Sports Fact of the Day 5/18-5/20/2008

May 18:
5/18/1963:
Candy Spots, Willie Shoemaker up, wins the Preakness by three and a half lengths over Kentucky Derby winner Chateaugay. Owned by Rex Ellsworth, Candy Spots takes command at the top of the stretch and wins going away. He'll win 7 of his 12 races this year, finish in the money in all three Triple Crown events (third at Churchill Downs; second at the Belmont) and lead the money-earnings list with over $600,000 in purses. For Chateaugay, it's a very costly loss. He'll go on to win the Belmont Stakes missing out on a Triple Crown by faltering in this race.

Birthdays:
Fred Perry b. 1909
Brooks Robinson b. 1937
Reggie Jackson b. 1946
Rod Milburn b. 1950
Jari Kurri b. 1960

May 19:
Capturing the whirlwind of Guy Lafleur flying down right wing, his teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Ken Dryden wrote: "Helmetless, he starts with a suddenness that sends his hair flipping up in back; in three or four strides pulling away at his temples; streaming behind him like a flag in the breeze."

Dolph Schayes b. 1928
Archie Manning b. 1949
Bill Laimbeer b. 1957
Turk Wendell b. 1967
Kevin Garnett b. 1976

1979:
Kentucky Derby-winner Spectacular Bid added the second jewel of the Triple Crown and won the Preakness Stakes by 5-1/2 lengths at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

"Appearing to toy with four opponents, Spectacular Bid rolled easily to the finish line to a tremendous ovation from his owners' neighbors in Baltimore, where this handsome gray colt has now become as much of a hero as Brooks Robinson, John Unitas and the blue crab." -William Leggett, May 28, 1979

Packers Fact:
Before signing with the Packers in 2006, punter Jon Ryan set a Canadian Football League record by averaging 50.6 yards per kick for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2005.

May 20:
5/20/2001:
Brilliant young Spaniard Sergio Garcia, wins his first PGA tournament with a final-round 63, overtaking Phil Mickelson to win the Colonial at Fort Worth. Trailing by five strokes entering the day, Garcia blazes through the front nine with a 6-under-par 29 to get back in contention. When Mickelson, the defending champion in this event, misses several short putts on his way to an even-par 70, Garcia takes full advantage for his breakthrough triumph in America.

Birthdays:
Hal Newhouser b. 1921
Stan Mikita b. 1940
Sadaharu Oh b. 1940
Bobby Murcer b. 1946
David Wells b. 1963

Packers Fact:
Noah Herron came off the bench to run for 106 yards against St. Louis in week 5 of 2006. Before Herron, the last Packers reserve to run for 100 yards in a game was Samkon Gado. He had 111 yards against Philadelphia in 2005 despite not starting the game.

Book of the Day 5/18-5/20/2008

LOVE GODDESS

“Love became her terrible habit, something hopeless to resist, impossible to get right,” Lee Server observes about one of Hollywood’s sexiest movie goddesses. The book is full of great stories and lurid gossip—think of her marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, and most famously Frank Sinatra, not to mention her relationships with the likes of Howard Hughes and Ernest Hemingway. New material is provided from interviews with friends and colleagues who have not previously spoken for the record. This is a great Hollywood read that will absolutely not disappoint.

AVA GARDNER: “LOVE IS NOTHING,” by Lee Server (St. Martin’s Press, 2006)

“Merlis’s insight into human nature and his ability to find and articulate grace in the ordinary process of human exchange is remarkable . . . a stunning standout.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

An Arrow’s Flight is quite simply a brilliantly original piece of fiction. To say that it is about Pyrrhus, a go-go boy and hustler who also happens to be the son of Achilles (and therefore one-quarter divine), misleads one into thinking it is merely a flippant take on gay life, ancient and modern. But Merlis has greater ambitions than that, and in the end, his book is truly moving.

AN ARROW’S FLIGHT, by Mark Merlis (Stonewall Inn Editions, 1999)

THINK FAST!

What a seductive title. Thinking without thinking sounds vaguely like losing weight without exercise. Still, Gladwell has a point: The first impression, while not infallible, can very often be very right. He explores this premise with compelling stories such as the follow-the-rules generals beaten by a quick-thinking maverick during war games. Gladwell covers the bad side of “blink,” too, as in the case of Amadou Diallo, who was killed because of the mistaken snap judgment of police officers. He believes that the ability to make good quick judgments can be enhanced and developed through training and experience. It’s an intriguing premise and an exceptionally entertaining book.

BLINK: THE POWER OF THINKING WITHOUT THINKING, by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown, 2005)

Sports Fact of the Day 5/14-5/17/2008

May 14:
5/14/1987:
Montreal Canadiens agitator Claude Lemieux's pregame ritual of shooting a puck into the opposition's unguarded net following warm-ups precipitates a wild brawl at the Forum when the Philadelphia Flyers take umbrage. Enforcer Ed "Boxcar" Hospodar begins pummeling Lemieux, and soon several other fights break out with the game officials still in their dressing room. The unseemly spectacle lasts more than 10 minutes, but no penalties are assessed because the action took place before the game; however, the NHL will heavily fine all the participants. Inspired by standing up for their "turf," the Flyers win the game that follows, 4-3, clinching this series and advancing to the Stanley Cup finals.

Birthdays:
Gump Worsley b. 1929
Tony Perez b. 1942
Dick Tidrow b. 1947
Dennis Martinez b. 1955
Pooh Richardson b. 1966

1967:
Mickey Mantle became the sixth slugger in baseball history to hit 500 career home runs when he drove a pitch from Baltimore's Stu Miller into the rightfield bleachers at Yankee Stadium.

