One of my favorite anniversaries

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Back before we talked about WARs, launch angles, and exit velocities a pitcher once threw a perfect game in the World Series.

His name was Don Larsen, and for the rest of his life (he died last year) he signed his name “Don Larsen, 10-8-56.”)

Today is the 65th anniversary of Larsen’s magical day, which brought the Yankees one step closer to winning their first championship in three years. (For the Yanks of the 1950s that was a drought.)

For a further discussion, listen to this week’s broadcast of Math and Musings.

Actually it turned out okay

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For a weekend that started with a devastating Irish loss to Cincinnati it didn’t end up bad.

A come-from-behind win for The Football Team and a Yankee walkoff W, setting up a one-gamer with those pesky Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.

Someone call Bucky Dent. We might need him.

Sometimes I play the real food critic

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I had high hopes for IHOP’s new Reese’s Pieces pancakes. I mean seriously, have I ever heard of anything more amazing? (Other than perhaps apple cider donut Oreos.)

Sometimes the anticipation is just too much.

Honestly, save yourself nine bucks and just get some microwave pancakes and a box of Reese’s Pieces. Actually, not even a full box. Like six or seven little dots will do it.

Proof that not every crazy new food idea is awesome.

Fruit of the month

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Extension of the “September is to apples as October is to pumpkins” analogy… a fruit associated with every month of the year. This is what I’ve got. Official results.

January: grapefruit

February: strawberry

March: avocado

April: cherry

May: peach

June: honeydew

July: blueberry

August: watermelon

September: apple

October: pumpkin

November: cranberry

December: orange

Sprain, strain, pray for rain

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My gimpy knee is going to keep me on the bench for my rec league softball game this evening. However, weather forecasts as they are we might not play anyway.

So I’m cautiously optimistic.

I’m reminded of an episode of Seinfeld, however, in which Jerry must attend a funeral and miss the “Improv”‘s company softball game. As luck would have it the game was rained out. Which was great until Jerry lost the game for his team when it was made up.

Really I just have too much time to think about these things.

Let’s Go, Mets!

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Still glowing from an improbable Football Team victory Thursday night (no coverage here: that’s what you get for posting early!), and having sweated out another Notre Dame victory Saturday afternoon, I found myself with little to watch football-wise Saturday and Sunday evenings. (Well, a million games I don’t care about.)

Enter ESPN’s latest 30 for 30 offering, “Once Upon a Time in Queens.” The story of the 1980s Mets, culminating in their World Championship in ’86, “Queens” isn’t the happiest saga ever told, but 30 for 30 episodes never are. (It’s ESPN, remember.)

The ’80s Mets were known as party boys, frat boys, bad boys: players known for their drug problems and management known for its racism. The fans? They were known for all of those things too.

In other words, perfect drama for 30 for 30.

If you’ve followed baseball at all the past 35 years you know all these stories already. You’ve seen replays of all the well-known games, including each contest in the ’86 Mets’ two classic playoff series.

Did I care I’d seen it all before?

Not in the slightest.

Four hours of my life very well spent.