I got up this morning from my own bed and ran a full 5k, lumbering along like Frankenstein. The stitches come out on Tuesday, but the bruising is frightening. Oddly, there is very little pain but still some vision blurring and sensitivity to light. I continue to wear the Cheap Sunglasses to protect my eyes and hide the swelling. My wife is expecting her company today and will pick them up at the Sarasota airport. I’ll meet her other friend here at the house where we’ll all have dinner before I vacate the premises. While I’m at my son’s house for the next few days, it will give them time for bonding, shopping, drinking, swimming, and dining out. In other words, I’ve been booted!
Life also got a little less complicated after a call from my Portland friend this morning. We had tentative plans to get together with him and his fiancée in Mexico this March. It was an opportunity for my wife to meet his new wife to be before their wedding next July. However, it was getting complicated trying to coordinate with my son in Phoenix, Spring Training, our friends in Tucson, and ultimately get to Mexico. They have decided to consolidate their living arrangements with her moving to Portland to be with him. This is great news for them, and will give us a chance to get together somewhere on the West Coast, rather than deal with the hassles of Mexico. After all, in these Covid times, I’ve already recently had trouble with Canadian border officials.
With me off the hook for a car rental in Kauai and taking a simpler path to Phoenix, I can feel the relief of being my own travel agent. We also got all our excursions arranged and paid for our river cruise to Egypt in May. I’m still a bit travel weary after the Alaska cruise, so I’m in no hurry to hit the road again. For now, even though I’ve been kicked out for a few days, there’s no place like home.
Through swollen eyelids, I watched baseball history last night with a Houston Astros combined no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. It was the second no-hitter in a World Series game, the first by Don Larsen of the Yankees in 1956, who was “perfect” against the Brooklyn Dodgers. That record will never be topped. Cristian Javier, Christian Vazquez, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly only gave up three base-on-balls, one was to Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies, extending his post-season on-base streak to 11 straight games.
I can remember the buzz around the Don Larsen “Perfecta,” even though I was only 5-years old. I was already into collecting baseball cards at that age and had all the Yankee greats that year. The 1956 Mickey Mantle Topps card alone is now worth thousands of dollars but somehow it got lost or thrown out. Three years later I became a White Sox fan, so those Yankee cards apparently didn’t matter any more. Don Larsen is valued at about $80 and probably went up in value with the exposure from last night’s no-hit feat.
I spent my second straight night in a chair sitting up with ice-packs pressed against my black-and-blue eyes. It made it even tougher to watch Manager Dusty Baker pull Cristian Javier after 6 innings and nine strike outs, taking away his chance of solo heroics. Instead, he shared the honor with four other bullpen mates for a 5-0 victory, tying the series at 2 games each.
My eyelids are now thick lips with Frankenstein-like stitches. I joke that I got a special deal on surgery by waiting until the day after Halloween. I’m also not supposed to exercise, but I did get the minimum mile in both days to extend “The Streak” to 5,058 consecutive days. It was especially difficult the day after surgery as I waited until afternoon and the pain-killers to wear off before lacing up my running shoes. This morning was easier and tomorrow I could be back to normal, hiding behind my cheap sunglasses.
Sherman Lollar of the Chicago White Sox was the very first recipient of a Rawlings Gold Glove at the catcher position. In fact, in its inaugural presentation year of 1957, it was awarded to the best player regardless of league. In subsequent years it has been divided into American and National League position players. Lollar won the award three times while it was one of the few honors never bestowed on Yankee rival Yogi Berra.
“The 2022 winners were announced prior to Tuesday’s Game 3 of the World Series between the Astros and Phillies on “Baseball Tonight” on ESPN2, with a record 14 first-time recipients earning the honor for best defensive player at each position (the old mark was 11, recorded in both 2020 and 1958, the year the award was established to include both Leagues.” For the record, only nine were presented in 1957, the fewest of all.