"He could run with the speed of a jackrabbit, he could throw strikes to home plate from deep in the outfield; a switch-hitter, he could blast a ball farther than any man who ever lived. He was Elmer the Great, Frank Merriwell and a blond Li'l Abner rolled into one." -Gerald Holland, March 4, 1957

Packers Fact:
Rookies Tony Moll and Jason Spitz started at guard for the Packers on Kickoff Weekend in 2006. Before that, the last NFL team to start two rookies at guard in a season opener was Cincinnati in 1996.

May 15:
5/15/1970:
For the second game in a row, a Mets pitcher hurls a one-hitter as New York blanks Philadelphia, 4-1, at Connie Mack Stadium. Two days ago, Gary Gentry shut out the Cubs on just one hit, an Ernie Banks single in the eighth inning. Tonight, there's considerably less suspense as Tom Seaver is nicked for a single by rookie catcher Mike Compton in the third inning, one of only 18 hits he'll get in his whole career. The Mets win again by a 4-0 score. Tom Terrific will go on to post another brilliant campaign, leading the league in strikeouts (283) and ERA (2.82), but the Mets will fail to duplicate their "miracle" season of 1969, finishing third in the NL East.

Birthdays:
Don Nelson b. 1940
George Brett b. 1953
John Smoltz b. 1967
Emmitt Smith b. 1969
Ray Lewis b. 1975

1976:
The Detroit Tigers rookie pitching sensation Mark "The Bird" Fidrych made his first major league start.

"He talked to the baseball! You could see him standing out there on the mound, holding that ball before him and actually speaking to it, as if he were Hamlet addressing poor Yorick's skull. Who, in the name of Walter Johnson, had ever done that before?" -Ron Fimrite, April 11, 1977

Packers Fact:
The Packers beat Detroit, 31-24, in Week 3 of 2006 season to give Mike McCarthy his first victory as a head coach.

May 16:
5/16/1953:
Chicago White Sox manager Paul Richards strikes gold at Yankee Stadium when he uses left-hand-hitting pitcher Tommy Byrne to pinch-hit for right-hand-hitting position player Vern Stephens with two outs in the ninth inning and the bases loaded, trailing the Yankees, 3-1. Byrne connects for a grand-slam homer off Ewell Blackwell and the ChiSox escape with an unlikely 5-3 victory. Yankee starter Vic Raschi had entered the ninth with a two-hit shutout before it all fell apart. As for Byrne, a former Yankee, he'll be sold to the Washington Senators less than a month from now.

Birthdays:
Billy Martin b. 1928
Jack Morris b. 1955
Joan Benoit Samuelson b. 1957
Thurman Thomas b. 1966
Gabriela Sabatini b. 1970

1971:
Marty Liquori held off a hard-charging Jim Ryun on the last turn and won a dramatic mile race at Philadelphia's Franklin Field.

"The Dream Mile was suddenly the Super Mile, an event, one reporter informed his readers, of no less consequence than Frazier vs. Ali or Namath vs. Baltimore. Others viewed it as a rematch of David and Goliath, with perhaps just a dash of the Titanic once more steaming toward the iceberg." -Pat Putnam, May 24, 1971

Packers Fact:
The Packers started three rookies on Kickoff Weekend in 2006 (guards Tony Moll and Jason Spitz and linebackers A.J. Hawk). The last time they had three first-year players in the lineup on Kickoff Weekend was in 1988 (wide receiver Sterline Sharpe, defensive end Shawn Patterson, and safety Chuck Cecil).

May 17:
5/17/1992:
Betsy King sets a passel of women's golf records as she completes a four-day tour de force at the Mazda LPGA Chmpaionship at Betheseda, Maryland. With her final-round 66 today, King shoots a 17-under-par 267, the lowest four-round total in LPGA history. By shooting 68-66-67-66, she becomes the first player ever to shoot four rounds under 70 at a women's major championship. Her 17-under total is the lowest ever posted in a women's major, and her 11-stroke margin of victory sets a new record for the LPGA Championship. She hits all but 11 greens in regulation and cards only two bogeys during the entire tournament.

Birthdays:
Cool Papa Bell b. 1903
Earl Morrall b. 1934
Tony Roche b. 1945
Sugar Ray Leonard b. 1956
Danny Manning b. 1966


1992:
The Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan was named the Most Valuable Player of the National Basketball Association for a second straight season.

"Why do we love Michael Jordan? For the same reasons we love Peter Pan. Because he can fly. Someday Tinker Bell herself will sprinkle him with fairy dust, and he will waft on over the basket and up into the wires and lights like a raptor soaring into the clouds." -Rick Telander, November 17, 1986

Packers Fact:
Noah Herron had 106 yards in 20 carriers in the Packers 23-20 loss to the Rams in week 5 of 2006, recording his first career 100-yard rushing day.

Book Rec of the Day 5/14-5/17/2008

ENDS OF THE EARTH

Kavenna follows in the many paths of travelers who have been fascinated and impelled by the idea of Thule, a land ever distant, always beyond a horizon, receding and impossibly beautiful. Beginning in Scotland and continuing into Greenland, Iceland, and Norway, the author explores the spirit of travel, the insatiable desire to find distant lands, and the magnificence of the places she goes. Kirkus Reviews called The Ice Museum “a lambent chronicle of wandering north and encountering an old idea brought forcibly into a new age.”

THE ICE MUSEUM: IN SEARCH OF THE LOST LAND OF THULE, by Joanna Kavenna (Viking, 2006)

ROMANCE ME

Meg Cabot, the creator of the Princess Diaries books, has crafted, in Boy Meets Girl, a delightful and playful romance with a witch of a boss known as T.O.D. (Tyrannical Office Despot), a sweet dessert-cart lady, a young lawyer named Mitch, and, of course, our heroine, Kate Mackenzie, an idealistic young lady working at the New York Journal. Told through office memos, e-mails, instant messages, and other media favored by modern young women, Kate’s girl-meets-boy story makes a winning and delightful novel.

