Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/31/2012

1/31/2010:
Roger Federer extends his record of Grand Slam tournament singles victories to 16 by defeating Scotland's Andy Murray, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 in the Australian Open final in Melbourne. Murray is bidding to become the first male from Great Britain to win a major since Fred Perry took the U.S. championships in 1936, and the first of either sex since Virginia Wade won at Wimbledon in 1977. Federer falls behind 5-2 in the third set before battling back to force the tiebreaker. He then claims the last three points of the tiebreaker to win 13-11 and take the championship. It's Federer's fourth Australian title following wins down under in 2004, '06, and '07. Murray will reach the finals of the 2011 Australian Open and will lose 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to Novak Djokovi.

Birthdays:
Jackie Robinson b. 1919
Hank Aguirre b. 1931
Ernie Banks b. 1931
Camille Henry b. 1933
Nolan Ryan b. 1947

MEMORABLE MEMOIR

“I was in awe of my father then, and saw that he was a man and I was not, that he knew something and I knew almost nothing; and I was afraid I would never be a man like him.”
Ian Frazier’s “remarkable history of an unremarkable family” (The New York Times Book Review) is both an unusual, moving childhood memoir and a detailed panorama of an ordinary Midwestern family from colonial times to the present. It’s an elegant, well-researched, and compelling story from a former Harvard Lampoon staffer who writes travelogues and comedic books. Try Dating Your Mom to see his lighter side.

FAMILY, by Ian Frazier (1994; Picador, 2002)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/29-30/2012

"You can't compare preseason to regular season," said Charles Barkley in 1992. "Preseason is just a way to screw fans out of money."

Birthdays:
Greg Louganis b. 1960
Steve Sax b. 1960
Andre Reed b. 1964
Dominik Hasek b. 1965
Sean Burke b. 1967

1/30/1936:
The Boston Braves change their nickname to the Boston Bees. A committee of 25 sportswriters and one cartoonist selects the nickname from a list of 1,327 fan-submitted names. During the 1935 season, the Braves compiled a record of 38-115, and it is hoped that the new nickname will lead the team in a new direction. (The .248 winning percentage still ranks as the worst of any team in the National League since 1900.) The name of the team's ballpark is also changed officially from Braves Field to National League Park and unofficially to "The Hive." The new nickname fails to catch the fancy of the public, however, and is changed back to Braves in 1941. The nickname will follow the franchise from Boston to Milwaukee in 1953 and from Milwaukee to Atlanta in 1966.

Birthdays:
Walt Drope b. 1923
Davey Johnson b. 1943
Tom Izzo b. 1955
Curtis Strange b. 1955
Payne Stewart b. 1957

WHODUNIT

The gonzo crime solving of San Francisco’s Spellman family (complete with wacky kids) gets better with each book. Read PI daughter Izzy’s therapy session, which opens this fourth installment in the series, and see if you aren’t charmed by the wacky wit. You may have found your next Stephanie Plum (with just a dash of Tony Soprano). “Another wild ride,” says the San Francisco Chronicle.

REVENGE OF THE SPELLMANS, by Lisa Lutz (Simon & Schuster, 2010)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/28/2012

1/28/1990:
Joe Montana fires five touchdown passes to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 55-10 hammering of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV at the Louisiana Syuperdome in New Orleans. Three of the TD strikes go to wide receiver Jerry Rice, one is nabbed by wide receiver John Taylor, and another is reeled in by tight end Brent Jones. In all, Montana completes 22 of 29 for 297 yards.

Birthdays:
Pete Runnels b. 1928
Colin Campbell b. 1953
Tony Delk b. 1974
Jermaine Dye b. 1974
Daunte Culpepper b. 1977

SOCIAL HISTORY

Ah, those bygone days of servants and cocktail shakers, of weekends at Bar Harbor with spaniels, of ropes of pearls and Fortuny dresses. New Yorker writer Tad Friend chronicles his glittering Wasp family’s decline while examining the culture with wry wit. Is family fate? Cheerful Money will help you decide.

CHEERFUL MONEY: ME, MY FAMILY, AND THE LAST DAYS OF WASP SPLENDOR, by Tad Friend (Little, Brown, 2009)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/25-27/2012

1/25/1972:
A brawl between players from Ohio State and Minnesota breaks out in one of the ugliest incidents in college basketball history near the end of a 50-44 Ohio State victory at the Williams Arena in Minneapolis. With 36 seconds remaining, seven-foot-tall center Luke Witte of the Buckeyes drives for a lay-up and is fouled hard, sending him to the floor. Immediately following the foul, Corky Taylor of the Golden Gophers extends a hand to Witte, then knees him in the groin. While on the floor, Witte is also stomped on the head by Minnesota player Ron Behagen and knocked unconscious. The incident escalates into a full-scale brawl involving fans, during which future baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, a Minnesota player, lands five punches. Witte spends several days in the hospital, including 24 hours in intensive care, with injuries requiring 29 stitches to his face. The NCAA suspends Taylor and Behagen for the rest of the season.

