Baseball Quiz: Something a little different. Following are the
initials of the top twenty all time in games played. Name them.
Answer below.
P.R., C.Y., H.A., R.H., T.C., S.M., E.M., C.R., W.M., D.W.,
R.S., B.R., R.Y., A.K., H.B., E.C., R.J., F.R., H.W., T.S.
House Party
Andrew Jackson was the 7th president of the United States
(preceded by Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe
and J.Q. Adams…in case you forgot) and the first successful
candidate for the Democratic Party. He was also the first self-
made man to reach the White House, whereas of the previous six,
4 were upper-class Virginians, 2 affluent New Englanders.
Unfortunately, during the 1828 campaign, which Jackson won
56-44 over John Quincy Adams, Andy’s wife Rachel was the
subject of a real smear campaign, though she herself didn’t learn
the full extent of it until December. A few weeks later, that same
month, she died and for the rest of his days, Jackson believed
his foes had killed her. And so it was that on his inauguration
day, March 4, 1829, Jackson wasn’t in a great mood, even
as 10-15,000 of his supporters from around the country
descended on Washington for the ceremony.
As historian Paul Johnson writes, Jackson’s fans were an “army
of the poor, outlandish, the needy, above all the hopeful.”
Washingtonians, though, were appalled, with one scribe of the
time labeling it ‘the inundations of the northern barbarians into
Rome.’ The Jackson mob drank the city dry of whiskey, while
the hotels and boarding houses jacked up prices 3 fold. [See?
Some things never change.]
Daniel Webster wrote, “I never saw such a crowd before.
Persons have come 500 miles to see General Jackson and they
really seem to think the country has been rescued from some
general disaster.”
Jackson emerged from his lodgings on his big day dressed in
black out of respect for the recently departed Rachel and Chief
Justice John Marshall administered the oath. The day was
balmy, after a cold winter, and Jackson was sick and suffering
from severe headaches, so the crowd of 15,000 (some say as high
as 30,000) gathered around the unfinished Capitol Rotunda had
trouble hearing anything as he spoke in an almost inaudible
voice. After the speech he mounted his horse and rode to the
White House where a reception was scheduled. Thousands and
thousands lined up behind him for the procession.
Now it’s unclear to your editor whether everyone thought they
actually had an invitation. Legend has it that Jackson opened up
the White House, but there is no doubt his staff had no idea what
was about to happen. The mob just pressed its way right into the
place, “surged through the rooms, jostled the waiters, broke
dishes, leaped onto the furniture – all in an effort to shake the
president’s hand or at least get a glimpse of him.” [“America: A
Narrative History” George Brown Tindall, David E. Shi] A
Supreme Court justice later added those wreaking havoc ranged
from “the highest and most polished” to “the most vulgar and
gross in the nation – the reign of King Mob seemed triumphant.”
Paul Johnson (“A History of the American People”) summarized
events thusly:
“Clothes were torn; barrels of orange punch were knocked over;
men with muddy boots jumped on ‘damask satin-covered chairs’
worth $150 each to see better; and china and glassware ‘worth
several thousand dollars’ were smashed. To get the mob out of
the house, the White House servants took huge stocks of liquor
onto the lawn and the hoi polloi followed, ‘black, yellow and
grey (with dirt) many of them fit subjects for a penitentiary.’”
Jackson was obviously in no mood for this and he escaped out a
back window, whereupon he went back to his hotel, dining on a
steak and skipping the formal ball that evening.
That Sunday, the fiasco at the White House was the cause of
much sermonizing in Washington’s churches. The pastor at one
preached indignantly from Luke 19:41 – “Jesus beheld the city
and wept over it.”
Separately, the new administration meant there would be a
changing of the guard among the bureaucracy. Only ten percent
of 10,000 government appointees were actually replaced, but the
press and the opposition made it out to be far worse. Senator
William L. Marcy told his colleagues that those being removed
were part of the political process, adding, “To the victors belong
the spoils of the enemy.” And now you know…the rest of the
story.
