Thursday, May 19, 2011

How did baseball team owners get that rich being this stupid?

May 19, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
May 19 is … Frog Jumping Jubilee Day

The Pride of San Joaquin Valley was declared the winner of the first frog-jumping jubilee held in Calaveras County, CA on this day in 1928. The froggy jumped three feet, four inches, higher than 49 other frogs entered in the contest. The true beginnings of the frog jubilee date back to gold rush days, an event instigated by none other than Mark Twain.

The frogs are still hoppin’ each May at the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee. Frogs come from all over the world to compete in this, the road to top frog. Incidentally, frogs jump a lot more than three feet today, and for a fair amount of money, prizes and media exposure. The current record is held by Rosie the Ribiter from Santa Clara, CA. Rosie made the record-setting 21 feet, 5 3/4 inch jump in May of 1986.

Four legs, two eyes, in the water, ker-plunk! Rib-it!

Do you remember Bobby Bonilla. He was a rookie with the White Sox but was traded during his rookie year. That was just a hint at the trouble that this talented infielder/outfielder would carry with him from team to team. The New York Mets are about to be reminded of how much trouble Bonilla caused. Bobby Bonilla is still getting over on the New York Mets. The club, struggling to make payroll and looking to sell part of the franchise to stay above water, deferred nearly $6 million in Bonilla’s final year with the team and added an 8 percent interest rate that will start to be paid out on July 1 as part of a deal that helped the Mets release Bonilla, the New York Post reports. That turned Bonilla’s original $5.9 million salary to nearly $30 million. Bobby Bonilla played for the Mets from 1992 to 1995 and again in 1999.

The Mets will pay Bonilla $1.2 million annually for the next 25 years despite him not having played for them since 1999 or in the big leagues since 2001. Bonilla totaled five seasons with the Mets and hit .270 with a .356 on-base percentage, hit 95 home runs and drove in 295, but he was considered a malcontent and the Mets wanted to get rid of him after the 1999 season. Bonilla is also being paid $500,000 annually by the Baltimore Orioles until 2015 for a similar buyout and he holds a “special assistant” job with MLB that pays him $200,000 a year. Nice work if you can get it.

The Black Eyed Susan, te horse race for the fillies that is run the day before the Preakness is Friday, May 20, 2011. Originally, seven females were entered to run in the Grade II, 1 1.8 mile race scheduled for a 3:46 post time but Art of the Hunt has been scratched. Of the six girls that will run, I am picking Hot Summer, who will likely be the post time favorite. In Friday’s column I will pick my horse for the Preakness.

Music at the top of the charts throughout history.

1947Mam’selle - Art Lund
Linda - Buddy Clark with the Ray Noble Orchestra
My Adobe Hacienda - Eddy Howard
New Jolie Blonde (New Pretty Blonde) - Red Foley
1955Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
Unchained Melody - Les Baxter
A Blossom Fell - Nat King Cole
In the Jailhouse Now - Webb Pierce
1963If You Wanna Be Happy - Jimmy Soul
Surfin’ USA - The Beach Boys
Foolish Little Girl - The Shirelles
Lonesome 7-7203 - Hawkshaw Hawkins
1971Joy to the World - Three Dog Night
Never Can Say Goodbye - The Jackson 5
Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones
I Won’t Mention It Again - Ray Price
1979Reunited - Peaches & Herb
Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
In the Navy - Village People
If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me -
Bellamy Brothers
1987With or Without You - U2
The Lady in Red - Chris DeBurgh
Heat of the Night - Bryan Adams
To Know Him is to Love Him - Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt,         Emmylou Harris

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness . . . it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair . . . in short, the period was so far like the present period . . . .” Charles Dickens, Tale of Two Cities

Just a couple of thoughts I had.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011

VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.

www.ebookmall.com (Do search by my name or book Title)
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.

Book Titles:

Holmes the Ripper

A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction

  "Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting." - Elizabeth Bibesco







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