Friday, July 08, 2022

R.I.P. James Caan

James Caan passed away. Loved him in two of my favorite movies: Elf and Brian's Song. Supposedly Caan was in some other movie about a Godfather.

Kids if you've never seen Brian's Song, it's a must see (right Don Head?). Also stars pre-Star Wars Billy Dee Williams, aka Lando. Just be sure to watch the 1971 film, not the cheesy 2001 remake. The true late-60's story of rookie teammates / roommates / backfield mates, Gale Sayers from Kansas and Brian Piccolo from Wake Forest. Both players had careers cut short, though Sayers' brilliance still landed him in the hall of fame. The story also produced two great books: Sayers' "I Am Third" and "Brian Piccolo: A Short Season".

In these times of sickness, the usually reserved Sayers' acceptance speech seems appropriate.

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Last night Braves rookie Spencer Strider had 9 strikeouts in the first three innings, and 3 more over the next three innings. He leads baseball in strikeouts per nine innings. Doing things no pitcher has done in the modern era (since 1900). Not bad for a rookie.

Thursday: working until almost six. Grabbed Wendy's chicken sandwich for lunch. For supper Ceil cooked her and Matthew salmon. She wasn't pleased with it. BBQ chicken for me. Also roasted potatoes, beets, and sweet potatoes, and steamed broccoli.  Ceil was started watching the CBS show Blue Bloods, starring Tom Selleck. May be a little too rough for her.

Was in the gym this morning lifting weights.  Was going to take my cars to the shop, but they're closed this week on vacation. Had some errands to run at lunch. C took Winnie to get fixed.

Hopefully a restful weekend. Eating dinner at the Earharts tonight. Golf tomorrow morning. Need to get going on emissions for all three cars, and make sure Anna does the same.

Ceil's brother Rusty just turned 65. He's been playing golf all his life. Just made his first hole in one last week. I'm happy just to hit it on the green. Yesterday I hit the green on one par three, and to the fringe on two others. On the other par three I flubbed the tee shot. And my second try.

FRANK J. THOMAS  [SABR Bio] was an original New York Met. He studied to become a Catholic priest. As a teenager he attended a seminary in Niagara Falls, Canada studying for 4-1/2 years to enter the Roman Catholic priesthood, before entering pro baseball. He hit more than twice the home runs of any of his teammates in that first National League expansion year. The next highest total on the team was Marv Throneberry's sixteen. The year he made his first All-Star team, he led the National League in being hitbypitch. In 1954, he was plunked ten times. In the ASG, he got to pinch-hit, but struck out looking. Now a widower, he has, among other descendants, seven great-grandchildren. Before his wife Dolores passed away, they had been married for 60 years.

Pretty sure this was the former Milwaukee Brave Frank Thomas. Not the White Sox slugger from Columbus by way of Auburn, nor my pal from Cubs Fantasy Camp, also a former Brave and Pirate catcher.

If you're looking for craft beer and fine wine, the Exxon station at the corner of Moreland and Ponce is your place.

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