Birthdays:
Lou Groza b. 1924
Don Maynard b. 1937
Steve Prefontaine b. 1951
Mark Duper b. 1959
Chris Chelios b. 1962

1/26/1952:
Wichita University's basketball team loses to Drake because of some overzealous fans. Wichita's (now Wichita State) home games take place in a cramped and rowdy gym with a balcony that hangs over the court. The score is tied 63-63 with eight seconds to go. As the ball is launched toward the goal, a Wichita fan throws his overcoat over the basket to keep the ball from going through the net. The officials rule the basket good and call Drake the winners, 65-63. They then make a dash for the locker room and bolt themselves in to escape the wrath of the fans.

Birthdays:
Bob Uecker b. 1935
Jack Youngblood b. 1950
Brian Doyle b. 1955
Wayne Gretzky b. 1961
Vince Carter b. 1977

1/27/1982:
In one of the greatest heists in baseball history, the Cubs trade Ivan DeJesus to the Phillies for Larry Bowa and Ryne Sandberg. The deal is essentially a swap of starting shortstops with Sandberg added as a throw-in to even the deal. The club includes him in the trade because Julio Franco and Juan Samuel are considered better prospects. Prior to his arrival in Chicago, Sandberg played in 13 major league games, mainly as a defensive replacement at short and as a pinch runner, and had just six at bats. At the start of the 1982 season, he's the Cubs' starting third baseman. He then moves to second near season's end. He'll capture the MVP award in 1984 and play in 10 consecutive All-Star Games through 1993, earning him election to the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Birthdays:
Franke Albert b. 1920
John Lowenstein b. 1947
Billy "White Shoes" Johnson b. 1952
Cris Collinsworth b. 195
Marat Safin b. 1980

WHODUNIT

Miss Heyer’s characters and dialogue are an abiding delight to me,” wrote Dorothy Sayers, and lovers of Agatha Christie and Ngaio Marsh will be inclined to agree. Best known for her regency romances, Georgette Heyer also wrote mysteries prized for their crackling dialogue, humor, and style. Set in the world of competitive bridge, Duplicate Death features a polite card game turned to a double murder. What could be better?

DUPLICATE DEATH, by Georgette Heyer (1951; Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010)

BON VOYAGE!

Songlines are pathways via which Australian Aborigines celebrate their important life passages. As nomads, they use the songlines to mark time, space, and their histories. The extraordinary travel writer Bruce Chatwin traveled his own pathways Down Under, musing on Aborigines and his need to wander; filled with quotes and material from his notebooks, The Songlines was one of his last books. As The New York Times Book Review says, “No one will put it down unmoved.”

THE SONGLINES, by Bruce Chatwin (Penguin, 1988)

LITERARY THRILLS

Dan Chaon’s fourth novel opens with a race to the hospital, setting the pace for a taut, gripping ride. The writing is literary but the page-turning cliff-hangers are pure thriller. The book interweaves the stories of three characters, all of whom have walked away from their lives and from the secrets that keep them running. If you need an adrenaline rush, try Chaon.

AWAIT YOUR REPLY, by Dan Chaon (Ballantine, 2010)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/23-24/2012

1/23/1944:
The New York Rangers suffer a 15-0 drubbing at the hands of the Red Wings at the Olympia Stadium in the most one-sided game in NHL history. Detroit scores two goals int he first period, five int he second, and eight in the third. The shutout is recorded by rookie goaltender Connie Dion, playing in only his fifth NHL game following his discharge from the Canadian Army. Ken McAuley gives up all 15 Detroit goals to 10 different players. The hapless Rangers possessed a 6-39-5 record during the 1943-44 season. Beginning with tonight's debacle, the New York club will be winless over their last 21 games with 17 defeats and 4 ties. They'll start next season with four losses in a row, extending their winless streak to 25, before beating the Red Wings, 5-2, on November 9 at Madison Square Garden.

Birthdays:
Jerry Kramer b. 1936
Petr Korda b. 1968
Eric Metcalf b. 1968
Alan Embree b. 1970
Julie Foudy b. 1971

1/24/1952:
The NFL awards a franchise to a group from Dallas headed by Texas millionaire Giles Miller. Five days earlier, the league was reduced from 12 teams to 11 when Ted Collins sold the New York Yanks franchise back to the league. After an 0-7 start to the 1952 seasons and dwindling attendance figures at the Cotton Bowl, Miller will give the Texans back to the NFL. For the last five games, the commissioner's office operates the club as a road team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Two "home" games are played in Akron, Ohio, one of which results in the lone win of the 12-game season, a 27-23 decision over the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day before a crowd of only 3,000. At the end of the season, the Texans move to Baltimore and are renamed the Colts. In 1960, the NFL awards an expansion team to Dallas. This one is named the Cowboys and becomes one of the most successful franchises in pro football history.

Birthdays:
Giorgio Chiuaglia b. 1947
Atlee Hammaker b. 1958
Rob Dibble b. 1964
Mary Lou Retton b. 1968
Scott Kazmire b. 1984

ENDURING CLASSIC

Why read Edith Wharton? According to the critic Margaret Drabble, “Wharton depicted women caught between constraint and the possibilities of a new sexual freedom—a freedom that she herself enjoyed, though at high cost. Female rivalry and jealousy … are well caught in the celebrated ‘Roman Fever.’” That’s a mouthful, but “Roman Fever” is a riveting, seductive, and fierce tale of women and their secrets with a wicked twist at the end. As painfully beautiful as House of Mirth, in many fewer pages!
    Also worthy of note: A Wharton gem is back in print in Twilight Sleep, her little-known novel of the Jazz Age.