But one more tale on Jackson. He had an awful childhood. Born
in 1767, his father died before Andy was born and his mother
was a housekeeper. Then during the Revolution, his mother
died, two of his brothers were killed by redcoats and Andy got a
scar from a British officer’s saber. As Tindall and Shi added,
“He also carried with him the conviction that it was not enough
for a man to be right; he had to be tough as well, a quality that
inspired his soldiers to nickname him ‘Old Hickory.’ During a
duel with a man reputed to be the best shot in Tennessee, Jackson
nevertheless let his opponent fire first. For his gallantry Jackson
received a bullet wedged next to his heart. But he straightened
himself, patiently took aim, and killed his aghast foe. ‘I should
have hit him,’ Jackson claimed, ‘if he had shot me through the
brain.’”
So quaff an ale to Andy Jackson…an American original.
Steroids! …Get Your Steroids!
With Tuesday’s story from the San Francisco Chronicle naming
those who were given steroids (though not yet proving the
athletes used them) the BALCO scandal ratcheted up another
couple of degrees. Sources told the paper that Barry Bonds,
Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and football’s Bill Romanowski
were among those who are identified in last fall’s grand jury
testimony. In the case of Bonds, he is reported to have used both
steroids and human growth hormone. Romanowski, incidentally,
was released by the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday for failing his
physical.
So having reached a new level, let’s just review the terms of
baseball’s drug testing program under the players’ collective
bargaining agreement (CBA) which expires following the 2006
season.
If a player tests positive for the first time, he is not immediately
disciplined, rather he could be placed in a treatment program. If
he doesn’t comply then he is subject to fines and suspensions.
The schedule starts with a 15- to 25-day suspension without pay
or a maximum fine of $10,000. A fourth failure to comply with
the treatment program produces a minimum one-year suspension
or a maximum $100,000 fine.
If a player tests positive a second time or subsequent times, he
incurs a suspension or fine, ranging from 15 days or a maximum
of $10,000 for the second time to one year or a maximum of
$100,000 for the fifth positive test result.
A player who is convicted of steroid use in a legal proceeding
faces a 15- to 30-day suspension or a maximum $10,000 fine for
the first time, to a two-year suspension for a fourth offense.
If a player is convicted of selling or distributing steroids,
he faces a 60- to 90-day suspension and a maximum $100,000
fine and a two-year suspension for a second offense.
[Source: Murray Chass / New York Times]
Now if the above all sounds like a bunch of gibberish, of course
it is. But, the commissioner, in this case Bud Selig, does have
the power to act in a more severe manner should he see fit. For
example, there is a “reasonable cause” provision that Major
League Baseball (MLB) could invoke that allows officials to
seek immediate testing at anytime based on evidence that a
player has used steroids within the previous 12 months. It’s
never been used, obviously, but it is part of the CBA between
MLB and the MLB Players Association.
While Selig has imposed a gag order on club officials to refrain
from further comment, it’s really up to the players and their
union. And as the New York Daily News’ Mike Lupica adds,
the players have to understand that for its part, the U.S.
government isn’t going away either. The players need to stand
up to MLBPA chiefs Donald Fehr and Gene Orza if they are so
concerned with the integrity of the game and souring public
opinion.
Thankfully, as we noted last time the solidarity among the
players is beginning to crack and add Atlanta pitcher John
Smoltz to the list of those willing to stand up to Bonds and the
other users. But I thought I’d pass along some of the latest
thoughts from America’s sportswriters.
Tony Kornheiser / Washington Post
“Dusty Baker, the Cubs’ manager, made a very smart
observation the other day, around the same time as the flap
started over just how much weight (the Yankees’ Jason) Giambi
lost. Baker said he feared we were entering a new era of
McCarthyism, where people would look at players who lost
weight and conclude they must have been on steroids before.
Baker should be congratulated on the reference to Sen. Joe
McCarthy. Most of his players undoubtedly thought Dusty was
referencing blonde sex-pot Jenny McCarthy. [Of course, Baker
is well known as a players’ guy. Last year when Sammy Sosa’s
bat broke open and enough cork to fill 1,000 wine bottles
sprayed into the Wrigley infield, Baker pleaded, ‘Let’s not rush
to judgment about Sammy until we see all the evidence.’ All the
evidence was in, Dusty. It was in the infield.]