National League 2022:
Catcher: J.T. Realmuto, Phillies First: Christian Walker, D-Backs
Second: Brendan Rodgers, Rockies
Shortstop: Dansby Swanson, Braves
Third base: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals
Left field: Ian Happ, Cubs (first Cub at that position)
Center field: Trent Grisham, Padres
Right field: Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Pitcher: Max Fried, Braves
Utility player: Brendan Donovan, Cardinals
American League 2022:
Catcher: Jose Trevino, Yankees
Trevino is the third player in Yankees history to win a Gold Glove Award at the catcher position, joining Thurman Munson (1973-75) and Elston Howard (1963-64). Trevino led all Major League catchers with 21 defensive runs saved, which was also tied for the third-most Defensive Runs Saved in baseball, regardless of position.
First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
Second base: Andrés Giménez, Guardians
Shortstop: Jeremy Peña, Astros
Third base: Ramón Urías, Orioles
Left field: Steven Kwan, Guardians
Center field: Myles Straw, Guardians
Right field: Kyle Tucker, Astros
Pitcher: Shane Bieber, Guardians
Utility player: D.J. LeMahieu, Yankees
In other baseball notes:
“A managerial search that included candidates such as Joe Espada, Ozzie Guillén and Ron Washington, Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol’s candidacy flew a bit under the radar.” It appears that he will be the new White Sox manager for the 2023 season, replacing Tony La Russa at the helm.
I.U. alum Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies has now reached base in ten consecutive Playoff games with a first-inning walk. He was the first to cross the plate last night with Bryce Harper’s 2-run homer. “Schwarbs” then went on to hit a 2-run bomb in the bottom of the 5th, part of a 5-homer Phillies barrage that led to a 7-0 victory over the Astros in Game 3. He was already a “Taco Hero” after stealing a base in Game 1, but has yet to be a candidate for a Gold Glove.
It’s disconcerting when you find yourself reading only the obituaries (Remembered) in the Indiana University Alumni Magazine. I’m grateful that my name was not in there again. There are just too many people my age that are no longer and to see them all listed in pages of print is quite disturbing. My goal in anything is to at least be in the Top 20% and can only hope that applies to longevity. Every day I read about classmates, celebrities, and acquaintances that have unexpectedly passed at age 71 or younger.
I did find my name in the Top 10% of runners competing in the Nike NBA Challenge. As a result, I earned a Season NBA League Pass by participating on the Nike Run Club app – a reason to watch more TV sports. Trust me, it was not for speed, as I was quickly passed by a couple of other joggers this morning, leaving me with the feeling of standing still. That doesn’t happen too often in this community that tends to be 50-plus. However, we now have a neighbor with children because their home was affected by Ian and our grandmother neighbor has temporarily moved to South Carolina. It was not enough young blood to buy a bunch of Halloween candy.
I am currently hungry and thirsty, waiting for this afternoon’s eyelid surgery. Some experience pain with the procedure while others apparently do not. Nonetheless, they loaded me up on precautionary medication. This makes me a bit worried, while hopefully it won’t jeopardize my running streak that stands at 5,056 consecutive days. On the intellectual side, my Wordle streak is now at 33, far from the longest of 76, during the 230 daily games that I’ve played so far. I seem to have lost the swimming habit because the weather has been cooler, but I’ve continued my daily regimen of sit-ups, push-ups, and stretching.
My wife’s daughter now works for Nike, so therefore I’ve tried to show renewed allegiance despite the narrow cut of their sportswear. I once relied on a Nike Fit-Bit to keep pace and record my streak. Swoosh-wear seems designed for taller, slimmer athletes, and I have to be careful about what I buy. We saved a ton of money on Nike Dri-Fit gear with her employee discount, and she took us on an impressive tour of the campus that pays homage to stars like LeBron, Serena, and Pre. Now, she tells us that she can get a great deal on a rental car for our trip to Kauai, one of the priciest locations for rentals that I’ve found. Although I continue to run in Brooks brand shoes, most of my accessories are now Nike as opposed to Columbia. I’m quickly becoming more and more a Phil Knight fan! Just Do It, Again!
Our schnauzer Tally is wearing her “Trick or Treat” scarf and we have been invited to join the grandkids for early evening candy grabbing. It’s that time of year again as we go into the holiday home stretch …candy, turkey, elves…new year. We’ll spend two weeks in Kauai between Thanksgiving and Christmas and begin our final preparations for Arizona, Mexico and Egypt.
