Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 8/30/2009

8/30/1959:
The pennant-bound Go-Go White Sox put a stranglehold on the American League standings by completing a four-game sweep of second-place Cleveland at the Indians' home park, Municipal Stadium. The Pale Hose go up by five and a half games with only 25 to play after sweeping a twin bill today, 6-3 and 9-4. Future Hall of Fame right-hander Early Wynn hits a home run and captures the opener, Barry Latman wins the nightcap and onetime AL batting champion Billy Goodman has four hits on the day for Chicago. Ironically, the ChiSox will be right back here in three weeks to clinch their first AL title since 1919.

Birthdays:
Ted Williams b. 1918
Coy Bacon b. 1942
Jean-Claude Killy b. 1943
Tug McGraw b. 1944
Robert Parish b. 1953

TAKE ME BACK

Bill Bryson has endeared himself to us through his spritely, witty travelogues, and he’s been everywhere. But now he’s going back home to Des Moines, Iowa, Land of the Quintessential Boyhood: scrapes, pranks, games of all kinds (especially outside), stupid toys, foods rather ineptly prepared with Campbell’s soups, a makeshift superhero uniform, humiliations, tree-climbing, pets, flatulence, and so on. Pretty irresistible.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE THUNDERBOLT KID, by Bill Bryson (Random House, 2006)