BOY MEETS GIRL, by Meg Cabot (HarperCollins, 2004)

CLASSIC

It’s May. The roses are beginning to climb, the earth is awakening again—it’s the perfect time for some Colette. In this volume of collected autobiographical writings, the 20th-century iconoclast and sensualist reveals the threads that run through all her writing: her relationship with her mother, Sido; her love of the earth and nature; an intensely feminine, passionate view of the world and people. You can hear the bees buzzing and the sea sighing in these perfumed pages.

EARTHLY PARADISE: COLETTE’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, DRAWN FROM THE WRITINGS OF HER LIFETIME, translated from the French by Herma Briffault; edited by Robert Phelps (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1966)

SERIES FAVORITES

Miri Cheney is the youngest and wisest of the “Sisters of Faire Isle,” a group of mystical women. Trying to find peace and healing in her ancestral home, she is nevertheless forced to participate in a quest for a mysterious, powerful, and sinister woman known as the Silver Rose. Her partner in this treacherous endeavor is none other than the witch hunter Simon Aristide, a man she does not trust yet inevitably desires. A rich and dramatic mix of fantasy and history, this third book in the Sisters of Faire Isle series will have romance readers hungry for more.

THE SILVER ROSE, by Susan Carroll (Ballantine Books, 2006)

Sports Fact of the Day 5/9-5/13/2008

May 9:
5/9/175:
Eighteen-year-old Bjorn Borg of Sweden outlasts 36-year-old Australian Rod Laver in five sets in the semifinals of the WCT championships at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The scores are 7-6, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 as fans are treated to four hours of masterful shot-making and all-court play from Borg, clearly on the precipice of greatness and Laver, arguably the finest player of all time. Playing on a slow indoor carpet surface, serving speed was neutralized, resulting in brilliant baseline rallies. Thoroughly spent after surviving this grueling encounter, Borg will bow in the finals to Arthur Ashe.

Birthdays:
Pancho Gonzales b. 1928
Ralph Boston b. 1939
Howard "Butch" Komives b. 1941
Tony Gwynn b. 1960
Steve Yzerman b. 1965

1992:
Terry Norris, the WBC super welterweight champion, entered the ring against Meldrick Taylor with the word KNOCKOUT shaved on the back of his head. Norris used his hands as well as his head and successfully defended his title.

"Norris's brutally efficient defense of his title, a fourth-round knockout of WBA welterweight champion Meldrick Taylor, one of the most gifted boxers of his generation, certifies Norris as the leading candidate for the office of best fighter, pound for pound, in the world." -Richard O'Brien, May 18, 1992

Packers Fact:
Green Bay's 23-20 loss to the Rams in week 5 of 2006 marked the first time in his career that Brett Favre lost a game at Lambeau Field in which he did not throw an interception (44 games, including playoffs).

May 10:
5/10/1975:
The peerless filly Ruffian storms to an eight-length victory in the Acorn Stakes at Aqueduct racetrack in New York over Somethingregal and Gallant Trial. She'll earn universal acclaim in racing circles as she goes on to capture the two other legs of the Filly Triple Crown-the Mother Goose and American Oaks. Tragically, only two months from now, she'll break down in a match race with Foolish Pleasure at Belmont Park, injure herself further on the operating table and have to be destroyed.

Birthdays:
Pat Summerall b. 1930
Manuel Santana b. 1938
Jim Calhoun b. 1942
Phil & Steve Mahre b. 1957
Rony Seikaly b. 1965

1973:
The New York Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 102-93, and won the NBA championship in five games.

"This year's finals were the closest and lowest scoring since 1956. The average margin of victory was five points and even in the fifth game, a veritable rout that New York won 102-93, the two teams were separated by only four points with 1:04 to play." -Peter Carry, May 21, 1973

Packers Fact:
Reggie McKenzie is the former NFL linebacker who servers as the Packers' director of pr personnel.

May 11:
5/11/1936:
Mel Ott cracks a three-run homer in the ninth inning at Baker Bowl to give the New York Giants a 13-12 victory over the Phillies. Master Melvin's timely wallop off Claude Passeau caps an eight-RBI day for the slightly built slugger and trumps a Philadelphia onslaught that produced five home runs, two by Dolph Camilli. Ott will lead the National League in homers in 1936 with 33, one of six times he will do so.

Birthdays:
Charlie Gehringer b. 1903
Rip Sewell b. 1907
Jack Twyman b. 1934
Milt Pappas b. 1939
Kerry Ligtenberg b. 1971

May 12:
5/12/1974:
After winning 11 NBA championships in 13 years (157-69), the Boston Celtics win their first one in five years with a 102-87 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Boston center Dave Cowens has 28 points and 14 rebounds, outplaying his taller and more celebrated rival, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In a strange seven-game series in which the road team wins five times, the Celtics clinch the title at the Milwaukee Arena.

Birthdays:
Yogi Berra b. 1925
Felipe Alou b. 1935
Johnny Bucyk b. 1935
George Karl b. 1951
Lou Whitaker b. 1957

1977:
The Los Angeles Rams signed the aging New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath to a free-agent contract.

"Hiring Namath is like having Farrah Fawcett-Majors on the payroll. People like that get noticed. ... That he should have departed one celebrity-swollen community for another is fitting for one who, while his once formidable skills decline, has become increasingly famous for being famous." -Ron Fimrite, August 15, 1977

Packers Fact:
The Packers' Mike McCarthy was one of the three first-year head coaches in the four-team NVC North in 2006 (the others were Minnesota's Brad Childress and Detroit's Rod Marinelli).

