Former Socialist, Former Republican, Former Contributor to The American Spectator, Former Resident of Canada, Back in Boston Area After Stints in New York City & Atlanta, Current Mustache Wearer & Aficionado of Baseball, Bowling in All Its Forms, Cats, Music & Healthy Living
During a visit to the occupation encampment at Columbia University on Friday, Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said this about Jewish students:
I actually met a lot of Jewish students that are in the encampment. And I think it is really unfortunate that people don't care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they're pro-genocide or anti-genocide.
Well, for starters, Omar doesn't give a flying fuck about the safety of Jewish students. Her agenda was to willfully promote hatred against Jews by claiming that Jewish students who support Israel are supporters of genocide.
Indeed, if anyone can be considered to have pro-genocide views it is occupiers at Columbia University who chant "Long Live Hamas!!!"
The only reason Hamas exists is to kill Jews. That makes Hamas an inherently genocidal organization. If you doubt me then please go ahead and read the Hamas Covenant for yourself.
Thus, any student occupying Columbia or any other college campus who chants "Long live Hamas!!!" or "We are Hamas!!!" can be considered pro-genocide.
This also extends who stands in solidarity with the college occupiers. That means you, Ilhan Omar.
On Saturday night, I went to the Brattle Theatre to see Days of Heaven. Released in 1978, it stars Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard and Linda Manz and directed by Terence Malick. Nominated for four Academy Awards, the late Nestor Almendros earned an Oscar for Best Cinematography.
It was a well-deserved win for Almendros because the cinematography is the story in Days of Heaven. Never have wheatfields, turkeys and even locusts looked more beautiful. While the story is set in the Texas panhandle, Days of Heaven was filmed in southwestern Alberta not far from where my Mom grew up. The vast farmland and skyline reminded me of the times I visited the Crowsnest Pass in the late 1970's around the time Days of Heaven was released. I could also tell Days of Heaven was shot in Canada because of the use of Canadian Pacific Rail freight trains.
If not for the picturesque scenery, the story itself is fairly ordinary. Gere and Adams star as a couple (Bill and Abby) posing as brother and sister who find work on a large farm owned by Shepherd. The farmer, who is never named, falls in love with Abby and Bill persuades Abby to pursue the farmer after overhearing the farmer has a year to live. Bill and Abby are accompanied by Bill's real younger sister Linda (Linda Manz) who also narrates the film.
Manz was only 15 when the film was shot and would be brought in to narrate the film a year later as Malick was struggling to edit the final product. Manz's narration is a stream of consciousness yet at the same time sounds like a teenaged girl who came of age during WWI nowhere near a classroom. Sadly, Manz passed away in 2020 of lung cancer at the age of 58.
Days of Heaven was Malick's second film after Badlands which was released in 1973. I have never seen Badlands but understand Days of Heaven is in some ways not dissimilar from his debut film and would very much like to see it. Remarkably, Malick did not make another film for 20 years until the The Thin Red Line. Malick has been more prolific in this century and is currently at work in post-production on a new film called The Way of the Wind which is now due for release next year.
As for Days of Heaven, the farmer and Abby marry while Bill and Linda move into the big house. They all seem happy except for Bill who yearns for Abby. You know the good times aren't going to last. The days of heaven are short-lived. But its images stay with you for eternity.
In our own country, it's a hallmark of our democracy that our citizens make known their views, their concerns, their anger, at any given time, and I think that reflects the strength of the country, the strength of democracy. It is also notable that there is silence about Hamas, as if it wasn't even part of the story.
One could make the case that Blinken made a point of characterizing these occupations as a "hallmark of our democracy" because he was in China and wanted to draw a contrast between our two countries. Yet I cannot imagine Blinken calling a congregation of election deniers, COVID deniers or Tea Partiers a "hallmark of our democracy."
In other words, those who are occupying college campuses nationwide are pro-Hamas. They have made this loud and clear. So why hasn't Secretary Blinken gotten the message?
I’ve said all along, given two bad choices, I think it’s my duty to pick the person I think would do the least harm to the country. And in my mind, I will vote the Republican ticket. Trump may be playing Russian roulette, but a continuation of the Biden administration is national suicide in my opinion.
