SZ631

BY JIM DAWSON

JUNE 20, 2016

DISA AND DATA

Amazing to watch the Killer B's (Betts, Bogaerts and Bradley Jr.) buzz bomb opponents with both their bats and their gloves. Betts has 50 RBI. Bogaerts has 46 and Bradley Jr. 45. That means that all three should have 50 RBI by the All-Star break, each on pace for 100 RBI for the season. Betts (15 HRs), Bogaerts (9) and Bradley Jr. (12) could easily hit 20 homers each, maybe 25-30. Wow!

Ortiz has been a bust – only two steals. Actually Big Papi has been out of this world in his swan song season. .342 BA, 18 Hrs, 59 RBI and 29 doubles. Papi has a chance to beat the MLB record in doubles held by Earl Webb (67). Just stay healthy Big Guy.

The starting pitching is coming around with the Price is Wright and Porcello. Now Buchholz knows the Buch stops here if he doesn't do well in his return as a starter. When Kelly gets healthy, he goes to the bullpen if Buchholz is holding his own. This move might get Kelly's attention as it has with Buchholz.

Koji is back to being Koji. Tazawa and he can get to Kimbrel.

With Brock Holt on the way back soon and Blake Swihart (hopefully) shortly after the All Star break, help is on the way. And I would Never, Never trade Swihart or Vazquez. Swihart showed he could play LF. The play of Chris Young has been a pleasant surprise.

The fun season continues.

BULLETS

• Congratulations to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in besting the Golden State Warriors in a 7^th game. The Cavs didn't cave, down 3 games to 1. Led by LeBron (who said Steph Curry was the best player in the NBA?), Cleveland did what no team had ever done in the championship playoffs in coming back from that deficit. And a salute also to Cleveland fans (Yes you Ken Arnold and Bill Buda) whose teams hadn't won anything since 1964. As Ian Hunter sang on You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic : Cleveland Rocks.

• 7 states (CT, MA, NY, NJ, MD, CAL and HAWAII) have bans on semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines. The US Supreme Court just declined to hear a challenge to CT's law. We, the citizens of Rhode Island, need to have those bans in place.

• Yoan Moncada just got promoted to the AA Portland Sea Dogs, joining Andrew Benintendi. Moncada hit .307, 4 HRs, 34 RBI and had 36 stolen bases in 61 games. Benintendi, after a slow start to his promotion, is now at .254 with 3 HRs, 18 RBI and 4 stolen bases in 29 games. Methinks we see them in Pawtucket before season's end.

• The College World Series is ongoing and the Red Sox have two draft picks playing. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) is a 3B/P, .270 and 17 HRs, a 2.92 ERA. Dalbec played 3^rd in Arizona's 5-1 win over Miami, batting cleanup but going 0 for 4.

RHP Shaun Anderson (Florida) was used in relief yesterday and escaped a 2-out bases loaded jam (1 1/3 innings, 1 hit, no runs). Look quickly for him because Florida faces elimination Tuesday versus Texas Tech.

•And congrats to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers who beat those Florida Gators 2-1 for their first ever win in the College World Series.

• The Golden State Warriors, who eclipsed the Bulls' NBA record for wins in a season with 73, now know how the Patriots felt after the 2007 season when they were undefeated but lost the Super Bowl to the NY Giants (hello Al Vallese and Jim Dwyer).

• The Celtics get to use 8 picks (maybe) in Thursday's NBA Draft. If they don't package the pick for a proven player, I think they take Okla. State's Buddy Hield who hit 85 of 100 three's in a tryout with the Celts. The Green need a shooter and a big man, a rim rattler. Hield solves the shooter need (though he doesn't sound great on defense).

There has been chatter about the Celts trading the 3^rd overall pick to the 76ers who would take Kris Dunn. For Okafor or Nerlens Noel.

• The US plays Lionel Messi and Argentina Tuesday in the Copa America. Go USA!

• Robert Parish was quoted in the Globe (Gary Washburn - 6/19) complaining about the lack of true centers in the NBA. He blamed it on coaches who are guards and forwards telling big men how to play center. Parish did like the center play of DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. Hey Chief, the Celtics need a true center, how about coming back.

• PawSox righty starter Aaron Wilkerson (3-1, 2.03), lefty reliever Robby Scott (3-0, 2.40) and closer RHP Pat Light (2.31 ERA and 5 for 5 in saves) could help the big club at some point.

• Steve Almond (Globe – 6/12) noted that ¾ of Div 1 football programs run a deficit.

E-MAIL

Great 'Zine.....especially United We Stand, Divided We Fall. First, let me say that I am o.k. with responsible citizens having a handgun, rifle or shotgun...... as long as they pass a background check and go to training for the use of such. I personally do not care to own a gun....the likelihood of something bad happening to oneself or a loved one is higher than the chance you will prevent someone from doing bad to you and family.

And I know that the second and third of the three above mentioned weapons can be used for hunting purposes....I'm o.k. with people hunting (I don't).........safely. What a citizen of this country does not need is an assault/military style weapon....an AK-47 or AR-15....no matter what logic (in their survivalist minds) they use. These are weapons that have a history of use on battlefields.....by our armed forces and other foreign armies. I would ask the person that says they have a RIGHT to own this type of weapon

'Do you think you have a right to own a grenade launcher or maybe even a shoulder mount Stinger missile?' , after all they are battlefield weapons,too. I would also point out that my wife and I have a RIGHT to go to the local store

without worrying about being mowed down by one of these obscenely powerful weapons, just because someone is having a bad day (and it was so easy getting that military-use weapon in the first place).

