World Series Sermon

In honor of Game 3

I found this on lpcoverlover.com. If you have some time to kill it's a fun site.

Blow Out the Candles Oct 26

1971 Topps #320

Oriole great Dave Mcnally was born on this date in 1942. Dave was part of the great starting rotation for the Baltimore in the 60's and early 70's. He was 4-2 with a 2.34 ERA in 4 World Series. Lifetime, in 14 seasons he was 184-119 with a 3.24 ERA.

2006/07 Parkhurst #81

Eric Nesterenko turns 76 today. He played 16 seasons for the Blackhawks and was on their last Stanley Cup Championship in 1961.

1969-70 Topps #21

Phil Goyette also turns 76. He played 16 years in the NHL and was lucky enough to be on Stanley Cup winners with Montreal his first four. I'll have more to say about this card in a future post.


Astronaut Michael Collins turns 79 today. Mr. Collins was the command module captain on the Apollo 11 mission which landed the first men on the moon. He's one of only 24 humans who have flown to the moon and back.

Comedian Brian-Doyle Murray is celebrating his 64th birthday today. He's the older brother of Bill Murray. Of his many roles I remember him best as the bubble boy's father on Seinfeld, and the Mayor of Punxsutawney in Groundhog Day.


English poet John Keats was born in London on this date in 1795.

Check out this video. It's a little creapy but interesting.

BRIGHT STAR, WOULD I WERE STEDFAST

By John Keats

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--- 

Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night 

And watching, with eternal lids apart, 

Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite, 

The moving waters at their priestlike task 

Of pure ablution round earth's human shores, 

Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask 

Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--- 

No---yet still stedfast, still unchangeable, 

Pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast, 

To feel for ever its soft fall and swell, 

Awake for ever in a sweet unrest, 

Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath, 

And so live ever---or else swoon in death. 

1819

Lastly, folk singer/songwriter, Tom Paxton turns 72 today.

Buy a Gun for Your Son

Words and Music by Tom Paxton

Hallelujah, Dads and Mommies,
Cowboys, Rebels, Yanks and Commies
Buy yourselves som real red blooded fun.
If you want to make the grade,
You've got to have a hand grenade,
And a fully automatic G.I. Gun.

[Cho:]
Buy a gun for your son right away, Sir
Shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir.
Let his little mind expand, Place a weapon in his hand,
For the skills he learns today will someday pay, Sir.

Pound that kid into submission
'Till he's mastered Nuclear Fission
Buy him plastic warheads by the score,
Once he's got the taste of blood,
He's gonna sneak up on his buddies
Starting his own thermo-nuclear war.
[Cho.]
Buy him khakis and fatigues,
And sign him up in little leagues,
Give him calisthenics as a rule.
Once you've banished fear and dread,
Then pat his seven year-old head,
And send him off to military school.
[Cho]
Once he's grown to be a man,
He might get tired of blasting Granny,
Then you'll see a crisis coming on.
Don't get worried, don't get nervous.
Send that kid into the service,
Let him rise into the Pentagon.
[Cho]
At the Pentagon he'll rise.
The President he will advise,
His reputation growing all the while.
With his picture on the wall,
He'll get that long-awaited call,
And press the firing buttons with a smile.
[Cho]

Torture Team Cards are Here

Back in August Sooz from A Cardboard Problem posted about free cards being offered by a group called "The Center for Constitutional Rights". Well, my cards arrived today. If anyone wants to make any political comments, feel free. I will say that the cards are well produced and do have a sense of humor, albeit on the dark side. He's a look:

Ten cards were enclosed in this fold open pack.

A Sniper, a Speedster and a Stopper

Here are some more Score cards from 1990, this time three Hall of Famer's from their Hockey set.

1990 #337


1990 #332


1990 #334

Blow Out the Candles

Phillies HOFer Big Ed Delehanty was born on this date in 1867.

Ed batted .346 lifetime. In a game against the White Sox on July 13, 1896 he hit 4 home3 runs. The Phillies still lost 9-8. It seems a little unfair since there were five Delahanty's , but only three brother combos have had more combined hits. Ed died on July 2, 1903 when he fell (?) off the International Bridge near Niagra Falls. Here's his obituary from the New York Times.

