[Time to start our team baseball quizzes.]
Anaheim Angels Quiz (1961-2003): 1) What three players have
had their uniforms retired? 2) Who has the longest hitting streak
at 28? 3) Who holds the club record for RBI, season? 4) Who is
the only rookie of the year winner? 5) Who is the only recipient
of the Cy Young award? 6) Who are the only two to win 22
(franchise high)? Answers below.
Just Stuff
–Did you see the Reuters story on the British lad, 32, who sold
all his possessions and moved to Las Vegas to try his hand at the
gaming tables? A few weeks back, Ashley Revell took about
$138,000 to the Plaza Hotel, did some low stakes gambling
(losing $2,000), and then decided to take the remainder, now
$135,300, and bet it all on ‘red’ at the roulette table. One of his
friends described what happened next.
“It bobbled for a second and I just thought, ‘Oh no, it’s not going
to do it.’”
But it did, Red 7, and Revell walked away with $270,600. The
croupier received a $600 tip. British Sky One television was
following his exploits as part of a short reality series called
“Double or Nothing.”
–Matthew Futterman of the Star-Ledger had a piece on the state
of golf in America these days. As new courses continue to be
built at a brisk pace, the number of rounds played has actually
dropped over the past few years. For example, in 1994 there
were 13,683 public and private courses, but by this year the total
was 15,902. However, while 518.4 million rounds were played
in 2000, just 495 million were in ’03. I also didn’t realize that
New Jersey is now up to 290 courses, with 49 new ones built in
the past 10 years.
And since many of you golf in the Myrtle Beach area, which now
has about 120 courses to choose from, I thought you’d appreciate
this little anecdote.
“A Japanese consortium spent nearly $40 million to build a 72-
hole complex called Wild Wing in Conway, S.C., during the
mid-1990s. Wild Wing charged more than $100 for a round…
“Last year, the Japanese group sold Wild Wing for just more
than $12 million. This week, golfers at Wild Wing can reserve a
morning round, including a cart, for $40.” [Futterman]
–The golf pro where I play a bit, Mark M., was at the final round
of The Masters and he had this observation.
“On the way to Augusta from the airport, the taxi driver
mentioned that the last time a Masters Sunday fell on Easter was
1986, when Jack Nicklaus won in dramatic fashion. I should
have known right there we were in for something special. All I
can say, I think I now know what it must have felt like to be in
Arnie’s Army. When you hear other players mention how it
doesn’t affect them when they hear Mickelson getting all the fan
support, don’t believe them…it does.”
–My friend Jeff B. had a tale probably familiar to many of you
on Easter, at least those of us trying to sneak in The Masters in
the midst of dinner. Jeff was visiting his 92-year-old
grandmother and she was concerned over the schedule days
beforehand because she wanted to watch it too. God bless you,
granny.
–So last chat I acknowledged the Atlanta Hawks’ Bobby Sura
(he prefers Bob, I believe) and his triple-double the other night
(Saturday), not realizing he had another one the night before.
Then on Monday, Sura intentionally missed a layup and got his
own rebound to ensure his third straight such effort, 22 points, 11
assists and the 10 rebounds. But nooooo. Sura, never known as
the sharpest tool in the box, mischievously said the last shot had
“slipped” out of his hand and the NBA decided to take him at his
word, ruling it ‘no shot.’ Doh! Ergo, no 3rd straight triple-
double. So Grant Hill is still the last to do it in 1997, which only
reminds us all just what an awesome player Hill was until the
ankle problems that have basically put him on the shelf for the
last four seasons.
–Mike France wrote a commentary in the April 19, 2004 issue of
Business Week on the media’s zeal in telling some stories.
“During this long season of corporate scandal, journalists haven’t
been shy about telling other people how to behave. We have
documented the wrongdoing of accountants, analysts, bankers,
CEOs, and lawyers on the news pages while opining on editorial
pages that they should all face tighter regulation.
“This enthusiasm for higher professional standards, however,
does not necessarily extend to ourselves. Certain of the
importance of our mission, devoted to press freedom, most
reporters and editors recoil at the notion of restrictions on what
we do. Thanks to the First Amendment, journalists have long
enjoyed an extraordinary degree of legal immunity in this
country….
“Because of this constitutional protection, the main check on the
conduct of journalists is self-enforced ethical standards. A
patchwork of unwritten customs, formal codes, and gut instincts,
these rules are imprecise, contradictory, and far less elaborate
than the ethical regulations governing lawyers, doctors, and other
professions. If you ask five different publications to define a
basic concept such as ‘off the record,’ you’ll get at least three
different answers.”
France, of course, is referring to episodes such as the Journal’s
opting to disclose Juror #4 in the Tyco / Kozlowski trial. He is
bang on…and so we toast Mike France this evening at the dinner
table. [Nightly ‘toast’ suggestions…another exclusive of Bar
Chat.]