ROMAN FEVER AND OTHER STORIES, by Edith Wharton (1911; Scribner, 1997)

EX LIBRIS

What Anthony Bourdain does for restaurants, what Atul Gawande does for hospitals, Marilyn Johnson does for libraries. In a “heroic” (O, the Oprah Magazine) and “marvelous” (Christopher Buckley) state-of-the-union report, Johnson takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour and reminds us, with vivid details, of libraries’ importance to education, culture, history, and community.

THIS BOOK IS OVERDUE! HOW LIBRARIANS AND CYBRARIANS CAN SAVE US ALL, by Marilyn Johnson (Harper Perennial, 2011)

APCKRFAN's NFL Picks 2011: Week 20: Conference Championship

Sun., Jan. 22:
3pm Baltimore @ New England - Baltimore (I flipped a coin!)
6:30pm - NY Giants @ San Francisco - San Francisco

orts Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/21-22/2012

Football coach Gary Fallon of Washington and Lee University before a drawing to determine which student would get to throw a pie at him for the benefit of charity, in 1982: "I hope one of my senior quarterbacks gets drawn, so the pie will be intercepted before it gets to my face."

Birthdays:
Don Donoher b. 1932
Jack Nicklaus b. 1940
Hakeem Olajuwon b. 1963
Deitlef Schrempf b. 1963
Rusty Greet b. 1969

1/22/1987:
A paltry crowd of 334 fans shows up for a game between the New Jersey Devils and the Calgary Flames at the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford as a 20-inch snowstorm descends on the New York metropolitan area. Only 13 Devils players arrive by the time the contest is schedule to start, causing a delay of 106 minutes. The Devils win, 7-5.

Birthdays:
Elmer Lach b. 1918
Serge Savard b. 1946
George Foreman b. 1948
Mike Bossy b. 1957
Greg Oden b. 1988



Take a bit of Annie Proulx, add some Cormac McCarthy, and sprinkle on a dash of Shane. You might end up with Minnesota-native Leif Enger’s second bestselling novel, which, according to The Miami Herald, “deserves to become a classic.” When the lives of a train robber and a blocked writer clash, a rip-roaring Western of grit and adventure results.

SO BRAVE, YOUNG, AND HANDSOME, by Leif Enger (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/19-20/2012

1/19/2002:
Down 13-3 at the start of the fourth quarter, the New England Patriots rally to defeat the Oakland Raiders, 16-13, in what will become known as the "tuck rule" game - a controversial divisional playoff during a driving snowstorm in Foxboro. The Patriots trail 13-10 with possession at the Oakland 42 and 1:50 left in regulation, when cornerback Charles Woodson blitzes and hits New England quarterback Tom Brady, who lets loose of the ball. The Raiders recover and the play is ruled a fumble on the field. A replay review, however, deems the pass incomplete because, according to an obscure NFL rule, Brady's arm is moving forward while he attempts to tuck it back toward his body. Adam Vinatieri ties the score with a 45-yard field goal and 27 seconds remaining in regulation. After 8 minutes and 29 seconds of overtime, Vinatieri kicks again - a 23-yard field goal to give New England the victory.

Birthdays:
Bill Mlkvy b. 1931
O.J. Anderson b. 1957
Stefan Edberg b. 1966
Junior Seau b. 1969
Tyrone Wheatley b. 1972

1/20/1952:
Minneapolis Lakers star center George Mikan scores 67 percent of his team's points during a 91-81 double overtime victory over the Rochester Royals at the Minneapolis Auditorium. Mikan has 22 field goals and 17 free throws for 61 points - the most by an individual in an NBA game between 1949 (63 by Joe Fulks of the Philadelphia Warriors) and 1959 (64 by Elgin Baylor of the Minneapolis Lakers). Mikan led the NBA in scoring in 1948-49, 1949-50, and 1950-51. Prior to the 1951-52 season, the league widened the foul lane from 6 feet to 12 - an attempt to keep the big men like the six-foot-ten-inch Mikan farther away from the basket. The change was dubbed "the Mikan Rule." Mikan's scoring production dropped from 28.4 points per game in 1950-51 to 23.8 in 1951-51 and he lost his scoring title to six-foot-four forward Paul Arizin of the Philadelphia Warriors.

Birthdays?
Norm Stewart b. 1935
Carol Heiss b. 1940
John Naber b. 1956
Ron Harper b. 1964
Brian Giles b. 1971

EX LIBRIS

“This book … demonstrates how and why to read seriously,” says the San Francisco Chronicle. It starts with an injury, an illness, and a death in the family a few years after Christopher Beha’s Princeton graduation. He decides to return home and use his downtime to read all 51 volumes in the Harvard Classics Library. From Plato to Poe, the wisdom of the ages is in his lap and on his mind. An empowering, soaring examination of life, death, and everything in between.