Last I checked Russian roulette was an act of suicide. In Trump's case, he has the gun pointed at America's head. How is this not an act of national suicide? How is this less harmful conduct than that of President Biden?
Barr testified under oath that Trump's election lies are a great, great disservice to the country.
What greater disservices to the country has President Biden committed?
Barr also acknowledges the January 6th case against Trump is legitimate. Presumably Barr believes Trump ought to be convicted of the charges against him. So why does Barr prefer to have convicted Trump in the White House than a clean Biden? Is it simply because Biden has a D next to his name? If not, what sin has Biden committed that are greater than Trump's crimes?
We recognize Israel’s right to protect itself. We reject the policy and the practice of Netanyahu. Terrible. What could be worse than what he has done in response?
He should resign. He’s ultimately responsible.
I don’t know whether he’s afraid of peace, incapable of peace, or just doesn’t want peace, but he has been an obstacle to the two-state solution.
Is Pelosi claiming Bibi's response is worse than Hamas' attack? If Bibi is an obstacle to peace, then what exactly does that make Mahmoud Abbas not to mention Hamas? Or Syria's Bahsar al-Assad
But in the grand scheme of things, it isn't Nancy Pelosi's place to call for Netanyahu's resignation nor any head of state or head of government of an ally. Ditto for Chuck Schumer.
But for Pelosi, Schumer or any American public official, elected or appointed, to demand Netanyahu's resignation helps no one except Hamas, Iran and Syria.
McCarty's death comes only 10 days after he was in Boston on Opening Day at Fenway Park to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Boston Red Sox' World Series championship.
The Red Sox were actually the final stop in McCarty's 11-year big league career which began with the Minnesota Twins in 1993. McCarty was the Twins first round draft pick in 1991 and third overall in the nation after a distinguished collegiate career at Stanford University.
Despite being a high draft pick, McCarty's baseball career was arduous, and he vacillated back and forth between the majors and minors while with the Twins before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds during the 1995 season. McCarty's brief tenure with the Reds was spent at Triple-AAA Indianapolis before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in an 8-player deal which included Deion Sanders.
Although McCarty saw some playing time with the Giants in 1995 and 1996, by the late 1990's he appeared to be stuck in Triple-AAA playing all of the 1997 season in Phoenix before the Giants traded him to the Seattle Mariners. McCarty spent nearly all of 1998 playing in Tacoma although he did get into 8 games with the Mariners. In 1999, McCarty signed with the Detroit Tigers but would spend all year with the Toledo Mud Hens before finally catching a break with the Kansas City Royals when he played a career high 103 games hitting .278 with 12 HR and 53 RBI.
Unfortunately, McCarty did not repeat those numbers with KC in 2001 and would be released by the Royals in early 2002. McCarty would repeat the MLB-Triple AAA shuttle during stints with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Oakland A's in both 2002 and 2003 until the Red Sox picked up him on waivers late in the 2003 season.
By the time McCarty joined the Red Sox, he was a 33-year-old journeyman who knew his role and yet saw new opportunities. While primarily a backup outfielder and first baseman, McCarty was also brought in to pitch during blowouts on several occasions during the 2004 season giving much needed a relief to the Red Sox pitching staff. His willingness to try something new endeared McCarty to his teammates and the organization. Although McCarty did not play in the 2004 post-season, he nevertheless earned his World Series ring.
McCarty would retire early in the 2005 season after declining yet another minor league assignment. In 630 career games, McCarty collected 362 hits for a lifetime batting average of .242 with 36 HR and 175 RBI. He would remain tied to the Red Sox through the 2008 season as a studio analyst for NESN before returning home to Northern California to begin his real estate career.
Naturally, time will always remain undefeated. Indeed, Carl Erskine, the last surviving member of the 1955 World Series champion Brooklyn Dodgers, passed away earlier this week at the age of 97. Erskine would live nearly 70 years after that triumph in Brooklyn. Who among the 2004 Boston Red Sox will still be among us in 2074? Will Manny still be Manny?
Still, both Wakefield and McCarty were only in their 50s (as am I). Wakefield's absence loomed large at the reunion and McCarty's passing so soon after it only reinforces the fact that mortality is a line thinner than the between the big leagues and Triple AAA and far more permanent. Big Papi managed to dodge death nearly five years ago but who among us gets more than one lifeline?
