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Book Review: The Man with Two Arms

When I received "The Man with Two Arms" by Billy Lombardo and read the synopsis of the story, I put it in my very exclusive "to read" pile.

That pile is usually filled with non-fiction books; research for my websites and my own books. Very few novels make the pile because I just don't have enough hours in my day to read for fun.

I am so happy I made this novel, "The Man with Two Arms," the exception to the rule.

It's a story about the first switch pitcher in the major leagues, which was enough of a hook for me to put it in the "to read" pile. But it's much much more than that. It's a love letter to baseball. It's a beautifully told father-son story that will touch the heart of any father or son (I have three boys). It's a love story that is told with the kind of sensitivity and care you simply don't find in novels...especially those targeted to men.

It's wish fulfillment to the nth degree, especially for Cub fans (some of the most touching baseball moments occur at Wrigley Field).

I can't recommend it highly enough. I was literally smiling the entire time I was reading it. It was that joyous of an experience.

This is how deeply it touched me. On opening day when Jason Heyward hit a home run in his first major league at bat to beat my favorite team, the Cubs, I was cheering for him. They showed his father in the stands being surrounded by his friends. His father who was filled with such pride and euphoria that the tears couldn't be contained, and I'll admit it. I couldn't contain mine either.

It's a moment all of us would love to experience...as either the father or the son. If you read "The Man with Two Arms" you actually will experience it.

Are you a man that wells up every time the movie "Field of Dreams" comes on? Do you "get something in your eye" when Kevin Costner says "Dad, you wanna have a catch?" Is the highlight of your day the moment your own son wants to play catch or talk baseball with you? If you answered yes to any of those questions, read this book.

In addition to being a great story, it's simply beautifully written. Billy Lombardo is a heck of a talent.

I'm totally jealous.

That's the highest praise one writer can give to another.

The iPad

Will it blend?

Net Neutrality

It was one of those court decisions that you might not have noticed as it happened, but one that may change the way we deal with the internet forever. Yesterday a court struck down the FCC's attempt to maintain Net Neutrality.

That is, the internet as it is, with everyone having equal access to it.

Now companies like Comcast can block access to peer-to-peer sites, can charge more for access, can give preferential treatment to certain websites (for money, of course), and seemingly, whatever else they wish to do on the internet. This ruling essentially says that the FCC has no authority to police anything or anyone on the internet.

That's a major blow to consumers, and a major blow to the proposed new direction of the FCC, which was finally entering the 21st century.

But it's a big victory for Comcast.

Rupert Murdoch

Funny, funny quotes by Rupert Murdoch in The Wrap...

"I have great respect for the Times, except it does have very clearly an agenda,” Murdoch said in an interview at the National Press Club in Washington with Marvin Kalb. “You can see it very clearly in the way they choose their stories, what they put on Page 1 -- anything that Mr. Obama wants."

Just a paragraph or two later...

"In the wide-ranging discussion for a program to be broadcast on public television, Murdoch also denied he was a Republican or that his Fox News Channel unfairly presented a conservative viewpoint. “We have both sides in our news shows, our politics or whatever,” Murdoch told Kalb. “We have Democrats and Republicans and whatever.”

No word if he was saying it with a straight face or not.

Jake Hartford

Last year I interviewed Jake Hartford for Chicago Radio Spotlight. At the time he was working at WCPT, and seemed to really miss working at WLS.

Robert Feder reports this morning that Jake is now officially back at WLS.

Playing P-O-T-U-S with Obama

He may not be able to pitch (OK, he definitely can't pitch), but he can play some hoops...

Bill Caudill

This week's Tale from a Bad Century is about one of the many, many, many great relief pitchers the Cubs traded away.

Read all about Bill Caudill here.

James Garner

He's 82 years old today. One of my favs...

MJ

On this day in 1994 Michael Jordan made his first and only appearance in Chicago as a professional baseball player. He played right field for the White Sox in an exhibition game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

I was there. It was friggin cold.

MJ got a double in three at bats.

Opening day postscript

A lot is being said today about the Cubs opening day loss.

Yes, it's their worst opening day loss since 1884.

However, the Cubs rebounded from that loss to win the championship in 1885 and 1886. 

I just put that information in my pipe and smoked it. Aaaah. Soothing. Like a salve on a third degree burn.

