A Quote to Start Things Off

""I'd love to go to Santa Fe at some point, Emmett said, but for the time being, I need to go to New York. The panhandler stopped laughing and adopted a more serious expression. Well. that's life in a nutshell, aint it. Lovin' to go to one place and havin' to go to another. Amor Towles in the Lincoln Highway.

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Pictures of Memories I

Pictures of Memories I
Snow kidding! These "kids" now range from 17 to 23

Saturday, April 23, 2016

T is for This Year

You Tube A TO Z

T is for This Year

One of the things I like best  about You Tube are some of the cover  contests that are conducted using it.  For example, at the beginning of 2015 One of my favorite artists released this song on video.


She also announced a contest asking for people sending their covers of her song in.  I watched a couple dozen of these and this one was my favorite.








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Thursday, April 21, 2016

R is for Ron

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


R is for Ronny



Ron Santo

Cubs, White Sox
I may be the only person who liked it when Ron Santo came to the White Sox for his final season in 1974.  I was a kid,I had just switched alliances from the Cubs to the Sox and one of my favorite Cubbies was coming to the South Side.
The person who liked the arrangement the least was  probably Santo himself .  He wanted and thought he deserved to retire as a Cub.  When the Cubs let him go he opted to go play for the Chi-Sox, as he had thought he had more in the tank.

As it  turns out he had very little left in the tank and had an abysmal year.  Instead of focusing on his unhappy ending, I prefer to look back at the amazing things he did as a Cub.  

Santo hit 337 of his 342 career homers for the Cubs. He averaged 30 homers per season between 1964 and 1968.  During that same 5 year span he also had 5 consecutive gold glove awards so he was definitely a stellar offensive and defensive player.  



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R is for Responses

You Tube A TO Z

R is for Response

You Tube used to have a feature where you could make a video response and post it to another you tube video.  They have since discontinued feature but you can still find video responses to existing you tube videos.

Last year the fine folks at Blimey cow produced this video.






I then made this response not knowing that You Tube had discontinued the program.




My take on this ,which I hope you gathered ,was to use the appropriate context for each phrase to give the phrases meaning.

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S is for Schoolhouse Rock

You Tube A TO Z

S is for School House Rock

I am no expert in the history of the music video but my theory is they have 3 notable precursors

1: The Beatles Movies
2: The Monkees T.V. Show
and 3. School House Rock

For the unitiated School House Rock was a series of educational cartoons than ran in between Saturday Morning Cartoons on ABC in the 70's and 80's.  They has 5 genre's


Multiplication Rock




Grammar Rock





History Rock



Science Rock




Money Rock





These are not neccesarily my 5 favorite.  But I do like them and they are a good sampling.



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Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Q is for Quest

Cubs Homerun hitters from Aramis to Zimmermanan 


Joe Quest 1852 - 1924
Cleveland Forest Citys. Indianapolis Blues, Chicago Cubs as White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, St. Louis Cardinals as Browns , Pittsburgh Pirates as Alleghenys, Philadelphia Athletics

Q:  If your last name or first name began with the letter Q, how many homers as a Cub would you need to own the outright record?

A: 2

Joe Quest played  second base for the Chicago Cubs  in the 19th century, back when they were called  the Chicago White Stockings.  Quest,  a very good defensive player, was not much of a hitter. In his 10 year professional career, he batted .217 and hit 1 HR in 2295 at bats. This is an average of 0 homers in a 162 game season.  By comparison of the 250 major leaguers who played from 2005 to 2014 and had 2295 AB or more, 54%  had 100 or more homers,  83.6 % had 50 or more and all 250 had at least 7 more homers than Quest over the same time period.   

Quest did win back to back to back pennants with the White Stockings from  1880 to 1882.  Quest is most famous for coining the phrase Charlie Horse as a term for a muscle cramp.  There are several version of how this came to be, one states that he and several of his teammates were at a horse race and all his teammates wagered money on a horse with Charlie in his name.  Quest had  not wagered on that horse.  During the race, the horse pulled up lame, and Quest made a quip about that Charlie horse not doing so well.  The next day, as one account has it, one of his teammates had the same type of injury in the course of the game, and Quest said he's just like that Charlie Horse.  

Quest's nickname for cramp is now forever etched in the English language,  but his Cubs Q homerun record is just 2 long balls from extinction. 

