Three Champions
Headline from newsmax.com: “FBI Quietly Shutters Diversity and Inclusion Office.” Yay!
RIP “Mr. Baseball” Bob Uecker, 90. Born and raised in Milwaukee, he did a stint in the Army before signing with his hometown team. A catcher, he made his MLB debut in 1962. He had the great fortune of being traded to the Cardinals in ’64 and was a member of the World Champions, although he did not see much action. He was sent to the Phillies in ’65 and traded back to the Braves, who had moved to Atlanta, in ’67. In six seasons he batted .200 and socked 14 homers. In 1971 he began calling play-by-play for the Milwaukee Brewers’ radio broadcasts. He did it for 54 years, his final broadcast Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series between the Brewers and Mets in 2024. He was also on the broadcast teams of ABC and NBC. Throughout his tenure he demonstrated a humor that attracted national attention. He made an art of self-deprecation. He hosted two syndicated sports programs and did a number of commercials. He was the ring announcer at WrestleMania III, and a ringside announcer at WrestleMania VIII. He hosted SNL in ’84. There are 18 titles under his name at IMDb, including 118 episodes of Mr. Belvedere. He made scores of appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, who gave him his nickname. He is a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame and National Radio Hall of Fame. The Brewers erected the Uecker Monument outside American Family Field alongside statues of Hank Aaron and Robin Yount. Married twice, he was a father of four. An incredible run. Thanks for the laughs, Sir. Photo from Google Images:
RIP actress Joan Plowright, 95. Born in Brigg, Lincolnshire UK, she trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and made her professional stage debut in 1948. Her London debut came in ’54. She won a Tony in ‘61 as Best Actress (Drama) for A Taste of Honey. She was comfortable on the big and small screen as well. There are 77 titles under her name at IMDb, screen career spanning 1951–2009. She did many classics but was not averse to doing light fare such as Last Action Hero (1993) and Dennis the Menace (1993). She was nominated for an Oscar, Emmy and two BAFTAs, and won two Golden Globes in 1993: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Enchanted April, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television, Stalin, playing the monster’s grandma. She left her first husband and married Laurence Olivier, recently divorced from Vivien Leigh, in ’61. The union lasted until his death in ’89 and produced three children. Of him she said: “If a man is touched by genius, he is not an ordinary person. He doesn’t lead an ordinary life. He has extremes of behavior which you understand and you just find a way not to be swept overboard by his demons.” Well done, Madam. Thank you. Photo from GI:
RIP NBA stalwart Gus Williams, 71. Born in Mount Vernon, he was New York’s high school player of the year in 1971. A point guard, he earned an athletic scholarship to USC, where he was second team All American in ’75. His #10 was retired by the Trojans. He was selected by the Warriors in the second round of the ’75 draft, the 20th pick overall. He was named to the All-Rookie Team. In ’77 he signed with Seattle as a free agent and was part of the ’79 championship team. Here are other accomplishments: two-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Second Team, NBA Comeback Player of the Year, #1 retired by the SuperSonics. He also played for the Bullets and Hawks. His career spanned ‘75–’87. Overall, he averaged 17.1 PPG, 5.6 APG and two SPG. He suffered a stroke in 2020 and had been staying in an assisted living facility ever since. He was a father of one. Well done, Sir. Photo from GI:
Beautiful day for mid-January, and the Anti-Inflation Book Shop did well. My thanks to the kind folks who donated stuff, and to the gentleman who grossly overcompensated me for a stack of Poetry magazines and a large paperback on the Founding Fathers; and to the one who bought five hardcovers in Russian; and to Wolf & Sophie, who purchased a bunch of Russian CDs and War Against the Jews: How to End Hamas Barbarism by Alan Dershowitz.
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