Scottie Pippen

No question, Pippen deserves to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Congrats to Scottie for that honor, and thanks for all those years of great entertainment. The 90s were the golden years for Chicago sports fans.

Not Cubs fans, of course, but we had our decade only nine decades earlier. (That sounds a little more palatable doesn't it?)

Historical Myths

I'm a history buff, so I found this article in Cracked.com very interesting.

They debunk six popular historical myths; gun fights in the old West, suicide jumps during the stock market crash, feminist bra burnings, War of the Worlds panic, No Irish need apply signs, and medieval torture devices.

Honestly, I thought all six were true.

Only in America

Man dislocates jaw trying to eat a giant sandwich.

What's even funnier?

Sales are through the roof since the news got out.

Totally true story.

The Young Eagles

You've probably heard about the RNC taking a group of young Republicans to a faux-Lesbian bondage club. It's a scandal that has resulted in at least one firing and one resignation. Well, this morning's Politico has an article about the Young Eagles, that group of young Republicans.

 Here's my favorite part of the article--explaining why they were in that club in the first place...

A young Republican donor familiar with the Young Eagles who was at the event in Beverly Hills, but did not go to Voyeur afterward, said some donors chose the club because they heard it was holding a pre-Grammy Awards party where celebrities would be present.

You have to admit, there's something inherently funny about enticing kids to join the party that openly mocks evil Hollywood by planning an outing to a bondage club in the hopes of rubbing shoulders with that same evil Hollywood.

Trader

This week's Great Nickname at Just One Bad Century is Trader, which sadly does not refer to Jim Hendry.

Click here to see who was pinned with that moniker.

Don Kessinger

What is good ol' #11 up to these days?

Find out here.

I love that his bio doesn't even mention the Cubs. I wonder if he had it expunged after opening day yesterday.

Opening day recap

So I'm sitting in the living room watching the opener when my son Sean (age 7) comes home from school. The Cubs are losing 6-3, and it's only the first inning.

Sean says "Hey dad, we're not too far behind."

Fast forward to the eighth inning. I'm in the kitchen making dinner when I hear Sean yelping in the living room. I run in and ask him what happened. He has a big smile on his face.

"We got out of a jam, dad."

"Great," I said. "What's the score?"

"16-5."

"We're getting killed," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's only one game," he countered.

The Cubs blood runs deep in that boy.

Steve Stone

Steve Stone joined the Cubs broadcast booth on this day in 1983. In his role as Harry's sidekick, he certainly had some interesting moments over the years. This one is probably my favorite...



I understand he works for another team now. Not sure which one.

Boys will be girls, Girls will be boys

This is hilarious...

Snopes

Nice piece in the New York Times about the people that created Snopes.com

In a strange way, I was proud to be debunked by them last year when Dave and I placed our "Waitle Nex Yeare" birth announcement in the Tribune.

Too good at his job

The Australian Army's camouflage painter...

Blago is fired

Last night Trump told him the magic words, and Blago was fired.

I know I'm naive, but I'm actually in shock at how inept he was on this show. This man ran our state for one and a half terms, and he's completely unable to lead, and completely unable to handle basic functions (he doesn't know how to e-mail? Really? I thought my mother was the last one in America.)

The show won't be as much fun to watch without him.

Our state, on the other hand, is lucky we (sort of) survived his reign.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column. This one is about the unbelievably scary children's stories I used to hear when I was a boy. It's called "German Children's Tales."

You can read it here.

OPENING DAY!!!

Good luck to the Cubs today on Opening Day.

They have certainly had their fair share of entertaining and/or memorable opening days over the years.

Read about some of those here.

Read about some more here.

This week in 1945

The last time the Cubs were in the World Series was in 1945. Every week this season we go back in time to check out what was happening with the Cubs and around the world in what was one of the most momentous years in history.

This week in 1945 the Allies liberate Buchenwald, Patton's army makes great strides, the Chicago subway, the Sporting News predicts the Cubs will finish in 4th, Stuart Little debuts, and Cubs great Claude Passeau is featured.

Have a nice Easter

Have a nice Easter weekend. I'm taking this weekend off from blogging. No new Chicago Radio Spotlight or Father Knows Nothing (until Monday).

Try not to eat too much candy.

