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The Daily Dose/April 29, 2008
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
   
The Daily Dose works hard to make today's column worth your time, getting the latest on Roger Clemens' human experience even if it isn't really any of our business, plus a Capsule Vegas Show Review, the 1908 Cubs resume action plus some great On This Date action. Plus, Danielle Bollinger Month, or at least week, begins at The Column Four Foto!
DANCE FEVER: Former major league pitcher Roger Clemens is back tap dancing before the American public again after the New York Daily News reported Monday that Clemens had a long affair with alleged country singer Mindy McCready. This is really nobody's business except Clemens, his wife, McCready and whomever might happen to care in the McCready camp, of course, but that's certainly not stopping us from leading off today's column with it, though.
Uh-Oh: While really not our business, it is, however, mildly interesting to note that McCready was 15-years-old when the alleged affair began.
OTOH, This Could Be The Career Boost She Is Looking For: Back in the 20th Century, when anybody could have a #1 country hit, McCready hit the top spot with - and this is rich - Guys Do It All The Time, but fortunately hasn't done much since, at least as far as the country charts are concerned. She had a drug arrest in 2004 and last July was accused of scuffling with her mother and resisting arrest. She served three months in jail and must still serve two years probation.
Stop Me If You've Heard This Before: Clemens, who has been busy denying everything except the sun setting the east recently, also, through his attorney, denied having a sexual relationship with McCready, which, if you look at certain McCready pictures, is pretty believable. I mean, if you must have hit on an under aged country singer, might we suggest something in a vintage LeAnn Rimes?
Morals Watch: Clemens has probably lost his spot in the Hall of Fame because of the steroids fiasco, which is too bad because a professional athlete should be able to put whatever he wants into his body. But if the baseball Hall of Fame kicked out everybody who hooked up with a young lady at spring training, gee whiz, they would be left with Ward Cleaver and John Wooden.
CAPSULE VEGAS SHOW REVIEW: The Jersey Boys, The Palazzo Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas Nevada: We should probably start off with this:
Standard Internet Disclaimer: Mr. Kent is not a professional theater reviewer, and, honestly, has little clue what he is talking about, though he could probably be counted on to tell the difference between a professional production and a school play. However, he needed material for today's column, and with a past history of reviewing restaurants, movies and national parks, felt more or less certain the Great Conversation demanded his views on the show.
With That Out Of The Way: The Jersey Boys was really good. It chronicles the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, as told through the eyes of the Four Season's guitarist Tommy DeVito, brilliantly played by Jeremy Kushneir. The show is brilliantly paced and the performers are of the caliber you'd expect for a world class Vegas show. We got the alternate for Frankie Valli, Joseph Leo Bwarie, and we thought he was brilliant, though that might be overdoing it because we are not really qualified to pronounce brilliance in an actor, not that a lack of expertise has been a barrier to commentary before.
If all you know about the Four Seasons is Frankie Valli and some of their hits, you will enjoy getting to know the other members of the group, Devito, Nick Massi and Bob Gaudio. If you are intimately familiar with their story, you'll enjoy the trip down memory lane. If, like us, you fall somewhere in the middle and know just enough to make you dangerous, you'll enjoy reaffirming what you already knew, plus having whatever blanks were left over filled in.
We Interrupt This Program For A Word From The Ratings Department: Following Is The Official Writer's Shack Rating scale:
EX - Excellent; as good as the medium can produce in every respect.
VG - Very Good.
AR - All Right. Not completely without merit.
SP - Nothing of substance; a steaming pile, utterly without merit.
Official Rating: VG. One hell of a show. Funny, great music, great performances, and something all ages can enjoy, though there is "authentic Jersey language" throughout, which evidently means using the word "asshole" twice in every sentence.
The World Really Is Ending, Isn't It?: This rating may well be upgraded when - and we are not making this up - Donny and Marie Osmond begin headlining at the Flamingo later this year.
Dry, Technical Matter: The Jersey Boys, 2 hours and 10 minutes, with an intermission, running indefinitely at the Palazzo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. 7pm nightly with a 10pm show on Tuesday and Saturday. Dark Wednesdays.
WHOOPS, MY BAD: On this date, in 1876, when the new National League was starting its second week, Louisville Grays first baseman John Carbine commits five errors in a 6-2 loss against the St. Louis Brown Stockings.
Don't Even Try Googling This: According to our research it is the oldest record in the major league record book. Now, we are not omniscient here, however we do know what we are doing in this regard and any research we present must be treated with respect.
What The Hell's Going On Here?: Nobody could catch the ball back then. Carbine's record would be equaled in both June and October and would equaled six more times in the 1800's. The modern major league record for errors in a game by a first baseman is four, also done on several occasions.
Had The Curveball Even Been Invented Yet?: The classic no-hit, no-field first baseman of the era, Carbine would be out of the National league by the end of the month after hitting .125 and committing ten (10) errors in seven games.
Editors Note: Throughout the 2008 season, for no other reason than to rub in the fact it's been a whole century since the Chicago Cubs have won the World Series, On This Date is pleased to chronicle the 1908 Chicago Cubs season.
Cubs Will Be Cubs: After five days off, the Cubs show their rust as the Pittsburgh Pirates get two in the ninth to win 2-1 at West Side Grounds on April 29, 1908.
Could 1908 Newspapers Use Smaller Type, Please?: The Pirates struck with two outs. Beals Becker beat out a bunt (say that three times fast) which resulted in the ejection of Cubs first baseman and manager Frank Chance. Following a walk, singles by Paddy O'Connor and Honus Wagner gave the Pirates two runs.
FunFact: Cy Neighbors made his only major league appearance in this game. Neighbors, 27 at the time and who put up some good numbers in the minors, did not have a plate appearance. It appears he just stood around in left field for the Pirates for an inning or two.
Around The Horn: Elsewhere in the National League on April 29, 1908:, the Boston Doves defeated the New York Giants 7-6 and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated Brooklyn Superbas 3-1. With the win and the Giants loss, the Pirates move into a second place tie with the Giants, a half-game behind the Cubs. The Cubs will host St. Louis tomorrow.
Roger, We Hardly Knew Ya: On this date in 1986, Boston Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens sets a major league record by striking out 20 batters in a nine inning game. Incredibly, he would duplicate the feat ten years later.
Dry, Technical Matter II: The major league record for strike outs in a game is 21, done by Tom Cheney of the Washington Senators in a 16-inning game in 1962.
I Guess We Can't All Get Along: On this date in 1992, following not guilty verdicts in the Rodney King beating trial, the Los Angeles riots begin. 53 people will die over the next six days, though thousands will get great deals on new TV's.
It's Not Anybody's Oldsmobile Anymore: On this date in 2004 Oldsmobile produces its last car, after 107 years of producing automobiles.
Answer To The Last Trivia Question: Chequers, the official country residence of the British Prime Minister, is the only official residence for the Prime Minister. 10 Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives and works in London, is the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, which, since 1902, has always been held simultaneously with the office of Prime Minister.
Today's Trivia Question: What was the Four Season's biggest hit? - Answer next time! For funsies, submit an answer at the message boards!
Threats? Recipes? Trivia question answers? Email the Writer's Shack here!
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