May 13:
5/13/2005:
Tiger Woods' remarkable streak of making the cut (to play the final two rounds of a tournament) is snapped at 142, a PGA Tour record, when he misses the cut line by one stroke at the Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas. Ironically, this tourney (which Woods won in 1997) is hosted by Byron Nelson, who ranks second all-time on the consecutive-cuts-made list with 113. It's only the third time Woods has missed the cut in 10 years as a professional. With the unusual occurrence of a weekend off, he flies home to Florida not to relax, but to work on his swing at a driving range.

Birthdays:
Dean Meminger b. 1948
Bobby Valentine b. 1950
Dennis Rodman b. 1961
Mike Bibby b. 1978
Barry Zito b. 1978

1995:
New Zealand won the America's Cup, 5-0, and handed the embarrassed United States team's skipper Dennis Conner his second Cup defeat in 12 years.

Conner is the only American skipper in 144 years to have lost the oldest trophy in sports, and now he has done it twice. At least in 1983, when Liberty was edged 4-3 by Australia II, Conner went down fighting. This time the man whose credo was once "no excuse to lose" went down fund-raising." -E.M. Swift, May 22, 1995

Packers Fact:

36-year-old Brett Favre led the NFL in pass attempts in 2005, becoming the fifth oldest player ever to do so. The oldest: Fran Tarkenton, who was 38 when he led the league in that category while playing for Minnesota in 1978.

Book Rec of the Day 5/9-5/13/2008

GROUP BIO

Doris Kearns Goodwin is one of nonfiction’s gifts to the world. Here she examines Lincoln’s political savvy in his choosing for allies disgruntled rivals William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward M. Stanton, and Edward Bates, enlisting all three opponents in the Republication nomination of 1860 for important posts in his cabinet. The “rube” from Illinois won the respect and loyalty of these accomplished, urbane men, and together they put their skills and abilities to work in the service of a nation very much in need of leadership and vision.

TEAM OF RIVALS: THE POLITICAL GENIUS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster, 2005)

LAS VEGAS THRILLERS

What a brilliant idea: Michael Connelly, himself a brilliant mystery writer (City of Bones and Blood Work, among others), has collected 22 stories with the same setting, Sin City, by his favorite writers. Money, sex, greed, neon, and failure in the desert: It’s a winning formula, and you can bet on that.
Stories by James Swain, S. J. Rozan, Wendy Hornsby, Michael Collins, T. P Keating, J. Madison Davis, Sue Pike, Joan Richter, Libby Hellmann, Tom Savage, Edward Wellen, K. J. A. Wishnia, Linda Kerslake, John Wessel, Lise McClendon, Ronnie Klaskin, Ruth Cavin, A. B. Robbins, Gay Toltl Kinman, Micki Marz, Rick Mofina, and Jeremiah Healy.

	MURDER IN VEGAS: NEW CRIME TALES OF GAMBLING AND DESPERATION, edited by Michael Connelly (Forge Books, 2005)

HERSTORY

While George Washington strode out into the world, his wife, Martha, was quietly laboring in the background to bring balance to a republic that celebrated the common man yet needed decorum to gain respect in the rest of the world. And what of the sacrifices and contributions of Esther Reed and Sarah Bache, who raised more than $300,000 for Washington’s troops, or Abigail Adams, Aaron Burr’s mother, Benedict Arnold’s wife? They all played their parts in the nation’s most decisive era, and their stories needed to be told. Happily, Roberts has taken on the task and her labors have yielded a fascinatingly informative bestseller.

FOUNDING MOTHERS: THE WOMEN WHO RAISED OUR NATION, by Cokie Roberts (Harper Perennial, 2005)

OTHER WORLDS

John Pitt is a sensitive English lad of 18 who moves to Iran in the 1970s on something of a whim and installs himself there as an English-language teacher. The beautiful 17-year-old Shirin is one of his students, and their great love emerges against the backdrop of political unrest and the exotic land and history of Iran. The lovers have a child and share an uneasy bliss before being wrenched apart by war and its madness. Both Pitt and Shirin are complex, thoughtful characters, and Buchan’s prose is “supple and elegant” (Publishers Weekly). The Persian Bride was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book.

THE PERSIAN BRIDE, by James Buchan (Mariner Books, 2002)

STYLISH READ

Carmel Snow does not have the name-brand recognition that her protégée and rival Diana Vreeland has, but Snow’s life is equally fascinating and perhaps even more enjoyable for its fresh material. Born in Ireland, she went from her mother’s high-society dressmaking shop to work for Vogue in 1922. Ten years later, Snow went to Harper’s Bazaar, where from 1932 to 1957 she guided the magazine as editor-in-chief and worked with talented hirelings such as Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Truman Capote, and Andy Warhol, and, of course, the breathtaking couture of Balenciaga, Dior, Chanel, and Givenchy.

A DASH OF DARING: CARMEL SNOW AND HER LIFE IN FASHION, ART, AND LETTERS, by Penelope Rowlands (Atria, 2005)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 05/08/08

5/8/1957:
Ted Williams has three home runs off Bob Keegan at Comiskey Park, leading the Red Sox to a 4-1 victory over the White Sox. On June 13, he'll hit three more in a game at Cleveland, becoming the first American Leaguer to hit three homers in one game twice in one season. At age 38, Williams is having a sensational year. He'll win his fifth batting title with a brilliant .388 average and 38 homers. In addition, thanks to his legendary batting eye, he'll draw 119 walks and lead the league in on-base percentage for the 11th time. His lifetime .483 OBP is the highest ever compiled in baseball history.

Birthdays:
Sonny Liston b. 1932
Mike Cuellar b. 1937
Bill Cowher b. 1957
Ronnien Lott b. 1959
Speedy Claxton b. 1978

1968:
Jim "Catfish" Hunter of the Oakland Athletics pitched the American League's first regular-season perfect game in 46 years.

