Latest News
Monday meanderings: Alex Rodriguez is coming to Chicago. Presumably to play third base for the New York Yankees against the White Sox on Monday. Presumably because he has recovered from injury and any sanctions that Major League Baseball is about to levy (or by the time you read this might already have done so) against A-Rod for performance-enhancing drug use will be appealed. If Rodriguez does not wind up with a substantial suspension (at the very least), a fair number of folks will be appalled. In terms of appeal, A-Rod may do so to MLB, but he definitely lacks any with most fans. Of course, commissioner Bud Selig could allow him to play the rest of this season. Thereby assuring the Yankees of a league leader in one category: most boos directed at a player.
As a consolation prize for Miami Dolphins disconsolate about losing to Dallas in the Hall of Fame game Sunday, here is cheerleader Brianna.
* Art Donovan is going to wherever good people go after their life is over. Presumably somewhere that has a sense of humor. The Baltimore Colts delightful defensive tackle died Sunday at age 89. Donovan was known to many as a guy who appeared on David Letterman’s television show and amused audiences with his wit and warmth. For those of us old enough to remember the Colts of the Johnny Unitas era, Donovan was a guy who played well enough to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. David Spada and I had a chance to chat with Donovan by phone recently for our “Sports & Torts” show on Talkzone.com. When David and I were in Canton, Ohio, for the 2013 Hall of Fame enshrinement weekend, a person close to Donovan said he was in hospice. Li.ttle did he and I realize how close the end was. Too bad we couldn’t take Donovan up on his offer to have a beer together. Instead we will hoist one (possibly more than one) to him.
* Anyone want to speak to the value of quality starts as it pertains to the Cubs? Carlos Villanueva recorded one Sunday with six innings of one-run ball and ended up the losing pitcher in a 1-0 Los Angeles Dodgers victory at Wrigley Field. Cubs fans can rejoice in the team’s loss with an excellent outing by its starter. Whoopee!
* White Sox broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson — like many sports types — has been known to be occasionally hyperbolic. When he said Sunday the Sox were the worst baserunning team he has seen in all his years in the game (and they are many), that just might have been an obvious observation.
* A 3-2 loss to the Tigers in Detroit in 12 innings featured more than its fair share of bad baserunning by the Sox. We could list the examples, but they are so numerous that there isn’t enough space. OK, there is, but it’s too time-consuming — not to mention depressing — to list them all.
* The Sox have a 10-game losing streak, their longest since 1976. They went 64-97 that season. The Sox are 40-69 this season. Meaning they need to go 25-28 to finish with a better record than that. That seems about as likely as Paul Kornerko leading the team in stolen bases (hint: He has zero at the moment).
One of the benefits of attending the National Sports Collectors Convention (the most recent one ended Sunday at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.) is you never know what — or who — you will see.
Hello, Dolly! Former AAGPBL infielder Dolly Niemiec Konwinski was a delight to chat with at the National Sports Collectors Show.
Wandering up and down the aisles and looking at cards and other memorabilia has a tendency to take some of us back decades to our childhood (before our mothers decided to throw away our baseball card and comic book collections). Of course, the mind says all those cards and comics would be worth a fortune — or at least enough to purchase several boxes of high-priced cards or several quality pieces of old-time memorabilia. The reality is we used to flip, sail and otherwise abuse those baseball cards. Very few that would have survived would be of much value. But, hey, we all can fantasize.
To see items of museum quality at the NSCC is a rare treat. For those who like to plan, the 2014 NSCC will be in Cleveland. It again will be the same weekend as the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. The NSCC will be July 30-Aug. 3, 2014. Which means the two events will be more closer than they were in 2013. Someone might want to consider making plans for attending those events and being two places at once. What a rare treat that would be.
Speaking of rare treats, that is what it was for your humble correspondent was seeing that the All American Girls Professional Baseball League had a booth at the event. Manning (or is that womanning?) the booth was Dolly Niemiec Konwinski. She was an infielder in the league featured in the film “A League of Their Own.”
The AAGPBL is having a reunion gathering open to the public Sept. 4-9 in suburban Chicago. For information, click here.
Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the excellent efforts of the editorial and video staffs at elliottharris.com — and their broad definition of “gratuitous”):
Advertising opportunities are available on ElliottHarris.com. For information and rates, contact sales@elliottharris.com.