Heidi Klum Dumps Out Even More Content As Summer Heats Up, Rangers Dugout Dancers Drive Keith Nuts & MEAT!
I should've spent the money to get that Willie Mays autograph in Cooperstown
Back in the early 2000s when I lived in Northeast Pennsylvania, I would go to Cooperstown for Hall of Fame induction weekend. Pete Rose would be signing on Main Street with Duke Snider. Then, across the street, Willie Mays would be signing autographs at Mickey's Place.
I believe the price at that time was like $100. It felt astronomical. Unattainable.
But it was Willie Mays!
I'm not remotely old enough to have seen Mays play, but I understood the history of the game. I watched those old ESPN Classic videos. I watched those old "Home Run Derby" shows. Willie hit 35 dingers over five episodes, which was second only to Mickey Mantle's 44 over five shows.
He's right there inside Mickey's Place.
Pull the trigger. Pull it. Just do it this one time. Meet Mays.
I never did. It's one of my big regrets from my days hanging in Cooperstown on my days off work.
As many of you know, we lost Mays on Tuesday at the age of 93.
Maybe it's age catching up to me or that I'm just not as tuned in as I once was, but it just doesn't feel like our modern sports stars have the mystique of those from the 1950s, 60s and 70s before cable television brought athletes into our living room on demand.
Will my kids even know who Mike Trout is in 20 years? Will they care if he's signing an autograph inside Mickey's Place.
I fear we've come to the end of a special time in American sports history and I'm not sure the feelings I felt back in the early 2000s will be replicated by the likes of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
Memories of attending first MLB games
- Dean in Fond du Lac, WI writes:
I didn’t go to my first MLB game with my father but I do have a great memory of that game. It was the Detroit Tigers vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Milwaukee County Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 13, 1970. My Cub Scout Pack traveled to Milwaukee from Appleton, WI, on board the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad passenger train to see the game. This was the last year before most passenger railroad travel disappeared with the advent of Amtrak. The Brewers won the game 3-2, defeating the Tigers and their starting pitcher Denny McLain – details that I remember to this day from 54 years ago.
While I didn’t go to my first MLB game with my father, I did go with him to my first NFL game. On Nov. 28, 1976, we went to see the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. While I don’t remember a whole lot of what happened on the field that day, I do remember it being bitterly cold. I remember the PA announcer giving the attendance figures for the game and that he had announced that there were only around 300 "No Shows" for those bought tickets but didn’t attend the game. I also remember the PA guy saying that (at that time) that the game was the third coldest NFL game (I am not sure if he said just regular season or for all NFL games) in history. I had to look it up on line – the game time temperature was 2.2°F with wind chill temps in the negative teens. I also remember the crowd cheering those figures, because, well, we Wisconsinites are hardy souls when it comes to winter!. I haven’t been to a Packers-Bears game since that bitterly cold day. Although I became a Packers season ticket-holder in 2013, I didn’t get a Bears game in my ticket package until 2020, which was promptly wiped out by Covid (but the game was played before a small crowd of invited medical providers and first responders). In 2024, I have finally got a Chicago Bears game in my package as the last game of the regular season, barring another Chinese virus pandemic.
As for restaurants that have gone by the wayside, I remember a drive-in called Dog ‘n’ Suds that featured hot dogs and root beer from the 1960’s and early 1970’s. My memory of the only Dog ‘n’ Suds drive-in near where I grew up in Wisconsin was one near Beaver Dam, WI, along Highway 151. The remnants of that drive-in are still along the road despite being gone for about a half-century.
Vols fans help Kevin in Gibsonia, who is attending a Vols game in September
- Brian from Utah writes:
Single dad Brian from Utah checking in, UT alum here, and gameday on campus is about as good as it gets!
Hopefully there's some members of the SC community who can host Kevin from PA at their tailgate to truly show him how the vols do it.
Suggestions:
Parking- if you're there early, won't be an issue, might have to pay $40-50 but there's plenty of student houses in fort sanders(across the strip from campus, 90% students) that offer up their house lots to cover their beer money for the day. Would recommend paying so that you only have a short walk to the car after, traffic leaving will be a bitch regardless, but if you can dip out fort sanders away from the strip you'll be fine.
Places- cool beans if you want a fun bar, i graduated in 2016 so alot of places have changed, but the tailgates are more fun than bars and the bars will be packed with people not going to the game who want to claim a spot to watch it. the downtown area is nice, but honestly on a game day you're better off staying on campus.
