The puzzle was funny today. Three long answers were famous nonmilitary people with military titles: SERGEANT PEPPER, COLONEL SANDERS, and CAPTAIN OBVIOUS. Then, at 49A the clue was “Unfazed response to a threat” from any of them, and the answer was YOU AND WHAT ARMY?
Pabloinnh said he also liked the expression “you’d better bring a lunch,” when someone threatened to beat you up and you were assuring them that it would be an all day job.
Sanders was awarded his honorary colonelcy by Kentucky “for noteworthy accomplishments, contributions to civil society, remarkable deeds, or outstanding service to the community, state, or a nation.” [OC friend Miriam tells us “colonelcy” is a legit word.]
And, get this: “Sgt. Pepper” really was a military leader—that is, the gentleman in the photo used to represent him on the album was a real military leader, though James Melvin Babington was a Lieutenant General and not a Sergeant.
On the outbreak of WWI Babington was given the command of the 23rd Division, part of Kitchener’s Army. He was described as “an elderly but fearless man who was universally popular.” Under him, the 23rd became known as “a remarkably hard-fighting and efficient division.” He was one of only a few commanding officers who saw to it that his men were properly kitted out, obtaining approval to spend £17,000 on clothing, and sending two officers to buy 20,000 sets of underclothes and boots. After the war he was Commander of the British Forces in Italy.
Yup — this is the guy. Love the ‘stache, Sir!
Back to Sanders, he began selling fried chicken from his roadside restaurant in North Corbin, Kentucky, during the Depression. He developed his “secret recipe” and patented method of cooking chicken in a pressure fryer. The first KFC franchise opened in South Salt Lake, Utah, in 1952. He eventually sold the US operations for $20 million (in today’s dollars). In his later years, he became highly critical of the food served by KFC restaurants, believing they had cut costs and allowed quality to deteriorate. He never got over the scandal that arose when he was caught sneaking ketchup packets out of a KFC location in his jacket pockets. [Let it go, Sir — we’ve all been there. An entire generation of Jewish mothers brazenly stole Sweet ‘n’ Low packets.]
Here’s the good Colonel with his wife Claudia at their wedding. Under the icing, that cake is made entirely out of fried chicken! (No it’s not.) They met when she was a waitress at his roadside restaurant. As men have known since Biblical times, there’s nothing sexier than a pretty waitress.
Claudia developed a fried chicken recipe of her own and several other dishes. She later had a restaurant too: Claudia Sanders Dinner House. Parking was never a problem.
On Kentucky Colonelcies, commenter PH wrote: “Some notable Kentucky Colonels: Ali, Arthur Ashe, Wayne Gretzky, Elvis, Ringo Starr, Johnny Depp, Bill Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II, Pope Benedict XVI. Wiki says the total # of inductees is around 350,000. So maybe not that amusing. I just like the idea of the Pope eating chicken from a KFC bucket on his lap.”
I checked out the website. It’s a helluva list. It includes Daryl Strawberry, and Jimmie Crutchfield (Negro Leagues), and Tiger Woods. Comic Norm Crosby, Phyllis Diller, and Walt Disney.
My Spelling Bee (weekend version) buddy Larry shared this neat trivia with me in connection with my noting that the word GROAT had not been accepted. Dick Groat played for the Pirates back in the ’60s. He died last year and I chattered about him in this space. Well, it turns out (per Larry) that he is one of only two players to have defeated the Yankees twice in a Game 7 of the World Series. Groat did in with the 1960 Pirates and the 1964 Cardinals. Don Hoak did it with the same Pirate team, and with Brooklyn in 1955.
In a scene in the film City Slickers starring Billy Crystal, the character Bonnie Rayburn, played by Helen Slater, expressed her incredulity that men could discuss baseball at great length. She said “I’ve been to games, but I don’t memorize who played third base for Pittsburgh in 1960,” at which point Crystal, Daniel Stern and Bruno Kirby immediately reply “Don Hoak.”
After his playing career, Hoak managed in the minors and expected to land the Pirates’ gig in 1969. But he was passed over in favor of Danny Murtaugh. Hoak’s wife delivered the news to him.
Less than two hours later, Hoak witnessed his brother-in-law’s car being stolen from the driveway of the Hoak house. He got into his own car and gave chase. He suffered a heart attack during the pursuit, but managed to stop his vehicle just before collapsing. He lay in his car for 20 minutes without anyone’s interceding. A doctor driving behind Hoak eventually got out of his own car and performed cardiac massage before an ambulance transported Hoak to the hospital. He died 10 minutes after arrival. Hoak’s wife Jill claimed that he died of a broken heart because the Pirates passed him over.
Ouch. Imagine what she would have said if she were bitter about it.
I do not have Hoak in my autograph collection. Dammit! Since he died so young, even a plain index card signed by him is selling for over $100 on eBay. This photo is off the internet.
If you believe every story has a moral, here it goes: If it’s your brother-in-law’s car, to hell with it.
At 46D, “Holds tightly onto” was GRIPS. Here’s the Electric Light Orchestra, singing “Hold On Tight,” a nice tune to end on today.
Thanks for popping by!
The Wellington Files 