Sermon Notes

 

Sermon notes: Clay Smith JFBC John 20: 19-23

85 youth basketball players accepted Christ at JFBC in mission statement Purpose As followers of Jesus our purpose needs to be eternal JFBC Mission Statement: We exist to help people find truth belonging and purpose in Jesus.

How were the disciples feeling after the authorities killed Jesus. Were they next? Jesus first words to them were Peace be with you. They rejoiced. Look at my hands. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. He breathed His spirit onto them. Now you are empowered by the Spirit. When they share they can declare that their sins are forgiven.

V21 we need to understand what it means that Jesus was sent, and Connect "sent" to "purpose".

1. His identity as a sent one. Jesus countered satan with scripture. John 4 my food is to do the work of the father.

2. Jesus' intentionality - humbled himself by being obedient even to the point of death.

3. Incarnation-God became flesh. Similar to the Apollo moon missions. But Jesus took off his helmet. Accommidated sinners. Did ministry in the world w/o becoming of the world.

4. Compassion to sinners. Grace. Go and sin no more 5. Jesus' sacrifice. He lived a hard life, constant sacrifice. Demonstrated his love for us by dying to save us from our sins

So Jesus sends us. Examine our lives in light of these five things 

What it means for us to be sent:

1. Our purpose is to help save people from hell, and deliver them to God. Go and disciple the nations Matt 28 Reach out to people not previously reached out to - 3.2 billion around the world. The local church is God's method for sending out missionaries 

2. Realize that God's purpose will cost us. It's hard. Could cost promotions, reputations. Must give up idols. Spurgeon: if sinners must go to hell let it be over our outstretched hands 3. It is worth it. Worth the effort.

Living with purpose calls us to send. These days the term missionary is a dangerous word, causes security risks. JFBC wants to send 35 sent ones on missions of more than one month, to two years or permanently.

Jonesing about buying either/or three pairs of sneakers, none of which I need. Even if I limit my sneaker buying to two pair a year, I am kind of ahead of where I need to be. As always I use money from gifts of focus groups. I've culled off a few pairs of old rarely worn thrift store sneakers, but I still have too many. Trying to wear most all my shoes at least once per month, though I have my favorites. Did some more shopping and are rethinking the Hardwoods. 

2020 Puma RSX low

2020 adidas black

2021 Puma LQDCell

2021 Puma RSX high

2021 Nike golf ("needed")

2022 Puma Hardwood Clyde?

2022 Vans golf high navy?

2022 Nike Space Hippie navy?

Braves take step into metaverse with Digital Truist Park.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/02/15/Media/Braves__;!!AE29DT8V!EDvLyxs8jRj3jwyoFNIkmDrxTrmai6IrygdZ8li2SrGY-ZXrTtrz7Vf788x3oo-U9YM$

My golf round this past Saturday:

1. Poor tee shot and 5 iron. Then a good 5. 6 iron just lands short of elevated green. Chip over, better chip back. Two putt.

2. Bad tee shot, then a flub. Next shot onto green, but it rolled off the back. Then several bad chips.

3. All three of us hit nice tee shots just off the front of the green. I managed to bogey.

4. Nice straight 5 iron off tee. Chip and two putt.

5. Tee shot felt good but I only popped it up. Decent pitch and better lag putt.

6. Bad drive and flubbed second shot. Great 5 iron around tree, that rolled down into the middle of the fairway. Good 7 iron rolled off the back of the green. I leave so many short that I didn't mind going long once or twice.

7. Two bad shots followed by a couple of good ones. Bad chip.

8. Good 5 iron off tee, but it didn't roll down the hill. Then another good 5 iron was sailing left before hitting the one branch hanging out over the fairway, and the ball dropped on the fringe. Decent chip, but it rolled just off the green. But I drained the putt for par.