THE WHOLE FIVE FEET: WHAT THE GREAT BOOKS TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE, DEATH, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE, by Christopher Beha (Grove Press, 2010)

GIFTABLY GREAT

“The problem is … how to remain whole in the midst of the distractions of life; how to remain balanced, no matter what centrifugal forces tend to pull one off center; how to remain strong, no matter what shocks come.”
    Doesn’t that just about sum it up? Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s meditations on motherhood, simplicity, and her place in the world ring as true today as they did more than fifty years ago. A contemplative tour de force.

A GIFT FROM THE SEA, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh (1955; Pantheon, 1991)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/18/2012

1/18/1972:
With 11 seconds remaining, center Dave Cowens of the Celtics ties the score at 110-110 in the NBA All-Star Game at the Forum with a 14-foot jumper. But Los Angeles Lakers guard Jerry West thrills the home fans by sinking a 21-foot, last-second shot to lift the Western All-Stars to a 112-110 victory. West finishes the game with 13 points in 27 minutes. Cowens pulls down a game-high 20 rebounds (no one else has more than 11) and contributes 14 points in 32 minutes. Celtics forward John Havlicek and Knicks guard Walt Frazier tie for the scoring honors with 15 points each. West is named MVP of the contest.

Birthdays:
Syl Apps b. 1915
Curt Flood b. 1938
Mark Messier b. 1961
Brady Anderson b. 1964
Mike Lieberthal b. 1972

CRITICS’ PICK

A Reliable Wife is more than a reliable choice for your next read. It’s a home run. Critics, booksellers, and readers went gaga for this literary pick, an unsettling domestic thriller that opens at a frigid Wisconsin train station in 1907. Ralph Truitt awaits the arrival of his mail-order bride. Catherine Land, it turns out, is not what he expected. A smoldering, gothic spine tingler for fans of The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. The Washington Post raves, “Intoxicating.”

A RELIABLE WIFE, by Robert Goolrick (Algonquin, 2010)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/16-17/2012

1/16/1970:
The National Football League conducts a lottery to determine the divisional lineup for the upcoming 1970 season. The move is prompted by the merger of the NFL and the NFL. The NFL had 16 teams in 1969; the AFL fielded 10. To balance the newly named National and American Football Conferences with 13 teams each for the 1970 season, the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers move to the AFC. However, the NFC can't agree on which teams to place in the three divisions. Commissioner Pete Rozelle resorts to extreme measures, placing five different plans on slips of paper in a vase. One of them is then drawn out by his secretary. According to the selection, the Eastern Division will include Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Washington; the Central, teams from Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota; and the West, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and San Francisco.

Birthdays:
Dizzy Dean b. 1911
A.J. Foyt b. 1935
Jack McDowell b. 1966
Roy Jones Jr. b. 1969
Albert Pujos b. 1980

1/17/1971:
In the fifth Super Bowl - the first following the NFL-AFL merger - the Baltimore Colts defeat the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13, at the Orange Bowl in Miami. The two teams combine for 10 turnovers on six interceptions and four fumbles. The winning Colts commit six of teh turnovers, three of them on interceptions. Colts quarterbacks Johnny Unitas and Earl Morrall, and the Cowboys' Craig Morton combine to complete just 22 passes in 50 attempts. Baltimore ties the score 13-13 on a two-yard run by running back Tom Nowatzke with 7:35 left on the clock. With 1:09 remaining, Morton throws an interception to Baltimore linebacker Mike Curtis, who returns it 13 yards to the Dallas 28. As time expires, rookie kicker Jim O'Brienh boots a 32-yard field goal to win.

Birthdays:
Jacques Plante b. 1929
Kip Keino b. 1940
Muhammad Ali b. 1942
Chilli Davis b. 1960
Jeremy Roenick b. 1970

TRUE CRIME

A riveting account of James Earl Ray’s stalking and killing of Martin Luther King Jr. Determined to make his mark on history by whatever kooky means necessary, Ray was an obsessive nut. Ultimately, the mark he left was to elevate King even more. Though we know the ending, Hellhound is a nail-biter: a fascinating portrait of a psychopath and his prey, a nationwide manhunt, and a nation on the brink of change. The New York Times calls it a “bold, dynamic, unusually vivid book.”

HELLHOUND ON HIS TRAIL, by Hampton Sides (Doubleday, 2010)

GONZO JOURNALISM

Journalist Chris Ayres decided the ideal antidote to his reporting tour in Iraq would be a visit to Los Angeles, and poor La-La Land doesn’t stand a chance against his rapier pen. He takes pokes at the celebrities, the rich, the facials, the cars, the bikinis. And himself. If you like the snarkiness of Toby Young’s How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, then Death by Leisure is your bag, baby. “Fast and funny,” says The New York Times.

DEATH BY LEISURE: A CAUTIONARY TALE, by Chris Ayres (Grove Press, 2010)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/15/2012

1/15/1981:
Former heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks is robbed in Detroit. Spinks tells authorities that he was struck on the head as he was leaving a bar, woke up in a motel five miles away, and discovered that his assailants had taken $45,000 worth of clothes, jewelry, and other items, including the gold denture plate he was wearing. He had been the heavyweight champ for seven months in 1978.

