Song for a Sunday Night

Some songs are timeless while others really mark a particular era.  I heard this on the radio the other day and it took me back to the 1970's.  Written by Bruce Fisher and Billy Preston it appeared on Billy's 1972 album Music is My Life  and became a #1 single, selling over a million copies the following year.

Blow Out the Candles August 26

Celtics great Tom Heinsohn is celebrating his 78th birthday today.

Career highlights and awards
As player:
8× NBA champion (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962,1963, 1964, 1965)
6× NBA All-Star (1957, 1961–1965)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1957)
4× All-NBA Second Team (1961–1964)
Consensus NCAA All-American First Team (1956)
No. 15 Retired by Boston Celtics
No. 24 Retired by Holy Cross
As coach:
2× NBA champion (1974, 1976)
NBA Coach of the Year (1973)

Blow Out the Candles August 25

Hall of Fame relief pitcher Rollie Fingers is celebrating his 66th birthday today.

 1969 Topps #597

 1971 Topps #384

 1975 Topps #21

 1999 SP Signature Edition #Rol

Career highlights and awards
7× All-Star (1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1981,1982)
3× World Series champion (1972, 1973, 1974)
1981 AL MVP
1981 AL Cy Young Award
1974 World Series MVP
3× NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year (1977, 1978, 1980)
1981 AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
2× NL saves champion (1977, 1978)
AL saves champion (1981)
Oakland Athletics #34 retired
Milwaukee Brewers #34 retired
Member of the National
 Baseball Hall of Fame 
Induction 1992
Vote 81.16%

The mustache looks good with any uniform.

Let's Make a Deal host Monty Hall is celebrating his 91st birthday today.

Tennis great Althea Gibson was born in Clarendon County, South Carolina on this date in 1927.

Althea was the Jackie Robinson of tennis.  She won a total of 11 Grand Slam titles including 5 in singles play.  She was the top ranked US women's tennis player in both 1957 and 1958.

Singer songwriter Elvis Costello is celebrating his 58th birthday today.

Fan Pack Fun 2012 -- My Chicago Cubs

I almost didn't do fan pack requests this year but recently I got the itch again.  In short order I've received about 18 responses.  I'm going to start off with my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. They're one of the teams that requires a mailed in request.  While never extravagant the Cubs fan pack always feels personal.

The personalized note card with the classic Cubs logo is a nice touch.

 Teri's my wife.

  Pocket Schedule

Is it ever a good sign when they put the manager's picture on the schedule?

Four 3" x 3' stickers

I mentioned Ronny in my note but this card was unexpected.  Interesting that they still had one sitting around their office.  I do have a copy already (don't mind having another).  I've posted about it before noting the fact that someone at Topps tried making the purple cloud in the background into more trees.  It shows that way on all three variations of the card Topps put out in 2001.

Blow Out the Candles August 24

Orioles great Cal Ripken Jr. is celebrating his 53rd birthday today.

1982 Fleer #176

Career highlights and awards
19× All-Star (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988,1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996,1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
World Series champion (1983)
2× Gold Glove Award (1991, 1992)
8× Silver Slugger Award (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994)
2× AL MVP (1983, 1991)
1982 AL Rookie of the Year
2× MLB All-Star Game MVP (1991, 2001)
1992 Roberto Clemente Award
1992 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
1991 Home Run Derby winner
Baltimore Orioles #8 retired
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Holds record for 2,632 consecutive games played

 Above with Dad, Cal Sr. 

Below with brother Billy

 Cal and Eddie

 The Streak

The Hall of Fame welcomes two modern greats.

Boston Red Sox great Harry Hooper was born in Bell Station, California on this date in 1887.

Harry was a member of 4 Red Sox World Series Championship teams.

 Harry Hooper, Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis at a 1939 Old Timers game.