Today is “Trash Day,” “Meatless Monday,” and “Matinee Monday” all rolled into one. I got rid of a bunch of empty wine boxes from shipments over the past year that have accumulated in the garage. They were ideal for Alaska Airline flights where they shipped for free. We could take a case with us when we traveled from Portland, but are no longer frequent fliers with that airline out of Florida. I saved one box for our trip to Kauai, but we have an overnight stop in Seattle so it may not be as convenient.
We might have to stop at the Xfinity store this afternoon and that may interrupt any chance to also get to a movie. My wife’s viewing screen has turned to plaid and she may need a new phone. They aren’t taking on-line appointments, so we might have a long wait. Monday traditionally means a call to my sister, who has been less available due to substitute teaching opportunities. Most importantly, we definitely need to run by Taco Bell to pick up my free taco that may disrupt the “meatless” commitment that starts every week. With the surgery tomorrow, I will need to claim it today after my visit with the chiropractor. When all is said and done, my only hope is that I don’t have a Halloween with more tricks than treats.
It was warm enough this morning for a post-run swim, followed by a little reading in the sun. I just started the new Grisham novel, Boys of Biloxi just after finishing James Patterson’s Blow Back. A Patricia Cornwell recent release awaits. My Kindle stopped working, so I’ve been using the phone app. Football is my TV plan for this afternoon after finally getting through Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. It was hard to stomach. In the evenings, we’ve started Five Days at Memorial, a reminder of what we just missed in being out of town for Hurricane Ian. Will the Bears game against the Cowboys be of equal horror with these two series?
We did get to the main community pool yesterday to watch our neighbors perform on guitars and also have lunch at the Dog Friendly food cart. The Florida weather has been so beautiful these past few weeks, but reminders of storm damage are everywhere. Last night, we made the 45-minute drive down to badly damaged Punta Gorda for dinner. Very few lights were working and the restaurant we were seeking was closed. We ended up at Los Mariachis in Port Charlotte, but the much touted mariachi band didn’t show up. A careless waiter then tried to dump a tray of food into my lap – not even our food. It was all over the floor at my feet but no one bothered to clean it up. An apology might have been nice. Not our best choice for Date Night.
I struggled once again to get out of bed this morning. It’s been well over a week since we returned home, but all those time changes took their toll on my internal clock. I’ve been groggy, unstable on my feet, and sleep challenged. Travel was really tough on me this time, but it was the first time we’d been away for more than a month. It’s already taken weeks to recover, plus now I’m faced with eyelid surgery and another time change. To make matters worse, I’m being kicked out of my own bed and house to accommodate my wife’s girl friend get together next weekend. Woe is me!
Steal a base…Steal a taco. It’s a Taco Bell promotion and I.U. alum Kyle Schwarber, as a result, is a World Series hero. Schwarber at 6′ 229 lbs. is a slugger not a speedster by any stretch of the imagination. Going from base-to-base with a piano on his back is one description, but who needs to be fast when you can take your time rounding the bases after celebrating another over-the-fence moon shot like Game 1 of the NLCS against Yu Darvish, another former Cub, and the San Diego Padres. Coincidentally, the Topps card of this achievement just arrived in the mail this morning. Hopefully, they will produce another to commemorate the stolen base, although it didn’t really figure in the 6-5 extra innings win. The real hero of the game was J.T. Realmuto with his 10th inning homer that sealed the victory.
Through the years, Mookie Betts, Cameron Maybin, Lorenzo Cain, Trea Turner, Francisco Lindor (Indians), Angel Pagan, Jason Bartlett (Rays), Jacoby Ellsbury, Ozzie Albies, and now Kyle Schwarber have all “secured Taco Bell goodness for everyone who wants to indulge.” In the ten years that the campaign has existed, “teams whose player secures the first stolen base of the World Series are 8-2.” Only the Rays and Indians fell short.
In last night’s Series opener, Schwarber reached first base on an infield single off Astros reliever Bryan Abreu in the top of the seventh and the score tied 5-5. While still nursing a knee injury, he then stole second to move into scoring position with only one out. The successful swipe means a free Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco for anyone that downloads the app. I will, of course, claim my Taco prize!
