For most of our history, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice summoned a mere passing interest. However, in the past 30 years, political stakes have increased to such an extent that each vacancy on the Court ignites a firestorm. Too much rides on a Supreme Court nomination as the party in power seems more […]
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The Incomparable Bob Gibson
Incomparable: “Eminent beyond comparison.” The Webster dictionary defines that single word that best describes Robert Gibson. Certainly, there are other great pitchers in major league history, some of whom won more games—Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux to name but a few—but none of them toed the rubber more memorably. Gibson’s unique qualities ranged from […]
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The Late Great Lou Brock
Louis Clark Brock’s career defies the modern day statistical number crunchers who attempt to rank players with the precision of diamond cutters. Statisticians whiff on the true measure of Brock’s greatness because his dynamic play and clutch performances cannot be quantified. While he owned impressive career numbers, the whole of his game was greater […]
Hell-o again everybody. Harry Carey here along with Jack Buck. We’re here in the Northside of Chicago to tell everyone that the reports of our deaths were not exaggerated, but the rumored death of the Red Birds……well, that is indeed a gross exaggeration. Covid can’t keep Cardinals caged for long. That’s right Harry, for […]
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A True American Hero
Americans oft revere the ‘winners of the world’ as measured by their wealth and fame. In fact, we read and hear far more about heroic professional athletes who ‘earn’ $30 million annual salaries than about the exploits of unsung heroes in our midst. We even elected a president based in part on his perceived […]
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This Old Car
It was a sultry rush hour afternoon when the tow truck hooked and lifted the car’s crumbled front end. More than 10 years and 200,000 miles hauled off from the present to the past. It was my childhood, too. My father bought the car when I was five, and now less than a year […]
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American C-Note: Benjamin Franklin
The American C-Note: Benjamin Franklin Like the $100 C-Note that bears his countenance, Benjamin Franklin lived as one hundred men rolled into one. Sometimes called the first American, Mr. Franklin lived as the quintessential Renaissance man: Printer, writer, businessman; scientist, diplomat, humorist and ‘man of affairs’. His historical reputation stands beyond reproach. Indeed, no one […]
More than Marching Needed to End Racism From the movie Unforgiven: “It’s a hell of a thing to kill a man. You take all he’s got, and all he’s ever gonna have.” George Floyd’s death combined with a recent past of all too many similar terrors ignited dry kindling that burst into flames literally and […]
No sport requires unified team play more than hockey. There’s no mano-mano confrontation like pitcher/hitter as in baseball. No one player in hockey can skate the length of the ice and score a goal like a basketball player can drive the floor solo for a quick bucket. In football, a blown blocking assignment might mean […]
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Living in Interesting Times
LIVING IN INTERESTING TIMES Chinese curse: May you live during interesting times. The most “interesting” times in America in the 20th century as defined by the number of books written and read include the Great Depression; World Wars I & II; and the 1960’s internal conflict ignited by the civil rights movement and the Vietnam […]