Chasing History

So the American League home run record is now in the crosshairs of New York Yankee phenom, and all 'round good guy, Aaron Judge.

A 6'7", 275 pound giant that never gets too worked up.  Never shows anybody up.  No bat flips.

Anyway, he's about to break Roger Maris' 1961 record of 61 home runs.  Judge is currently sitting on 60. 

I don't want him doing it this week as the Evil Empire are playing the Blue Jays in Toronto.

But at 60 dingers he has tied the previous record holder.

Who dat?

George Herman Ruth.  The Babe.

Who hit is first professional home run in Toronto.  in 1914.

And how did I first know that (before looking at this website)?

Well, I was going through my late Dad's stuff and came across a souvenir.

A souvenir Toronto baseball programme - from 100 years ago! 

Yes, from 1922!

And in it they talk about Ruth's first professional (but minor league) home run was hit in Toronto's Island Stadium.

Pretty swank for being out on the Toronto Islands.  And for being 1922!

But the most interesting part of the programme was a page on the origin of baseball.

Click on this and take your time looking at all the rule changes over the years

well, at least the rule changes up to 1922 anyway!

And if you ever needed more proof that baseball evolved from cricket, this is it.

In the programme they were reminiscing about some of the older; now gone rules.

One rule in 1845 was the the batter could call for the type of pitch we wanted.

They said, can you imagine if the Babe was playing back then.  They'd never get him out!

More on the programme later....

Ouch!

 

As one sportscaster just said, with the retirement of Zdeno Chara, there are no active NHL players who have ever lost a playoff series to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That's hard to believe.  But not really.  Or Rielly.....

More Beauty Of Nature

 ...as advertised.....

A stork couple celebrating their first egg together.

I guess that's only fair, as they deliver so many to others....

A beautiful day in Hobbit Land?

No, a sunny day in Iceland.

Helmcken Falls in Canada. 

Which is actually about 100 miles north of Kamloops

Photographer trying to take picture of Meerkats. 

"Hey, what'ca shooting?

This is a Harpy Eagle, the largest eagle in the world and what are you looking at?

I thought this was a hawk flying over a church 

But really it's the eruption on Mount Etna which creates a view which looks like a Phoenix

Touching North America and Europe at the same time

Kodiak bear either waving or saying, that's close enough......

And as Porky The Pig used to say, That's All Folks!

The Beauty Of Nature

While the rest of the world was mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth II - and deservedly so - the crack Arnotti Thoughts research team was scouring the world (wide web) for new and unusual offerings.

Here is a sampling....

Mushrooms growing on dead leaf in almost perfect alignment

The beautiful blue Mycenae mushroom

Owl raised this little duckling when it mistook egg for its own.

Oh yeah...that's the spot.....

A blue pit viper.   Yikes!  Good to know.......

Crow doing his part to save the planet.

Tree with a very strong will to live.

The bravest sparrow that was ever trampled to smithereens.

Let's see what tomorrow brings......

 

I'm Not Expecting The Same Fuss......

 

...when I go.

Maybe a world leader or two.

Maye a couple of princes standing guard.

Or maybe a couple of princesses! (Who say that ever goes away.)

Maybe a few words from the Biebs.  Although with the way he's going, maybe I'll be saying a few words at his funeral. 

But, as usual, Mr. Boffo says it best.

 

Right On, L'il Dude

 

Bullseye!

 

From today's Toronto Star, Pardon My Planet, by Vic Lee.

Good Dog

 

[Click to enlarge]

The Only Queen I've Ever Known

 

Tributes are pouring in from around the world of course.  Interesting how different news organizations choose to remember her.

The Toronto Sun

The Toronto Sun remembers her smiling with steely resolve.

The CBC

The CBC choose a frail picture of her the day before she died.

The Toronto Star

Not necessarily the picture I'd want to be remembered by.  Especially on their front page, her picture was almost life size.

Quite jarring when you pick up the paper at 6am.

Judge for yourself (but not the male model appearing in the picture with her).

Now, the Star did have another 12 page spread on the Queen that was more flattering but first impressions count.

CNN

CNN has already moved on from her to bigger problems.

Fox News

Meh.  Playing it fairly safe.

So except for a few long legged beauties on stage at Zelda's Boom Boom Room in the gaybourhood here in Toronto, of course, she was the only queen I'd ever known. 

But I'll leave you with a small vignette showing the Queen's sense of humour...

And to paraphrase the old saying, so long did the queen live.

About Time!

So finally I'm seeing some recognition that it is the 50th anniversary the famed 1972 Canada-Russia Summit Series. 

The Toronto Star is running a series on the series.

With a cool twist;

Current journalists are weighing in but they are also reprinting the actual articles from after each game.

A great way to remember what actually happened (ie. Bobby Clarke's two handed slash that broke Valeri Kharlamov's ankle) and a good way to avoid any revisionist thinking.

One reason there has been limited coverage may be because they were going to invite former USSR players for the event and also have both groups travel to Russia to celebrate.

Of course Mad Vlad has kind of disrupted all that.

But good to see The Star coming through.

From The "Why didn't I Think Of That" File

 

So New York City has a gun crime problem. 

At a news conference last week New York mayor Eric Adams (pictured below) said he was bewildered that up until now all police have been doing is to post gun-free zone signs using plastic twist ties (above picture).

So at this news conference he said this is unacceptable and announced a new program that will solve the gun crime problem - bigger signs.

As of Thursday new digital signs will go up in New York.

It's been reported that gangbangers across the city were saying, with palm slaps to the forehead, "They've outfoxed us this time boys. Bigger signs. We can no longer claim we couldn't see them."

And I have also read - somewhere - they are also considering adding at the bottom of the new signs "and this time we mean it". With a stern faced emoji.

I can hear the foreheads being slapped again.