Briefly.
Fun fact: I do my best proofreading after I post.
Running feels great unless you compare it to… not running.
Trivia #1: Last week marked the 55th anniversary of Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix was the last person to perform on day 4 of the concert, Monday. What time of day did Hendrix go on stage? – 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 6p.m., 9 p.m.
Trivia #2: Who was Paavo Nurmi?
Trivia #3: On August 23, 1993, the Braves Fred McGriff & David Justice became just the 6th teammates to accomplish what feat in the same game? – hit two triples apiece, hit back-to-back homeruns twice, hit for the cycle, strikeout 5 times, choke on their chew
On this date: August 23, 1305, Scottish patriot William Wallce is executed for high treason by Edward I of England at Smithfield, London.
August 23, 1942, Walter Johnson pitches to Babe Ruth in pregame attraction that draws 69,000 for NYY-Washington MLB doubleheader at Yankee Stadium; raises $80,000 for Army-Navy relief.
August 23, 1989, known as The Baltic Way (or Baltic Chain), approximately two million people form a human chain across Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in a peaceful pro-independence demonstration against Soviet occupation.
Useless information supposed to fire my imagination: On August 23, 1974, John Lennon reported seeing a UFO in New York City.
Go away: Ben Affleck/J-Lo
Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox are 31-97.
Earlier this week, the Florida Marlins turned an 8-9-4-2 double play. Look it up.
This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Oklahoma State football players’ helmets will feature a QR code linking to a “general team fund” for student-athletes during the 2024 season. The initiative is “believed to mark the first time that a college football team will wear QR codes in regular season games to promote players’ earning potential,” according to the school.
This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: Victor Miller, who had been running as an artificial intelligence-powered bot named “VIC” [Virtual Integrated Citizen] in Wyoming’s capital city, conceded his bid to make technological political history on Wednesday. Miller received 327 votes, or about 3% of the total cast, in Cheyenne’s nonpartisan mayoral primary on Tuesday night.
The NFL kicks off two weeks from yesterday. Not only that, there is a game (Packers/Eagles) scheduled on Friday, the next night! Oh, joy!
Good news: I’m still looking…
DYK: In MLB, prior to 1888, wild pitches, walks and passed balls counted as errors?
As of today, only two National League players have a batting average higher than .300. The lowest batting average ever by a player who captured the NL crown was .313 by Tony Gwynn in 1988. The lowest average by a player who won his league’s batting title was .301 by Yaz in 1968. That year was also dubbed “The Year of the Pitcher.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the birth rate in America has dropped to a historic low, decreasing by 3% since 2022. The rate has been on a steady decline since 2014, except for a brief 1% increase from 2020 to 2021. Experts say this drop-off could be caused by many factors — including a heightened focus on career goals, the cost of raising children, a priority on personal liberty and mental health, the fear of an uncertain future and growing fertility concerns.
Pretty cool: Last week, I gave the Salem, NH little league team kudos here. This week, three 17-year-olds from Salem, NH each got a hole-in-one within weeks of each other. This week they are all trying out for the Salem High School golf team.
Back to the Olympics… Bonus trivia: A running race winner is determined by what body part crossing the finish line? – The forehead, the chest, the clavicle, the foot/toe, the knee, any part of the body
Article I’ll skip: Ben Alleck, Jennifer Lopez impending split teased long before cracks began to show.
Procaffeinating: The tendency not to do anything until you have coffee.
Trivia #1 answer: Last week marked the 55th anniversary of Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix was the last person to perform on day 4 of the concert, Monday. What time of day did Hendrix go on stage? – 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 6p.m., 9 p.m. – He went on at 9 a.m.
Trivia #2 answer: Who was Paavo Nurmi? – Nicknamed “The Flying Finn”, Nurmi of Finland ran a then (1923) world record mile in 4:10.4. The record would stand until 1931.
Trivia #3 answer: On August 23, 1993, the Braves Fred McGriff & David Justice became just the 6th teammates to accomplish what feat in the same game? – hit two triples apiece, hit back-to-back homeruns twice, hit for the cycle, strikeout 5 times, choke on their chew – The two hit back-to-back homeruns twice in the same game
Bonus trivia answer: A running race winner is determined by what body part crossing the finish line? – The forehead, the chest, the clavicle, the foot/toe, the knee, any part of the body – The clavicle
They said it: “He who dares not to offend cannot be honest.” – Thomas Paine
Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.
Be careful out there. (It’s a jungle!)
Happy National Sponge Cake Day!
– Paul Simon (Me And Julio Down By The School Yard)
Ed's Head On Friday 