2004 Fleer Greats #12

Another member of the Hall of Fame, Bill Terry of the New York Giants, was born on this date in 1898. Bill was the last NL player to hit over .400 in a season, .401 in 1930. Terry finished his 14 year career with 2193 hits and a.341 batting average. He was on three pennant winners and won one World Series.

2005 UD Classics #50

OK, what are the odds of this? Only fifteen players in major league history have hit 4 home runs in one game and two of them were born on October 30. Joe accomplished the rare feat on July 31, 1954.

2001 Topps Archives #542

While not a HOFer like his younger brother Gaylord, Jim had a great career. He won a Cy Young and was a three time All-Star. He lifetime record was 215-174. Their combined 529 wins is just 10 behind the record held by Phil and Joe Niekro.

Portrait of Alfred Sisley by Renoir

English impressionist artist Alfred Sisley was born on this date in 1839. Here are a few of his works:

This painting, Regatta at Molesey so impressed fellow artist Gustave Caillebotte that he purchased it for his personal collection. Caillebotte is famous for this Rainy Day Paris (below)

If you live in or near Chicago or plan to visit you can see this great painting (a print of which hangs above our fireplace) as well as the Sisley below.

My wife and I went there today and saw the new Modern Wing and were both highly impressed both with look of the new galleries and with the large amount of previously hidden works now displayed. We also took some time to visit our favorites, particularly the impressionists.

Today is also Henry Winkler's birthday. "The Fonz" turns 64 today. "Aaay"

CRUNCH CREW!

Here's two linebackers who are in the Hall of Fame but before that they were both members of the "CRUNCH CREW".

1990 Score #554

1990 Score #552

1972 Topps Basketball--A Taste

Basketball season has started. I pulled a couple of 1972's just for fun.

1972 Topps #144

It's fun to see coaches back in their playing days. As a Bulls fan I've usually hated Riley. Nice mustache Pat.

1972 Topps #21

Not as good a coach as Riley but a much better player. Unseld is in the Hall of Fame.
This card just looks great!

Bears I Want to Remember

The Bears got their brains beat out last Sunday by Cedric the Great and his Bengals and I'd like to forget all about it.

Here are two Bears I'd rather remember:

1972 Topps #170



1972 Topps #110

Blow Out the Candles

2008 Goudey #150

Topping the birthday list today is HOFer Ralph Kiner who turns 87 today.
Mr. Kiner, playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, led the National League in home runs for 7 straight seasons from 1946-1952.

Turning 76 today is Pumpsie Green, the first African-American to play for the Boston Red Sox (the last team to integrate).

"Some day I'll write a book and call it 'How I Got the Nickname Pumpsie' and sell it for one dollar, and if everybody who ever asked me that question buys the book, I'll be a millionaire." - Pumpsie Green in Baseball's Greatest Quotes (1982)

According to the book, Tales From the Ballpark, "Pumpsie" is a corruption of "Pumpkin", the name his mother used to call him.

2004 UD History of the US #EX33

British explorer James Cook was born on this date in 1728.

Cook was killed by a mob on Feb. 14, 1779, on the Sandwich Islands (now called Hawaii). At the time, he was trying to take the local chief hostage to get the natives to return a stolen sailboat. The ship returned to England without Cook on October 4, 1780.
Comedian John Cleese is celebrating his 70th birthday today.

Here's the Cheese Shop sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus:

Born on this date in 1811 was inventor Isaac Singer who perfected the sewing machine.






Poet Dylan Thomas was born on this date in 1914. I first heard his name in Paul Simon's song, A Simple Desultory Philippic (Or How I was Robert McNamara'd into Submission)

I knew a man, his brain was so small,
He couldn't think of nothing at all.
He's not the same as you and me.
He doesn't dig poetry. He's so unhip that
When you say Dylan, he thinks you're talking about Dylan Thomas,
Whoever he was.
The man ain't got no culture,
But it's alright, ma,
Everybody must get stoned.

Here's the real Dylan Thomas reading his most famous poem, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night:

2004 UD Hostory of the US #20th4

Our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt was born on this date in 1858.