9. Decent 6 iron off tee. Good chip. Two bad putts. Called it a day.

TOM HALLER [SABR Bio] once caught a major league game when the home plate umpire was his brother. On 14-Jul-1972, for the first time in major league history, an umpire officiated a game where his sibling was a participant. Bill Haller called balls & strikes with Tom catching. Nothing untoward occurred. A version of this had happened with them once in the minors, years earlier. On 05‑Aug‑1960 in a game between the AAA Spokane Indians and Tacoma Giants in the PCL, Tom came in as a Giants' pinch-hitter to Bill's first game at the AAA level. Tom batted L & threw R. After Jackie Robinson nullified his trade to the Giants from the Dodgers by retiring, Haller was the next player SFG traded to LAD. On 13-Feb-1968, SFG traded Haller w/minor leaguer Francis Kasheta to LAD for Ron Hunt & Nate Oliver. Haller was an All-Star player for two MLB teams. He was an NL AS 1966, '67  for SFG & in 1968 for LAD.

Valentine Taco

 

Have a good Valentine’s Day? Ceil was still worn out from our busy weekend, and got a late start on supper. I didn’t leave work until after 5:45. Stopped for gas and a few treats for her: candy, a card, and helium balloon (which freaks Winnie out). I’d already given her a present on Saturday.

M helped C with supper, cooking the smash burgers while she tossed a salad, cut the potatoes, and made the apple pie. I ran back out to Kroger for cheese for the burgers. Saw Jenny Bates at the Kroger. Was nice to hear someone call out “Dave Murphy!”.

Anna and Caleb ordered a heart-shaped taco platter (top) from a place on Cobb Parkway near The Battery. Tacos are Anna's love language.

It was 10 pm by the time we were through with the dishes and I took Winnie outside. C went on to bed. I watched an episode of Young Sheldon.

Our small group has been moved to tonight.

In the South you know someone was raised right if they do these things. Some I had to pick up along the way. All are just being consider of others.

1. If you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all. Or at the very least add “bless your heart” at the end.

2. Send thank-you notes, even in this digital age.

3. Bring food to people when a loved one dies.

4. Give the shirt off your back. When we have more than enough, we should share with those who don’t.

5. Live by the golden rule: do unto others as you’d like others to do to you.

6. Open doors for others.

7. Pull over for funeral processions.

8. Say please and thank-you. Request, don’t threaten or demand.

9. Keep your word.

10. Stand if someone needs the seat more than you.

11. Be a good host, even during surprise visits. Always offer food and beverage..  

12. Speak with respect to others, especially your elders. Use “ma’am” and “sir”.

13. Do not curse around other people.

14. Understand that you aren’t the only person in the world. Respect the space of others.

15. Never start a fight in public, including on social media.

16. Listen. Don’t interrupt. Don’t assume you know what someone is going to say. But when you speak, don’t drone on and on and on. Give people time to respond to what you are saying.

17. Help when others are in need.

18. Be humble.

19. Put your feet in other people’s shoes.

20. When someone comes in the room for the first time, stand to greet them (unless you are a king).

21. My beef: when crossing the street, even though you have the right of way as a pedestrian, be courteous of all the people in cars who are waiting on you. Some people seem to walk slower when they know someone else is waiting for them.

https://www.southernthing.com/raised-right-2655206142.html 

I added 21 my own bad self.  Witnessed it this morning on the way to work. Not sure but these days people are walking around next to traffic with headphones on, oblivious to traffic behind and right next to them.

You ought to see all the disagreeing on social media, even between “friends”. One Christian writer was calling out people for complaining. Shouldn’t that kind of admonishing be done in private? I’ve tried to cut out a bunch of it. Some people change jobs every 6 months. Why? Are they getting better offers/promotions? Are they wearing out their welcome?

Like the Super Bowl halftime show. Not for me, but I’m not their target audience. Doesn’t do me any good to complain. That would just show how out of touch I was. Did I say this yesterday? I heard the halftime performers were 56, 51, and 50. M&M was youngest at 35. I bet there were a bunch of young people wishing they’d have performers younger and more cutting edge than old Snoop, etc. As always, I was just checking out their sneakers.

I have seen that Trump and Hillary have been in the news lately, perhaps about Russia, but I haven’t really heard many of the details. Trying to limit my Biden and Fauci intake as well. Seems like something different comes out about covid every day. Hard to keep up. I got vaccinated and wear my mask where I am supposed to. Same with the MLB lockout and Bob Saget autopsy.

Destin is one of my go-to places to daydream about.

