Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 7/19/2008

7/19/1955:
Right-hander Vern Law pitches 18 innings to a no-decision before his Pirates finally edge Milwaukee, 4-3, in the 19th at Forbes Field. The Deacon surrenders 9 hits, fans 12 and allows 3 walks before leaving for a pinch hitter. The Braves' Eddie Mathews not only hits a home run but starts a 5-4-3 triple play in the second inning. Right in the middle of the tri-killing is young Henry Aaron, playing second base early in his career.

Birthdays:
Alex Hannum b. 1923
Ilie Nastase b. 1946
Billy Olson b. 1958
Teresa Edwards b. 1964
David Segui b. 1966

1976:
Nadia Comaneci of Romania received the first perfect score of 10 in Olympic history. Before the Montreal Summer Games were over, the 14-year-old gymnast received seven perfect marks.

"She was superbly cast for the moment, bursting upon the world with the first perfect Olympic gymnastic score, a 10.0. Nadia Comaneci was brilliant and beguiling, and because of her youth a great sense of hope and history was instantly attached to her." -Frank Deford, August 2, 1976

Packers Fact:
The Packers chose cornerback Tim Lewis in the first round of the 1983 draft with the pick they obtained by trading defensive lineman Bruce Clark to New Orleans the previous spring.

BEACH BUMS

This story has its roots in the 1960s, with Weisbecker’s surfer-dream documentary Endless Summer. Fast-forward to 1992 and, after decades of illegal, exotic adventures, Weisbecker’s lifelong buddy Christopher disappears, leaving only a cryptic postcard signed “Captain Zero.” The lexically gifted, always game author goes to look for him. Seven countries later, Weisbecker finds Christopher in a Central American rain forest and leads him out with his usual brand of beach-bum derring-do. More than just a surfer memoir, this buddy tale is laced with lyrical reflections on natural beauty, enduring friendship, passing youth, and, of course, the perfect wave.

IN SEARCH OF CAPTAIN ZERO: A SURFER’S ROAD TRIP BEYOND THE END OF THE ROAD, by Allan Weisbecker (Tarcher, 2001)