Birthdays:
Bobby Grich b. 1949
Ernie DiGregorio b. 1951
Delino DeShields b. 1969
Mary Pierce b. 1975
Drew Brees b. 1979

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/14/2012

1/14/1962:
The Western Conference All-Stars nip the Eastern All-Stars, 31-30, in the NFL Pro Bowl before a crowd of 57,409 at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas brings the game to an exciting conclusion with a 12-yard touchdown pass to halfback Jon Arnett of the Los Angeles Rams with two seconds remaining. Members of the winning team each earn $800; the losers garner $600 apiece.

Birthdays:
Smead Jolley b. 1902
Sonny Siebert b. 1937
Fred Arbanas b. 1939
Gene Washington b. 1947
Terry Forster b. 1952

SHOWBIZ

Nancy Balbirer was poised to make it big as an actress. She had attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied with David Mamet (whose observations on the only skills actresses need give the book its title). She starred on MTV’s Remote Control and appeared on Seinfeld, yet fame seemed always just out of reach. When her friend “Jane” becomes world famous and then sabotages Balbirer’s career, it’s the last straw. Funny, gossipy, and insightful. A great pick for aspiring performers and entertainment buffs.

TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF AND CRY: A MEMOIR OF NEAR-FAME, by Nancy Balbirer (Bloomsbury USA, 2009)

APCKRFAN's NFL Picks 2011: Week 19: Divisional Playoffs

Week 19: Divisional Playoffs

Sat., Jan. 14:
New Orleans @ San Francisco (4:30pm) - New Orleans
Denver @ New Orleans (8:00pm) - New England

Sun., Jan. 15:
Houston @ Baltimore (1:00pm) - Baltimore
NY Giants @ Green Bay (4:30pm) - Green Bay

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/13/2012

1/13/1962:
Center Wilt Chamberlain scores 73 points to lead the Philadelphia Warriors to a 135-117 win over the Chicago Packers before a crowd of 3,516 at Convention Hall in Philadelphia. At the time, the record for most points in a regulation game is 71 by Elgin Baylor. Wilt also had 78 in a triple overtime game a month earlier on December 8, 1961. He accumulates the record number of points on 29 field goals (in 48 attempts) and 15 free throws-which breaks down to 14 points in the first period, 19 in the second, 17 in the third, and 23 in the fourth. Almost two months later, on March 2, Wilt will shatter his single-game scoring records in a 100-point contest against the New York Knicks. He will finish the 1961-62 season with records for points scored (4,029) and points per game (50.4). The Warriors will play 3,890 minutes during the season, and Chamberlain will be on the floor for 3,882 of them.

Birthdays:
Tom Gola b. 1933
Bob Baffert b. 1953
Mark O'Meara b. 1957
Kelly Hrudey b. 1961
Kevin Mitchell b. 1962

FIRST-RATE FICTION

With such a title, you expect treacle.
Instead you get classic Colwin: warm characters, witty observations, and writing that is crisp, clear, and straightforward. Pure pleasure. Laurie Colwin, who died in her forties in 1992, inspired raves—“endless surprises and … boundless joy” (The New Yorker)—and generations of ardent fans.
    Once you’ve dipped a toe in, you’ll want to come back for more. Colwin was as loved for her food writing as her fiction, so try Home Cooking (1988; Vintage, 2010) and More Home Cooking (1993; HarperPerennial, 2000).

HAPPY ALL THE TIME, by Laurie Colwin (1978; Vintage, 2010)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/12/2012

1/12/1992:
The Bills edge the Broncos, 10-7, in the AFC championship game at Rich Stadium in orchard Park, New York. After a scoreless first half, Buffalo takes a 7-0 lead with 5:28 left in the third quarter when linebacker Carlton Bailey returns a John Elway pass 11 yards for a touchdown. The Bills move ahead to 10-0 on a Scott Norwood field goal early in the fourth period. After Elway leaves with a thigh bruise, backup quarterback Gary Kubiak scores on a three-yard run with 1:43 remaining. Denver recovers the ensuing on-side kick but turns the ball over on a fumble on the next play. The Broncos outgain the Bills 304 yards to 213 for the defeat. In two weeks, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the Bills will lose, 37-24, to the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl-the second of four consecutive title defeats for the Bills.

Birthdays:
Mac Speedie b. 1920
Joe Frazier b. 1944
Tom Dempsey b. 1947
Dominique Wilkins b. 1960
Dontrelle Willis b. 1982

LIVING HISTORY

Paris, 1911. Someone has stolen the Mona Lisa right from the wall of the Louvre, launching a treasure hunt that lasts two years and includes Pablo Picasso on its list of suspects. A rollicking true story of art history, criminology, and Francophilia, Vanished Smile has real plot twists that seem to have been lifted from a Dan Brown novel and atmosphere more French than a Peter Mayle book. It’s “luminous” (Washington Post Book World), “beguiling” (The New York Times Book Review), and downright “enthralling” (Financial Times, UK).

VANISHED SMILE: THE MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF THE MONA LISA, by R. A. Scotti (Vintage, 2010) (Edgar nominee)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/11/2012

1/11/1973:
The American League adopts the designated hitter rule, largely for economic reasons. It is hoped that the rule will generate more offense and bring additional fans through the turnstiles. In 1972, the 12 teams in the AL drew 11,438,538 fans and only three (the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox) attracted over one million, whereas the dozen clubs in the National League combined for an attendance figure of 15,529,730 with nine franchises exceeding a million. The designated hitter will be used in the World Series for the first time in 1976 and will be utilized in every game in even-numbered years through 1985. From 1986 on, the designated hitter will be used in American League parks.