"The 4-0 win was all the more impressive since it was made at the expense of the slugging Minnesota Twins. After the game, Catfish, who had never played in the minors, was razzed by a teammate. "If you'd had any experience," he said, "youmight be pretty good by now." -Peter Carry, May 20, 1968

DARK FICTION

“Instantly powerful . . . studded with alarming signs of the times.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

The King is back, after a brief hiatus—darker, gorier, and funnier than ever. The world is overrun by “phonies” whose brains have been wiped out and replaced by a cell phone pulse. The “normies,” such as our hero, illustrator Clayton Riddell, must navigate the postapocalyptic world (notably the lost city once known as Boston) with only their wits and a hefty dose of symbolism.

CELL: A NOVEL, by Stephen King (Scribner, 2006)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 05/07/08

Growing up poor in Panama without the means to obtain proper baseball equipment, premier Yankee closer Mariano Rivera remembers how tough it was just to get a bat to play with: "We had to get somebody's broom. Somebody's home would have to suffer for us to play. Some kid that was playing would have to go take the broom from his house. That's trouble."

Birthdays:
Johnny Unitas b. 1933
Bob Weiss b. 1942
Louis Orr b. 1958
Brad Ishister b. 1977
Shawn Marion b. 1978

1995:
Lance Armstrong made his mark on the national cycling scene by winning the 1,130-mile, 12-day Tour DuPont.

"Armstrong's grand cycling dream might be to finish with arms raised in victory on the Champs Elysees at the end of the Tour de France some July afternoon. ... But the intermediate dream was to finish in front of the field in a parking lot at a shopping mall in Greensboro, North Carolina." -Leigh Montville, May 15, 1995

Packers Fact:
In 2006, wide receiver Donald Driver became the ninth player in Packers' history to catch passes totaling more than 5,000 yards for the club.

VENICE OPERA

Having painted the beautiful, seamy, ornate tapestry of Savannah in the grip of a fascinating trial in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Berendt turns now to Venice and the rebuilding of La Fenice, the famed opera house, after its destruction by fire in 1997. Again he gives us an old, old city dancing cheek-to-cheek with its own history, a mesmerizing tale of awe-inspiring artistry and grotesque human perfidy.

THE CITY OF FALLING ANGELS, by John Berendt (Penguin, 2005)

Sports Fact of the Day 5/6/2008

5/6/1988:

Mortified by his team’s lackluster effort on home ice in a playoff loss to the Boston Bruins, 6-1, New Jersey Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld explodes at referee Don Koharski for calling a four-minute penalty on Pat Verbeek that led to three Bruins goals in a span of only 1:13 early in the second period. After the rout, Schoenfeld tells the portly Koharski, “Have another doughnut, you fat pig.” The NHL issues a suspension to Schoenfeld, but the Devils secure a court order to block it, causing the regular officials to boycott the next game of this series. Replacement refs work one game, Schoenfeld’s suspension is upheld (he sits out one game) and the regular referees return to the ice. Boston wins the series in seven games.

 

Birthdays:

Weeb Ewbank b. 1907

John Vaught b. 1908

Willie Mays b. 1931

Masanori Murakami b. 1944

Martin Brodeur b. 1972

 

1982:

Gaylord Perry of the Seattle Mariners defeated the New York Yankees, 7-3, and became the 15^th pitcher in major league history to win 300 career games.

 

“A mere 27,369 fans were in the 59,438-seat Kingdome to witness Perry’s historic victory. Two games later the Mariners drew 36,716 for Funny Nose Glasses Night. But then Perry has never asked for the spotlight, and, obligingly, baseball has never turned it on him, unless it was to undress him on the mound or examine the baseball for foreign substances.” ­–Jack McCallum, May 17, 1982

Sports Fact of the Day 5/5/2008

5/5/1964:

Nineteen-year-old rookie right-hander Wally Bunker of the Baltimore Orioles pitches a one-hitter to defeat the Washington Senators, 2-1, at Memorial Stadium for his first major league victory. Chuck Hinton has the only safety, a fourth-inning single. On July 3, Bunker will author another one-hitter, also at Memorial Stadium, against Kansas City. Rocky Colavito will break up that no-hit bid with a fifth-inning single. Bunker becomes the latest in a long line of young pitching prodigies developed by the Orioles. He’ll compile a 19-5 record for the season, the most wins by a teenager in a single season in MLB history.

 

Birthdays:

Tony Canadeo b. 1919

Bob Cerb b. 1926

Jon Tiriac b. 1939

Herm Gilliam b. 1946

Larry Hisle b. 1947

 

2000:

The United States soccer team defeated Guatemala, 4-0, and clinched a berth in the upcoming Olympic tournament. Chris Albright powered the American upset by assisting on three of the four goals.

 

“Albright was still wearing his champagne-soaked uniform last Friday night when he strolled out the gates of Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa., turned to U.S. Olympic coach Clive Charles and popped the question. “Coach,” asked the mop-topped Albright, “you got a light on you?” Seconds later Albright fired up an eight-inch long victory stogie just as effortlessly as he had torched Guatemala two hours earlier.” –Grant Wahl, May 8, 2000

 

Packers Fact:

Entering 2006, long snapper Rob Davis had played every game for the Packers from the time he first signed with the club as a free agent in 1997.

Sports Fact of the Day 5/4/2008

5/4/1975:

Looking to upgrade their defense, the Phillies execute a master stroke when they trade Willie Montanez to the San Francisco Giants for center fielder Garry Maddox. Earning the nickname “Secretary of Defense,” Maddox will go on to win eight straight Gold Glove awards (175-82) and help the Phillies reach the postseason six times between 1976 and ’83, capped by the 1980 world championship. No slouch with the bat, he’ll fashion a .285 lifetime batting average with 248 career stolen bases and get the decisive hit, a 10^th-inning double, to help the Phillies beat Houston in the 1980 NLCS.

