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)