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

LIVING HISTORY

Lincoln knew nothing of battle when he was plunged into the Civil War, yet he emerged as the nation’s most brilliant commander in chief. In a narrative praised as “masterful” (The Boston Globe) and “definitive” (The Washington Post), James M. McPherson, a top Civil War historian and a Pulitzer Prize winner for Battle Cry of Freedom, examines the warrior inside the statesman who saved the Union. As The New York Times Book Review puts it, “Few historians write as well as McPherson and none evoke the sound of battle with greater clarity.”

TRIED BY WAR: ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, by James M. McPherson (Penguin, 2009)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/10/2012

1/10/1982:
In the NFC championship at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the 49ers defeat the Cowboys, 28-27, on a last-minute touchdown by wide receiver Dwight Clark in what will become known in NFL history as simply "the Catch." The 49ers take over on their own 11-yard line with 4 minutes and 54 seconds to play, trailing 27-21,. Joe Montana leads his team down the field; they are third and three on the Dallas six with 58 seconds left. He rolls to his right, sprinting to the sideline, and spots Clark at the back of the end zone. Montana's throw is high, but Clark leaps for the game-winning grab. The club will win its first Super Bowl two weeks later on January 24, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21, at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.

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

POP SCIENCE

Part handbook, part call to arms, this is the quirky gift book all geeks and friends to geeks must own. Featuring salutes to Tolkien, Sagan, Einstein, and Xena: Warrior Princess, and packed with practical information on important skills such as cloning, building lasers, and winning bar bets, this book will ensure that your geek is the happiest and coolest (if that’s possible) one on the block.

THE GEEK’S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION: BE AFRAID, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, by Garth Sundem (Three Rivers Press, 2009)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/9/2012

1/9/1942:
Joe Louis knocks out Buddy Baer after 2 minutes and 45 seconds in the first round for the heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden. The fight takes place 33 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of U.S. military involvement in World War II. Most of the proceeds from the bout go to the New York Auxiliary of the Navy Relief Society, which receives $47,000 for its fund. Louis receives no purse, and fights for training expenses only. He enlists in the army as a private the next day. The win over Baer is Louis's 20th defense of the title he won from James J. Braddock in 1937. His 21st defense will come with a victory over Abe Simon on March 27, 1942, but the 22nd defense won't take place until June 19, 1946, with an eighth-round knockout of Billy Conn, after Louis serves 45 months in the military. Louis will hold the title until he retires on March 1, 1949.

Birthdays:
Bart Starr b. 1934
Robert Newhouse b. 1950
M.L. Carr b. 1951
Muggsy Bogues b. 1965
Sergio Garcia b. 1980

WHODUNIT

Poor Joe Sandilands. The dashing inspector from Scotland Yard takes a holiday in India and promptly gets pulled into a murder investigation. Raj-era India comes vividly to life as Sandilands uncovers decades-old mischief, vice, and blackmail in the Himalayan resort town of Simla. The book is expertly plotted and filled with colorful characters, among them the heiress, the opera singer, the war hero inspector. If you want a literary mystery that’ll sweep you away, Barbara Cleverly has your ticket.

RAGTIME IN SIMLA, by Barbara Cleverly (Delta, 2006)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/8/2012

Former player and manager Wes Westrum on major league baseball: "It's like church. Many attend, but few understand."

Birthdays:
Walker Cooper b. 1915
Bruce Sutter b. 1953
Dwight Clark b. 1957
Jason Giambi b. 1971
Mike Cameron b. 1973

APCKRFAN's NFL Picks 2011: Week 18: Wild Card Weekend

Week 18: Wild Card Weekend

Sat., Jan. 7:
Cincinnati @ Houston (4:30pm) - Houston
Detroit @ New Orleans (8pm) - New Orleans (as much as I'd love to see Detroit win)

Sun., Jan. 8:P
Atlanta @ NY Giants (1pm) - NY Giants
Pittsburgh @ Denver (4:30pm) - Pittsburgh

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/7/2012

1/7/1962:
The American Football League stages its first All-Star Game. It's played before 20,973 fans at Balboa Stadium in San Diego at the end of the organization's second season. The Western Division defeats the East, 47-27, behind three touchdown passes from Dallas Texans quarterback Cotton Davidson. Each member of the winning squad receives $700; the losers draw $500 apiece.

Birthdays:
Alvin Dark b. 1922
Eddie LeBaron b. 1930
Tony Conigliaro b. 1945
Eric Gagne b. 1976
Alfonso Soriano b. 1976


Caramelized onions have a rich, sweet flavor. TO PREPARE ONE ONION, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet. Slice the onion evenly and add the slices to the pan. Saute on low heat, stirring often, for up to 30 minutes, or until the onion turns deep brown and the natural sugars caramelize.