David McCarty has lost his life, but our memories will keep him alive such as this walk off HR off J.J. Putz on May 30, 2004. R.I.P.
During an interview with Steve Bannon in November 2021,Greene declared, “They’re ruining our country, these vaccine Nazis. I’m sorry. I know I’m using the word Nazi and everybody gets mad when I say it, but that’s exactly what they are.”
Needless to say, another visit to the National Holocaust Museum would be wasted on her and wouldn't do anyone a bit of good. Ditto if she came up to Boston to see the Auschwitz: Not Long Ago Not Far Awayexhibit or even Auschwitz itself. For her part, Greene claims she visited Auschwitz as a teenager. In which case, Marjorie Taylor Greene will never understand the horrors of the Holocaust nor does she want to do so. As I observed in June 2023, Greene calls everyone and everything Nazis except for actual Nazis.
Born and raised in Anderson, Indiana, Erskine signed with the Dodgers in 1946 after serving in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Erskine would make his big-league debut with the Dodgers in 1948 and would pitch in five World Series - 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1956. All five of those World Series were against the New York Yankees. The Dodgers would come up short in each of those World Series except for 1955. Erskine was the last surviving member of the first Dodgers team to ever win a World Series.
His best overall season came in 1953 when he won a career high 20 games although he would earn his only NL All-Star Team selection the following year. In Game 3 of the 1953 World Series, Erskine set a World Series record striking out 14 batters fanning Mickey Mantle all four times he came to the plate. This record would be surpassed a decade later by his Dodgers teammate Sandy Koufax in Game 1 of the 1963 World Series also against the Yankees and again in 1968 by St. Louis Cardinals legend Bob Gibson who struck out 17 Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of that Fall Classic.
After returning to Indiana, Erskine would become the father of son named Jimmy who was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome. Instead of institutionalizing his son, the Erskines strove to raise their son as a full member of society. Jimmy would later compete in the Special Olympics and his father spent more than half a century as a champion of the Special Olympics.
Born Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog in New Athens, Illinois in 1931, the man who would become known simply as "Whitey" for his light locks, was signed by the New York Yankees out of high school in 1949. Herzog would play 8 undistinguished seasons as an outfielder and first baseman with the Washington Senators, Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers between 1956 and 1963 with a lifetime batting average of .257.
Herzog would make his mark on baseball after his playing career was over. Or as Herzog himself said, "Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it."
Herzog would return to the A's in 1964 first as a scout and then the following season as part of the coaching staff. In 1966, Herzog would join the New York Mets as the third base coach under manager Wes Westrum. The following year, the Mets appointed Herzog as the team's director of player development. In this role, Herzog was critical in cultivating players like Gary Gentry, Jon Matlack, Ken Singleton and John Milner who either contributed to the 1969 World Series winning Miracle Mets or to the 1973 Ya Gotta Believe NL champion Mets.
Following Gil Hodges sudden death in 1972, it was believed that Herzog would be named the team's manager. But Mets management didn't even want Herzog at Hodges' funeral much less in the dugout. The job would go to Yogi Berra who did manage the Mets to the NL pennant in 1973. Herzog would spend most of the 1973 managing the Texas Rangers but would be dumped before season's end.
Herzog was on the California Angels coaching staff in 1974 and even served as the team's interim manager after the team fired Bobby Winkles and before they hired Dick Williams. In the middle of the 1975 season, Herzog would get his chance to manage again this time with the Kansas City Royals replacing Jack McKeon. Herzog would lead the Royals to three consecutive AL West titles from 1976 through 1978. Unfortunately, the Royals could never solve the New York Yankees losing to them in three consecutive ALCS showdowns.
The Royals would dismiss Herzog following the 1979 season in favor of Jim Frey who would guide the team to their first AL pennant in 1980. In the middle of the 1980 season, Herzog would move across state to assume his best-known role as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. Emphasizing pitching, defense, lots of stolen bases and not much power, Herzog guided the Redbirds to a World Series title upending the slugging Milwaukee Brewers in 7 games. During his first three seasons as Cardinals manager, he also served as the team's GM. The Cardinals would also win two NL pennants under Herzog in 1985 and 1987 though they would fall in 7 games to the Kansas City Royals (in controversial fashion) and the Minnesota Twins, respectively.