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Q is for Quick Draw McGraw


You Tube A TO Z

Q is For Quick Draw McGraw

For Q I present you with a trio of videos of one of my favorite cartoon heroes.  Quick Draw McGraw

Here is a short documentary on the feature.






El Kabong was my favorite character.  Here is a nice montage of some ka-bongs.









The Snuffle character with his reaction to dog biscuits was also a favorite.






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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

P is for Puppy


You Tube A TO Z

P is for Puppy


I just love You Tube videos of cute kids.  Exspecially when those cute kids are mine.  Here is Puppy on her way to Dog Day (Where people bring their dogs to the game) at a White Sox game.  Too Precious.










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P is for Pafko

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


P is for Pafko



Andy Pafko
1921-2013


Cubs,Dodgers (Brooklyn),Braves (Milwaukee) 
Andy Pafko played outfield for the Cubs from 1943 to 1951 when he was moved to Brooklyn Dodgers midseason.  Pafko was an all star 4 consecutive years (1947 to 1950).  Pafko batted .294 as a Cub over 9 seasons and hit 126 of his 213 MLB homers with Chicago. This places him 16th all time in Cubs Home run hitters.  After the Cubs Pafko played with Jackie Robinson in Milwaukee and Hank Aaron In Milwaukee.   


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Monday, April 18, 2016

O is for O'Farrell

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


O is for O'Farrell





Robert "Bob Arthur O'Farrell
1896-1988

Cubs,Cardinals, Giants, Reds 
On September 23,1935 Bob O'Farrell played the last of his 1,492 major league ball games.  666 of these were played with the Cubs in 2 stints on the northside.  He played from 1915 to 1925 with the Cubs and again in 1934.  O'Farrell was replaced by Gabby Hartnett as  the starting catcher for the Cubs  when he was out with an injury.  O'Farrel was traded to the Cardinals in the middle of 1925 campaign.  In 1926 O'Farrell won the NL MVP award for the Cards.  As a Cub, O'Farrell excelled offensively and defensively and hit  27 of his 51 round  trippers for the Cubbies.

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O is for Old Television Shows

You Tube A TO Z

O is for Old Televison Shows


If you are an aficionado of old television programs, like I am, You Tube, is a dream come true.  

You Tube is a treasure trove of t,v, from it's golden age to the present day.  Here is an episode of the old Panel Show What's My Line.











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Sunday, April 17, 2016

100th Post



I started this blog over 6 years ago and it has taken until now to get my 100th post.  I know we are smack dab in the thick of Cubs homerun hitters.  However I thought this would be a good time to play footage of Paul Konerko getting a hit on Paul Konerko Bobble head day at US cellular field,  I  am doing the announcing and the camera work.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

N is for No Hitter


You Tube A TO Z

N is for No Hitter


A baseball game can take 3-4 hours to complete.  But if all you are interested is watching all the outs it can take 5-10 minutes.  3-5 minutes if you are just looking for all the outs on one side.  When would you want to do that?  When you want to relive a no hitter.  You tube is your friend when it comes to finding those.

on April 18,2007 Mark Buehrle (see B is for Buehrle from earlier this month) pitched a no hitter for the Chicago White Sox against the Texas Ranger.  This means in his 9 innings of work no one got on base with a hit.  Former Sox player Sammy Sosa did get a walk and you can watch what Buerhle did to him.  








A no hitter when no one gets on base for any reason is called a perfect game Buerhle got one of those also.  It was 2 years later July 23, 2009 against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Since it is technically a no hitter and since I am not doing P is for Perfect Game I'll show you that one as well.  You'd be Wise to watch the 9th inning of this one.




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All 27 outs of Mark Buehrle's perfect game

N is for Nichholson

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


N is for Nicholson 



Bill Nicholson 1914-1996


Athletics as Philadelphia Athletics, Cubs, Phillies
Bill Nicholson played all but 11 of his 1677 major league ball games in the National League.  He had a cup of coffee with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1936 where he went 0-12 in his only 12 American League plate appearances.  He came back to the Major leagues in 1939 the first of 19 consecutive season with the Cubs.  He languished in Philadephia for the Phillies for 5 years at the end of his career where he only saw limited action.  His time with the Cubs was the pinnacle of his 16 season career.  He made 4 all star teams from 1940 to 1944 and helped the Cubs to their last World Series appearance in 1945.His  245 doubles with the team  puts him 16 on the all time list and  his 205 homers makes him the 8th most prolific Cubs home-run hitter of all time.  

