/ U.S. News; Peter Mucha / KRT News Service.]
Stuff
–Follow-up on last Bar Chat discussing how “The Sopranos”
weren”t welcome to shoot on Essex County (N.J.) property. Now
other counties have come forward to say, “Hey, come here!” I
am proud to say that my own county has put out the welcome
mat as well. [This is why the vote for County Freeholders can be
an important one, folks.]
–Just got the new “Official NBA Encyclopedia,” edited by Jan
Hubbard. It is absolutely terrific. Great fun going through the
stats, and, of course, you will be quizzed throughout the winter in
this space.
So, naturally, the first person I had to look up was Harthorne
Nathaniel Wingo, that great bench player for the New York
Knicks between 1972-76. Man, the crowd would go nuts when
he entered a game, normally during “garbage time.” Here were
his stats.
”72-”73 – 1.5 ppg
”73-”74 – 3.5 ppg
”74-”75 – 7.4 ppg [Played 20 minutes a game and also averaged
6 rebounds. Not bad production!]
”75-”76 – 3.2 ppg
Wing-goooo!
–In case you missed it, San Francisco”s Terrell Owens set the
all-time record for pass receptions in a game this past Sunday.
Owens caught 20 balls for 283 yards. The previous record was
18, set by Tom Fears while playing for Los Angeles in 1950.
But all by himself in third place with 17 catches is Clark Gaines.
Gaines, who played at my alma mater, Wake Forest, which is
why I”m bringing all of this up, had his big game in 1980 with
the Jets.
–Italian tragedy: On Sunday, freakish weather led to the deaths
of 10 climbers and skiers in the Italian Alps.
The Alps had lots of early snow this fall, but last week the
weather turned mild and there was some rain. Then on Sunday,
after a dreary spell, the sun came out. Climbers didn”t realize
that a super slick coat of ice had developed overnight. With the
sunny skies, everyone took to the slopes and peaks.
But one by one they succumbed, including four who died trying
to rescue a dog. Their spikes didn”t sink in and they literally slid
off the mountain. Incredible!
–Paul Newman has now dished out over $100 million to various
charities through his Newman”s Own label, including $10
million this year. [Source: Barron”s] His spaghetti sauce is the
official choice of the home office of StocksandNews.
–Japanese ballplayer signs with Mets: Tsuyoshi Shinjo just
received a $300,000 signing bonus, along with a $200,000 salary
(plus various and sundry other provisions), to play for the Mets
this coming season. Shinjo, 28, is a super fielder, having won 7
Gold Gloves in the Japanese League for his outfield play. And
he has some pop, hitting 28 homers in 135 games last year.
Shinjo turned down a $12 million offer from his home team to
come to New York. [He”s also only a .249 career hitter and
strikes out a lot.]
But you will hear a ton about Shinjo, particularly in the New
York area and assuming he makes the team, because he is GQ
material…and he knows it! Derek Jeter now has some
competition in the Big Apple.
–Internet auction update. Timothy Bermann (KRT News
Service) had a story about some poor chap who didn”t have a lot
of Internet experience and decided to go on Yahoo! Auctions for
a go at a digital camera. His bid of $265 was accepted by a seller
named Alex. When Alex contacted the buyer, he asked for cash
to be sent to Ukraine (even though Alex had listed his address as
Santa Fe). Well, our dupe went ahead and sent it. When months
went by and he didn”t get his camera, he checked the message
boards and there were two warnings on this con-artist. Now this
is truly pitiful and you can rightfully make fun of the guy…here
at headquarters, for instance, we are having a good laugh right
now…but where the hell was Yahoo!? Knock another couple
bucks off of that share price, will ya?!
Top 3 songs for the week of 12/20/69: #1 “Leaving On A Jet
Plane” (Peter, Paul & Mary…not at LaGuardia, you aren”t).
#2 “Someday We”ll Be Together” (Diana Ross & The Supremes)
#3 “Down On The Corner” (Creedence Clearwater Revival).
ABA Quiz Answers: 1) Dr. J was the only 3-time MVP, winning
the award the last 3 years the league was around. In ”74-75 he
split it with George McGinnis. Mel Daniels (Indiana) won the
award twice. A typical season for Daniels was 20 pts., 16 rbs.
2) Larry Brown was Coach of the Year 3 times.
3) Last All-ABA team: Billy Knight (Indiana), Julius Erving
(NY), Artis Gilmore (Kentucky), James Silas (San Antonio), and
Ralph Simpson (Denver). If you got the last two, you”re good.
Next Bar Chat, Friday…Bud Wilkinson and more Christmas
cheer.
