JimH5

It's a sad day whenever we lose someone--and it's especially sad when we lose someone as beloved as Rizzuto. He was like your kindly, old Italian uncle who is full of life and stories and can connect with people of all ages. Besides being a terrific ballplayer, he was a sweetheart of a guy. Farewell, Scooter. . .

Another one of my favorite memories with my wife was a time we took the ferry to Washington Island, and rented mopeds and just buzzed around the Island. That was many many years ago, and the island was very rural at the time. Not sure if they have added anything. . .but it was cheap, and a blast. . .

I would guess the Kuenn/Schroeder ball is probably a $75 item or so. That's if Kuenn is on the sweet spot and Schroeder on another panel, which wouldn't be too visible when displayed. Those two guys on a ball really don't have any significance other than to you. It would be different if it were Kuenn and Rocky Colavito, or Kuenn and Al Kaline, or Kuenn and Harry Dalton. Unfortunately, Bill Schroeder does detract from the value of the ball.

I've been there dozens of times, though not since last summer. Here's a few places to visit: Peninsula State Park. You can't go wrong renting bikes to ride through the park, or just hiking along some trails. The view from the tower is great, and the park is basically the cost of a daily sticker. The Summer Kitchen. It's between Ephraim and Sister Bay, on the bay side of Hwy. 42. Terrific soup bar and great sandwiches. Awesome pie for dessert. Beautiful perennial flower beds. THE Farm. For kids, or for people who want to behave like kids. . .It's a working farm/petting zoo with lots of free roaming goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, etc. You can wander around the grounds and see a bunch of buildings that display old agricultural life. A fun time. It's down at the bottom right around where Hwy 42 and 57 split apart. Blue Dolphin Shop I can take it or leave it, but my wife loves it. And so did my mom, and so do my sisters and most women I know. Home Interior stuff, kinda funky, pretty upscale. There's also an awesome art gallery just north of the Blue Dolphin. I forget the name of it, but it's very cool. I've never bought anything at the art gallery. And there are lots of art galleries up there, if that one doesn't strike you. Tannenbaum Shop. It's now in an old church up north of Sister Bay. It's a Christmas shop, and a pretty fun place regardless of the time of year. Summertime Restaurant in Fish Creek. Great breakfasts, good lunches, I've never been there for dinner. Wilson's in Ephraim. It's in a perfect location, right on the bay. It's a small, historic little restaurant known for ice cream sundaes and burgers, etc. I think it's overrated, but it's pretty much a staple for those who have never visited. There are some other places I'm sure I'm missing, but part of the fun of the place is discovering places on your own. Honestly, when we're there, we pretty much just walk around the little towns. . .Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim, Sister Bay. . .pop into a candy shop or have ice cream. Hold your wife's purse while she tries on clothes. Play minigolf or skeeball or ride go-karts. Take a boat cruise. As for where to stay, we've done Bed & Breakfasts & camping--it's really been awhile since we've stayed in an inn up there, so I don't want to give any recommendations, as ownerships change, and quality changes, etc. If you're planning on a weekend, you'll need a reservation for sure, even if just for a campsite. Have a great time!

Why are the majority of media and fans so stuck on the first 34 games of the season Because that was the peak of euphoria. That was the first impression of this team, and the thought that we had the best team in the league. Now we know that we don't have the best team in the league. If, after that 24-10 start someone offered you a 36-45 mark for the next 81games, would you happily take it? Of course not. So don't be surprised when the media and fans and other posters get a little chippy about what has been a pretty terrible long stretch of games. Sure, 1st place is terrific, and this is pretty uncharted territory for this team--but we could have had this division in a runaway. And instead, we're getting crushed by the Rockies and playing like anything but a first place team.

Last summer I sent autograph requests to Ned Yost and all the former Brewers managers who were in organized baseball. The best signer was Tom Trebelhorn who signed my 3x5 and also included another signed photo card on his own. I also had success with Phil Garner, Buck Rodgers, Rene Lachemann, Yost, and Davey Lopes. The only nonresponse I got was from Jerry Royster. Adding those to others that I have purchased, I now have sigs of all Managers in Brewers history.