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Friday, April 15, 2016

M is for Mark

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


M is for Mark 




Mark Grace


Cubs, Diamondbacks
Mark Grace played 13 of his 16 big league seasons for the Chicago Cubs from 1988 to 2000. Although the 3 time all star never had a 20 HR season his longevity with the Cubs puts his 148 Homers for them as 14th on the all time list.  25 homers with Arizona at the end of his career puts him with 173 homers all toll.


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L is for Lee

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



L is for Lee

Derrek Lee


 Padres, Marlins, Cubs, Braves, Orioles, Pirates

Derrek Lee played for the Cubs from 2004 to 2010.  A two time all star and fan favorite who hit 319 major league homers.  179 of those long balls came for the Cubbies, which puts him 12th on the all time list.







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M is for Monkees



You Tube A TO Z

M is for the Monkees



Because of the time I was born mid sixties I have no memory of life without the Monkees and I have no memory of never loving the Monkees.  If you love the Monkees like I do You Tube is a friend with many videos of past shows and hit songs.  









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Thursday, April 14, 2016

K is for Keith

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



K is for Keith 



Keith Moreland


PhilliesCubs, Padres, Tigers Orioles
Keith Moreland played baseball from 1978 to 1989.  He started with the Phillies and came to the Cubs  in 1982.  He played 6 seasons with the Cubs and left for San Diego after the '87 season came to a close.  While about 69 % (902) of his 1306 games were with the Cubs 100 (87%) of his 115 homers were hit for the Northsiders.  

The former Cubs raidio announcer's 100 dingers was good enough for 20th all time for the Cubs until  Anthony Rizzo over took him last year.  


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L is for Late Late Show

You Tube A TO Z

L is for Late Late Show





Today's entry comes from the first episode of the Late Late show hosted by James Corden. It's a touching/humorous ballad about hosting late night show which has always been one of my ambitions.

 


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Wednesday, April 13, 2016

K is for Kiss Cam



You Tube A TO Z

K is for Kiss Cam




A Kiss Cam is when at a professional sporting event the camera pans onto couples and when they see them selves on the jumbo=tron they smooch.  Sometimes things don't always happen correctly.  Take a look at a Kiss Cam portion of a Bulls Celtics Game held in Chicago.














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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

J is for Jody

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



J is for Jody




Jody Davis


Cubs, Braves 

Jody Davis caught for the Cubs from 1981 to 1988 and played parts of 3 seasosn with the Atlanta Braves retiring in 1990 from Major League Baseball.  Davis hit 122 of his 127 major league homers for the Cubs  which places him 17th on the Cubs all time list.

Davis a 2 time all star with 1 gold glove to his credit was a fan favorite and is still well revered on the north side.  


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J is for Judges


You Tube A TO Z

J is for Judges




When Veggie Tale creator Phil Vischer started a web based bible series called Jelly Telly,  he had different feautures he would rotate in.  One was a group called The Fabulous Bentley Brothers who would sing snippets  of Old Testament bible books.  The song Judges does for memorizing all the judges in the Old Testament what School House Rock did for memorizing the preamble of the constitution.  And yes that's Rhett and Link, who you may remember from F is for Facebook as the Fabulous Bentley Brothers.











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Monday, April 11, 2016

I is for Irvin

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



I is for Irvin




Monte Irvin (HOF)

1919 -2016







Giants, Cubs

The first paragraph of Monte Irvin's page at the baseball hall of fame website reads as follows

Monte Irvin was not the first African-American player in the modern major leagues, but of all the talented players who made the perilous trip from the Negro leagues to the big leagues in the late 1940s, Irvin may have been the best.

Irvin played with the Newark Eagles of the Negro League and came to the major leagues with the New York Giants in 1949 and played seven season there.  In 1956 he finished his career with the Cubs and hit 15  of his 99 major league homers in his farewell season.  Irving was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Irvin passed a way in January of this year 6 week prior to his 97th birthday.

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I is for Ishmael United - If you can't shout saved


You Tube A TO Z

I is for Ishmael United




In 1985 I discovered a group called Ishmael United in the bargain basket of my local Christian book store. I loved the cassette and told anybody I met about it. I lent it it to a friend who lent it  to someone in his youth group who lent it  to her boyfriend. Then in perfect sitcom fashion, he broke up with her, she stopped going to youth group and I never saw the cassette again. At about the same time the cassette went out of print. Enter Youtube ,someone takes a video of one of the songs playing and it's 1985 all over again


 .




