Fortieth Festivities and Final Four in Phoenix
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, (D)MV Dining, Yes, Ketel Marte and Adolis García, Turnpike Tailgating
Welcome to my weekly newsletter. This week’s issue features my five favorite Final Fours, an 85-year-old woman walking on the eve of ‘85, four meals in Maryland and Virginia, prog-rock pioneers, and LCS leaders. I hope you like the picks and pics.
Last week Barb and I drove to Maryland to look after our east coast grandchildren, Sommer and Kieran. This allowed Roger and Cristi to fly to Phoenix to help celebrate the 40th birthday of Roger’s Kalamazoo College basketball teammate, Kyle Konwinski.
I recently learned that I had once again won the Final Four ticket lottery. As a result, Roger plans to join me in Phoenix next year for our 15th together. He and I will attend the semifinals on Saturday and Barb and I will be at the final on Monday.
Fave Five 56: Fortieth Festivities and Final Four in Phoenix. Sharp and Savvy Story (Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk), (D)MV Dining (Bayou Bakery, Mike & Barry’s Deli, Bethesda Bagels, Mi La Cay) Roundabout Runaround (Yes), Mighty MVPs (Ketel Marte and Adolis García), and Turnpike Tailgating.
Fave Five Lists: Favorite Final Fours
It's always a great day when the message shown below arrives. The college basketball season starts on November 6. I hope to see Michigan State win the first national championship for the Big Ten since I saw the Spartans win in Indy in 2000. This will be my 20th Final Four, 46 years after my first one in St. Louis in 1978, which I attended at the urging of my friend Tom Marcus.
Here are my favorite Final Fours that I attended. Roger was with me at all of these.
2000 - Michigan State, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin: The most recent Big Ten champion was led by the Flintstones: Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, and Charlie Bell.
2009 - North Carolina, Michigan State, Connecticut, Villanova: When Durrell Summers dunked over UConn’s Stanley Robinson in the semifinal, Ford Field was shaking as the mostly-MSU crowd erupted.
2013 - Louisville, Michigan, Syracuse, Wichita State: Spike Albrecht scored 17 in the first half of the final, but it was not enough. Louisville later vacated the title.
2018 - Villanova, Michigan, Kansas, Loyola-Chicago: The Wolverines overcame the magic of Sister Jean to beat the Ramblers in the semifinal but couldn’t overcome the heroics of Donte DiVincenzo in the final and succumbed to the Wildcats.
1997 - Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina: The start of our father and son tradition, with an overtime win by Arizona (the team that signed autographs for Roger) in the championship game.
Honorable Mention: 2016 Villanova, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Syracuse: Fantastic finish in the final. Marcus Paige hit a one-footed, off-balance, double-clutch 3-point shot (which I called) to tie the game with under 5 seconds and then Kris Jenkins made a 3-pointer as time expired (which Roger called) to lift the Wildcats over the Tar Heels.
Book Best Bet
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
As with many other good books, my sister Joan recommended this one to me, and it was entertaining.
From Amazon: A love letter to city life in all its guts and grandeur, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney paints a portrait of a remarkable woman across the canvas of a changing America: from the Jazz Age to the onset of the AIDS epidemic; the Great Depression to the birth of hip-hop.
“In my reckless and undiscouraged youth,” Lillian Boxfish writes, “I worked in a walnut-paneled office thirteen floors above West Thirty-Fifth Street…”
She took 1930s New York by storm, working her way up writing copy for R.H. Macy’s to become the highest paid advertising woman in the country. It was a job that, she says, “in some ways saved my life, and in other ways ruined it.”
Now it’s the last night of 1984 and Lillian, 85 years old but just as sharp and savvy as ever, is on her way to a party. It’s chilly enough out for her mink coat and Manhattan is grittier now―her son keeps warning her about a subway vigilante on the prowl―but the quick-tongued poetess has never been one to scare easily. On a walk that takes her over 10 miles around the city, she meets bartenders, bodega clerks, security guards, criminals, children, parents, and parents-to-be, while reviewing a life of excitement and adversity, passion and heartbreak, illuminating all the ways New York has changed―and has not.