DOCTOR, DOCTOR

Most of Atul Gawande’s acclaimed writing is about medicine. The Checklist Manifesto starts there but then ends up becoming a riveting book for all readers who want to organize themselves better, from moguls to mothers. The world is more complicated than ever before, and it’s stunning to see that a simple checklist can have revolutionary effects on efficiency, safety, and personal satisfaction. A lively read with life-changing ripples. Malcolm Gladwell’s take: “It has been years since I read a book so powerful and thought-provoking.”

THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO: HOW TO GET THINGS RIGHT, by Atul Gawande (Picador USA, 2011)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/6/2012

I inadvertently posted January 5, 2011's book yesterday instead of 2012, so there's two today:

1/6/2002:
During the last regular-season game of the 2001 campaign, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan breaks the single-season sack record in controversial fashion. As time winds down in the game against the Packers at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Strahan has 21-1/2 sacks on the season, just shy of the record 22 set by Mark Gastineau of the New York Jets in 1984. With 2:42 remaining and Green Bay ahead by 34-25, Brett Favre runs a naked bootleg toward Strahan's side of the field. As Strahan gains on him, Favre falls purposely to the ground. But Strahan touches Favre for the sack, which gives him 22-1/2 on the year, and the record.

Birthdays:
Early Wynn b. 1920
Lou Holtz b. 1937
Nancy Lopez b. 1957
Keenan McCardell b. 1970
Gilbert Arenas b. 1982


"Epiphany" comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, which means manifestation or appearance.

LIVING HISTORY

If you are finding your winter long and hard, curl up by the fire to experience Louisa Adams’s extraordinary 40-day race from St. Petersburg to Paris in the winter of 1815. Michael O’Brien’s impeccable scholarship and crackling prose make the read as fast as the ride and infinitely more enjoyable. The logistics of the trip alone are mind-boggling—multiple passports, currencies, letters of credit, supplies, and servants needed. A must-read for fans of colonial American and Napoleonic history.

MRS. ADAMS IN WINTER: A JOURNEY IN THE LAST DAYS OF NAPOLEON, by Michael O’Brien (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010)

SCHOOL DAY

Prep-school girls are a dangerous lot.
Nina de Gramont adds to the genre of coming of age among the elites with her dark and beguiling tale. Think Prep (by Curtis Sittenfeld) or The Secret History (by Donna Tart). Outsider Catherine Morrow gets taken under the wing of rebel queen bee Skye Butterfield, and the resulting drama is fierce, fragile, and unforgettable. “I inhaled this novel in one breath,” said Jacqueline Mitchard.

GOSSIP OF THE STARLINGS, by Nina de Gramont (Algonquin, 2009)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/5/2012

1/5/1920:
The Yankees purchase 24-yaear-old Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox for the record price of $125,000. The sale is prompted by Ruth's salary demands, his frequent immature behavior, and the financial difficulties of Sox owner Harry Frazee. Ruth caused a national sensation in 1919 when he struck 29 homers, breaking the previous mark of 27 set by Ed Williamson of the Chicago White Stockings in 1884. The folly of selling Ruth will become apparent during the 1920 season when he will nearly double his previous home run record by clouting 54. The Yanks will win the World Series for the first time in 1923, but the Red Sox won't win a world championship again until 2004, in a historic lapse known as "the Curse of the Bambino."

Birthdays:
Lou Carnesecca b. 1925
Chuck Noll b. 1932
Chuck McKinley b. 1941
Alex English b. 1954
Warrick Dunn b. 1975

"He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age." - Plato, Greek philosopher, (c. 428-348 B.C.)

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

Get a smart start on the new year by getting a grip with Frances Moore Lappé, the upbeat original guru of living green, clean, and not mean. In Getting a Grip, the prolific author, philosopher, and activist goes way beyond her diet for a small planet and takes in the big picture of how to live meaningfully and optimistically with the enormous opportunities and responsibilities of the 21st century.

GETTING A GRIP: CLARITY, CREATIVITY, AND COURAGE IN A WORLD GONE MAD, by Frances Moore Lappé (Small Planet Press, 2007)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/4/2012

1/4/1984:
Center Wayne Gretzky collects four goals and four assists, and center Mark Messier contributes six assists, to lead the Oilers to a 12-8 triumph over the Minnesota North Stars at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton. The Oilers take a 5-2 lead at the end of the first period and lead 10-6 after two. It is the highest-scoring game in teh NHL since the Montreal Canadiens beat the Toronto St. Patricks, 14-7, on January 10, 1920. Messier ties an NHL record for most assists in a period with four in the second, but his record will last less than two months. On March 6, 1984, center Dale Hawerchuk will record five assists in a period for the Winnipeg Jets during a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at the Forum in Inglewood, California.

Birthdays:
Johnny Lujack b. 1925
Don Shula b. 1930
Floyd Patterson b. 1935
Kermit Alexander b. 1941
Garrison Hearst b. 1971


BEAUTY TIP:
To relieve dry, itchy skin, add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bathwater.
Soak for at least 15 minutes.

RAVE REVIEWS

“The best novel written in the English language since
The Great Gatsby.”—Newsday

“Strong, beautiful, American, one of a kind.”—Kurt Vonnegut

“All fans of art and life should read it.”—Newsweek
Does the text stand up to the acclaim? Without a doubt. Frederick Exley took his alcoholism and his failure of a life and, in turning it into this highly autobiographical novel, made himself into a success. This book will break your heart—all the while putting it back together through its sheer, take-no-prisoners excellence.