 

Birthdays:

Elmer Layden b. 1903

Betsy Rawls b. 1928

Rene Lachemann b. 1945

Butch Beard b. 1947

Ben Grieve b. 1976

Sports Fact of the Day 5/3/2008

5/3/1968:

Ron Schock scores at 2:50 of double overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota North Stars and clinch the NHL Western Conference playoff championship in seven games. It’s the fourth game in this series that needs overtime to determine a winner. The teams are scoreless at the St. Louis Arena until less than four minutes remain in regulation. Then, in quick succession, Walt McKechnie scores for Minnesota and Dickie Moore counters for the Blues only 31 seconds later, setting the stage for Shock’s game winner.

 

Birthdays:

Sugar Ray Robinson b. 1920

Garfield Heard b. 1948

Rod Langway b. 1953

Jeff Hornacek b. 1963

Ron Hextall b. 1964

 

1986:

Bill Shoemaker won the Kentucky Derby for the fourth time in his career. The 54-year-old rode Ferdinand to victory and became the oldest jockey ever to win the prestigious race at Churchill Downs in Kentucky.

 

“Reset your stopwatches. Turn back your clocks. In this 112^th running of the Derby, Shoemaker reached all the way back to the 1950s and ‘60s, to the decades when he dominated this sport with the lightest, sweetest pair of hands in the game.” –William Nack, May 12, 1986

Sports Fact of the Day 5/2/2008

5/2/1992:

Breaking free from an 18-horse field and scoring a major upset, 17-to-1 shot Lil E. Tee wins the Kentucky Derby by a length over Casual Lies. It’s the first Derby-winning ride for jockey Pat Day, but much of the postrace talk focuses on the highly regarded French-bred colt, Arazi, who goes off as a 1-5 favorite only to falter badly and fade to eighth place. A.P. Indy, who will win the Belmont Stakes next month, must be scratched from this race because of a bruised foot, and Pine Bluff, who will win the Preakness in two weeks, runs fifth here.

 

Birthdays:

Eddie Bressoud b. 1932

Gates Brown b. 1939

Clay Carroll b. 1941

Gerald Irons b. 1947

Jamaal Wilkes b. 1953

 

5/2/1957:

Boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson knocked out Gene Fullmer in the fifth round and won the world middleweight title.

 

“It became clear that Gene, though drawing manfully on some wellspring of inherent courage, would not be able to rise again in 10 seconds. His powerful legs pumped in the effort, but he had no more control of them than if he had been an infant squirming in his crib.” –Martin Kane, May 13, 1957

 

Packers Fact:

The 2006 season was Brett Favre’s in the NFL. At 17 seasons (including four with the Packers), kicker Jan STenerud was the only more experienced player in club history.

Book Recs 5/2-5/6

YOU GOTTA LAUGH

A hilarious corporate spoof composed entirely of the e-mails of Martin Lukes, the chief personal ethics champion of fictional company A-B Global, a character dreamed up by Lucy Kellaway in her weekly column on management for the Financial Times. Martin blunders and blusters his way through life coaching, rebranding, and outsourcing in a pyrotechnical display of bureaucratic idiocy.

WHO MOVED MY BLACKBERRY? by Lucy Kellaway (Hyperion, 2006)

LOOK AT ME

Updike deserves to be better known as a nonfiction writer. His writerly gift is perhaps most impressive in his essays, describing with clarity and vigor the complex emotions, sensations, and esthetic processes that occur when he contemplates the works of Hopper, Sloan, Stieglitz, and others. A good way to gently exercise your mind while you lie in the hammock on a fine May morning.

STILL LOOKING: ESSAYS ON AMERICAN ART, by John Updike (Knopf, 2005)

SIDESPLITTER

This is the original. The later books in the series don’t have quite the same punch, but this one really could change your life if you let it. It’s a sort of postmodern self-help book (a self-help book and a parody of a self-help book, all in one), and only those totally immune to whimsy could resist the zest for life that emanates from Benrik’s 365 suggestions, or dares, or maybe they’re Zen exercises: write only with your left hand, propose to a stranger, invent a new color . . . go on, get a life.

THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE, by Benrik (Ben Carey and Henrik Delehag) (Plume, 2003)

IT’S DARK IN HERE

In this sequel to Brucker’s 1987 The Longest Cave, written with Richard Watson, the two authors go farther into Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave region, chipping away at all obstacles—local politics, rival spelunkers, exhaustion—as they delve into some of the last mysteries left on Earth. True adventure: man versus cave. Includes photographs, maps by Patricia Kambesis, and original line drawings by well-known illustrator Linda Heslop.

BEYOND MAMMOTH CAVE: A TALE OF OBSESSION IN THE WORLD’S LONGEST CAVE, by James D. Borden and Roger W. Brucker (Southern Illinois University Press, 2000)

 

BOOK LOVERS FICTION

In her sixth novel, Kathryn Davis’s gorgeous prose carries us to Varennes, a fictional town near the Canadian border where magical things are happening because of a thinning of the atmosphere. Mees is a 12-year-old who has psychic abilities; 92-year-old Helen has opinions on everything, and her son, Piet, is searching for a fifth wife; Billie is a newcomer who understands the strange goings-on and uses the redemptive power of love to stave off the evil that threatens the town. Davis’s masterful novel slips like quicksilver between reality and magic, gentle ribaldry and philosophical reflection.

THE THIN PLACE, by Kathryn Davis (Little, Brown, 2006)

 

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 05/01/2008

5/1/1931:
New York Giants second baseman Hughie Critz picks a memorable day in the city's history to have a career day (five for five) at the plate as the McGrawmen blank Boston, 5-0, at the Polo Grounds. In downtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building is dedicated and President Hoover turns on the lights by a remote switch in Washington. Standing a majestic 1,250 feet, the world's tallest structure at the time provides a beacon of inspiration for millions of Americans coping with financial hardships during the throes of the Great Depression.

