by John Walters

Starting Five

Save the World

Today is the 73rd anniversary of the European invasion by the United States, Great Britain and their allies. If D-Day is not the greatest day in American history, it’s in the top two.

2. Astros-nomical

In mid-May the Lastros were swept by the reigning A.L. champs, Cleveland, three straight. Houston has won 11 in a row since and now finds itself with baseball’s best record, 42-16. The Lastros are No. 1 in baseball in runs scored (319) and No. 2 in ERA (3.43) and would be No. 1 if Clayton Kershaw did not exist. But he does.

Do you know who Houston’s manager is? A.J. Hinch. Twenty-five years ago, he was the Gatorade National Player of the Year out of Midwest City (Oklahoma) High. He graduated from Stanford and had a career batting average of .219 in the bigs. In his first two seasons with the Lastros, Hinch has led them to winning records both times. That’s an accomplishment in itself over the previous decade. This, right now, is the best team in baseball.

3. How Sick Is Rachel Maddow?

It has been 10 days since MSNBC superstar Rachel Maddow has been on air. Thanks in large part to Maddow, MSNBC’s prime-time lineup has surged past Fox and was No. 1 in the ratings last month for the first time in 20 years.

So it’s odd to see that Maddow, the most insightful and intelligent opponent to the Trump autocracy, has been MIA this long. I recall seeing her on her last day on air, joking about her illness and how she’d been in bed all day but that she wanted to be a trooper and that the show must go on. Now she’s out for two weeks in air-dates, and this at a crucial time.

And I have no evidence here on which to go on, but there are documented cases of journalistic opponents of Vladimir Putin slowly being poisoned to death. In fact, Maddow herself has reported on these instances. All I’m saying, in this blogosphere, is that her absence intrigues me.

4. Sooners, Later

In the Women’s Softball College World Series, Oklahoma outlasted Florida 7-5 in 17 innings, the longest game in championship series history. The contest lasted more than five hours between the two schools that have won the last four national championships. Shay Knighten hit a three-run bomb in the top of the 17th off the national player of the year, Kelly Barnhill, to put the Sooners over the top. Florida now must win two in a row or Oklahoma needs just one more to win it all.

5. Deadwood

Ran the Deadwood/Mickelson Trail Marathon on Sunday. If you’re a runner/marathoner, put this stunningly beautiful trail course on your bucket list. Not easy, though. Miles 1 through 13.7 are relentlessly, and I mean that in the literal sense of the world, an uphill grade. Most of the second half is downhill, but by that time your legs are shot. Still, I’ve never come across a more scenic marathon course and Deadwood is a great town to hole up in unless you’re Wild Bill Hickok.

 

Music 101

Sugar Shack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHzjfGF6MiU

This bouncy tune from Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in autumn of 1963 and remained there for five weeks. It was the most popular song in America just a fortnight before JFK was assassinated.

Remote Patrol

Clint Eastwood Night on AMC

8 p.m. The Outlaw Josey Wales

11 p.m. Hang Em High

Peak Clint, just before he began co-starring with an orangutan.