Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 7/20/2008

7/20/1968:
Damascus beats Dr. Fager by two and a half lengths in the Brooklyn Handicap at Aqueduct, passes the $1 million mark in career earnings and sets a new track record for the mile-and-a-quarter distance. Lured to the head of the pack by a fast pace at the outset and carrying top weight of 135 pounds, Dr. Fager has nothing left when Damascus, Manny Ycaza up, takes command at the head of the stretch and wins the race going away in 1:59.

Birthdays:
Ted Schroeder b. 1921
Chuck Daly b. 1930
Tony Oliva b. 1940
Mel Daniels b. 1944
Ray Allen b. 1975

SP(OO)F

Following in the stumbling, blistered footsteps of the sidesplittingly funny travel spoof Molvanîa: A Land Untouched by Modern Dentistry, here the authors, under the made-up imprint Jetlag Travel, give us an imaginary Asian country called Phaic Tan, land of superstitions (including 6,000 lucky numbers), a popular monarch who has been deposed and reinstated 25 times, and a capital called Bumpahttabumpah. Monsoons, earthquakes, rip-offs, and disgusting local culinary delicacies are only a few of the delights that await the adventurous armchair traveler.

PHAIC TAN: SUNSTROKE ON A SHOESTRING, by Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, and Rob Sitch (Chronicle Books, 2006)