Whitey Herzog was a pivotal figure in the storied history of three franchises - the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Few can make that claim for one team much less three. R.I.P.
A New York native, Sterling began his broadcasting career with the NBA's Baltimore Bullets in 1970. Sterling also lent his voice to the New Jersey Nets, the New York Islanders of the NHL, the New York Raiders of the short-lived World Hockey Association, the New York Stars of the equally short-lived World Football League as well as at the collegiate level at Morgan State University. In the 1980's, Sterling moved to Atlanta where he was the voice of both the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and got his first taste of MLB as the voice of the Atlanta Braves.
While Sterling will be best remembered for his association with the Yankees, I will always remember his call of the late Rick Camp's home run in the Braves 16-13 lost to the New York Mets in 19 innings on July 4, 1985. When Camp, a relief pitcher with a lifetime batting average of .074 over nine big league seasons with Atlanta, came up to bat in the bottom of the 18th, Sterling told Ernie Johnson after Camp fouled off an 0-1 pitch, "Ernie, if he hits a homerun to tie this game this game will be certified as absolutely the nuttiest in the history of baseball."
Two pitches later, Camp went deep, and I'll let John Sterling tell the rest of the story.
Former MLB pitcher Ken Holtzman, who won three consecutive World Series rings with the Oakland A's in the 1970's along with one more ring with the New York Yankees, passed away on April 14th of heart failure. He was 78.
Holtzman, a native of St. Louis, was a fourth-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in the inaugural MLB draft in 1965. That September, Holtzman would make his MLB debut with the Cubs at the age of 19.
Nevertheless, Holtzman developed into a very dependable big-league pitcher with the Cubs as the number two starter behind future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Holtzman did have flashes of the spectacular. In 1967, his military service commitment with the National Guard limited Holtzman to starting games on the weekends. In 12 starts, Holtzman went 9-0 with a 2.53 ERA. While a member of the Cubs, Holtzman tossed two no-hitters. The first was in 1969 against the Atlanta Braves and the second was in 1971 against the Cincinnati Reds. In the former no-hitter, Holtzman did not strikeout a single batter. This has not occurred in the 151 no-hitters thrown since.
Following the 1971 season, the Cubs traded Holtzman to the Oakland A's for outfielder Rick Monday (who was the first player selected overall in the inaugural 1965 MLB draft). Holtzman was the final piece of the puzzle for the A's rotation as he was the number three starter behind Catfish Hunter and Vida Blue.
In his four seasons with the A's, Holtzman won no fewer than 18 games earned a career high 21 wins in 1973. Holtzman would earn back-to-back AL All-Star selections in 1972 and 1973 along with earning three consecutive World Series rings with the A's from 1972 through 1974. He would earn at least one win in each of those three World Series and was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 1973 Fall Classic against the New York Mets.
Alas all good things must come to an end. Prior to the 1976 season, Charlie Finley began to break up the A's as he would send Holtzman along with Reggie Jackson to the Baltimore Orioles for Don Baylor, Mike Torrez and journeyman pitcher Paul Mitchell.
However, Holtzman would only make 13 starts in an Orioles uniform before being dealt yet again that June to the New York Yankees in a 10-player deal which saw Holtzman along with catcher Elrod Hendricks and pitchers Doyle Alexander and Grant Jackson join the Bronx Bombers while the Orioles would acquire Rick Dempsey, Scott McGregor and Tippy Martinez who would become the nucleus of the 1979 AL champion O's and a World Series winner in 1983.
Although Holtzman would win his fourth World Series ring with the Yankees in 1977 he did not pitch in the World Series. Indeed, Holtzman's pitching deteriorated significantly once he wore Yankee pinstripes. In June 1978, the Yankees would deal Holtzman back to the Cubs in exchange for a young relief pitcher named Ron Davis. Holtzman would conclude his big-league career in Wrigley in 1979. In 451 career games (410 of them starts), Holtzman went 174-150 with a 3.49 ERA striking out 1601 batters while walking 910 in 2861.1 innings pitched completing 127 games.
