Curt Schilling Can See Into the Future

Curt Schilling is sporting a pretty confident look considering his 0-4 record and 8.49 ERA.  "It's OK",  he seems to be thinking.  "I'll win over 200 games, be an All-Star 6 times and maybe win a few World Series Championships.  Just wait and see."

 1990 Topps #97

Schilling is Hall of Fame eligible in 2013.  Will he get in?  See his stats here.

Blow Out the Candles -- Jan 31

If today is your birthday you share it with a trio of baseball's elite.

#42, Jackie Robinson was born on this date in 1919.

2009 Topps #PR-2

2009 Topps American Heritage #26

Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks is celebrating his 80th birthday today.

2008 UD Goudey #324

I grew up knowing Ernie as a first baseman.  Here are a couple of photos of him at this first position, shortstop.

May 5, 1960

August 15, 1955

Statue of Ernie outside Wrigley Field

Part of an interesting interview with Ernie

Nolan Ryan is 64 today.

1975 Topps #500

Nolan and Tom -- Then

Nolan and Tom -- Now

Gil Hodges, Koozman, Seaver and Ryan

Nolan was traded by the Mets to the California Angels after the 1971 season.  This picture was taken on April 27, 1973.

June 16, 1975

Nolan became an Astro in 1980.  This photo is from 1985.

May 1, 1989

Ryan joined the Rangers for the 1989 season.

Nolan liked the Rangers so much he bought the team.

Composer Philip Glass turns 74 today.

Acttess, Suzanne Pleshette was born on this date in 1937.

Suzanne (seen here with Tippi Hedren) played Annie Hayworth in Hitchcock's 1963 thriller, The Birds.

Suzanne was best known for her role as Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show  which ran on CBS from 1972 to 1978.

If You Wiki, Wiki

Before there was Wikipedia there was Wiki Gonzalez.

 2001 Topps #551

If you look up Wiki Gonzalez  on Wikipedia you'll find that:

Wiki's full name is Wiklenman Vicente González.

Wiki was born May 17, 1974 in Aragua, Venezuela.

Wiki played catcher for the Padres, Mariners and Nationals

Wiki hit into a 5-4-3 triple play on his 28th birthday.  

Please feel free to add anything about Wiki to this post via the "comments" section.

Blow Out the Candles -- Jan 30

Former player and manager Davey Johnson is celebrating his 68th birthday today.

 1968 Topps #273

As this card tells us, Davey got the last hit off Sandy Koufax.  It came in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the 1966 World Series.

Here's a brief video of Davey talking about it with a great line from Sandy:

Davey in Game 3 of the 1970 World Series.

Davey had some pretty nice accomplishments:

4× All-Star selection (1968, 1969, 1970, 1973)
3× World Series champion (1966, 1970, 1986)
3× Gold Glove Award winner (1969, 1970, 1971)
1973 NL Comeback Player of the Year
1997 AL Manager of the Year

In addition to his 4 World Series (2 wins) with the Orioles as a player,  Davey managed the 1986 Mets their second World Series Championship.

That's Davey just to the left of the Mets logo.

 Met's video featuring 1986 Topps cards

Comedian Dick Martin was born on this date in  1922.

Dick is best known for his work on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In which ran on ABC from 1968 to 1973.  For it's first two full seasons it was the #1 rated show in America.

October 11, 1968

Dick went on to a second career as a sitcom director.  He was the primary director on Newhart.

More from the Australian Open

Runner up to Kim Cljisters at the Australian Open Li Na had some fun at the expense of her husband and her mom..

Blow Out the Candles -- Jan 29

Hall of Famer Joe Primeau was born on this date in 1906.

Primeau was a member of Toronto's "Kid Line".  One of his linemates' birthdays was just ten days ago.  Check it out here. 

As a coach, Primeau is the only man to have won the Allan, Memorial and Stanley Cups.

Actress Katherine Ross turns 71 today.

Two of Ross's most memorable performances came early in her career:

In 1967 she played Mrs. Robinson's daughter Elaine opposite Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman in "The Graduate".

In 1969 she played the role of Etta Place opposite Redford and Newman in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

Katherine has penned a bunch of childrens books.  Here are a couple of examples:

Blow Out the Candles -- Jan 28

Hall of Fame shortstop George Wright was born on this date in 1847.

2009 Obak #94

Wright was a member of the 1869,  57-0,  Cincinnati Red Stockings known to be the first "all-professional" baseball team.

Artist Jackson Pollock was born on this date in 1912.

Pollock at work

Here are a few of my own photos of a Pollock work from the Art Institute of Chicago.

Singer/songwriter Sam Phillips is turning 49 today.

Singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan celebrates her 43rd birthday today.

This is my favorite of her songs.