Sights & Sounds

This week we have the sight of the 1929 Cubs playing in the World Series, and the sound of a Chicago band, The Treniers, singing an ode to Willie Mays.

See it and hear it here.

Jokes for a Friday morning

Child Rearing FAQ, Contributed by "KK"

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the flu?
A: If it's the flu, you'll get better.

Q: What is the most common pregnancy craving?
A: For men to be the ones who get pregnant.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: The more pregnant I get, the more often strangers smile at me. Why?
A: 'Cause you're fatter than they are.

Q: What's the difference between a nine-month pregnant woman and a model?
A: Nothing (if the pregnant woman's husband knows what's good for him).

Q: How long is the average woman in labor?
A: Whatever she says divided by two.

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor?
A: Not unless the word "alimony" means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: What does it mean when a baby is born with teeth?
A: It means that the baby's mother may want to rethink her plans to nurse.

Q: What is the best time to wean the baby from nursing?
A: When you see teeth marks.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's diaper very quickly.

Marco...

...Polo.

The Monster

He was a great relief pitcher in the 1960s. So great, that they nicknamed him "The Monster."

He was also on the Cubs.

Read about Dick Raddatz here.

He was born on this day in 1937.

April Fools Day Roundup

The Atlantic has a list of some of the April Fool's Day jokes pulled today.

There's nothing that funny this year. I'm disappointed.

Billy Williams gets a statue

Here are the details on the Billy Williams statue.

Consider me one of the people applauding this move by the Cubs. Billy is one of my four all-time favorites (along with Ernie, Fergie, and Jose Cardenal).

When I played little league, I tried to imitate him once. I spit in the air and tried to hit the spit (which is what Billy did every time he came up). I missed and never tried it again.

I've featured Billy on Just One Bad Century several times. You can check it out here, here and here.

If you'd like to see Billy hit a home run in the 1964 All-Star Game, click here.

Something nice about Bill O'Reilly

I just read that Bill O'Reilly is going to pay the legal bills of that slain Marine's father.

If you aren't familiar with the story, it's about those crazy people that protest at military funerals because they somehow think our military deaths have something to do with our nation's embrace of homosexuality. Don't bother trying to connect those dots. They don't connect. It's the most convoluted and distasteful and heartless protest of all-time, and it's being done by a so-called church.

It's also, unfortunately, protected by the First Amendment. When one father sued those crazies for disrupting his son's funeral, he lost, and as is the rule in these cases, the judge ordered him to pay the court costs and legal fees for the crazies. That's what O'Reilly has just stepped up to pay.

Here's something I don't say too often: Way to Go Bill O'Reilly.

Bucket List Bank Robbery

I double checked the date this occurred to make sure it wasn't an April Fool's Day joke. It isn't.

A woman robbed a bank because it was on her bucket list.

I hope it was a short list. She may find herself a little busy for the next 25 years or so.

Watermelon basket

It makes sense if you think about it. Who would be more comfortable sitting in squishy wetness?

Lou Gehrig

On this day in 1938, Lou Gehrig was on top of the world. He was in spring training getting ready for another championship season (the Yankees would beat a certain team from the north side of Chicago), and his first movie, "Rawhide," was premiering in New York.

This would be his last season of baseball, and his last movie...

Poor Steve Garvey

This week we ponder...

If only Steve Garvey grew up in Salem Massachusetts.

April Fools

I'm buckling up today, and you should too. It's April Fools Day. (My son Sean has been gearing up for this all week. I'm watching my back)

And yes, this is the night that Fox News decided would be perfect to debut the Sarah Palin show. (That's not a joke, her show airs tonight)

David Lee Roth

Exactly twenty five years ago today David Lee Roth was thinking that he was the brains and the draw behind Van Halen. He had a big hit (video below), so he told Van Halen that he would see them later. He left the band.

Now it's called "pulling a David Caruso"....

Cigarette Ads

On this day in 1970 President Nixon banned cigarette ads on television.

This is one of the last ads that aired.

You can take Salem out of the country but, you can't take the country out of Salem.

Bob Newhart

On this day in 1978, "The Bob Newhart Show" aired it's final episode.

The show was based in Chicago, and starred a Chicago Cubs fan, so it's only natural that one episode would revolve entirely around the Cubs.

You can watch it here.