Lillian figures she might as well take her time. For now, after all, the night is still young.
Transporting…witty, poignant and sparkling. ― People (People Picks Book of the Week)
Restaurant Recommendations
(D)MV Dining
We dined in Virginia and Maryland on our latest visit to the DMV, but not in DC. We will return in two weeks and will remedy that when we spend almost a week in downtown DC. Here are the places we tried this time.
Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery 1515 N. Courthouse Road, Arlington, VA 22201
After we dropped Roger and Cristi off at National Airport on Thursday, they suggested we stop at this nearby Cajun spot. It was the real deal.
The Muff-A-Lotta: Salami, mortadella, ham, provolone, olive salad, warm toasted sesame seed Italian roll
Beignets: The Donut of New Orleans, fried in 100% Peanut Oil
Gumbo: Dark roux, chicken & smoked pork sausage, rice, green onions
Mike & Barry’s Deli 12510 Prosperity Drive, Silver Spring, MD, 20904
I searched for a breakfast spot near our hotel and was delighted to find this tiny place tucked away in an office building right across the street. The food was great, the prices were low, and the owners were very friendly. We will return to try their sandwiches for lunch.
Scrambled Egg Sandwich with bacon and cheese on a bagel
Three-Egg Veggie and Cheese Omelet with tomatoes, onions, carrots, and cucumbers
Bethesda Bagels 4819 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814
When Roger and Cristi returned on Sunday, they asked what we would like from this fine establishment. My choice was a winner.
Whitefish Salad Sandwich: Homemade smoked whitefish salad, with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onions
Mi La Cay 2409 University Blvd W, Wheaton, MD 20902
On Sunday night we all went out for dinner. Roger suggested this favorite local Vietnamese restaurant, which was exactly where I wanted to go.
P4. Tai Chin: Slices of eye round steak and well-done flank with rice noodles in beef broth
Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Sub); Thịt Heo Nướng - Grilled Pork
Marvelous Musicians
Today is the 79th birthday of Jon Anderson. My brother David and I belonged to Record Club of America which offered a large number of free LPs if we signed up and got others to do the same. We enrolled our entire family, including our cat, Frisky, under the name "F. Garfield." These free records offered us the chance to listen to many new and obscure artists, many of whom would remain unknown. One exception was the first Yes album, which we ordered because it sounded interesting and which we ended up liking a lot. Their covers of "I See You" by The Byrds and "Every Little Thing" by The Beatles were great, as were their originals "Looking Around" and "Harold Land."
From Wikipedia: Yes are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by singer Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Peter Banks, keyboardist Tony Kaye, and drummer Bill Bruford. The band has undergone numerous formations throughout its history; nineteen musicians have been full-time members. Yes have explored several musical styles over the years and are most notably regarded as progressive rock pioneers. In April 2017, Yes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
John Roy Anderson (born October 25, 1944 in Accrington, Lancashire, England), known professionally as Jon Anderson, is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes, which he co-founded in 1968 with bassist Chris Squire. He was a member of the band across three tenures between 1968 and 2008. Anderson was also a member of Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman. Anderson is also noted for his solo career and collaborations with other artists, including Vangelis as Jon and Vangelis, Roine Stolt as Anderson/Stolt, and Jean-Luc Ponty as AndersonPonty Band. He has also appeared on albums by King Crimson, Tangerine Dream, Iron Butterfly, Battles and Mike Oldfield. Anderson released his first solo album, Olias of Sunhillow, in 1976, while still a member of Yes, and subsequently released 13 more albums as a solo artist. Anderson became an American citizen in 2009.
Looking Around
Owner Of A Lonely Heart
My Playlist
Sports Stars
LCS Leaders: Mighty MVPs
In the last two issues I featured Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos of the Phillies and Yordan Álvarez of the Astros. Those two teams were favored to meet in a rematch of last year’s World Series, but the Diamondbacks and the Rangers had other ideas. The two players named as MVPs of the NLCS and ALCS had incredible performances.
Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte named NLCS MVP after setting MLB record to begin postseason career
Across the seven-game series, Marte batted .387/.406/.581 with 12 hits, four doubles, a triple, and a stolen base. His series OPS of .987 was second only to Kyle Schwarber's 1.669 among those who played regularly. As well, the 28-year-old infielder set an MLB record by recording a hit in each of his first 16 postseason games. He also now owns the D-backs' record for most hits in a single postseason (19) with one series left to play. He succeeds Bryce Harper of the Phillies as the winner of the award.
Marte is just the second Diamondback to win the NLCS MVP award. The first was Craig Counsell in 2001. That year, the Diamondbacks bested the Braves in the NLCS and went on to beat the Yankees in a classic World Series for the first and only title.
In addition to putting up big numbers in the D-backs' NLCS win over the Phillies, their NLDS win over the Dodgers, and their Wild Card Series win over the Counsell-led Brewers, Marte was also one of the team's top performers during the regular season. Across 150 games, Marte slashed .276/.358/.485 (128 OPS+) with 25 home runs.
From Wikipedia: Ketel Ricardo Marte Valdez (born October 12, 1993) is a Dominican professional baseball second baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Seattle Mariners. Marte made his MLB debut with the Mariners in 2015 and was traded to the Diamondbacks during the 2016–17 offseason. Marte was an All Star in 2019. Marte is the nephew of Wilson Valdez, and is married to the cousin of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Adolis García of the Texas Rangers
García even has a superhero name already: El Bombi. (“Because, as a kid, friends thought his head was shaped like a lightbulb.”)
Rangers' Adolis García named ALCS MVP after setting RBI records in jaw-dropping series vs. Astros
Rangers right fielder Adolis García hit a three-run homer in Game 5 that appeared to give the Rangers' control of the ALCS. He would be hit by a pitch later that game, he would be ejected, the Astros would storm back to win that game and then García was Public Enemy No. 1 when the series returned to Houston. He who laughs last, laughs loudest and that man right now would be Adolis García.
García hit an exclamation point of a grand slam to essentially close down Game 6 for the Rangers on Sunday night, and he was involved through Game 7 in the Rangers' offensive explosion that resulted in an 11-4 pennant-clinching win. He would end up with four hits, including two homers, and five RBI in Game 7. For the series, García won ALCS MVP honors after going 10 for 28 (.357) with five home runs and an absurd 15 RBI in the seven games.
Those 15 RBI were an all-time, single-series playoff record. The previous record was 13, held by Rangers designated hitter Nelson Cruz in the 2011 ALCS. No series in playoff history had ever seen a player record 14 RBI until Adolis García got there with a two-RBI single in Game 7. He later tacked on a homer, which was one of those "now you're just showing off" moments.
Here's the current leaderboard for RBI in a single postseason.
David Freese, 2011 Cardinals: 21 RBI
Adolis García, 2023 Rangers*; Corey Seager, 2020 Dodgers: 20 RBI
*And counting. García right now has 20 RBI in 12 games and will be playing at least four more. Freese in 2011 and Seager in 2020 played in 18 games apiece, so the pace García is on is well past those two.
From Wikipedia: José Adolis García Arrieta (born March 2, 1993) is a Cuban professional baseball outfielder for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants. García was an MLB All-Star in 2021 and 2023. His older brother, Adonis García, is a former professional baseball player.
Picture Pun
In last week’s issue I wondered if the Same Old Lions had moved on to become NFL title contenders. On Sunday, they took a big step back. As Barb and I were driving home from Maryland on Monday, we spotted a group of loyal Lions fans licking their wounds.
Driving from Detroit to Baltimore: Hopeful.
Seeing the Same Old Lions lose to the Ravens, 38-6: Brutal.
Tailgating on the way home in the parking lot of an Ohio Turnpike service plaza: Priceless.