A FAN’S NOTES, by Frederick Exley (Vintage, 1968)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/3/2012

1/3/2003:
In the BCS championship game at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, Ohio State edges Miami of Florida, 31-24, in double overtime. The Buckeye victory ends Miami's 34-game winning streak and their hopes of a second straight national title. The Hurricanes tie the score at 17-17 on a 40-yard field goal from Todd Sievers on the last play of regulation. Tight end Kellen Winslow II catches a seven-yard TD pass from Ken Dorsey on fourth down in the first overtime for a 24-17 Miami lead. On the ensuing Ohio State possession, quarterback Craig Krenzel converts a fourth-and-14 play, but faces another fourth down at the five. The Hurricanes are called for a controversial pass interference penalty on the play, and three plays later Krenzel scores on a one-yard run to tie the game at 24-24. In the second OT, running back Maurice Clarett crosses the goal line for Ohio State and Miami is stopped at the one-yard line.

Birthdays:
Hank Stram b. 1923.
Bobby Hull b. 1939
Darren Daulton b. 1962
Jim Everett b. 1962
Cheryl Miller b. 1964

A LIFE

In this surprisingly entertaining biography of Samuel Pepys, Restoration England’s foremost diarist, author Claire Tomalin plops you in a time machine and whirls you off to mid-1600s London. You’ll walk the cobblestones, breathe the smoke of the Great Fire, lift tankards in the taverns … Tomalin’s scholarship, writing, and observations are unparalleled. How can a book this rollicking make you feel so smart?
     If you want more, get it from the horse’s mouth with The Diary of Samuel Pepys (Modern Library, 2001).

SAMUEL PEPYS: THE UNEQUALLED SELF, by Claire Tomalin (Vintage, 2003)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/2/2012

1/2/1982:
The Chargers outlast the Dolphins, 4138, in overtime at the Orange Bowl in one of the most exciting NFL postseason games ever played. At the end of the first period, San Diego has a 24-0 lead, when Miami coach Don Shula replaces starting quarterback David Woodley with Don Strock. The Dolphins roar back and take a 38-31 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter. Running back Tony Nathan scores two TDs during the comeback, one on a 40-yard hook-and-lateral play. The Chargers tie the score 38-38 with 58 seconds left in regulation on a nine-yard pass from Dan Fouts to James Brooks. The game ends after two missed Miami field goals in 13 minutes and 52 seconds of OT on a 29-yard field goal by the Chargers.

Birthdays:
Gino Marchetti b. 1927
Robbie Ftorek b. 1952
David Cone b. 1963
Edgar Martinez b. 1963
Pernell Whitaker b. 1964

Glistening Glaze
Add a decorative touch to rolls, cookies, and pies. Before baking, brush the tops with 1 egg white slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk.

ENDURING CLASSIC

A prison break. A shipwreck. An island with a chilling secret. A fight to survive. It’s like the book version of Lost, by one of the world’s greatest masters of adventure fiction (Arthur C. Clarke called Jules Verne “one of the best storytellers who ever lived”). What are you waiting for?

THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, by Jules Verne (1874; Modern Library, 2004)

Sports Fact & Book Rec of the Day 1/1/2012

1/1/1938:
Before a sellout crowd of 7,800 at the Cleveland Arena, Stanford's Hank Luisetti becomes the first college basketball player to score 50 points in a game during a 92-27 rout of Duquesne. Luisetti was among the first to shoot one-handed, and with his success, players around the country will soon copy his style of play, abandoning the two-handed set shots and hook shots which had been the norm.

Birthdays:
Hank Greenberg b. 1911
Rocky Graziano b. 1922
Doak Walker b. 1927
Marlin McKeever b. 1940
Derrick Thomas b. 1967


"We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in memories we have forgotten." - Cesare Pavese, Italian Writer (1905-50)

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

If you loved Eat, Pray, Love, if you loved Bird by Bird, run, don’t walk. The Happiness Project will change your life. It will shift the way you think about your family, your priorities, your job, your children, even your closets. You’ll embrace the four splendid truths (see page 285) and end up wanting to “Be Gretchen,” too (page 77). A deliciously quirky reading list is the cherry on top. Dip a toe in by checking out Gretchen Rubin’s very active website, www.happiness-project.com.

THE HAPPINESS PROJECT, by Gretchen Rubin (Harper Paperbacks, 2010)

APCKRFAN's NFL Picks 2011: Week 17

Week 17:
Sun., Jan. 1:
Washington @ Philadelphia - Philadelphia
Pittsburgh @ Cleveland - Pittsburgh
Baltimore @ Cincinnati - Baltimore
NY Jets @ Miami - Miami
Carolina @ New Orleans - New Orleans
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta - Atlanta
Detroit @ Green Bay - Green Bay
San Francisco @ St. Louis - San Francisco
Indianapolis @ Jacksonville - Indianapolis
Buffalo @ New England - New England
Tennessee @ Houston - Houston
Chicago @ Minnesota - Minnesota
Dallas @ NY Giants - NY Giants
Kansas City @ Denver - Kansas City
San Diego @ Oakland - Oakland
Seattle @ Arizona - Seattle