Peterson, a Chicago native, was signed by the Yankees out of Northern Illinois University in 1963 and would make his big-league debut in 1966. By the time, Peterson was wearing pinstripes the glory days were over. Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford still with the team, but well past their prime.
Despite their descent into mediocrity, Peterson along with Mel Stottlemyre made a good accounting of themselves on the mound. From 1966 through 1972, Peterson reached double digits in wins every year but one. In 1970, Peterson was selected to his lone AL All-Star Team while attaining a career high 20 wins.
Yet Peterson will be forever remembered for what occurred off the field. Although it would cause him grief, he eventually came out on top. While Kekich and Marilyn Peterson did not last long, Fritz Peterson remained with Suzanne Kekich for more than 50 years until death did them part. R.I.P.
On Sunday, Stephen Strasburg officially announced his retirement from MLB. Strasburg, who spent his entire 13-year MLB career with the Washington Nationals, last pitched in 2022.
Even after coming back from Tommy John surgery, Strasburg could not stay off the disabled list/injured list be it 2013, twice in 2015, twice in 2016, 2017 and twice in 2018. It is not surprising that Strasburg pitched more than 200 innings only twice in his career - 2014 and 2019. The latter year represented the pinnacle of his success leading the NL in wins (18) and innings pitched (209) while striking out a career high 251 batters against only 56 walks. Then came the 2019 post-season in which Strasburg went 5-0 with a 1.96 ERA striking out 47 batters and walking only four in 36.2 innings pitched earning the 2019 World Series MVP as D.C. got its first World Series parade in 95 years.
In the off-season, Strasburg opted out of his contract and re-signed with the Nats on a 7-year, $245 million deal. Perhaps it was the euphoria of the World Series, but the contract would prove to be the ruin for both Strasburg and the Nats. From 2020 to 2022, Strasburg started 8 games going 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA as he surrendered 24 runs in only 31.1 innings pitched. He would be on the IL six more times during this period while the Nats descended into a second division team.
If you want to do it as an application of law, I believe that they’ll find that it is genocide, and they have ample evidence to do so.
For me, it is far more important to say what Israel is doing is wrong. And it is wrong. It is wrong to starve children within a civilian population in order to try to bend to your will. It is wrong to drop 2000-pound bombs, in densely populated civilian areas.
Those are weasel words. A distinction without difference. If Warren thinks the ICJ "has ample evidence" that Israel has committed genocide, then it means she is in agreement with that assessment. Why else would she claim that Israel is starving children? Why would else would she claim Israel is deliberately killing civilians?
Of course, Warren is simply being dishonest. This article from John Spencer of West Point demonstrates the ends to which Israel has bent over backwards to mitigate civilian casualties in Gaza:
The predominant Western theory of executing wars, called maneuver warfare, seeks to shatter an enemy morally and physically with surprising, overwhelming force and speed, striking at the political and military centers of gravity so that the enemy is destroyed or surrenders quickly. This was the case in the invasions of Panama in 1989, Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2003 and the failed illegal attempt by Russia to take Ukraine in 2022. In all these cases, no warning or time was given to evacuate cities.
In many ways, Israel has had to abandon this established playbook in order to prevent civilian harm. The IDF has telegraphed almost every move ahead of time so civilians can relocate, nearly always ceding the element of surprise. This has allowed Hamas to reposition its senior leaders (and the Israel hostages) as needed through the dense urban terrain of Gaza and the miles of underground tunnels it's built.
Hamas fighters, who unlike the IDF don't wear uniforms, have also taken the opportunity toblend into civilian populationsas they evacuate. The net effect is that Hamas succeeds in its strategy ofcreating Palestinian sufferingand images of destruction to build international pressure on Israel to stop its operations, therefore ensuring Hamas' survival.
Of course, I've never been a fan of Warren. That she would say this comes as no surprise to me. But if President Biden uses the g-word where it concerns Israel then that will cost him my support. That is my red line.
The Texas native spent the bulk of his 16-year MLB career with the New York Mets after starting out with the Houston Colt 45s. Grote also two stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and also briefly played with the Kansas City Royals. But Grote was a Met through and through. I would dare say that Grote was the greatest catcher in Mets history.
