Owl Chatter is broadcasting from Room 203 of the Best Western Hotel in Fairfax VA this fine morning. Here’s the view from the breakfast area:
We’re not all here at the mobile headquarters. Phil and George are down the road at the Third-Best Western Hotel over in Herndon (no photo available).
At breakfast, I placed two slices of whole-wheat bread in the toaster/grill and watched them slowly move into the toasting area, out of sight. When they emerged and I removed them, I saw that only one side was toasted. So I turned them over and placed them back in the toaster so the second side would get toasted. When I removed them this time, it was clear that I re-toasted the toasted side and the other side remained untoasted. At that point, I had to admire that one untoasted side that was putting up such a brave fight. So I put a little butter on the toasted side and ate them. The rest of breakfast was fine and uneventful. We took two green bananas back to the room for the future.
We’re in the DC area for today’s Nats-‘Stros game at 4. The Nats managed to put the tying runs on base last night in the ninth, but couldn’t get those cows to come home. Hoping for a better outcome today.
Speaking of baseball, can you name the winningest Jewish pitcher in baseball history? Has to be Koufax, right? Koufax, whom most Jews place several rungs above God on their most-admired list. But it’s not! Ken Holtzman, who passed away Monday at age 78, had nine more career wins. Koufax in is the HOF, of course, and had the better arm, a golden arm, but his career was cut short by arthritis.
Holtzman was damn good though. He won 174 games, including two no-hitters, and had a shiny career ERA of 3.49. He won three World Series with Oakland. If you like little baseball oddities like I do, get this: In his first no-hitter, at age 23 vs the Braves on 8/19/69, he did not strike out any batters. That had not happened since 1923. “I didn’t have my good curve,” he explained to the press (see below). Leave it to a Jew to kvetch about a no-hitter.
After he retired from baseball, Holtzman made his return, sort of, in 2007 — as manager of the Petach Tikvah Pioneers based near Tel Aviv in the Israel Baseball League. But it didn’t go well. The team finished in last place and Holtzman bolted with two weeks to go in the season. He complained that the league was rushed into existence without being ready. It only lasted one season.
One last note, and then we’ll let the man rest. 1966 was Holtzman’s first full season in the majors. He was with the Cubs. It was also Koufax’s last season. He was on the Dodgers, of course. And on September 25, 1966, the two great Jewish pitchers faced each other for the one and only time. Holtzman was unhittable — almost. He carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning. He lost it and the shutout in the ninth, but the Cubs held on to win 2-1. Koufax gave up only 4 hits but took the loss. “I was satisfied with my performance,” Koufax told The LA Times, “but Ken was too good for us today.”
Holtzman is survived by his brother, Bob, a former minor league pitcher, his daughters, Robyn, Stacey, and Lauren; four grandchildren; and a sister, Janice. His marriage ended in divorce.
Rest in peace, Kenny — we’re proud of you.
Our day started falling apart a little in the middle. The plan was to shoot into DC from Fairfax, have lunch at Comet Pizza, and take the Metro to the Nats game. The nice woman at Comet explained they were closed today for a private function. Hmmmm. We ended up having good deli sandwiches next door at a Jewsih deli called “Call Your Mother.” While we were there I learned that the Metro was only running on a modified schedule due to construction. Gulp. We shifted gears and decided to drive and just fumble around for parking. Not wise. Parking around Nats stadium is a disaster. After about half an hour of fruitless circling, we plotzed into a lot for $30. Thank God. It was about a mile from the stadium. No problem.
We got to our seats as the Nats were taking the field. Let’s go! Play ball! The ‘Stros strung a few hits together for a run in the first, but CJ Abrams, our brilliant shortstop, popped one into the seats to tie it. We cobbled together another run, squandering several opportunities for more, and Trevor Williams was excellent, protecting the 2-1 lead through six. In the seventh, however, Houston woke up and it was ugly. When the battering was over, the lead was lost. We limped into the bottom of the ninth down 4-2.
Presciently, I said to Linda, if our first batter gets on, it’s anybody’s game. He was hit by a pitch. Man on first. Abrams again: this time a screaming double to right — and it was suddenly tying runs in scoring position with no outs. It was left to Jeff Winker to single sharply to right and the game was tied. Whew.
In the tenth, Houston moved a runner to third with one out. The next hitter drove a fly to right that drifted foul and it was deep enough that I wondered if Lane Thomas might let it drop, since catching it seemed to me would let the runner tag up and score. Nope. Lane caught it and fired a laser beam home where catcher Adams made a great sweeping tag for the third out. Wow — high pressure baseball defense at its best. Joey Meneses drove home the winning run for us in the bottom of the tenth. Sweet.
For dinner, I remembered we had good pizza near the U.S. Capitol a few years ago. I didn’t remember the name of the place, but I remembered it was a clever name that I would recognize if I saw it. So I googled “pizza near the Capitol.” Yup — it’s called “We the Pizza.” Delish.
We received a message from the DC police that Phil and George are in their custody. That’s a relief. So they’re safe. Ideally, they’ll bumble their way back to Jersey by Pesach.
See you tomorrow!
The Wellington Files 