Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 7/30/2007

7/30/1947:
Ewell "the Whip" Blackwell's 16-game winning streak is snapped when he suffers a 5-4 defeat by the New York Giants in 10 innings at Crosley Field. Leading 4-3 in the night, Blackwell surrenders a game-tying homer to Willard Marshall; an inning later, shortstop Buddy Kerr's RBI single wins it. Blackwell, now 18-3, hadn't lost in nearly three months. He'll enjoy his finest season, finishing with a league-leading 22 wins, 23 complete games and 193 strikeouts.

Birthdays:
Jim Mandich b. 1948
Billy Paultz b. 1948
Bill Cartwright b. 1957
Daley Thompson b. 1958
Chris Mullin b. 1963


In stories “elegant and vivid” (The Washington Post Book World), Lapcharoensap conveys universal themes through the ambiance of contemporary Thailand. Characters struggle with issues of loyalty, infidelity, heartbreak, regret, and shame. The details are immediate and exotic—you can nearly smell mangoes and roasting pigs—but the people are all human. An exciting, memorable debut.

SIGHTSEEING, by Rattawut Lapcharoensap (Grove Press, 2005)