“But Dusty’s point is well taken. We look at Giambi and put two
and two together: He was a BALCO guy, and he looks to be
down about 25 pounds from last year – therefore he had to be on
the juice then, and off it now. We study Barry Bonds like he’s
some sort of Vermeer painting to see if his arms are smaller, if
his chest is narrower, if his neck is thinner. Every day another
story comes out of spring training about a pitcher saying that the
hitters just have to be drug tested. Every day another story
comes out of spring training about a writer challenging a power
hitter to take a drug test right here, right now. And every day
another power hitter says something like, ‘You can test me every
day, just as soon as the union says it’s okay.’
“Say it’s okay already.”
Mike Vaccaro / New York Post
“(Barry) Bonds must understand how fruitless (all of his denials
are). Each day he looks more and more like Richard Nixon, and
it feels more and more like August 1974, fresh batches of
nefarious nuggets tumbling out of the sky, nudging everyone a
few perilous inches closer to the truth, toward re-defining Bonds’
legacy, for all time….
“Nixon believed, to the end, that if he tried hard enough he could
wish away all his troubles, wake up one morning and still be the
most powerful man on the planet. Bonds is clearly following the
same blueprint, hoping the BALCO stories will vanish, like
magic, hoping the witnesses clam up, the nosy prosecutors stop
asking questions and issuing subpoenas. Hoping he’ll wake up
some morning and still be considered the greatest baseball player
who ever lived.
“That isn’t happening. Not anymore. Baseball fans have already
mentally etched the asterisks next to his name, no matter how
this BALCO mess turns out. The baseball record book has never
looked more like a work of fiction. At the very least, Bonds is
guilty of poorly choosing his friends, teaming with a trainer who
clearly believed the secrets to healthy living lay somewhere
beyond a bottle of Flintstone chewables….
“Bonds could be cleared, and it won’t matter. He will be scarred.
Should be scarred. Every day, it’s more and more likely the
scars will arrive one pock-mark at a time, in drips and in drabs, a
sad, ugly stream of accusation. His innocence may still be in
doubt. His legacy is something else.
“Yesterday, in the clubhouse, Bonds’ godfather, Willie Mays,
pored over the Chronicle story and shook his head sadly and
slowly.
“We know exactly how he felt.”
Harvey Araton / New York Times
“Yesterday’s report puts Bonds…on his heels the way no pitcher
has in recent years. It proves nothing, but it furthers the notion
that Sluggers Inc. spiked its spinach during an era in which
treasured home run records and standards were demolished.
“Even if nothing more is established, baseball will never produce
the evidence to prove the disbelievers wrong. In three years
Mark McGwire, the admitted user of the over-the-counter
supplement androstenedione, will be on the Hall of Fame ballot.
In later years will come Bonds, then Sammy Sosa, and the rest of
the statistically bloated. How punitive should the voters be?
How fair will it be if Pete Rose is kept out but players who
refused testing and are linked to an era of perceived cheating are
in?
“(Congressman John) Sweeney, (whose district includes
Cooperstown), suggested asterisks for those who are nailed, but
if yesterday’s report is true, if Bonds and the others did receive
what is alleged, mustn’t the commissioner contemplate using his
broad powers for suspensions?
“Mustn’t he let the innocent players know he’s with them?”
Lastly, Lawrence Rocca / Star-Ledger, reminded us of the
problems concerning Gary Sheffield.
“Sheffield remained as defiant as ever, but this is a man who
utterly lacks a conscience. He began his career making errors on
purpose with the Brewers and recently was offering to take a
steroid test until Newsday columnist Jon Heyman set one up for
him.
“Then, of course, Sheffield refused, hiding behind the players’
association, which has otherwise been amazingly silent on this
issue.”
And regarding President Bush’s recent pronouncement in his
State of the Union address (which I praised at the time), Rocca
had this to say:
“It’s reasonable to assume that the players who have spoken out
have been emboldened in part by the backing of their president,
who has offered the kind of witness protection that their own
union has not.