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Saturday, April 9, 2016

H is for Hank Sauer

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



H is for Hank




Hank Sauer
1917 - 2001

Hank Sauer , a 2 time all star and NL MVP of 1952 was a Cubs outfielder from 1950 to 1955.   He hit 288 homers in his 15 major league seasons.  His 7 seasons with the Cubbies yielded 198 of those round trippers which puts him 9th all time for the club.


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H is for How it Should Have Ended








Friday, April 8, 2016

G is for Gabby

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


G is for Gabby




Charles  Leo "Gabby" Hartnett(HOF)
1900-1972


Cubs, (NY)Giants

Gabby Hartnett hit 231 homers for the Cubs from 1922 to 1940 which puts him 7th all time with the club.  The 6 time all star and 1935 NL MVP is best remember for 1 specific homer,  The homer in the gloaming which took place 9/26 1938.  Before I get to the significance of the homer , let me explain how baseball in 1938 from the baseball we understand.

1. Until the late 60's there were no playoff series prior to the World Series.   Each year the best team in the National League would play the best team in the American League in the World Series.  The entire season was played to determine which team would win the pennant and play in the World Series.

2.  While the first MLB night game was played in 1934, night games were still not common in 1938 and not played at Wrigley Field until 1988.

The Pittsburgh Pirates led the NL for most of the 1938 season but started to unravel in September. When they came into Chicago for a 3 game series , the Cubs were only 1 1/2 games behind the Bucs.  Dizzy Dean who was traded from the Cards to the Cubs in 1938 beat the Pirates in the first game.  In the 2nd game the score was tied 5-5  as the Cubs came to bat in the 9th.  Because Wrigley had no lights the umpires decided that the 9th inning would be the last which would cause the entire game to be replayed the next day.



The Cubs were down to their last out and Hartnett was 0-2 in the account.  As twilight descended Hartnett homered into the left center bleachers and the crowd erupted.  The Cubs essentially won the pennant on that home run.

Hartnett hit all but 5 of homers for the Cubs but his walk off in 1938 put the immortal touch on an already HOF career,


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G is for Grover

You Tube A TO Z

G is for Grover


I grew up on Sesame Street.  I mean the television show, not the actual street.  My love for all things Muppets began watching sketches like these on PBS.  Like many sesame street sketches of it's time, it starts with a usual situation and put's an educational/wacky take on it.







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Thursday, April 7, 2016

F is for Frank

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



F is for Frank





Frank "Wildfire" Schulte
1882-1949

Cubs, Pirates, Phillies and Senators

When composing a list such as this, it is fairly common to come across a player you are only vaguely familiar with.  But that is not the case with Frank Schulte, I had never heard of him.  Schulte was a contemporary of Tinker, Evers and Chance and played for the Cubs from 1904 to 1916. He was the 1911 NL MVP and (get ready for this) played in 4 World Series with the Cubs losing to the White Sox in 1906, beating the Tigers in 1907 and 1908 and lost to the Philadelphia Athleticss in 1910.  He hit .321 in those 4 World Series.  Schulte hit 91 home runs for the Cubs and only hit 1 more after he left the team in 1916.  

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F is for Facebook

You Tube A TO Z
F is for Facebook

I am a big fan of the work of Rhett & Link.  Their video Facebook was one of the first things I was of theirs.  While it's true that FB has changed over the years this song still works.








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Wednesday, April 6, 2016

E is for Ernie

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


E is for Ernie






Ernie Banks "Mr. Cub" HOF

Cubs, 

Ernie Banks broke the Cubs color barrier in 1953 and played his entire Hall of Fame career with the Cubs retiring in 1971 and being a good will ambassador for the club until his death last year.  
Banks was an 11 time all star and 2 time NL MVP.  His  512 homers was a Cubs record until Sammy Sosa broke it in 2004.  



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E is for Embarrasing Videos

You Tube A TO Z

E is for Embarrasing Videos


My currently  14 year old son would just assume this video was never shot.  But that didn't stop us from posting it on FB and You Tube.