RON REED [Wiki Bio] a one-time White Sox righty, who the Cardinals acquired to replace Bob Gibson in their rotation. On 28-May-1975, STL traded Ray Sadecki and Elias Sosa to ATL for Reed and a player to be named later. ATL sent Wayne Nordhagen to STL to complete the trade. Reed was drafted in the 3rd round, 23rd overall by the NBA’s Detroit Pistons in 1965, but chose baseball after 2 NBA years. He was the winning pitcher of the game where Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth on the career home run list, on 08-Apr-1974.

Lars Win Super Bowl

Stay up until the end of the Super Bowl? After church yesterday I turned on the pregame show and left it on all afternoon. Some parts were boring, others interesting. For instance:

By chance free agent QB Matt Stafford vacationed in Cabo at the same resort as Rams coach Sean McVay and OT Andrew Whitworth. They bonded, and Stafford signed with the Rams. Retired QB Drew Brees happened to be there as well, and crashed the meeting.

Former Giants head coach Tom Caughlin is taking care of his elderly wife, who has dementia.

Dale Earnhart Jr and another guy were traveling around Los Angeles. They met Jeff Goldblum at Universal Studios to hype the new Jurassic Park movie.

Lots of the pregame commercials were almost as good as the in game commercials. Had to run out to the library and bank during the afternoon. Ceil fixed me some chicken nuggets for lunch.

At 6:15 we went over to my other friend Reid's basement to watch the game. Six couples: Murphys Halls Earharts Chiles Cho's and Bradberrys. Lots of food: salsa, cheese dips, vegetables, two salads, burritos, two desserts, and ice creams. All sorts of bottled drinks. The women stayed upstairs for over half the game, talking about Lord knows what.

Perhaps the game was decided early in the first quarter on the Bengals first possession, when they failed to convert on fourth down. Gave the Rams the short field, and they punched it in for six.

Sure there were plenty of missed calls, then on the final drive the refs started calling it closer – but what they called were indeed penalties. Both QB's stayed in the game despite twisted knees/ankles. A defensive struggle the Rams finally overcame on their last drive, similar to the national championship game.

I enjoy listening to announcers Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth. The Cincinnati resident and former Bengal admitted to his bias, just like Kirk Herbstreidt does for Ohio State. A much better duo that Buck/Aikman. So many complain about this announcer or that. Some people seem to hate everyone.

As an old person I actually had some knowledge of the halftime performers. Many complained, showing that they just didn't get it. I know I'm not the target audience. They ought to have a whole other broadcast just for old people.

The commercials were interesting. As usual some were bizarre, in an effort to be noticed. Others clever. Good Caesars Palace commercial with the Mannings. A few car commercials were good. Larry David's commercial. Others missed the mark.

I wasn't really rooting for either team. Since I had my number 9 Bengals jersey, I wore it. Some broke into applause when the Rams scored at the end. The Halls live on a cul de sac and two other parties nearby were letting out at the same time. A neighbor saw my Bengals jersey and commiserated with me.

 

Friday afternoon I worked late. Don't remember what we did for supper. Think it was leftover homemade pizza, which we shared with Matthew.

Saturday morning golf. It was "warmer" at the course, so I didn't need a stocking cap, gloves, or an extra layer. Played with the other two regulars: Auburn Anthony and Robert the Wreck.

Stopped by to say hello to Will's old coach Henry on the way home. Did a lot of housework, cleaning out closets so M could move into a bedroom. Lots of trash, and another carload for Goodwill.

At 3:30 we drove over to Avalon in Alpharetta so C could return an item. We decided to have out Valentines meal at Superica, now open in the old El Felix location. Over an hour wait, but it was worth it. Good people watching.

MLB players from towns with "port" in their name.

Player       City of birth                  DOB

Belle..........Shreveport, LA.........25-Aug-1966

Brown........Shreveport, LA.........26-Jun-1915

Green........Newport, DE.............04-Aug-1934

Haller.........Lockport, IL..............23-Jun-1937

Hisle..........Portsmouth, OH....... 05-May-1947

Lolich.........Portland, OR............12-Sep-1940

Milbourne...Port Norris, NJ.........14-Feb-1951

Moseby......Portland, AR.............05-Nov-1959

Mussina.....Williamsport, PA..... .08-Dec-1968

Quantrill.....Port Hope, Ontario...10-Feb-1995

O'Rourke...Bridgeport, CT......... 01-Sep-1850

Reed..........La Porte, IN.............12-Nov-1942

Smith.........Shreveport, LA.........02-Apr-1945

Stanley......Portland, ME............10-Nov-1954

State of the NFL

The annual NFL Honors show has become an evening of wokeness, though it is good to watch the Man of the Year presentation and the unveiling of the new Hall of Fame inductees. This year they seemed to make up for past slights, awarding Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Tony Boselli, Dick Vermeil, and Cliff Branch. Perhaps there’s hope for Herschel Walker after all.