Now this is saying a lot. After all, the Mets have two catchers in Cooperstown - the late Gary Carter and Mike Piazza with the latter wearing a Mets a cap on his plaque. Of course, Carter was a cornerstone of the Mets' 1986 World Series title while Piazza was the power behind the Mets' NL pennant in 2000. Both Carter and Piazza were better offensive players than Grote. Indeed, Grote only hit 39 career HR while Piazza twice belted 40 in a season.
Yet without Grote there's a very good chance the Mets win neither the 1969 World Series nor the NL pennant in 1973. During his near dozen years at Shea Stadium, Grote mentored pitchers such as Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Gary Gentry, Nolan Ryan, Tug McGraw and Jon Matlack. Upon learning of the passing of his former roommate, Matlack said of Grote, "He was the best catcher I ever threw to. I don’t think I ever shook him off once." Koosman said that Grote was "the reason for his success." When Seaver was inducted into Cooperstown in 1992, Grote was one of three catchers Tom Terrific singled out for praise. The two others were fellow Hall of Famers Carlton Fisk and Johnny Bench.
Bench, considered by most as the greatest catcher in MLB history, also had high praise for Grote stating, "If Jerry Grote was on my team, I'd be playing third base."
I was initially going to avoid this one too. In my job, I rely on my eyes. If I lose use of them then I don't know what I would do. However, my employer provided free viewing glasses. We are also not going to experience another eclipse until August 23, 2044. I would be less than a month shy of my 72nd birthday. I am now at a stage of my life where I can wonder if I'll be around when it comes. So I decided to have this moment in the sun.
Boston was not in the direct path of the eclipse, so it didn't get that dark here. Better views were to be had in this part of the country in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. But I did get a look through my glasses at around 3 p.m. and just before 3:30 p.m. from inside the building where I work. However, I made a point of not looking for very long.
Alas I could not capture the image on my iPad. You'll just have to settle for the glorious sun knowing the moon had crossed it.
It was 50 years ago this hour in Atlanta, Georgia when Hank Aaron, with a swing of the bat off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing, hit his 715th homerun surpassing Babe Ruth as MLB's all-time leader.
Aaron would hit 40 more HR over the next three seasons to finish with 755. His record would fall to Barry Bonds a little over 30 years later in 2007. Although Aaron appeared by video to congratulate Bonds, public sentiment was not with him given the means he took to attain the record. As such, Aaron's 715th HR will always be more meaningful than Bonds' 756th.
After all, it must be remembered that while many didn't want Bonds to surpass Aaron there were also many who didn't want Aaron to surpass The Babe as he was subject to a torrent of racist hate mail and death threats against himself and his family.
While the processing of chasing Ruth was not a pleasant one, but when Aaron surpassed The Bambino legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully observed, "A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol." However, the cheers which mattered to Aaron the most were the embrace of his father Herbert and his mother Estella.
Zachry, a lifelong resident of Waco, Texas, was drafted out of high school by the Reds as a 19th round draft pick in 1970. Given the depth of the Big Red Machine, Zachry pitched in the minor leagues for six seasons before getting a crack at the big-league roster in 1976 after the Reds traded Clay Kirby to the Montreal Expos.
Zachry made the most of his opportunity. After beginning the season out of the bullpen, the Reds moved Zachry into the starting rotation following an injury to Don Gullett. In 38 appearances (including 28 starts), Zachry went 14-7 with a 2.74 ERA striking out 143 batters in 204 innings pitched. He would share NL Rookie of the Year honors with San Diego Padres reliever Butch Metzger. If that wasn't enough, Zachry earned a World Series ring with the Reds winning Game 3 of the four-game sweep of the New York Yankees.
Unfortunately, this would prove to be the zenith of Zachry's career. He would struggle during the 1977 season following hernia surgery and elbow trouble. In a dozen starts with the Reds, Zachry went 3-7 while his earned ballooned to 5.04. On June 15th, the Reds would trade Zachry along with pitcher Dan Norman, infielder Doug Flynn and outfielder Steve Henderson to the New York Mets in exchange for Tom Seaver in what was known as the "Midnight Massacre". In 19 starts for the Mets, Zachry made a decent accounting of himself going 7-6 with 3.76 ERA.