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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

D is for Dawson

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


D is for Dawson






Andre Nolan "Hawk" Dawson
Expos, Cubs, Red Sox, Marlins

Like, Billy Williams, Andre Dawson  made his MLB  debut at the age of 21.  And like Williams He was Rookie of the  year.  But unlike Williams who debuted with the Cubs, Dawson played his first eleven seasons with the Montreal Expos (Currently: The Washington Nationals).    He came to the Cubs in 1987 in spectacular fashion hitting 49 Homers (He never hit more than 32 in a season before or since) and winning the NL MVP for a Cubs team that went 76-85.  It' hard to imagine how much worse they would have been w/o him.  Dawson played the Outfield for the Cubs from '87 to'92 and had 174 of his 438 MLB homers with the Cubs which puts him 13th all time for  the Cubbies.

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D is for Debate

You Tube A TO Z

D is for Debates
In 2015 and 2016 I watched a lot of the Presidential debates since I do not have broadcast television and also since I was not home during many of the debates I watches a lot of them through you-tube.  Todays video is from one of the 2007-2008 debates where Mike Huckabee scored big with many voters with this response.




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Monday, April 4, 2016

A to Z Challenge Simulpost C

YBD: Your Basic Dave: C is for Captain America: Superheroes A to Z C is for Captain America Full Name: Steve Rogers Captain America Comics #1 (1941) Notable Team Affilia...

C is for Cap

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman


C is for Cap






Adrian Consrantine "Cap" Anson (HOF)
1852- 1922

Rockford, Philadephia, Chicago

Cap Anson was a first base  for the Cubs from 1876 to 1897 and manages the team 17 of those years.   Back then the Cubs were known as the "White Stockings" and  the stockings weren't the only thing white about those teams.   Anson was one of the first stars of the sport and one of it's leading racists.  As a manager he signed contracts for games against player that had african americans on them that said they could not play against Anson's club.  This of course was typical of post civil war life, but still very unsettling.

Anson hit all of his 97 Homers as a member of the White Stockings. This ties him for 23 on the Cubs all time HR list.


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C is for Change Bank

You Tube A TO Z

C is for Change Bank

I absolutely love these "commercials" from Saturday Night Live.  Like many things from SNL I heard these quoted before I actually saw the bits.  







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Sunday, April 3, 2016

Playoff Beard Day 8


Hawks beat Bruins 6-4. 3 games remain in season.

 There are many great things I like about the early Spring.  The beginning of baseball season,  gearing up for the Blackhawks (and sometimes the  Bulls) playoff runs,  my wedding anniversary, and Easter Sunday are just a few of them.


For the past 3 years Judson University's Imago Film Festival   has become one of those great things I associate with the beginning of Spring.  I came home  just a few hours ago from the fifth and final evening of the 12th annual festival and want to relate my experience of the event.



The Mission statement for the festival states that  they showcase independent films that deals with faith issues that emphasize image and story. I attended each night of the festival this year and the 15  
official selections that were screened certainly met the missions statements criteria.  


Terrence Wandtke stated several times in festival literature and at the festival itself, that many of the years selections dealt with themes of love and loss.  He was certainly correct in that assertion, and the 4 winning films all dealt with that topic in one way or another.

My favorite film of the 4 winners,  Not the End,  won the Audience Choice award.  

The 2nd runner up as decided by the Judges was Speed Dating.

The 1st runner up was Persimmon.
'
Best in Show was the Oscar Nominated short, We can't live Without Cosmos.

$2,000.00 was divided unevenly between the winning 4 films.

I am sure you will be able to find all 4 movies on line at some point, if you have interest in viewing them - perhaps even at Imago's You Tube Channel.  However, my week at Imago reinforced my belief in the importance of the communal experience of watching movies.  I encourage any of you in the Chicago area to come to Elgin next year to experience Imago 2017 with me.  

If any of you were wondering why it took me 2 hours after coming home before I wrote this review, It is because after all that film watching I wanted to do some more.  I just finished watching my first full length feature on someone else's blog post.  From time to time someone will put a link to an entire movie from you tube on their blog. On Friday I saw a link to the movie Angel and the Badman, a 1947 John Wayne film.  I had not seen it before so have been watching it after the festival for the past 2 nights.  It is a film that deals with faith issues and emphasized image and story.  So it was a perfect post Imago activity.  Perhaps soon, I'll review it here.   Before that happens, I plan to screen the film for an audience, my family.


