13 Comments
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Mark Kolier's avatar

And I also learned that not all titmice are tufted. Thanks Paul.

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Paul Jackson's avatar

Before I looked it up I assumed it was some kind of rodent. The journey of discovery never ends.

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Jonathan Fox's avatar

The footnotes always get me. Thank you for going the extra mile (?) and providing the picture of a titmouse.

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Paul Jackson's avatar

I've done about a hundred posts at this point and I think my record of taking the opportunity to show a picture of a bird (or a hat) is about perfect.

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Meg Lauber's avatar

Love your footnotes; I always read them.

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Jeff's avatar

If an author has multiple foot notes doesn’t that make them ‘feet notes?’ If you’ve been walking in the wet snow with sneakers you don’t say that my foot is cold…?

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Paul Jackson's avatar

Only if it's a Quentin Tarantino script.

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Jeff's avatar

I learned sumting today. A titmouse is not a mouse. Thank you Paul for the zoological species education.

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Bill Southern's avatar

Boy, that Pepper Martin is one ugly mug! Great story, Paul.

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Paul Jackson's avatar

I'm glad that came through. Not a movie-star face under any circumstances but with facial hair that only grew in a rough ring around the outer perimeter, in an era where almost no one under 50 had facial hair... No wonder they wouldn't let him in restaurants.

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Meg Lauber's avatar

I’m thinking that Mickey Owens had some “chaw” in his cheek in that photo!

I did a little more reading about Joe Medwick and read where on a USO tour in 1944, he had an audience with Pope Pius XII. Reportedly, the Pope asked his vocation. Medwick said “Your Holiness, I’m Joe Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal.” Getting beaned didn’t affect his sense of humor!

Thanks, Paul, for another great post. You always get the story behind the story.

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Paul Jackson's avatar

I was amazed how much Owen resembled current Saturday Night Live cast member Andrew Dismukes--just angrier.

Thanks for sharing that TERRIFIC bit on Medwick, Meg! That's the stuff any great comment section is made of.

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Jeff's avatar

Kinda surprised it took so long for helmets to finally make it to the big league; you’d think the players would want head protection. I’m sure little league had them before the pros. I bet it’s saved severe injury to many a man.

Regarding the yellow ball… I took a pic of a yellowish ball @the Yankee Museum few days ago but its date is 1911 - 1916. You mentioned it was 1938 so this probably isn’t one, unless it’s a ‘prototype’ but I doubt it. Almost looks like a coating of shellac. Need your email Paul.

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