“Bush wasn’t a very successful baseball owner, and we’ll leave it
to others to assess his performance as commander in chief. But
say this for the guy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He’s doing a
pretty good job as commissioner.”
Stuff
–Marge Schott, the former owner of the Cincinnati Reds (1984-
99) died at age 75. Best known for her St. Bernards that crapped
all over the place, including the field, Schott also didn’t know
when to shut up and unfortunately will forever be known for
comments like “Hitler was good in the beginning, but he went
too far.” Or this one, after umpire John McSherry dropped dead
of a heart attack in the first inning of Cincy’s Opening Day in
1996, necessitating the cancellation of the game. “I feel cheated.
Nobody feels worse than me.” She was able, however, to sell her
share of the Reds for $67 million and at least she spread around
the wealth, giving generously to various local charities.
–For those of you in the New York area, below are the top ten
restaurants of the cast of “The Sopranos.”
Areo, 8424 Third Ave., Brooklyn
Arturo’s Pizzeria, 106 W. Houston St.
Don Peppe, 135-58 Lefferts Blvd., Queens
Esca, 1559 Richmond Road, Staten Island
Il Cortile, 125 Mulberry St.
L&B Spumoni Gardens, 2725 86th St., Brooklyn
Manducatis, 13-27 Jackson Ave., Queens
Peasant, 194 Elizabeth St.
Pine Tavern, 1913 Bronxdale Ave., the Bronx
Rao’s, 455 E. 114th St…can’t get in…fuggedaboudit
[Source: New York Daily News]
–Jeff B., rabid UConn basketball fan, passed along a nice note
concerning star Emeka Okafor. With all the crap going on in
sports these days, it’s nice to see a great guy succeed and Okafor
certainly fits the bill. Aside from being one of the top 5 picks in
the next NBA draft, he’s also a terrific student and is highly
respected among the professors at Connecticut. One said, “I’ve
been a professor at UConn for 25 years and there is nobody like
him. Enjoy it. Enjoy him while he’s here because we’re not
likely to have another person like him come this way anytime
soon.” [Only a junior, he’s graduating in May.] So we’ll put
Okafor on the “Bar Chat Good Guy Award” list for year end.
[Source: Matt Eagan / Hartford Courant]
Of course Jeff B. is also afraid of the Bar Chat Jinx. He was all
too eager to point out to me that I praised Seton Hall right before
UConn pasted them on Monday night. Then there was my
mention the other day of Southern Illinois as a sleeper in the
NCAA tourney, only they just lost to Northern Iowa, for crying
out loud. Or my own experience on Tuesday night with Wake
Forest, losers to Virginia because we can’t hit our freakin’ free
throws!!! Well, I like UConn…but I’ll reveal my final thoughts
on March 16. Jeff isn’t going to like it. He’s already having
nightmares.
–World Golf Rankings
1. Tiger Woods…14.61
2. Vijay Singh…10.16
3. Ernie Els…9.02
4. Davis Love III…8.34
5. Mike Weir…7.67
6. Jim Furyk…6.51
7. Retief Goosen…5.43
8. Phil Mickelson…5.12
9. Kenny Perry…4.78
10. Stuart Appleby…4.76
Just did this because I figured hardly anyone would get #10.
Top 3 songs for the week of 3/4/67: #1 “Ruby Tuesday” (The
Rolling Stones) #2 “Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” (The
Supremes) #3 “Kind Of A Drag” (The Buckinghams)
Baseball Quiz Answer: Top twenty games played.
1. Pete Rose…3,562
2. Carl Yastrzemski…3,308
3. Hank Aaron…3,298
4. Rickey Henderson…3,081
5. Ty Cobb…3,034
6. Stan Musial…3,026
Eddie Murray…3,026
8. Cal Ripken…3,001
9. Willie Mays…2,992
10. Dave Winfield…2,973
11. Rusty Staub…2,951
12. Brooks Robinson…2,896
13. Robin Yount…2,856
14. Al Kaline…2,834
15. Harold Baines…2,830
16. Eddie Collins…2,826
17. Reggie Jackson…2,820
18. Frank Robinson…2,808
19. Honus Wagner…2,792
20. Tris Speaker…2,789
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday.