In 1978, Zachry would earn his only All-Star Game selection. He was potentially on his way to a 20-win season with a mediocre Mets club. However, in a game against the Reds on July 24th, after being lifted for a pinch hitter, Zachry tried to kick a batting helmet and ended up kicking the steps injuring his foot and putting his season to a halt. In 21 starts with the Mets in 1978, Zachry went 10-6 with a 3.33 ERA.
Injuries would keep Zachry off the mound for most of the 1979 season though he did pitch well in limited action going 5-1 with a 3.59 ERA in seven starts. Although Zachry would post a solid 3.01 ERA in 1980, his won-loss record that season was 6-10. The Mets had a paltry offense, and they were shutout in four of his 10 losses that season. Prior to the 1981 season, Zachry re-signed with the Mets for $2 million over five seasons. During the strike shortened season of 1981, Zachry would lead the NL in losses with 14 while leading the league in home runs surrendered with 13. By 1982, Zachry was pitching primarily out of the bullpen. Although he had re-signed with the Mets, Zachry did not like pitching in New York describing it as going "from the penthouse to the outhouse."
Following the 1982 season, the Mets traded Zachry to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Jorge Orta. Pitching almost exclusively out of the bullpen, Zachry went 6-1 with a 2.49 ERA in 40 appearances. The Dodgers would win the NL West that season marking his first return to the post-season since 1976. Zachry made two appearances in the NLCS, but the Dodgers would fall to the Philadelphia Phillies.
After one more season in Dodger blue, Zachry would be traded to the Phillies for first baseman Al Oliver. However, the Phillies used Zachry sparingly and the team would release him in June after pitching only 12.2 innings over 10 appearances. At age 33, no one wanted his services. In reality, it was the beginning of MLB owners colluding to keep salaries down thus cutting short the careers of many players. In 10 MLB seasons, Zachry went 69-67 with a 3.52 ERA in 293 appearances (154 of those starts). In 1,177.1 innings pitched, Zachry struck out 669 batters while walking 495. Zachry would later pitch in the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in the late 1980's.
Zachry would return home to Waco and eventually follow his wife Sharron into teaching. Sadly, in November 2016, his wife was killed in a car accident in which he was injured. I have no doubt the loss of his wife to whom he had been married for 40 years contributed to the illness which led to his passing. R.I.P.
President Biden and defeated, former President Trump are rarely on the same wavelength. But both men seem to be agreement that they have soured on Israel.
Yesterday, amid the Israeli airstrike which resulted in the deaths of 7 humanitarian aid workers with World Central Kitchen, President Biden called the incident "unacceptable" following a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The White House stated:
He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.
But to those who object to President Biden's cold shoulder to Israel, I would not count on Trump's support in view of his open contempt for Netanyahu over an imagined slight. Indeed, it is slight every bit as imagined as his delusions that he won the 2020 election.
Whatever my disappointment in Biden's shift in tone towards in Israel, he remains infinitely preferable to Trump in all respects.
Wherever, the A's play there isn't much to cheer about. The A's have had back-to-back 100 plus loss seasons and have started this season 1-6.
There might be a certain novelty in having MLB in Sacramento, but if the product is bad and the facility is bad then fans will continue to stay away. The folks in Vegas are even less enthusiastic about it.
I can only imagine how Connie Mack and Charlie Finley would react to this spectacle if they were still alive.
"We were targeted deliberately, nonstop, until everybody was dead in this convoy," said Andres. He also claimed the IDF targeted his relief workers "systematically, car by car."
Now it is understandable that Andres is angry, upset and in grief at the loss of 7 people who devoted their lives to his organization. However, Andres' accusation was echoed by World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore who stated, “I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF."
But why on Earth would the IDF deliberately want to target World Central Kitchen and its workers? Aside from being barbaric, cruel and inhumane, the IDF and Israel at large gains nothing from their deaths. So where is the motive on the part of Israel to kill these humanitarian workers?
Unless, of course, Andres and his organization are engaging in defamation and simply wish to cast aspersions on Israel and the Jewish people. Andres has claimed that Israel is engaged in "a war against humanity itself." So, what exactly does that make Hamas?
