Leroy Robert Paige was born this week in 1906 or 1905, depending on which record you believe. Leroy and his neighborhood friend Wilber would go down to the train station when they were boys and carry bags for the passengers for tips. That's how he earned the nickname, "Satchel."
As baseball season reaches its halfway point with the All Star Midsummer Classic coming up on Tuesday, I thought this might be appropriate for today.
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THE WIT AND WISDOM OF SATCHEL PAIGE
"Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter."
"Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common."
"I don't generally like running. I believe in training by rising gently up and down from the bench."
"If a man can beat you, walk him."
"I never rush myself. See, they can't start the game without me."
"I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I toss one that ain't never been seen by this generation."
"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don't move."
"My pitching philosophy is simple -- keep the ball away from the bat."
On Cool Papa Bell: "One time he hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit him as he was sliding into second."
On being elected to the Hall of Fame: "The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second class citizen to a second class immortal."
"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching."
[with thanks to the Baseball Almanac]
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Remember that tomorrow is July 11. 7-11. And that means that Seven-Eleven convenience stores all across America will be handing out free Slurpees. Everyone who's not a diabetic go grab yourself one.
I'll see you on Monday.
Mark
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WEB SITE of the WEEK: Get the "skinny" on your ZIP code - if you live in the States, anyway - at http://www.zipskinny.com/. Enter your ZIP on the first screen and on the next you'll find a wealth of demographic information about your part of town, culled from the 2000 U.S. Census. For example, in my town, 14% of the men here are about my age, and 63% of us are married. You can see the info displayed in charts, you can check out demographics about the schools your kids or grandkids attend, compare your ZIP to neighboring cities and neighborhoods and even see how close you are to the center of your ZIP.
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WORDS for YOUR WEEKEND: "Attend to the details. Teach your children manners. Write cogent paragraphs. Drive carefully. And make good potato salad, one with some crunch, maybe accompanied by a fried drumstick with crackly skin - the humble potato and the stupid chicken, ennobled by diligent cooking - and is this not the meaning of our beautiful country, to take what is common and enable it to become beautiful?" (Garrison Keillor)
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