Thursday night LA Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth was named this year’s NFL Man of the Year. In his articulate, inspiring acceptance speech he said something I rarely hear a professional athlete say: that fans are the reason players like him are able to play a kid’s game. Whitworth is the oldest left tackle in NFL history.

At the end of the Rams game this year against Detroit, he saw a Lions player sprinting across the field to greet Whit. The rookie said “You won’t remember me, but years ago when you played for the Bengals, you used to volunteer at my community center. You would sit me and talk to me about life. I just wanted to thank you. I wouldn’t have made it without you”. Whit said he didn’t tell the story to brag, but to show how you and I can make a difference in people’s lives.

What Super Bowl record will never be broken? Cowboys kicker Mike Clark kicked a 9 yard field goal in Super Bowl 5 against the Colts. In the first Super Bowl Green Bay’s Donny Anderson became the only player to punt and return a punt in the same game.

Link: why the NFL uses Roman numerals to denote Super Bowls. Which recent Super Bowl did not use a Roman numeral? Super Bowl 50. Advertisers didn’t like the look of "Super Bowl L".

https://www.dictionary.com/e/the-roman-numeral-bowl-are-you-ready-for-some-football/

CAL QUANTRILL  [B-R Bio] was the first freshman to be the Opening Day starting pitcher for Stanford University since Mike Mussina did it in 1988. Quantril started for Stanford U. in 2013. He turned twenty-seven on Thursday. Born 10-Feb-1995. His father led the American League twice in pitching appearances, and twice led the majors in games pitching for a National League team. Paul Quantrill led the AL in games pitched with 80 for Toronto in 2001 and for the Yankees in 2004 with 86. In 2002 and 2003 Paul led MLB for the Dodgers with 86 and 89.

Books to Read

Fifty Books Every Man Should Read - according to the woke website Cool Material. 

Homer’s The Odyssey

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

James Joyce’s The Dubliners

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

George Orwell’s 1984

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Hard Times by Charles Dickens

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson (“read”)

The Plot Against America – revisionist history from Philip Roth

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Series by Douglas Adama (read)

Preacher – Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Catch 22 – Joseph Heller

All Quiet on the Western Front – Erich Maria Ramarqu

Maus – Art Spiegelman

Candide – Voltaire

Two Pints – Roddy Doyle

The Virginian – Owen Wister

Guards! Guards! – Terry Pratchett

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal – Christopher Moore. A funny but respectful postmodern interpretation of the gospels, they say.

That Thing You do with Your Mouth – David Shields and Samantha Matthews

No Matter the Wreckage – Sarah Key

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S Thompson

My Struggle (series) – Karl Ove Kausgard

The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald

The Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger

The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway

The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien

Naked Pictures of Famous People – Jon Stewart

My Documents – Alejandro Zambra

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee (read)

The Tain, an ancient Irish epic.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Diaz

The Corrections – Jonathan Franzen

Walden – Henry David Thoreau

A Good Man is Hard to Find – Flannery O’Connor

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon

East of Eden – John Steinbeck

White Teeth – Zadie Smith

Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates

Infinite Jest – David Foster Wallace

Pastoralia – George Saunders

Dune – Frank Herbert

2666 – Roberto Bolano

A Visit from the Goon Squad – Jennifer Egan

I am Legend – Richard Matheson  

Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park. Interesting this woke website accurately says Crichton “relies on science, and knows his stuff” (which he does). Crichton also wrote “State of Fear” about how climate change is a crock – back in 2009. Also a great read. Put that one on your list.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://coolmaterial.com/media/50-books-every-man-should-read-once-in-his-life/__;!!AE29DT8V!FX591IEC9tMeSKXjCkBWkMWQcsuUD5be-DyCROWmX4Kz3SESTDuk7Xt2uXu8Pq_RJtA$