Saturday, April 2, 2016

A to Z Challenge Simulpost B

Superheroes A to Z
B is for Beast


Full Name Hank McCoy
First Appearance X-Men #1 1963
Notable team affiliations: X-men,Avengers and Defenders





As I mentioned yesterday, I did not choose the obvious choice for a superhero that begins with the letter b.  To show how obvious it is I filmed this impromptu piece with my family.


   



Bisquick Man notwithstanding, Batman seems to be the obvious choice for superhero today.  If you know anything about me, know this - my choices are not obvious.


I like Beast because he brings humor and pathos to situations sorely in need of it.  Besides that "Oh my stars and garters" is one of the best superhero catchphrases ever.

But wait a second did my wife really guess Barney b4  she guessed man.  Let's see about that ...


nd
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B is for Billy

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman



B is for Billy






Billy  Leo Williams (HOF)

Cubs, A's

Billy Williams made his d ebut with the Chicago Cubs on August 6, 1959 at the age of 21.  He was Rookie of the  year in 1961  and  a six time all star.  He played for the Cubs through the 1974 season He hit 392 of his 426  homers for the Cubs which is 3rd  all time.    He was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1986.

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Playoff Beard Day 7

Crazy Uncle Dave "Pretend" voics of the Black Hawks dispenses his Hawks Nuggets


Hawks Nugget1 :  On this day in 1972 Bobby Hull scored his 604th goal as a blackhawk

Hawks Nugget 2 :  Thanks to NHL tie breaking procedures the Hawks only need 1 point to stay out of the 1st wild card spot now held by the Nashville Predators.  The only way the Preds can overtake the Hawks for the 3rd spot in the central is if they win their remaining 3 games in regulation and the Hawks drop their last 4 in regulation.  The Hawks cannot overtake Dallas  (the best they could do is lose the tie breaker) for 1st in the Central but can still catch St. Louis for 2nd in the Central.



B is for Buehrle

You Tube A TO Z

B is for Buehrle


One thing you see lots of on you tube is sports plays and commercials.    This post includes one of each.


In 2010 one of my favorite White Sox Players, Mark Buehrle  started off the season with this  phenomenal play
.








 The next year the White Sox made this epic commercial as an homage to the fantastic play using Buehrle and Sox Announcer Hawk Harrelson in cameos.



 

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Friday, April 1, 2016

A to Z Challenge Simulpost A

Today is the beginning of A to Z challenge 2016.  This is the first time I am participating from YBD as YBD hardly existed last April.  My theme is the one I planned to use at HSD this year.  The theme is comic book characters.





A is for Alfred


Full Name:  Alfred Pennyworth
Occupation:  Wayne Family Butler and aide to Batman
First Appearance:  Batman #16 (1943)

Cover from first appearance of Alfred
I chose Alfred rather than a hero for several reasons.  Antman and Atom kind of cancel each other out and I have never been a big fan of aquaman.  Alfred is what my Father-in-law used to call a secret hero, the character in a show that is the glue that holds everything together.  I am also including him here as I am not including his employer tomorrow.  Batman is one of the mainstays of comicbook lore and since I am not featuring him tomorrow, I am going out of my way to make room for other members of the "Batman Family" in my list.

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ADDED BONUS.

A few years ago my kids absolutely fell in love with the book Super Hero ABC by Bob
McLeod

Click on the image to get the book from Amazon.

As I run through the letter of the alphabet I will try to show pages from this fine book as well




A is for Aramis

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman

It is time once again for the A to Z challenge.  Last year, I went from A to Z with White Sox Home run hitters.  This year, I turn my attention to my 2nd favorite ball club, The Chicago Cubs.

Everyday in April with the exception of Sundays, I will be featuring a different Cubs player.  
All homerun info is through the 2015 season.



A is for Aramis





Aramis Ramirez

Cubs, Pirates, Brewers

Aramis Ramirez came to the Cubs from the Pirates during the 2003 season and played for the Cubs through the 2011 season.  Ramirez has hit 239 of his so far 386 homers for the Cubs.  This is 6th all time for the Cubs.  

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Playoff Beard Day 6 



For those of you stopping in from a to z blogging you may not know that I am posting daily pics of my playoff  beard as well as a staus on the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks beat  the WInnipeg Jets 5-4 in OT this evening.  The Hawks have 4 games remaining.  The St.  Louis Blues remain their probable 1st round playoff match up.

A to Z 2023 Road Trip

#AtoZChallenge 2023 RoadTrip