Yet for Andres to suggest, without evidence, that Israel deliberately killed members of his organization could cause retaliation against Jewish civilians in Israel and beyond. If Jose Andres believes there has been enough killing, then why say things which are likely to cause more killing?
I can make the argument that President Biden is the much worse threat to democracy, and the reason for that is President Biden is the first candidate in history – the first president in history that has used the federal agencies to censor political speech, so to censor his opponent.
Given that RFK, Jr. made this claim on April Fool's Day, one can view it as a joke. The problem is there are people who will accept RFK, Jr.'s word at face value.
The fact is that Meta (which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram) suspended RFK, Jr.'s accounts in May 2022 for spreading vaccine misinformation. At the time, RFK, Jr. claimed, “Facebook is acting here as a surrogate for the federal government’s crusade to silence all criticism of draconian government policies.”
RFK, Jr. can make all the accusations he wants, but he cannot point to any executive order or directive by President Biden demonstrating federal governmental involvement. The fact is Meta is a publicly traded company which restored his accounts in June 2023 after declaring his White House bid. If President Biden was truly a greater danger to democracy than Trump then RFK, Jr. would have no presidential bid much less any social media accounts.
All of which makes Cleveland Plain-Dealer editor Chris Quinn's letter so salient:
The facts involving Trump are crystal clear, and as news people, we cannot pretend otherwise, as unpopular as that might be with a segment of our readers. There aren’t two sides to facts. People who say the earth is flat don’t get space on our platforms. If that offends them, so be it.
As for those who equate Trump and Joe Biden, that’s false equivalency. Biden has done nothing remotely close to the egregious, anti-American acts of Trump. We can debate the success and mindset of our current president, as we have about most presidents in our lifetimes, but Biden was never a threat to our democracy. Trump is. He is unique among all American presidents for his efforts to keep power at any cost.
Frankly, when RFK, Jr. spouts his anti-vaccine propaganda he is telling us the earth is flat. The same is true when he tells us that President Biden is a worse threat to democracy than Donald Trump. President Biden had nothing to do with Meta's decision to remove RFK, Jr. from their social media platforms. They alone chose to remove his accounts and they alone chose to restore his accounts.
As for President Biden, when has he ever called for the arrest of a political opponent much less disputed the outcome of an election? Should President Biden lose to Trump in November, he will concede. Full stop. The same simply cannot be said of Trump who will move heaven and hell to prevent Biden from serving a second term. And if RFK, Jr. thinks life is rough under a Biden presidency, he has no idea what he is in store for should Trump return to the White House.
During my brief Canadian visit, the news headlines were dominated by the Trudeau government's increase in the carbon tax which took effect today.
The carbon tax was implemented federally by the Trudeau government in 2019. There are several provincial and territorial jurisdictions which have their own carbon tax - British Columbia, Quebec and the Northwest Territories. The federal carbon tax has separate schemes for both industry and consumers. The latter group receives rebates on a quarterly basis.
With an election no later than 18 months away, the Trudeau Liberals (who are in minority government alliance with the NDP led by Jagmeet Singh) have consistently been trailing the Tories led by Trump styled populist Pierre Poilievre by double digits. In polls taken in March 2024, the Tories led the Liberals between 14 and 21 points. If you think President Biden has re-election problems, his problems pale in comparison to those of Trudeau.
By the time the election rolls around Trudeau will have been in power for a decade and people have grown tired of Trudeau and are tuning him out. Of course, this isn't limited to one person, one ideology or one country. U.K. voters cannot wait to toss out the Tories after nearly 15 years in office as the party is projected to win fewer than 100 seats with Labour expected to win more than 450 seats in an election which could be called later this year.
At least where the Tories are concerned in Canada, they have the wind at their back. Poilievre has been holding "Axe the Tax" rallies all over the country drawing thousands of people. But should the Tories be elected; I don't believe Poilievre will axe the tax. He might reduce it or say he will gradually phase it out. If his government does eliminate the carbon tax, he'll probably replace it with an even more regressive tax. But right now, Poilievre can say anything because he is not in any position to implement anything. The next Canadian federal election is his to lose - even if he does knowingly march with white supremacists. In which case, Canada will get their own Trump.