–But here’s what’s really important… “Otter has wildlife police
on the hop.” From the Times of London comes a tale of the
discovery of 200 frogs and toads that were found mutilated on an
estate the other day. At first, it was thought to be some act of
human cruelty, with one theory being that the legs (which
appeared to be pulled apart) were then being sold to some local
restaurant, perhaps.
Constable David Mackinnon, however, is now satisfied the crime
wave is the work of otters.
“The legs were torn from the bodies rather than sliced (with a
knife). All the areas where the dead frogs were found are known
otter habitats and otters have been known to use breeding ponds
as a food source in the past, although it is fairly rare.”
But, Sir Archibald Grant, owner of a nearby estate, said, “Why
would otters just take the legs off? It seems too surgical. If it’s
natural, great, but taking the legs off every single one makes me
worry.”
Well, reading this certainly got my curiosity up and it’s time to
go back to a book I haven’t referred to in years, Len
McDougall’s “The Complete Tracker,” to see what he can bring
to the discussion. Alas, as you’ll see, Constable Mackinnon is
right, Sir Archibald Grant is full of it.
In a section on river otters, which also populate marshes and
ponds such as that on the estate in question, we discover that they
are “efficient hunters.” And unlike sea otters, “which often use a
rock to crack open mollusk shells, river otters usually open
freshwater clams by simply pulling the halves apart.” Ah ha!
Why should frogs, then, be any different?
[McDougall does add, though, that frogs are “eaten whole.” But
it’s my right as editor of this column to omit this fact from the
formal inquiry.]
And get this; otters represent the only serious threat to beavers!
Young beaver “are frequently snapped up in lightning-fast
attacks if they venture too far from the protection of parents or
older siblings. Even the feisty muskrat keeps its distance, and
will probably sit tight in its streambank den when otters are in
the area,” notes Mr. McDougall.
On land, the otter snatches rodents from hiding places, while
even “chipmunks and red squirrels are sometimes driven into the
water, where they become easy prey for the torpedo-like otter. In
a nutshell, an otter considers almost any creature small enough to
be handled as prey, if it can be caught.”
Or, put more simply, and getting back to our original story, a
bunch of frogs with their legs torn off is the least of the worries
of the owner of that English estate. Hide the kids, for crying out
loud. And enlist otters in the war on terror!
–But back to beavers, Jeff B. has a place up in New Hampshire
and beavers, Castor Canadensis, have established a commune on
his property, felling at least 15 trees in doing so. I saw in a
recent article that beavers can gnaw through a tree six inches in
diameter in 15 minutes, which is why beavers are highly sought
as day laborers in the construction trade…in case you were
wondering who those funny looking guys are that hang out on
some street corners in your town, early in the morning, looking
for work.
–Barry Bonds…661…now ahead of Willie Mays with his eyes
set on Ruth and Aaron. It’s sad; just very, very sad.
–Ever hear of Gloria Velez, “hip-hop hottie”? Goodness,
gracious. I’ll give you a chance to check her out on the web.
………………………………………………………well? I
thought you’d say that, guys. [Sorry, girls.] Anyway, it turns out
her tour bus was the scene of a rather large drug bust the other
day and a number of associates were arrested on charges of
transporting 200 pounds of cocaine and having $800,000 in cash
on both the bus and other Velez-affiliated vehicles. Prosecutors
say the suspects are part of a $50 million worldwide narcotics
ring. Velez, herself, is not a suspect….I probably would have let
her off too…………………………………………
–On April 17, 1964, Shea Stadium opened up. Named after
prominent New York attorney William A. Shea, a man largely
responsible for bringing a National League baseball club back to
New York, this truly disgusting place cost only $20 million to
build and it wouldn’t fetch $3,000 today. The Mets lost their
first game here to the Pirates on a Bill Mazeroski ninth-inning
hit, 4-3. It can’t come down soon enough.
–Notice how I’m giving Canada a pass on the renewal of the seal
hunt. Hey, I have too many readers up there…including Inuit.
–Actually, I don’t have a single Inuit reader…but I bet Drudge
doesn’t have many either.
–So you wind Tim Duncan up and get the same #s night in and
night out, year after year. He now has career averages for points
and rebounds of 22.8 and 12.3 and this season he is at 22.3 and
12.4.
–Uh oh…remember, the Brood X cicada invasion is just weeks
away. This is the largest community of the 17-year variety and
spells major trouble for homeowners who have carpet on their
floors. To wit, as U.S. News & World Report cautions, “pets
can’t resist these flying toys. Then they are likely to vomit up
the insects’ wings and legs.” And you thought hairballs were
bad?!
–There have been more and more sightings of coyotes in New
Jersey’s suburbs. I have yet to see one, myself, when I pick up
the morning papers but it’s another reason to be armed at all
times.
–Former NBA player Vernon Maxwell is being held on a felony
charge for failing to pay about $160,000 in child support. Yup,
time to add his plaque to the “Dirtball Hall of Fame,” to be built
at a site still as yet to be determined.
