Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/10-11/2010

1/10/1934:
Forty-one-year-old Bill Tilden (seven-time U.S. champion) welcomes 22-year-old Ellsworth Vines (two-time U.S. champion) to the pro tennis ranks with a straight-set thrashing, 8-6, 6-3, 6-2, at Madison Square Garden. Vines hits a dazzling array of crowd-pleasing winners, but his unfamiliarity with the indoor surface works to his disadvantage. As their barnstorming tour moves forward to dozens of cities across America, Vines' youth and strong serve will come to the fore and he'll dominate the overall matchup, 47-26.

Birthdays:
Frank Mahovlich b. 1938
Willie McCovey b. 1938
Bill Toomey b. 1939
Glenn Robinson b. 1973
Felix Trinidad b. 1973

1/11/2003:
The third time is the charm for Tennessee Titans placekicker Joe Nedney. He shakes off two late-game missed field goal attempts to finally convert from 26 yards out in overtime, giving his team a 34-31 AFC divisional playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Nashville. Nedney misses a 48-yard effort at the end of regulation and a 31-yard effort in OT. However, Steelers defender Dewayne Washington is called for running into Nedney on the OT misfire and, presented with another chance from five yards closer, Nedney finally seals the Tennessee victory.

Birthdays:
Schoolboy Rowe b. 1910
Ben Crenshaw b. 1952
Freddie Solomon b. 1953
Darryl Dawkins b. 1957
Tracy Caulkins b. 1963

Packers Fact:
On January 11, 1992 Mike Holmgren was named the Packers' head coach. Holmgren had been working as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

MISFITS AND GOOD COUNTRY PEOPLE

Flannery O’Connor had the rare ability to draw her characters in such sharp, lucid lines that you knew them as well as you did your own sister or your next-door neighbor. “She could never be a saint, but she thought she could be a martyr if they killed her quick,” O’Connor writes of the child in “A Temple of the Holy Ghost”—and the girl is revealed in a flash. O’Connor’s humor is sly, but as you smile you know there’s serious business behind it. This collection put her on the map, and no wonder: The stories are captivating, strong, and unforgettable.

A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND AND OTHER STORIES, by Flannery O’Connor (1955; Harcourt, 1999)

BEERLAO LAGER

Lao Brewery Co., Vientiane, Laos

If you’re ever in Laos, do yourself the favor of a visit to the Lao Brewing Company and a taste of its masterful light lager. When this beer is fresh, it’s among the best of the malt-rice Asian pilseners—crystal clear, with a moderate head, the crisp bitterness of hops, and a faint herbal touch. It’s more refreshing than sweet, unlike other Asian-brewed light lagers. And fortunately, the journey from Laos to America is relatively kind.

PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO

S.p.A Birra Peroni, Rome, Italy

Peroni is a big beer in Italy—and around the world. Its mass appeal comes from a low-hop flavor and quenching finish, but those hops are definitely present. The overall effect is a pleasantly sharp bitterness reminiscent of Bitburger. The stuff bottled for export does have a touch of sunstruck flavor due to the use of a green bottle—brewers take note!—but the resulting mercaptan dissipates after a few minutes in the glass. Color is typically pale yellow, and head retention modest. A good choice for bocce and antipasta.

BEER FACT

Mercaptan is the compound formed when ultraviolet light or sunlight interacts with certain components found in beer. Its odor is the same as that detectable in skunk urine. (Trace amounts of the stuff are intentionally added to propane and natural gas to make them easier to smell.)