I'm really amazed that he's been able to function as well as he has during the past several years amid all this hate. Can you imagine the stuff that's yelled at him every single road game? And the almost daily ripping he gets in the media? I don't think I could handle it. He is just loathed by so many people--its incredible. He's certainly worthy of some of the criticism. The steroid use and the way he's handled himself in the past has opened the door to SOME of this--but the thought that he's able to perform at that level while so many people really hate him, that's really something. It would require a mental focus and determination that I don't think I could handle. . .just the constant grind of being hated all the time. . . I'm glad that his son got to share in this moment with him. That would be a really terrific thing for a kid to experience with his dad. I'm watching the coverage tonight, and Bonds seems humbled by the whole thing. He was an almost likeable guy in his interviews and the press conference. I know, it's late and in the morning, I'll scratch my head, wondering where all this Barry-love came from--but for tonight, I actually feel happy for the guy for accomplishing something that nobody has ever done before.

I may be missing out on some sound financial advice, but I just can't take him seriously as his message is always delivered in this frothing, high intensity caricature. He reminds me too much of Don West and Kenny Goldin and the other goofs who were hawking Sports memorabilia on the Home Shopping Channel years ago.

I'm watching the game on Directv. . . I was very surprised that the San Diego fans were cheering as much as they were. He really got quite an ovation. It's a historic moment, and the crowd was pretty excited. Plus, the guy who caught the ball actually appears to have been unharmed by his section. San Diego fans represented themselves pretty well tonight.

That's a great post, Razzzor. . . Maybe I've just grown more and more crotchety in recent years but I suspect that I would have handled the situation(s) as follows: To the couple who were engaged in a moment of passion, I would have immediately called upon the Sheriff's department or whoever (not ushers) is in charge of policing the park. I can't imagine that they would blow something like that off. Whenever there are adults behaving badly around children, my raging parent mechanism kicks in, and I do all I can to spoil the party. To the wisemouthed usher, I would call the stadium office on Monday with a complaint about his conduct. Honestly, the only way that terrible employees (really of ANY company) will be taken to task is if they're called on it. Whether anything becomes of it or not, that's not up to you. But if you don't complain, then its going to burn you whenever you see him. To the guy who is occupying your seat (during BP or not), I'd call the usher for help on that one. I'm always, ALWAYS mindful of my rights when it comes to what I've paid for, and I expect to sit where my ticket says. I'll move only if I'm the one feeling benevolent, AND if the other seat is comparable--never because I'm intimidated by some meathead. You may get some flak, but I've found that people who expect squatter's rights to a seat have usually represented themselves to be jerks to the rest of your section, and the other ticket holders are all too happy to see the chumps removed when you and an usher show up. As for the other stuff about inappropriate standing, or booing, or "waving"--I suspect that's just to be expected for a team that is drawing so many new fans. Not everyone is going to behave the way you want them to--especially during a weekend game, when there will naturally be more newbies than diehards. As for County Stadium, I miss it too--but only because I miss my childhood and early years of fandom. There were fewer things as fun as sitting in that park with around 20,000 in the place. The problem was that this intimate little group was forced to cheer for Matt Mieske and Mike Fetters and Greg Brock. And then at the end, it really was an eyesore, and no place for a 21st century baseball team.

You do make an excellent point. Part of it I'm sure has to do with Glavine being such a bland guy. He's been a terrific pitcher for all these years, but the way he pitches is so much the opposite of Ryan. Nibbling the corners and changing speeds just doesn't create a buzz. Plus, he's now doing this for the Mets, when he's most associated with the Braves. That may have something to do with it. And his personality is just so unremarkable. What do you think of when you think of Tom Glavine as a guy? Pretty much nothing. He's classy, professional, workmanlike, crafty--and dull. Still, it's a truly historic moment. He may be the last guy to get there in many, many years.

His show was very strange. Entertaining, but strange. And it was quite a compliment when Dan Akroyd did an impression of him on the old SNL. Snyder's show was pretty obscure, and the SNL spoof was a bit of a validation. The cigarette smoke has cleared. Farewell Tom-- You will be missed.

Of course it's not over. . .But it's terribly frustrating! This makes me understand just a little bit how it felt to be a fan of the Phillies in 1964. This is a terrible post-All-Star-Break skid (something we've experienced countless times before)--but now it really means something--and every single day brings more bad news. And then to top it all off, it's the stinkin' Cubs who are applying the pressure. It's infuriating!!!!!