Thanks mostly to the N.R.A. and the politicians' campaigns they fund, for some people, there is this notion that if an area wasn't gun-free or if most of the people in any area were 'packing', then there would be less trouble. This is 'vigilante logic' being used and you could just imagine what would happen when the actual law enforcement officers arrived at the scene. But then, they wouldn't need the police.....it's the Wild West all over again. Just ask Trayvon Martin's family. In Peace and Sanity,

Brad Dawson
It's enlightening that the immediate clamor post Orlando was that gun control would not have stopped this guy. Maybe if the FBI, who investigated him twice, had put him on a list of those suspected terrorists, he wouldn't have been able to buy the AR 15. I noticed that since he had a job as a security officer, he was able to have a hand gun (which he left in his vehicle).
An assault weapon ban was in place for a decade (1994-2004) and the law was signed by Bill Clinton.. It was not renewed when George W. Bush was President - Z

Great job Thomas Paine!!!!!!!!

Victor Coia

Victor, I checked on the phrase United We Stand, Divided We Fall. Aesop is said to have used it and a similar phrase is used in the New Testament (Matthew and Mark) The first use in America is attributed to founding father John Dickinson who had a song published with it in the Boston Gazette.
The most famous use was by Patrick Henry just before he died.

Oh and Abe Lincoln used a variation of it.
The state of Kentucky has the phrase on its seal. - Z

Decency has disappeared from many parts of our culture. Mass shooting and killings are an indictment of our culture.  I never thought I would be on the conservative end of any social issue.  But the indiscriminate violence on TV, movies and video games is disturbing to me. I also believe our constant involvement in war and violent conflict contributes to this behavior. I really believe we have become tolerant of behavior that should repulse us. I never watch regular TV because almost every show is violent, crime, cop shows that go to the nth degree to shock. Sick stuff in my opinion and I would never allow my kids to watch it.

The gun issue is an example of ignorance. The love of guns is embarrassing to our culture. America will always have guns, unfortunately. But they have no place in cities. Assault rifles are ridiculous and I can't believe anyone really believes that putting restrictions on them would take away our rights. It is downright stupid!!!

There, I feel better. Thanks for listening.

Dave Knudson

David, well said. As someone who loves horror movies and action movies with violence, I can only say that for me there is a cathartic release in seeing them, and maybe that helps to release feelings of aggression. We have been in too many wars. We need to stop being the cop of the world.
This is the time for Congress to finally act and at minimum prevent guns from being in the hands of those on terrorist lists. It is too much to get them to ban assault rifles and large volume magazines/clips. I was astounded to learn that the handgun Mateen had was capable of firing 17 rounds. No more 6 shooters.
A Prov Journal reader sent in a letter that said that our Speaker of the House Dem. Nicholas Mattiello gets money from the NRA and that may be why no gun control bills have ever gotten out of committee. Pathetic. - Z

Quiz answer - Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees; name on “Circus Boy” was Mickey Braddock. I’m not that great with music trivia but there’s been a ton of hype over the Monkee’s 60^th anniversary that’s been fun to catch up on. Rick Nadeau Rick, congratulations, you are correct. Micky Dolenz (aka Mickey Braddock) played Corky in Circus Boy. - Z

THE HOT CLUB

We were talking about the Cleveland Cavaliers coming back from 3-1 to force a 7^th game with the Golden State Warriors. We all talked about how Cleveland hadn't won a championship of any type in a long time. Charlie Clancy's friend Rob Perreault thought the last time was 1964, the Cleveland Browns. I was thinking baseball and mentioned sometime in the mid '50's with Early Wynn. So Rob checked on his phone and his memory was good - 1964, the Browns over the Baltimore Colts 27-0. The 1954 Indians won the AL pennant, but lost to the NY Giants in the World Series.

Charlie Clancy was wearing a hat without a PC logo. If you know Charlie, who bleeds Providence College black and white, you know how unusual this is. The cap had an “N”. So I asked Charlie about it – it was a gift from Rich (Flinn), and it was a Navy hat from Annapolis. Quite apropos since Charlie was in the Navy. Rich doesn't just teach English at Newport's Naval Academy Preparatory School, he's the head of the English Department.

The Hot Club's own Claudia has many talents. If you've heard her singing along to rock songs playing on the HC juke box, you know that she has quite a voice. So I asked her if she's been in a rock band. Yup, and amongst her repertoire, she played sax and drums as well as singing.

Per the Herbster (10,000 stories in the Naked City), the reason that Russian sub (which used to be docked outside the hurricane barrier) sank was because a guy didn't close the hatches during a rain storm.

LAST ISSUE'S QUIZ ANSWER One person, Rick Nadeau, knew that Micky (George Michael) Dolenz played Corky in Circus Boy, a Saturday kid's show. Dolenz was then known as Mickey Braddock. Noah Beery Jr was in it too. ('56-'57)

THIS ISSUE'S QUIZ

This Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and guitarist started as a recording engineer at Stax/Volt records in Memphis and produced the label's first big hit – Carla Thomas' Gee Whiz. Name?