Birthdays:
Cliff Battles b. 1910
Chuck Bednarik b. 1925
Ollie Matson b. 1930
Steve Cauthen b. 1960
Curtis Martin b. 1973

1991:
In a game against the New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics speedster Rickey Henderson stole his 939th career base and surpassed Lou Brock as the alltime best base stealer.

"Henderson's thrilling combination of speed, power, patience and defense is unparalleled, and if he retired today, he would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Brock, who is in the Hall of Fame, needed 19 years to steal 938 bases; Henderson is in his 13th season." -Tim Kurkjian, April 22, 1991


A BOOK LOVER’S GIFT
Jewels of paradise twinkle up at you from the almost otherworldly photography of Alain le Toquin. Morocco, Singapore, France, England, of course, and unusual beauties such as Versailles in snow . . . This does what a truly great coffee table book should do—it instantly transports you to places far away from your living room.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GARDENS IN THE WORLD, by Alain le Toquin (Harry N. Abrams, 2004)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 04/30/2008

4/30/1966:
Rick Reichardt becomes only the seventh American League batter to hit two home runs in one inning, keying a 12-run eighth as the California Angels rout the Red Sox, 16-9, at Fenway Park. After signing a huge "Bonus Baby" contract of $200,000 in 1964, Reichardt never really blossoms into superstardom. He'll play only six seasons of 100 games or more, compile a lifetime batting average of .261 with a modest total of 116 homers and be out of baseball at age 31.

Birthdays:
Bob Hendley b. 1939
Phil Garner b. 1949
Isiah Thomas b. 1961
Al Toon b. 1963
Dave Meggett b. 1966

1972:
Soccer fans were stunned when West Germany upset England at London's Wembley Stadium in the quarterfinals of the European Cup of Nations.

"The Germans won rather easily 3-1 by outrunning the comparatively lethargic English and capitalizing on their scoring opportunities with flashing skill and determination. The English, aggressive but unimaginative, proved too slow and too methodical to overcome the German defense. The British morning-after press viewed the defeat as a national disaster." -Tex Maule, May 8, 1972

Packers Fact:
Brett Favre played his 15th season in a Packers' uniform in 2006. That equaled linebacker Ray Nitschke for the second-most in club history, behind only quarterback Bart Starr's 16 years.

MARY LOSES IT AGAIN

“George has created a lively, gallant Mary of intelligence, charm and terrible judgment. . . . A popular, readable, inordinately moving tribute to a remarkable queen.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

At 880 pages, this is definitely a book to get lost in. It brings to life the charm and elegance of the French court, the rough world of Protestant Scotland, and the turbulent England of Elizabeth I. Mary’s life was one of intrigue, love, and betrayal; and she was, herself, a figure of beauty, heart, and folly. George’s exhaustive research is used to great and vivid effect.

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTLAND AND THE ISLES, by Margaret George (St. Martin’s Griffin, 1997)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 04/29/2008

4/29/1976:
Dick Snyder's driving layup over Wes Unseld with four seconds left gives the Cleveland Cavaliers an 87-85 victory over Washington in the deciding game of their NBA Easter conference semifinal playoff series. Snyder leads a balanced Cleveland attack with 23 points before over 21,000 fans at the Richfield Coliseum. Although the Cavs will lose to Boston in the next round of the postseason, Snyder's game-winning hoop will stand as arguably the most indelible moment in the first three decades of Cavaliers basketball.

Birthdays:
George Allen b. 1922
Luis Aparicio b. 1934
Jim Ryun b. 1947
Dale Earnhardt Sr. b. 1952
Andre Agassi b. 1970

1986:
Boston Red Sox fireballer Roger Clemens set a major league baseball record by striking out 20 Seattle Mariners batters in a nine-inning game.

"Mariner leffielder Phil Bradley walked to the plate like a man approaching three fastballs...Clemens's night flight to Cooperstown was complete." -Peter Gammons, May 12, 1986

KILLER NONFICTION

The White City, the heart of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, stood resplendent in Chicago, proclaiming the rise of American arts and industry and the American Dream. This is the story of its leading architect, Daniel Burnham. It is also the story of Dr. H. H. Holmes, who might be called the architect of the American Nightmare. A serial murderer, Holmes killed somewhere between 27 and 200 people during the Exposition and utilized his own system of cadaver disposal. Larson has brilliantly combined the stories of the two men and their “achievements” into an enthralling read.

DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: MURDER, MAGIC, AND MADNESS AT THE FAIR THAT CHANGED AMERICA, by Erik Larson (Vintage, 2004)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 04/28/2008

4/28/1994:
After 65 unforgettable years, Chicago Stadium hosts its last hockey game as the Toronto Maple Leafs eliminate the Blackhawks from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite providing an electrifying experience for fans, great sight lines and a world-class organ, the fabled sports landmark is doomed to be razed and replaced by a sedate, pristine arena right across the street, the United Center. It will contain an abundance of "luxury boxes," fully cushioned seats and deep concourses, but inherit absolutely none of the character of its much-beloved predecessor.

Birthdays:
Pedro Ramos b. 1935
Tom Browning b. 1960
Mark Bavaro b. 1963
Barry Larkin b. 1964
John Daly b. 1966

1966:
The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 95-93, and won their eighth consecutive National Basketball Association championship.

"The final margin of only two points is misleading, however, for the Lakers cut it down from double figures only in the last 30 seconds, when the Boston police lost their annual playoff with the Boston fans. Each time Celtic coach Red Auerbach lights his last victory cigar of the season the fans charge the court like Attila's Huns." -Frank Deford, May 9, 1966

Packers Fact:
Quarterback Brett Favre entered 2006 having started every game for the Packers since early in the 1992 season. The next-longest active streak was shared by three players who started their i49th consecutive game on Kickoff Weekend that year: tackle Chad Clifton, cornerback Al Harris, and tackle Mark Tauscher.