My Super Bowl pick: I don’t really have a dog in the hunt. Rooting for UGA’s Matt Stafford and Sony Michel. Stafford has game and is deserving, and I like his little receiver, who gave a grateful speech while accepting the offensive player of the year award. Joe Burrow has lived a charmed life, but I’ll be jinxing him by wearing a number 9 Bengals jersey to our Super Bowl party. Looking forward to the food and fellowship, but it will be hard to concentrate on the game. We’ll leave the party by the end of the third quarter (I hope) and watch the end at home. Says here Joe B overcomes my jinx, and Cincinnati finally wins the big one. That kicker from Fort Payne by way of Florida will help decide the outcome.

Johnson Ferry link to see renovation renderings and vision for the space. Check it out here

LLOYD MOSEBY  [B-R Bio] was an All-Star and Silver Slugger outfielder. Was the first player to win the Most Improved Player Award twice for Toronto, in 1983 & 1987. His nickname derives from his exploits as a basketball player. “Shaker” Moseby was adept at shaking off defenders. He and “Black Sox” scandal ringleader Chick Gandil are alumni of the same high school: Oakland High School in Oakland, California.

Riding the Lincoln Highway

In the novel “The Lincoln Highway” Sally explains why she takes the time to make strawberry preserves. The last sentence stuck with me.

“I do it because it's unnecessary. For what is kindness but the performance that is beneficial to another and unrequired?  There is no kindness in paying a bill. There is no kindness in getting up at dawn to slop the pigs, or milk the cows, or gather the eggs from the henhouse.  For that matter, there is no kindness in making dinner, or in cleaning the kitchen after your father heads upstairs without so much as a word of thanks. Nope, I said to myself while climbing into bed and switching the light, there is no kindness in any of that. For kindness begins where necessity ends"

https://abreloth.blogspot.com/2022/02/

The real Lincoln Highway runs from Times Square to San Francisco, and features various statues of Abraham Lincoln along the way. Local Boy Scouts along the route raised the money for the statues.

Much to dismay of Paul Lukas, his woke Uni Watch blog was forced to publish vintage images of dreaded Milwaukee Braves iconography. Good stuff for us heathens in Braves Country.

https://uni-watch.com/2022/02/10/a-treasure-trove-of-1950s-milwaukee-braves-images/

Decent list of iconic MLB uniforms on ESPN.com. Includes the evil Braves Indian feather uniforms.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33208373/ranking-mlb-all-greatest-uniforms 

Never enough articles on the mud used to take the gloss of MLB baseballs.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/559416/why-new-jersey-mudhole-contains-baseballs-dirtiest-secret

More people are noticing that I have dropped off Facebook. I’m trying to spend as little time on social media as possible, though I still spend too much. Can’t do everything. Need to read more. Trying to narrow my focus so I’m not fed information I’m not interested in. Easier to get news from Twitter. It does mean I miss out on certain things, like when a former coworker’s husband got sick and passed away recently. Later I heard this news from another source.

Most of my real life friends and family are not even on Facebook. For them I have to reach out the old fashioned way, and send my cat memes via email, phone, or text – or visit them in person. I’m trying to do that more, and social media less. I haven’t shut Facebook completely down. I did see that Camp SPdL photo from last week. I still follow some people who post useful articles and information, and some crazy people whose lives are such train wrecks that I can’t help but watch. Drew is not one of the crazy people, but I still see his posts.

Met Rob on Thursday morning for breakfast at the East Cobb J Christophers. I was talking and really didn’t look over the menu, but ordered a egg and spinach and bacon skillet. Very good. Wasn’t as crazy about the taste of the bland biscuit.

Worked until six Thursday night. Ceil had been with Shivonne yesterday, and made homemade pizza for supper. Winnie was exhausted from playing with Okie all day.

Matthew traveled to Smyrna to help break in Caleb’s new kitchen. I see his tortilla press on the counter.

This morning we had pot puck at work. M cooked an apple crisp for me to take. There were sliders, hot dogs, breakfast casseroles, pigs’n blankets, brownies, doughnuts, sausage balls, and more. Not helping with the diet, but I’ll hit it hard on Monday.

