Passing: Duke Snider

From The New York Times:

By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN
Published: February 27, 2011

Duke Snider, the Hall of Fame center fielder renowned for his home run drives and superb defensive play in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ glory years, died Sunday (February 27) in Escondido, Calif. He was 84.

In the 1950s, the golden age of New York baseball, the World Series almost always meant red, white and blue bunting at Ebbets Field, Yankee Stadium or the Polo Grounds. October afternoons provided a national showcase for baseball’s premier center fielders — Snider of the Dodgers, Mickey Mantle of the Yankees and Willie Mays of the Giants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/sports/baseball/28snider.html?_r=1&hp

New Mexico Takes Its Chile Very Seriously. Even the Spelling (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By DAN FROSCH
Published: February 26, 2011

Lying about the origins of one’s chile is considered blasphemy in New Mexico, where the spelling of choice sets the sauce apart from the more common rendering.

And now, a new bill is taking aim at those who fraudulently assert that their chili is grown in New Mexico.

“What we’ve got is people coming in and selling chile and saying it’s from New Mexico, and some of it is being shipped in from Mexico or elsewhere,” said State Representative Andy Nuñez, a former chile farmer from Hatch and sponsor of the New Mexico Chile Advertising Act. “We’re trying to keep the integrity of New Mexico chile, which we think is the best.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/us/27chile.html?_r=1&ref=us

A revealing look at Gypsy Rose Lee (CBS News)

From CBS News:

Remembering the stripper renowned for class and brains 100 years after her birth.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/20/sunday/main20034128.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea

At Fisk University, A Tradition Of Spirituals (NPR)

From NPR:

by Jeff Bossert


For nearly 150 years, a largely black private university in Nashville has prided itself on its liberal arts studies and its music. Vocal ensembles at Fisk University have been there about as long as the campus itself. But the songs performed there today could have sounded very different if it hadn't been for the efforts of one of the school's first music directors.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/26/134028602/at-fisk-university-a-tradition-of-spirituals

Hiking The Mountain That Made Birmingham (NPR News)

From NPR News:

by Al Letson


Before the civil rights movement made Birmingham, Ala., a dateline in history, it was a famous steel town. Its mines have been closed for more than three decades, but the network of old tramways is being turned into a large park. Now it's a place to explore both the history of mining and the subtleties of race.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/26/134067080/hiking-the-mountain-that-made-birmingham

Passing: Ernie Tyler, Orioles' Fixture for over 50 Years

From The Baltimore Sun:

Longtime Orioles umpires attendant Ernie Tyler, who worked for the team for more than a half century and ended his own O's iron-man streak at 3,769 games to attend Cal Ripken Jr.'s Hall of Fame induction, has died at the age of 86.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-ob-ernie-tyler-20110211,0,7286037.story

Also: http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-schmuck-column-0212-20110211,0,4873735.column

Recent Passings of Note

We usually will honor those who passed individually. But not wanting to turn into an Obit blog, we group a number of persons of distinction who have recently passed away. Each was important - touching us in different ways:

- Chuck Tanner, Who Managed Pirates to ’79 Title
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/sports/baseball/12tanner.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries

Alan Slifka, Who Promoted Arab-Jewish Ties
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/nyregion/10slifka.html?ref=obituaries

Tom Carnegie, Voice of Indianapolis Motor Speedway
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/sports/autoracing/12carnegie.html?ref=obituaries

George Shearing, ‘Lullaby of Birdland’ Jazz Virtuoso
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/arts/music/15shearing.html?ref=obituaries

Joanne Siegel, the Model for Lois Lane
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/arts/16siegel.html?ref=obituaries

John Strauss, Composer of ‘Car 54’ Theme
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/arts/television/18strauss.html?ref=obituaries

Bill Monroe, ‘Meet the Press’ Host
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/business/media/18monroe.html?ref=obituaries

History Hinders Diversification Of Portland, Ore. (NPR News)

From NPR News:

by Amelia Templeton

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/16/133748144/history-hinders-diversification-of-portland-ore

Passing: Betty Garrett, Actress In Film, TV, Stage (AP via NPR)

From The Associated Press via NPR News:

Betty Garrett, the vivacious Broadway star who played Frank Sinatra's sweetheart in two MGM musicals before her career was hampered by the Hollywood blacklist, has died in Los Angeles, her son said Sunday. She was 91.

Garrett was best known as the flirtatious girl in love with the shy Sinatra in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "On the Town," both in 1949, and later in life she became well-known to TV audiences with recurring roles in the 1970s sitcoms "All in the Family" and "Laverne and Shirley."

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/13/133728980/betty-garrett-actress-in-film-tv-and-broadway-dies

What’s Always Been So Great About Green Bay (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By DAVE ANDERSON
Published: February 8, 2011

In more than 50 years of writing about professional football, my favorite trip was always to Green Bay.

“Green Bay?” my big-city friends would always say. “What’s so great about going to Green Bay?”

They didn’t understand.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/sports/football/09anderson-packers.html?adxnnl=1&ref=sports&adxnnlx=1297270834-ilAgeNskNka4Lf7Sph3OQA

Passing: "Dan Whitfield" (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK
Published: February 4, 2011

Who was Dan Whitfield ?

Well, I was a big fan of the old Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Dan Whitfield was a journalism teacher and boyfriend of Mary Richards.

The actor who portrayed Dan Whitfield, Michael Tolan, died on January 31 at age 85 in Hudson, NY.

In addition to the MSM Show, Tolan also was recurring presence on television in the 1960s and ’70s after walking away from film and Broadway.But he returned to the stage to help found the American Place Theater, a successful Off Broadway house, died on Monday in Hudson, N.Y. He was 85.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/04/arts/television/04tolan.html?_r=1&hpw

NHL’s curbed enthusiasm for Heritage Classic (SI.com)

From Sports Illustrated (si.com):

by Stu Hackel

When it comes to comparing the NHL’s two outdoor games, the Winter Classic and the Heritage Classic, the upcoming game in Calgary between the Canadiens and Flames is a second-class citizen to the New Year’s Day event.

http://nhl-red-light.si.com/2011/02/02/nhls-curbed-enthusiasm-for-heritage-classic/