Fan Pack Fun 2011 -- DC United

I received this great fan pack from the DC United Soccer team:

Notecard

Decal

 Sticker

 Mascot card

Fan

 This is a nicely made  pin.  Gallardo only played the one year for DC United but had the third highest salary of any MLS player, behind only David Beckham and Cuauhtémoc Blanco.

The whole package came in a white plastic mailing envelope.  Inside I found this large shopping bag.

 Here's what was in the bag.  It's a five foot long scarf.  Very cool!  Seeing it gave me vergnügen.

Blow Out the Candles January 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 81st 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 65 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 75 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.

We Finally Got a Piece of the Pie

I finally got a complete base set of the new Topps American Pie.  Here are some of my favorites.  I made an effort to highlight some that I don't think have been featured over and over already.  I've also included the backs.

What's more American Pie than "Who's on First"

Don't forget "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington".

Grace indeed.

Love the Peanuts!  A strip every day for 50 years!

"You Bet Your Life" on radio and television ran from 1947-1961.  The secret word is "funny".

Terrific!

Still great 45 years later.  The use of Vince Guaraldi's music was genius.

I do like "Wonderful World" but Louis's early stuff with Hot Fives and Sevens was "out of this world".

Their music never gets old.

Most of you only know Jeopardy with Alex Trebek as host.  I remember and still prefer Art Fleming with SNL's Don Pardo as announcer.  Still the best "thinking man's" game show.

I had the originals.  Operative word is "had".  I can still remember the smell of the orange track.

My wife's favorite show.  Some of the episodes give me chills.

Paranoid, yes.  Unscrupulous, yes.  Also one of the most intelligent Presidents of my lifetime.

This was part of the greatest era in tennis history as well as a great moment for the women's movement. 

Ground-breaking and funny.

What a nice man!

I can watch this every day and not get tired of it.  To my wife-- look-pigeons!

This show was interesting until it devolved into sex and booze.

It's mean but there was something gratifying in this.