I would walk to ayres hall, then to fraternity row down the pedestrian walkway through the middle of campus, then work your back toward the stadium, passing by thompson boling arena, pat summit plaza, athletic facilities, etc., not to mention literally tens of thousands of people with tents set up EVERYWHERE.
Never had the privilege of joining the vol navy, but if there's someone from SC who can hook you up there i would classify that as my only "can't miss" aspect of a gameday in knoxville.
Haven't been to a game since we lost to BYU on a hail mary, trying to make it back home for a game this fall myself!
- Jon C. writes:
We have had season tickets for the past 6 year's. Since Danny White has taken over as AD, there have been improvements around all sporting events.
Biggest thing, they now have a Vol Village which is a live music, food truck, drinks, etc area. No ticket needed. Don’t even have to be going to the game.
Here is a link to all things game day. Will be updated when the reader’s game comes around.
https://utsports.com/sports/2019/7/29/football-gameday.aspx#activities
Now that the Vols are winning again, there is nothing like the 100,000 fan atmosphere.
Yes, that's an Onion headline, but is it really that far off?
What's the most you've spent on a bachelor trip and/or what's the most your wife has spent to go on a bachelorette trip?
Has there been drama over how much women are spending for these trips? Was your wife/girlfriend kicked out of a wedding party because she wouldn't spend the money to go on a bachelorette trip?
OutKick's Hayley Caronia tells me it's rough out there with the bachelorette scene.
Actually a good friend of mine lost her job while she was expected to travel for a bachelorette trip, and the bride dumped her as a friend all together. They don’t speak it’s insane
Another friend of mine was in two weddings in the same weekend (had to travel to both) so she told one of the brides that she would have to miss the welcome drinks on Friday night and the bride kicked her out of the bridal party and they’re not friends anymore either.
Give me more stories!
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
The search for the best Reuben in the United States
- Mike T. writes:
Even though it’s not a Reuben, this Pastrami sandwich from the Pastrami Queen restaurant in Manhattans upper East side was delicious. I still dream about it and the trip was in '18.
Kinsey:
While we're throwing out the Best Sandwiches, can any of suggest a better Cuban than they serve at Puerto Sagua on South Beach? I had that Cuban for three straight meals back in 2020 when I stayed on South Beach during Super Bowl week.
If you're heading to NYC this summer, here's the NY Times' "57 Sandwiches That Define New York City" list.
For those who miss public phones
- Mike N. is on the road:
Some nostalgia at my hotel in Taipei. There is an actual dial tone…
Travel ball hasn't killed off Little League's older divisions, according to a reader who would know
- Bryan H. writes:
Regarding Little League International's teenage divisions, there are three for baseball.
The baseball divisions are:
Intermediate 11-13 year olds 50' pitching mound 70' basepaths
Junior 12-14 year olds 60'6" pitching mound 90' basepaths
Senior 13-16 year olds 60'6" pitching mound 90' basepaths
Little League Softball has two teenage divisions, Junior and Senior.
They are not quite as well-known as the Little League (9-12 year old) division which is more prominent given the Little League World Series is seen on the national networks of ESPN and ABC.
The Senior League Baseball World Series is played in Easley, SC. This year it begins Saturday, July 27 and concludes with the championship game on Saturday, August 3. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
It is a true World Series in that there will be six teams representing the Little League international regions: Asia-Pacific, Australia, Canada, Caribbean, Europe-Africa and Latin America. The US regions are Central, East, Southeast, Southwest and West.
The teams are usually composed of 15-16 year olds and the quality of play is high given these are some of the best players/teams in the world. There have been several future MLB players pass through the tournament over the years.
I am the Umpire-in-Chief for the tournament and responsible for all things umpire-related. I enjoy it very much and get to watch baseball non-stop for eight days!
I umpired this tournament in 2010. I also umpired the 2017 and 2021 Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, PA.
Oh, the memories and stories............
Kinsey:
I need to hear from Bryan on the level of baseball he's seeing from the Senior League division now that there are 80,000 travel ball squads across the United States. Are these Little League Senior League teams pulling travel ball kids to play in these World Series events?
This doesn't feel safe
Lee D. in Tampa sent this in.
I know we've covered ways of eliminating yellow jackets and some of you will go to extremes, but please #staysafe out there. Don't eat a wasp nest.