If I go to court to see if a judge will mark it down at all, am I better off just leaving this whole stuff out as I will sound like some 21 year old Pinocchio, because I am sure they have heard all kinds of stories before? I haven't ever fought my tickets in court, so anything I offer from here is pure speculation. But I'll bet others will offer some solid advice. . . And there is something about "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" that would lead me to think that leaving parts out is frowned upon.

Every single time (and there have been a few over the years) that I have been ticketed for speeding, I swear that the police gun says I'm going faster than I think I was. Because it's happened with different cops in different counties, in different states, I have to assume that the issue is with ME and not them. Maybe I see them and make an adjustment too late, and my eyes pick up the speedometer after I've already slowed down just a little. Who knows. . . In any case, I doubt HIGHLY that a judge would cut you slack for going 75 mph vs. going 80. "Yes, your honor, I'm confident that my 15 year old analog speedometer is more accurate than the technology that the police was using". It just begs for a ruling unfavorable to you. Just take your lumps, assume that it might actually be you who was in the wrong, and start driving the speed limit. And turn the game off whenever Cordero comes in. . .

I'm all for living in the present. There are dozens of single, attractive, available women surrounding all of us at work, or church, or in the neighborhood, or friends of your current friends. I recommend trying to discover one of them.

I just got back from my Camden Yards/Baltimore trip. I skipped the Phillies vs. Nats portion tonight, as I was tired and had a headache, and it was a sellout and I didn't already have tickets. . . Anyway, I thought Camden Yards was really beautiful. The warehouse is an amazing building. The park is terrific. The fans are faithful and well mannered. It really was one of the friendlier places I can remember seeing a game. Considering it's one of the signature spots in the park, Boog's BBQ is vastly overrated. Boog Powell was nowhere to be seen, and the food itself was no better than you'd find in any airport. They feed a ton of people through a couple of cafeteria-style lines, so maybe I ordered the wrong thing (beef sandwich platter), but I wouldn't make a point to go there hungry, just to fill up on tasty BBQ--because it's not. That said, I walked around the whole park and didn't really see any other food that I would have rather had, so maybe it's a bigger deal to me than to O's fans. FYI--they also didn't have a huge beer selection either. Anyway, the original post was about what to do in DC & Baltimore, so here's what else I did. . . The Babe Ruth birthplace and museum is pretty neat. It's a very modest place, with just a couple of rooms devoted to how it was during Ruth's boyhood--but he grew up in a modest way, so it's fitting that the place is what it was. I spent about 45 minutes there, and there's a couple of interesting videos running on loops there to capture your attention. I didn't get to see the St. Mary's Industrial School, but I would like to do so the next time I'm there. I think the only thing you can really do there is see it from the outside (it's still a functioning school). Right next to the ballpark is the Sports Legends Museum. I thought it was okay. The space seems bigger than they need for the stuff that they have on display. They didn't do enough with the old John McGraw & Wilbert Robinson Orioles for me, and they have a section devoted to the Baltimore Colts & Unitas, which wasn't what I cared about. It was fine I guess, but I wouldn't go back unless I knew they had an exhibit I specifically wanted to see. Upstairs from the Sports Legends Museum is Geppi's Entertainment Museum. I didn't go there, but would have liked to. I also went to the National Aquarium of Baltimore. It was just too crowded for me to really enjoy. You buy time-stamped tickets, with admission at a certain time. The space is certainly built for large crowds, but many of the viewing tanks are of tiny creatures, and it was frustrating trying to spot a frog the size of your thumbnail around a bunch of slow moving fat people. There were some ships anchored in the harbor, which looked to be open for touring. A Coast Guard ship, and a submarine were pretty close to the aquarium. Those looked to be interesting, and something else for the next time. That's my trip report for you TC--hope you enjoy your time there.

I'm saddened by all of this. I'm saddened that she's so screwed up. I'm saddened that people spend so much time reading about these celebs. I'm saddened that there is an entire industry devoted to stalking out celebs to take photos that are usually accompanied by some snarky comment about them. I'm saddened that all this time, money and effort could be spent doing good things in the world, instead of destructive/self-destructive. This is America at its ugliest.

