Don, Pat & Mike
RIP MLB Hall of Famer Don Sutton, whose career spanned more than 20 years, 1966-’88. His parents were Alabama sharecroppers, 18 and 15 respectively when he was born. He was not drafted out of high school despite great success. He spent a couple of years in college before a good showing in a summer league attracted the Dodgers, for whom he pitched from ‘66-’80. He played for four other teams as well before returning to L.A. for his swan song in ’88. Alas, he was cut in mid season and missed out on the World Series run. He had 324 wins and an ERA of 3.26. He was a four-time All-Star and led the majors in ERA in 1980, 2.20. He won 21 games in 1976 and 19 twice. The Dodgers retired his #20. He holds the team record for wins, 233, and strikeouts. When his playing career was done, he went into broadcasting. He was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame for his work in the booth covering their games. He battled cancer for many years. Well done, sir.
Last night Movies!, channel 5–2 on ota’s in NYC, ran a feast for movie trivia buffs: Pat and Mike (1952), starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as a manager and his multi-sport protégé. It was directed by George Cukor and written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, whose screenplay was nominated for an Oscar. It’s a fun story that features a host of familiar supporting players: Charles Bronson, billed by his real name Buchinski, as an incompetent gangster; Chuck Connors as a police captain; Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer as a bus boy; George Mathews — Harvey from The Honeymooners, as a gangster; golf legend Babe Didrikson Zaharias; pro tennis player Alice Marble; and others from the world of sports. For those who don’t know, Hepburn was a fine athlete. Here’s a still of Bronson’s character trying to convince Pat to throw her golf match and cash in — shades of Raging Bull (1980)!:
I ran into Dave, a former chef at a Manhattan hotel who lost his job to the pandemic and contracted Corona in March, as did his wife Kim. He spent the afternoon in Chinatown and couldn’t believe how many shops and restaurants were boarded up. The two souvenir stores he spotted that were open for business were devoid of customers. There were hardly any people on the streets and sidewalks.
I received a letter from Eaton Vance Funds labelled “EXTREMELY IMORTANT” and urging me call. I put in a sell order instead. If it is transacted, it will be a decent profit.
Talk radio host Mark Simone is a personal friend of Donald Trump. Today he posted the final update on Trump’s accomplishments. Read it here:
https://710wor.iheart.com/featured/mark-simone/content/2021-01-17-read-the-list-of-the-trump-administration-accomplishments/
The weather was infinitely better than predicted today. My thanks to the kind folks who purchased books in Russian and English.
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