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

7/7/1964:

Johnny Callison belts a three-run homer off Dick Radatz in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the National League a 7-4 win over the American League at Shea Stadium. The NL victory evens the all-time series between the leagues at 17-17-1 and serves as a showcase for the Mets' brand-new ballpartk, adjacent to the New York World's Fair. Radatz, known as the "the Monster" for his towering physique and blazing fastball, surrendered two walks (one intentional) and a bloop single before Callison's walkoff clout.

Birthdays:
Satchel Paige b. 1906
Chuck Knoblauch b. 1968
Joe Sakic b. 1969
Lisa Leslie b. 1972
Michelle Kwan b. 1980

“Jane Austen herself could not have conjured a romance with more passion, deception and intrigue.”—People

The true story of star-crossed young lovers in 1700s Venice is a juicy read. There are dark meetings in alleyways, family scandals revealed, pitter-patterings around Grand Canal palazzi, and secret love letters exchanged. It was those letters, which Andrea di Robilant’s father discovered hidden in the family palazzo, that led the story to come to light. Turns out one of the lovers was di Robilant’s ancestor, and A Venetian Affair is the result of di Robilant’s investigation of his family’s history.

A VENETIAN AFFAIR: A TRUE TALE OF FORBIDDEN LOVE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, by Andrea di Robilant (Vintage, 2005)