Theo of Golden

Finishing up the novel Theo of Golden, about a famous Portuguese artist who spends the last year of his life undercover in a small South Georgia town, befriending the locals, and buying and gifting a local artist’s portraits so the subjects could have them. It’ll be one of the best books I’ll read this year.

This breakout hit of a novel had been originally self-published by Allen Levi, whose life bears a resemblance to more than one of his characters. The AJC recently profiled him, as did Katie Couric. Oprah quoted his book. Levi grew up in Columbus GA, spent a year at Mercer in Macon, and studied law at UGA. After working as a lawyer, he studied English in Scotland, and worked as a traveling musician before returning to Georgia to be with family.  

Just learned that the Yankees removed the white trim from their road uniforms - after Aaron Judge suggested the change. So now they look like the uniforms worn by Ruth and Gehrig. 

Tuesday after visiting Miller in the hospital, I left out for Chattanooga at 1 pm. Stopped at Buccees for a drink and pastry. Stopped in Dalton at Goodwill and Dollar Tree, then another thrift store in Chattanooga. I’d passed an interesting park with dozens of large, weird figures - animals, cartoon characters, all sorts of things. 

Made it to the new ballpark early. When gates opened I walked around before setting into my seat, in the perfect spot to watch the sun set behind the stadium and Lookout Mountain. Stopped by Whataburger on the way home.

Got an early start on Wednesday morning, doing a bunch of cleaning and straightening around the house. At 1230 pm I took 285 west down to the airport to pick up M. Came back through downtown and up 75 to drop him off at his place.

I stopped by McDonalds on the way back, then got my passport photo taken. Back home I blew the pollen off the driveway, which got me sneezing. 

Small group covered Genesis 48, where Jacob blessed Joseph’s two young sons. Finished up by 9 pm. After all my cleaning, the guys didn’t check out the renovations upstairs. 

I had a 9 am appointment over toward Kennesaw this morning. Grabbed a honey butter chicken biscuit from Whattaburger and stopped by two thrift stores. Found a sweet Free Fly hoodie for three bucks. 

Then two hours at the gym. Later I drove C over to A&C’s house. Took Goose back to them. I actually got to hold the baby for awhile.

Caleb was watching the Michael Jordan documentary from a couple of years ago, so I let him know what it was like to be a fan during that golden time. C asked who I liked best: MJ or LeBron. Dumb question!

LEFTY GROVE  [SABR Bio] was the last left-handed pitcher to win 30 games in a season. Grove’s record in 1931 was 31-4. MLB measured the first century of professional baseball from 1869 so in 1969. The Hardball Times published “Celebrating Baseball’s Centennial” where Grove was honored as the most outstanding lefty. He was elected to the town council in the city he grew up in and served as the town's police chief as well. Grove was a Lanaconing, Maryland native & was very active in community business & politics.

Denison: in American Dialogue: The Founders and Us, historian Joseph J. Ellis discusses what John Adams defined as the central problem of political science. According to Adams, "In every society known to man, an aristocracy has risen up in the course of time, consisting of a few rich and honorable families who have been united with each other against both the people and the first magistrate." Adams believed all societies eventually produce social and economic elites who, if left unchecked, achieve political dominance at the expense of everyone else.

First Bite: Marietta Melt Shop

Last night we picked up supper for them at a nearby sports bar: the Marietta Melt Shop. It’s been written up in Atlanta Magazine. While we were waiting, C played a pinball machine. 

My burger was pretty good, as were the fries. When I was looking at the menu options I noticed an option called the Meat Mountain: a burger with 8 smash patties and 8 slices of cheese. $75 - but it’s free if you eat it in ten minutes (along with an order of fries). 

Behind the scenes at the Masters Champions dinner. 

Another writer's story of playing the Augusta National course on the Monday after the Masters. 

The only Masters story Jim Nantz won’t tell. 

Monday night M attended the Carolina Hunnricans at Philadelphia Flyers game.

Inside the Braves’ creative team’s design process for the new City Connect uniforms. 

Here's a long but interesting tour of Erlanger Park in Chattanooga. Parts of the complex date back to the late 1800's. 

Interesting info on the pros and cons of owning a home sauna. 

The Vatican has built a Muslim prayer room inside its Apostolic Library. While Christians are banned from Mecca, while no church stands in Saudi Arabia, and while Europe’s cathedrals are being turned into mosques, Pope Leo XIV rolls out prayer rugs in the heart of Rome. He’s doing it side-by-side with Amy Pope, the UN’s migration chief and former Obama insider, who runs a billion-dollar machine moving “refugees” across the West. Together they preach “compassion” — but it’s really globalism disguised as faith. The UN engineers the migration. The Vatican blesses it. And Western civilization pays for it.

ANDRUW JONES  [B-R Bio] is the only National League outfielder since Roberto Clemente to win ten consecutive Gold Gloves. Jones won GG from 1998-2007 for outfield play. Jones was the first teenager to homer in a League Championship Series game, on 17-Oct-1996, the 7th game of the LCS, his homer contributed the Braves’ lop-sided clincher. He carries a scar on his chest from an iguana bite. Growing up in Curaçao, Jones hunted Iguanas with his father.

Sculpture Fields

 
While driving through Chattanooga on Tuesday afternoon I spied the tippy tops of some outlandish creatures. Just had to check it out. A crazy place.

Not exactly where all these things came from. Most seemed to have a bit of age on them. According to the website, they may light up at night during festivals. Seems like they came from someone else, and then found a forever home in these fields.

My new friends.

This thing below was really really tall.

The son was so bright and my screen was so dim, I was having a hard time talking selfies.

Here's what they may look like at night.

Erlanger Park Grand Opening

 
Tuesday night was the homer opener for the Chattanooga Lookouts, and the grand opening of their new Ballpark, Erlanger Park. I'd bought a ticket last month, before the game was sold out. 

The website said gates opened an hour before the 7 pm first pitch. I arrived before five and there were plenty of fans in line. Had to walk past the huge old factory that's built into the ballpark.

Chattanooga's Riverwalk path runs from downtown all the way out to the ballpark.  

The steel gates are works of art. 

Gates opened at 5:30. I walked around the entire park before stopping on the berm in left field, where my tickets were. 

Interesting how the old factory building are built right into the park. 

I was lucky enough to grab one of the last adorindack chairs to sit in. Pro move. 

The view from the outfield is more picturesque than from behind the plate.

Right Field corner. 

Below: view from the second floor of the old factory in the right Field corner. 

Spent a couple of innings here behind the plate, chatting with the friend of a friend.

The Lookouts opened the scoring with a home run to right center. 

Should've visited the team store when the gates opening. For the rest of the night there was a long line to get inside.

Not many ballparks have a two story food hall.

Sunset.

Since I was wearing my black Columbia lightweight hiking pants, I wore my pandas.