Note: Schwarber World Series heroics date back to 2016 and the Cubs. (See Post #119)
Tonight is game one of the World Series that practically everyone in the world can watch on TV if they want. However, that wasn’t the case up until September 30, 1947 when three networks shared the broadcast of the very first World Series featuring the Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers. NBC televised games 1 and 5, CBS games 3 and 4, and DuMont games, 2,6, & 7. It was the first racially integrated series with Jackie Robinson going 7-27 and getting his first hit in game 2 to tie the score. Although it was televised, games were only seen on a small number of Eastern markets with stations connected via coaxial cable.
Sherm Lollar started game 3 at catcher for the Yankees wearing #29. He was a right-handed hitter and went 2-3 with two doubles, an RBI, and two runs scored. When the Dodgers brought in right-hander Ralph Branca in the 7th, manager Bucky Harris sent Lollar to the bench in favor of lefty Yogi Berra, who then proceeded to hit the very first pinch-hit home run in World Series history. The Dodgers still won 9-8, claiming their first victory in the series. Incidentally, four years later, Branca, pitching for the New York Giants, made unwelcome history again by giving up the 1951 Bobby Thomson “Shot heard round the world.”
Lollar did not play again until game 6 when he shared the catching duties with Aaron Robinson, the game 5 starter with Berra in right field. Sherm had another single and scored another run, going 3-4 in the series overall and earning his first World Series ring. His Yankees won it all in Game 7, but Robinson did the catching and Berra played right field. Neither of them had a hit. It’s the only time, so far, that the New York Yankees have won a Game 7 at home. In my collection, I have a piece of Sherm Lollar’s uniform from that series. He was traded to the St. Louis Browns in 1949 and finished his career with the Chicago White Sox starting in 1952.
Lollar’s next World Series was in 1959 with the Sox, losing to the Dodgers. He went 5-22 in that series. In 1966, he was a coach with the World Champion Baltimore Orioles.
Storm-related damages are the “out” for insurance and warranty coverage. Apparently, our Kitchenaid warranty will not pay for repairs, so we’ve not only lost all our food but also responsible for covering the damage. I guess this is the reality stage of any tragedy. First, you’re just glad to be alive and thankful that the damages we’re more extensive. Then, the next stage hits where you’re fighting the insurance companies to honor their commitments. This only leads to anger and disappointment when ultimately you’re writing big checks to cover your losses, while your insurance rates go up.
The bottom line is that I’ll be paying for the refrigerator, roof tile work, inspection, and landscaping losses, plus a HOA assessment. There’s not enough to cover the deductible on my homeowners policy so it’s just more unexpected costs eating away at my retirement nest egg. Should I be angry or just be grateful that it wasn’t more?
This is why I’m not a nature lover – it can be cruel and dangerous. The same sky that produces those beautiful sunrises and sunsets can turn against you at any moment. It can grow dark and destructive without much warning. Hurricanes are the price we pay to live in Florida, while the Midwest had tornadoes, and the West Coast earthquakes. You simply can’t hide from Mean Mother Nature!
I’m waiting this morning for the refrigerator repairman, hopeful we can get power restored soon. I shortened my run to just over the minimum mile to meet him at the house. Whatever the damage, it’s nothing compared to the horrors that surround us thanks to hurricane Ian. Pieces of screen, siding, roof tiles, tarps, and tree limbs litter the neighborhood. We’re not sure what caused the issue with our kitchen refrigerator, but a power surge is suspected. I’ll know for sure in the next hour or so, additionally hoping that it’s something simple or overlooked and not Halloween spooks!
My wife and Tally are at the dog park, as is their daily custom. I have a chiropractor appointment later, but the rest of the day will probably be spent in my office chair writing or watching TV. I am, however, getting restless with all this down time, searching for a more constructive way to spend my days. If I could just move some of the discipline that it takes to run every day into other areas of my life. However, the morning exercise seems to sap my strength rather than motivate me to do more as it did in the past.
The grandkids were here last night for sloppy joe’s. They only stayed about an hour-and-a-half. I hadn’t seen most of them in over a month but we still had little to talk about. My granddaughter’s school finally reopened from storm damage after nearly three weeks. She’ll need to make those days up later in the year. We chatted about Halloween costumes but I was not familiar with the characters that they chose, especially my grandson who will dress like a creature of his own design. We sent them off with Halloween cards holding cash for candy of their choosing. My wish is simply no tricks from the refrigerator repair guy or the warranty company. Happy Halloween!