Good article on the story of Chapman and Mays. FYI--Mike Sowell also wrote a terrific book "July 2, 1903: The mysterious Death of Hall-of-Famer Big Ed Delahanty". I believe it's now out of print (not absolutely sure), but I have seen it in used book stores. It was published by Macmillan and was released in 1992. It's a great read on the wild raucous times in early baseball history, and of course Delahanty. I'm also just finishing a Hack Wilson biography called "Fouled Away: The Baseball Tragedy of Hack Wilson" by Clifton Blue Parker. It was published by McFarland in 2000. Both terrific stories that describe the harshness of everyday life not all that long ago--and a couple of brilliant but flawed star players.

After considering this story for a couple of days, I think this could be far more damaging to the league than any of the behavior that some NFLers are accused of. This undermines the whole of the league. You need to have absolute certainty that the games you are watching are being played and officiated on the level--otherwise you're basically watching a farce. To think that organized crime figures are affecting outcomes of games is startling--and all they have to do is get to one guy, as they apparently have done with this schmo. We'll see how this one turns out. Once we hear some details, it may enlighten some of Pete Rose's HOF supporters of the harm that gambling can cause.

One time a few years ago I was out with my wife and another couple, seeing some of the sights in NYC. We walked into the Plaza hotel, and went to a cocktail lounge for a couple of drinks and hors doeuvres. I was concerned that I wouldn't be allowed to stay, as I was only wearing a black t-shirt and shorts, and felt pretty out of place. Mostly everyone else was dressed for the Plaza. I had no idea we'd be going there. As we walked past one table, toward the next one, I felt better as there was another guy just wearing a t-shirt too. As we passed that table, I noticed that the other t-shirt guy was Nicolas Cage. Later that night we saw Matt Stone (curly haired guy from South Park) in the same bar with a really good looking woman.

I guess I would probably be taken aback if someone just contacted me out of the blue. I suppose email would be fine, but a phone call would kind of make me a little creeped. Years ago I lived in Delavan, and a guy rode up in a bike, saying that my house was his boyhood home--wondering if he could see inside. He was back in town visiting his sister, and blah, blah, blah. . . It was probably 10 years ago, and I didn't have any kids then--nor really much of anything that anyone would want to steal--so I walked through with him. He told me about whose bedroom was who, in his family, etc. It was a nice enough encounter, and he left. Doubtful that I would allow that same kind of thing to happen today, as I'm less trusting. Sorry Hawing. . .not really related to your question, but it reminded me of my own story. . .

The timing of this thread couldn't be better--for me! I'm going to Baltimore next Tuesday (July 24) for an O's vs. D-Rays game--and to see Camden Yards, etc. I've never been there--and am following it up with a Phillies game vs. the Nats (in Philly) the next night. I'm planning on going to the Babe Ruth Birthplace, and the National Aquarium--but I'm still looking for suggestions for more. And I'll have more suggestions for you after next week. . . As for DC, The National Zoo is terrific. Unfortunately, the American History Museum is closed for renovations. . .You'll be impressed by how close most of the federal sites are to each other. We were there years ago and went running in the morning, through some of the downtown, past the Washington Monument, the White House, etc. It's all very close.

Pretty inconclusive. I guess we'll never really know all of what happened and why he killed his wife, son, and then himself. It's still a numbing tragedy. For what its worth, they've lost me as a viewer. I never bought any of the pay-per-views, but Monday Night Raw was pretty much a staple for me the past 9 years or so. My wrestling fandom goes back to 1969 with All Star Wrestling at the Milwaukee Auditorium. I left in in the mid-70s, and then picked it up again during the heyday of the 80s, and left it during the Yokozuna days. I picked it up again in the late 90s, and was a regular viewer, but this Benoit thing was just too tragic, and I can't watch any more. Maybe time will pass, and I'll click on it just to see what's happening--but for now, I'm done. I'm really bothered by the WWE's absurd claims about their wellness program and the effectiveness of their drug testing. All you have to do is look at their roster and if's clear that those guys are not clean. Batista, Johnny Nitro, Chris Masters, Lashley, Edge, Orton, Triple H, Flair, Snitsky--maybe they're finding a way around the tests, but I'm not buying that they're clean. Plus, their bizarre statements saying there's no way that steroids were what triggered Benoit's actions--that it was too premeditated. . .why speculate at all on something that you can't possibly prove--while the police investigation is still going on? That's pretty irresponsible for business leaders to make those claims. Anyway--I'm done with wrestling.

Not sure why, but my post was entered twice.