Lastly, pop artist Roy Lichtenstein was born on this date in 1923. Below are a few of his creations:

Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Favorites G-J

Topps put out 150 card sets of retired players in 2003-2004-2005. Players are pictured on card designs from their playing days but with different photos than were in the originals. Here are my favorites, alphabetically.

2005 #102

This is a sharp portrait shot of everyone's favorite fro wearing outfielder. His original 1976 card pictured Oscar with his previous team, the Indians. His "traded" card was airbrushed.

2004 #51

Politics aside I like Rudy. Anyone who was on Seinfeld gets points with me too.

2004 #127

This is an alternate Tony Gwynn rookie card from the 1983 set.

Like so many of these, I like the new one better. And was Tony ever any thinner than he was here? By the way, Gwynn is on my short list of admired ballplayers. Surely one of the great ones on and off the field.

2003 #107

I'm partial to the 1968 design. It's the earliest set I collected as a kid that I still have in quantity. I guess Topps chose 1968 for Ernie since the Tigers won the World Series that year.

2004 #142

Speaking of the Detroit Tigers, here's longtime Tiger oufielder Willie Horton on a 1969 design. I like the flash effect.

2004 #107

Here's a young Charlie Hough. Charlie played into the 1994 season and the uniform he's wearingis either from 1971 or 73. The knuckleballer finished his career with an even 216-216 record.

2003 #108

I don't know why, but the reprint is missing Monte's signature. Below is the original from 1952:

2004 #5

I like the Sporting News All-Star subsets. The 1970 original has Reggie in a batting stance.

2004 # 121

Two favorites here, Fergie and the 1967 set. It looks like Topps was off a bit on the team lettering (a little skinnier in the reprint). The original is below:

Blow Out the Candles

1999 UD #BT

Turning 86 today, is The Staten Island Scot, Bobby Thomson.

Bobby is most famous for hitting The Shot Heard Round the World.



Born on this date in 1881 was renowned artist Pablo Picasso.

"There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun."

Three Musicians (1921)

Chicagoans are familiar with Picasso's sculpture which stands outside the Daley Center.

Blow Out the Candles

2004 UD Timeless Teams #134

Today, is birthday #59 for Big Red Machine relief pitcher, Rawly Eastwick. Rawly was 16-8 with 48 saves for the 1975-1976 Cincinnati Reds. He was the winner of Games 2 and 3 along with a game 5 save in the 1975 World Series.



On this date in 1900 Washington Senator, infielder, manager and comptroller, Ossie Bluege was born. In 18 seasons Ossie hit a respectable .272 mostly as a third baseman. He was a member of the only Senators World Champion team in 1924.

Today former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman turns 68. Since 1997 Wyman has recorded and played with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings.

Blow Out the Candles

2005 UD Classics #23

First up, on this date the Phillies and Red Sox great Jimmie Foxx was born. 9 time All-Star, 2 time World Champ, and 3 time MVP Double X was elected to the HOF in 1951.

Lineup for Yesterday

X is the first
Of two x's in Foxx
Who was right behind Ruth
With his powerful soxx.

— Ogden Nash, Sport magazine (January 1949)[1]

1967 Topps #448

Harry "The Hat" Walker was born on this date in 1916. Harry hit .416 for the Cardinals in the1946 World Series and led the NL in batting with a .363 average for the Phillies in 1947.

1968 Topps #585

Wilbur was a bright spot on some bad White Sox teams. He set a record in 1968 with 88 appearances, 86 in relief, then went on to have a fine career as a starter. He won 20 games or more each year from 1971-74.

2008 Sp Authentic #4

Ichiro turns 36 today.

Look at his stats. You gotta be kidding me! Already in the Japanese Baseball HOF, he's a shoo in for Cooperstown as well.

Actor Tony Roberts turns 70 today. He was in some of Woody Allen's best films, including the Oscar winning Annie Hall, in which he is pictured above with Woody and Diane Keaton.

Artist Robert Rauschenberg was born on this date in 1925.




Also, famous for his illustrations of children's classic literature, artist N. C. Wyeth was born on this date in 1882.





Lastly, Jerome Lester Horwitz, better known a Curly Howard, was born on this date in 1911.