Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 10/22-23/2009

10/22/1991:
Mark Lemke's RBI single in the 12th inning gives Atlanta a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins in Game 3 of the World Series, the Braves' first win after two losses. Lemke will have a key ninth-inning triple tomorrow night, leading to the winning run as the Braves tie the Series. Only a .246 hitter lifetime, the Lemmer will lead all batters in this Series with a .417 average. This riveting Fall Classic will produce three extra-inning games and will be climaxed by an epic seventh game, a 10-inning shutout by Jack Morris to clinch the championship for Minnesota.

Birthdays:
Jimmie Foxx b. 1907
Pete Pihos b. 1923
Slater Martin b. 1925
Butch Goring b. 1949
Ichiro b. 1973

Packers Fact:
Lamar McHan is the quarterback who started ahead of Bart Starr in Vince Lombardi's first game as the Packers' coach in 1959.

THE REAL TINSEL: THE SEQUEL

The author of Glengarry Glen Ross and Wag the Dog gives us his mordant, embittered take on Hollywood—a place where writers are victimized by greedy producers and tantrum-throwing actors. You may have heard it all before, but he’s got lots of entertaining anecdotes to back it all up. Along the way, he provides sharp insight into what makes a good movie. For those who are interested in the insides of show business, Bambi vs. Godzilla provides a pretty good scalpel.

BAMBI VS. GODZILLA: ON THE NATURE, PURPOSE, AND PRACTICE OF THE MOVIE BUSINESS, by David Mamet (Pantheon, 2007)

10/23/1954:
Deep in thei rown territory in the final minutes of a scoreless tie with Ole Miss, the Arkansas Razorbacks uncork a 66-yard touchdown pass play from Buddy Benson to Preston Carpenter to delight over 37,000 fans in Little Rock, Arkansas wins, 6-0. Designed by coach Bowden Wyatt, the game-winning aerial quickly becomes known as "the Powder River" play, a nod to Wyatt's previous coaching stint at Wyoming. Arkansas will win the Southwest Conference title this season, and Ole Miss will win the Southeastern Conference crown.

Birthdays:
Bruiser Kinard b. 1914
Chi Chi Rodriguez b. 1935
Pele b. 1940
Doug Flutie b. 1962
Keith Van Horn b. 1975

Packers Fact:
Ted Fritsch was a versatile athlete who played fullback, linebacker, and kicker for the Packers from 1942 to 1950. He also played baseball andn basketball professionally.

BEYOND THE MURDER IN THE RUE MORGUE

The seventh in this series featuring computer-security investigator Aimee LeDuc involves her with a baby left on her doorstep, a murdered woman (the baby’s mother?), environmental activists, and an oil company. It’s a nicely plotted and page-turning read, but the real pleasure is in Cara Black’s evocation of chic Île Saint-Louis as well as the seamier side of the City of Light.

MURDER ON THE ÎLE SAINT-LOUIS, by Cara Black (Soho Crime, 2007)