REGGIE SMITH  [SABR Bio] was the first player to homer from both sides of the plate in a game in both leagues – four times for Boston and two times for the Cardinals. He got the lone hit in J.R. Richard's one-hitter on 19-Apr-1980. Hint: #2 He now runs an eponymous academy for strengthening baseball skills, the Reggie Smith Academy is in Encino, California.

Glenn Lust: All America

Our Hot Stove guest last night was Glenn Lust. Ever heard of him? Played basketball and baseball for Ole Miss from 1962-1967. Got a medical redshirt extra season. Grew up just south of Louisville. Quiet but good humored. Made a recruiting visit to Kentucky to visit Adolph Rupp, but knew he wouldn’t play much. Was recruited by Press Maravich to play at Clemson. I asked Glenn if he'd played against Pistol Pete. Lust's calm demeanor piped up, and he humbly quipped "I held him to only 40 points".

Lust made All-America in baseball. After his sophomore year Dixie Walker offered him $100,000.00 to sign with the Orioles.  He regretted turning it down. Lust played with Don Kessinger. Their team made it to the college world series. Afterward Lust was there when Leo Durocher signed Kessinger for $20,000. Lust knew Archie Manning, and actually babysat Peyton and Eli.

Our host Johnny had a 1954 Atlanta Journal out for inspection, with a Crackers box score. Johnny attended that LSU/UGA basketball game when Maravich made that final hook shot. I told him that Reid had been there as well. My rider Eddie had been in Athens that same day playing YMCA basketball as a kid. He said Maravich spoke to all the YMCA kids.

Good books by author Pat Jordan were discussed: (1) False Spring, about his minor league days with Phil Niekro, (2) Tom Seaver & Me, a memoir, and (3) A Nice Tuesday, another memoir. Legendary Southwest Dekalb football coach Buck Godfrey also taught English at the school. He penned a book on his experience in Little League, as part of the first black team to compete in the Little League World Series – “The Team No One Would Play”.

Old Tom Curran is always good for a story. In high school in Maryland he competed against Tom Brown, who matriculated to Maryland and later played for the Senators, then for the Packers. Brown made the famous game-saving interception in the NFL championship game, memorialized in the book The First 50 Years.

On the ride home Eddie and I started talking about books. Like me he likes audiobooks. He is a sports nut, a big Braves fan. I told him the story of Lang taking me to the World Series, and mentioned that Lang had written a book about the Braves. Turned out Eddie has read Lang’s book. Actually I told Eddie how the Whitakers had adopted me as a college student. Eddie likes to make lists of lots of things, as do I.

When Eddie moved to Atlanta he was a stringer for the tiny radio station in Thomasville, his hometown. Got a press pass to Braves, Hawks, and Falcons games. Would file audio reports and tape interviews. One time he was walking into the Omni before a game and a tall fellow started talking to him – Julius Erving. Dr. J asked his name, and later after the game in the locker room Erving again called Eddie by name. Later the Sixers returned to Atlanta for a playoff game. Again Erving called Eddie by name. Made quite an impression. Eddie brought his Luis Aparicio autographed baseball (top).

This past weekend a bunch of baseball nuts went out on a chilly field trip to various historical baseball site around town. Three of the Hot Stove guys tagged along. The first baseball game in Atlanta was played on a field adjacent to Oakland Cemetery. Another early field was across the downtown connector from Turner Field, called Brisbane Field. The lot is still vacant to this day. A few years later there was a ballfield at the corner of West Peachtree and Ponce de Leon. Finally the group ended up across from Ponce City Market, at the base of the old Spiller Magnolia, in what used to be centerfield of Ponce de Leon Park.

My take: if Freddie Freeman signs with the Yankees he will be miserable, having to deal with criticism from the press and fans.

MIKE MUSSINA  [SABR Bio] is the only pitcher to finish his career with a twenty-win season since Sandy Koufax did it in 1966. In his 18th and final MLB campaign, Mussina had a 20-9 record. He was also an All-Star and won a Gold Glove that year, 2008. The year Mussina led the league in innings pitched was his last with his original MLB team. He pitched 237-2/3 innings in 2000 with BAL then signed with the Yankees as a free agent on 07-Dec-2000. He coaches the high school basketball team in the town where he grew up: Montoursville, Pennsylvania (though he was born in nearby Williamsport). He had been offered a basketball scholarship by Vanderbilt University before he decided on baseball.