KILLER FICTION
“No single explanation . . . can account for the sheer power of this story. . . . Mosley has created an indispensable picture of the city in the ’60s. . . . Mosley has not so much written the story of Little Scarlet as detonated it.”—The Los Angeles Times Book Review

Easy Rawlins, unlicensed PI, stays cool and out of trouble as the 1965 Watts riots explode in L.A. But the police come looking for him anyway—to help them investigate the murder of a redheaded black woman known as “Little Scarlet.” Mosley writes about Los Angeles and Watts with a tight, evocative style, and he addresses American racial tensions head-on and with intelligence. Little Scarlet is the eighth Easy Rawlins novel and possibly the best of the series.

LITTLE SCARLET, by Walter Mosley (Little Brown, 2004)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 04/27/2008

4/27/1974:
The Yankees obtain first baseman Chris Chambliss from the Indians as the focus of a seven-player trade. Chambliss is the only position player in the deal, which sees relievers Dick Tidrow and Cecil Upshaw also head to New York and Fritz Peterson, Steve Kline, Fred Beene and Tom Buskey dealt to Cleveland. Unfortunately for the Tribe, the quantity they receive does not equal the quality they surrender in Chambliss, who will play five solid years in New York and seven more after that in Atlanta. His ninth-inning homer in the deciding game of the 1976 ALCS will clinch the pennant for the Yankees.

Birthdays:
Enos Slaughter b. 1916
Lee Roy Jordan b. 1941
Keith Magnuson b. 1947
George Gervin b. 1952
Herman Edwards b. 1954

INSIDERS’ GUIDES

“City Secrets: Rome is filled with the kind of information you would get from a friend who had spent years living in the Italian capital.”—Europe

In the City Secrets series, artists and writers write about the little corners of their cities that are among the things that make life happily worth living there. Destinations include favorite restaurants and markets, out-of-the-way parks, small galleries or lesser-known art in well-known museums, and obscure shops. Locations are mapped and clearly coded.

CITY SECRETS: NEW YORK CITY; CITY SECRETS: LONDON; CITY SECRETS: ROME; CITY SECRETS: FLORENCE, VENICE AND THE TOWNS OF ITALY, edited by Robert Kahn (Little Bookroom, 2001, 2002)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 04/26/2008

Larger-than-life basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal, whose weight always ran well in excess of 300 pounds, playfully resisted advice from coaches, fans and the media that he drop a few pounds to gain more speed and quickness: "I represent the construction workers; I don't represent the fitness gurus. I represent the guys who work hard every day and get things done and go home and eat a burger, eat some fries, drink a beer and watch the game."

Birthdays:
Harry Gallatin b. 1927
Nino Benvenuti b. 1938
Donna de Varona b. 1947
Mike Scott b. 1955
Natrone Means b. 1972

1984:
The New York Knicks advanced in the National Basketball Association playoffs by defeating the Detroit Pistons in five games. New York's Bernard King set an NBA five-game playoff series record by scoring a total of 213 points.

"Whether he was thundering down the left sideline on a fast break-his back arched so extravagantly he sometimes looked swaybacked-or twisted like a pretzel around some hapless defender trying to establish position in the low post, King was always magnificent." Bruce Newman, May 7, 1984


KILLER FICTION
A midnight mass at Cologne Cathedral comes to a frightening and bloody end as black-robed monks enter, pull out their Uzis, and start shooting. They have come to steal the bones of the three wise men, the magi who followed the star to Bethlehem and the Christ child. Special agents from the U.S. defense department team up with the Italian carabinieri to track down miscreants and unravel plots. For mystico-adventure-thriller fans, Map of Bones makes for action-filled, page-turning pleasure.

MAP OF BONES, by James Rollins (William Morrow, 2005)

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 04/25/2008

4/25/1977:
Scoring 6 runs in the first inning and 12 more in the fifth, the Big Red Machine puts a 23-9 hurt on the Braves at the Launching Pad in Atlanta. George Foster goes four for four with two homers, five runs scored and seven RBIs for Cincinnati., just a small portion of what turns into an MVP-winning campaign. He'll go on to lead the majors in homers (52), RBIs (149), total based (388) and slugging percentage (.631) while hitting a career-high .320.

Birthdays:
Johan Cruyff b. 1947
Vladislav Tretiak b. 1952
Darren Woodson b. 1969
Jacque Jones b. 1975
Tim Duncan b. 1976

1955:
Horse racing jockey Bill Hartack rode six winners in seven mounts at Laurel Race Course in Maryland.

"Courage is a vital requisite of a top rider, and Hartack has the heart of a lion. He will come through narrow openings on the rail time and again to save valuable ground, risking serious injury, intent on only one thing-winning the race." -Joe Hirsch, September 17, 1956

Packers Fact:
When rookie Matt Leinart started for the Arizona Cardinals in week 5 of 2006, he became the 196th other quarterback in the NFL to start in the same time frame that Brett Favre was the Packers' sole starting quarterback (beginning in 1992).

GET RICH PRETTY SOON

Greenblatt, a Columbia Business School professor and founder of a hedge fund firm, wanted to write a book about investing that even his kids could understand. The result is an accessible explanation of investing that includes a “magic formula” to help the reader recognize a valuable investment. The foreword is by Tobias, author of the classic The Only Investment Guide You Will Ever Need (Harvest Books, 2002), which offers a brilliantly clear and winningly readable account of what normal people need to know about a seemingly impenetrable subject. The two books together should keep the ordinary investor sane and stable in these unpredictable times.

THE LITTLE BOOK THAT BEATS THE MARKET, by Joel Greenblatt; foreword by Andrew Tobias (Wiley, 2005)