–Following are a few issues addressed in a Washington Post
Q&A this past Sunday.
How many acres of the western United States have been lost to
nonnative weed infestations? …………70 million.
New alien species arrive in San Francisco Bay, which vies with
the Chesapeake for the title of most biologically polluted, about
how often? ……………….every 14 weeks.
True or false? The Chesapeake’s native oyster population has
been all but wiped out by over-harvesting and an Asian disease
introduced into the bay’s waters. ……………true.
True or false? Asian silver carp, a highly invasive species that
can weigh up to 50 pounds and competes with native species for
food, have a habit of leaping from the water and hurling
themselves at fishermen and boaters. ………….true.
–St. John’s pitiful men’s basketball program named Kansas
assistant Norm Roberts as its new head coach. It won’t matter.
The Red Men, err, sorry, the Red Storm, will be forced out of the
Big East and sent down to Division III where they will at least
have a shot at finishing .500.
–Baseball Tidbits:
Most home runs, game, single team: A.L. 10, Toronto vs.
Baltimore, 9/14/87. N.L. 9, Cincinnati vs. Philly, 9/4/99. Both
were night games….yes, more useless trivia from the editor of
Bar Chat.
No team in baseball history has ever had 3 pinch-hit home runs
in a game.
–Top-rated TV Shows of Each Season, 1950-51 to 2002-2003
1950-51: Texaco Star Theatre…61.6 rating [% of TV-owning
households tuned in to the program.]
1951-52: Godfrey’s Talent Scouts…53.8
1952-55: I Love Lucy…67.3, 58.8, 49.3
1955-56: $64,000 Question…47.5
1956-57: I Love Lucy…43.7
1957-61: Gunsmoke…43.1, 39.6, 40.3, 37.3
1961-62: Wagon Train…32.1
1962-64: Beverly Hillbillies…36.0, 39.1
1964-67: Bonanza…36.3, 39.1, 29.1
1967-68: Andy Griffith…27.6
1968-70: Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In…31.8, 26.3
1970-71: Marcus Welby, MD…29.6
1971-76: All in the Family…34.0, 33.3, 31.2, 30.2, 30.1
1976-77: Happy Days…31.5
1977-79: Laverne & Shirley…31.6, 30.5 [What were people
thinking?]
1979-80: 60 Minutes…28.2
1980-82: Dallas…31.2, 28.4
1982-83: 60 Minutes…25.5
1983-84: Dallas…25.7
1984-85: Dynasty…25.0
1985-88: Cosby Show…33.8, 34.9, 27.8
1988-90: Roseanne…25.5, 23.4
1990-91: Cheers…21.6
1991-93: 60 Minutes…21.7, 21.6
1993-94: Home Improvement…21.9
1994-95: Seinfeld…20.5
1995-97: E.R. …22.0, 21.2
1997-98: Seinfeld…22.0
1998-99: E.R. …17.8
1999-2000: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire…18.6
2000-2001: Survivor II…17.4
2001-2002: Friends…15.3
2002-2003: CSI…16.1
[Source: The World Almanac…of course the eroding ratings
reflect the impact of cable and 640+ other choices.]
–Speed of Animals (mph):
Peregrine falcon…200+
Cheetah…70
Wildebeest…50
Lion…50
Coyote…43
Mongolian wild ass…40 [Can’t say I’ve seen one.]
Grizzly bear…30
Human…27.9 [15-yard segment of 100-yard run]
Elephant…25
Giant tortoise…0.17
Garden snail…0.03
*No estimate on the speed of a yak. I’m heading to the Far East
soon, by the way, in search of an answer.
[Source: Time Almanac]
–End game:
“First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the
drink takes you.” –F. Scott Fitzgerald
Top 3 songs for the week of 4/13/68: #1 “Honey” (Bobby
Goldsboro) #2 “Young Girl” (The Union Gap) #3 “(Sittin’ On)
The Dock Of The Bay” (Otis Redding)
The All-Time Best-Selling Albums as of November 2002.
1. Their Greatest Hits (1971-75)…Eagles
2. Thriller…Michael Jackson
3. The Wall…Pink Floyd
4. Untitled (“Led Zeppelin IV”)…Led Zeppelin
5. Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 (1973-1985)…Billy Joel
[Source: Recording Industry Association of America /
Encyclopedia Britannica 2004 Almanac]
Anaheim Angels Quiz Answers: 1) Retired uniforms, players:
Jim Fregosi (yeah, he was also a manager here, but not a good
one), Rod Carew and Nolan Ryan. 2) Longest hitting streak, 28:
Garret Anderson, 1998. 3) RBI, season: Don Baylor, 139, 1979.
4) Only rookie of the year: Tim Salmon, 1993. 5) Only Cy
Young winner: Dean Chance, 1964. 6) 22-game winners: Nolan
Ryan, 1974 (22-16); Clyde Wright, 1970 (22-12).
Next Bar Chat, Tuesday…Baseball Hall of Famer Sam Rice.
