"A HOTDOG AT THE BALL PARK IS BETTER THAN . . ."

Humphrey Bogart, the classic American actor once said, “A hotdog at the ball park is better than a steak at the Ritz.”  Many people around the world would disagree with that, but baseball and hotdogs at the game are inseparable.  In fact, the Minnesota Twins just announced that Wednesdays are “dollar a dog night.”  How good is that! 

And then there’s the classic baseball song TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME.  It’s sung by those of us who love baseball, during the “seventh inning stretch”—near the

end of the game, when folks are getting a little antsy and want to get up and sing and go a little crazy, regardless of the score.  Jack Norworth, the man who wrote the song would no doubt be thrilled to see how popular it’s become.  He wrote the original song in 1908 and revised it years later.  He wrote many songs, but the “baseball national anthem” is probably his most famous.  In addition to being a songwriter, he was also a singer and a vaudeville performer.  He even performed in some Broadway theater productions.  Interestingly, he didn’t see his first major league baseball game until 1940, when he was over 60. 

Baseball has had many interesting stories and oddities through the years, but here are a few uniquely interesting ones.  A book called BASEBALL GOLD included a few gems:

            Under the heading “NO KIDDING”—“A wire service once reported that actress Marilyn Monroe had joined husband Joe DiMaggio (a baseball legend) for a few days at spring training.  The last paragraph said, “DiMaggio missed the workout.”

            Jim Leyland, former Pittsburgh manager was quite upset with his team after a sloppy game and found a unique way to convey that to his players. He bounded into the clubhouse and said, “You got ten minutes to get dressed and get out of here before the cops come in and arrest you for impersonating professional ballplayers.”  My guess is that his message stayed with his players for some time.

Showing his love for the game many years ago, Rogers Hornsby, a baseball legend once said, “People always ask me what I do in the winter when there’s no baseball.  I’ll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring.”  I almost feel the same way.

A wonderful historian and writer, Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote a delightful baseball memoir-- Wait Till Next Year-- about her love for the Brooklyn Dodgers as she was growing up.  Her father taught her the art of baseball scorekeeping, and when he came home from work at night they would go over the scorecard.  I’m guessing that even her father would have had a difficult time scoring a game between the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City in 1959.  Imagine scoring 11 runs on only one hit, as Chicago did.  That’s because there were 10 walks, three errors, and one hit batsman in just one inning.  Chicago won 20-6.  

Doris also wrote about her baseball hero, Jackie Robinson.  According to her, his great
 

 

base running often caused the opposing pitcher to become distracted.  He’d frequently throw the ball away or throw a bad pitch to the hitter. Of course Jackie played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, but at that time New York also had the Giants and Yankees.

Here are some additional stories and statistics about baseball that fascinate me, along with countless other baseball followers from different countries:

Abraham Lincoln played in a baseball game in 1860.  He must have been quite enamored with it because when a message arrived for him, he told the messenger that he didn’t want to be interrupted during the game.  When it was finally over, he learned that he had been nominated for president by the Republican Party.

The first umpires sat on rocking chairs about 20 feet behind home plate.  There were no visiting clubhouses until 1906, so teams dressed at their hotels and rode horse-drawn wagons to ballparks.  Of course if you were a St. Louis Browns player in 1933, you didn’t need to worry about much of anything since one game was seen by a mere 34 fans. What could be worse than that?  How about the 1899 Cleveland Spiders who managed only 20 wins, along with 134 losses? 

The immortal Ty Cobb used tobacco juice to keep baseball bats from getting damp.  He often rubbed the bats for four hours.  It obviously worked because he was one of the most prolific hitters in baseball.

Of course baseball is also about pitching, and I’m so glad that I got to watch some outstanding pitchers.  Sandy Koufax finished his last season with the Dodgers with a
 

 

27-9 record and 27 complete games.  Unheard of today with all the specialization of pitchers!  He won the Cy Young award that year.  Cy Young ended his career with 511 wins, 749 complete games, and over 7,000 innings pitched.  He pitched until he was 44.  To accomplish what he did in today’s game, you’d need to reach 26 wins a year and do it for over 20 years.  There are some remarkable pitchers in baseball today, but that’s one record I’m confident will never be broken. As one who loves baseball statistics and memories, I’m going to mark October 13 on my calendar.  That’s the day every year Pittsburgh Pirates fans party exactly where
 

 

Bill Mazeroski hit a ninth inning home run in game seven of the 1960 World Series.  Fans even listen to taped game replays while enjoying hotdogs and sodas.

The first baseball card appeared in 1881. Lou Brock, the super star left fielder and base stealer for many years with the St. Louis Cardinals once said, “I don’t remember my first baseball card as much as I do the gift for being on the card.  No one had ever given me a gift in baseball before, so that was very rewarding.  I got a $25 gift certificate and I used it to buy a radio.”

When I dream of owning a baseball bat that belonged to one of my heroes, I’m reminded of the cost involved.  Babe Ruth’s Louisville Slugger sold for over 1.25 million dollars.  It’s the one he used to hit his first homer in Yankee Stadium.

I’m ecstatic that baseball is the “talk of the town” again. In her baseball memoir Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote, “When I listened to the stories my father told, I could see the great players of the past—Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Zack Wheat—knock the mud from their cleats, settle into the batter’s box, narrow their eyes on the pitcher, and unleash their majestic swings.” For me that’s what baseball is all about, and so much more!

AN EARLY MORNING WALK . . . AND THE LOVELINESS OF SPRING!

 

A nearby waterfall with the exquisite rushing sound of nature!

 

An entrance to a little home--

I had just come back from my own short Easter morning walk when my son challenged me to go on a little nature hike.  I wasn’t sure I was up for it, but what a memorable experience it was!  It’s rare that we have a chance to spend one-on-one time, and as I age, the joy of those times is magnified and becomes very poignant.  I will always remember

this Easter morning because of the unexpected natural beauty so close to home and the wonderful connectedness with my son. Here are some photos of a delightful Easter morning.

And here are a few memorable quotes about nature--

"We are united with all life that is in nature.  Man can no longer live his life for himself alone."  (Albert Schweitzer)

"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we only tune in."  (George Washington Carver)

"An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."  (Henry David Thoreau)

NATURE'S UPLIFTING MESSAGE!

It’s a gorgeous sunny day here in the Twin Cities, although chilly, and yet a recent disappointment was getting me “down.”  I spent the morning entertaining grandchildren on spring break from school and working on a computer project, but just didn’t feel like my usual “perky” self.  I felt a little uninspired.  And then a few moments later I looked out the large back window of the dining room and saw five beautiful deer next door in the neighbor’s large backyard, surrounded by trees. There were deer tracks all over our yard, so it was obvious that at some point they had jumped the fence. It’s a very peaceful spot and these beautiful animals seemed very contented.  They were just lying in the snow or walking around and at one point I felt like they were staring right at me.  They could see a lot of things from their lofty perch, including the county park nearby.  It seems that whenever I need a reminder of the beauty of everyday life, nature offers it.  As I was looking in amazement at the deer, I heard a cardinal singing.  Simple joys, but wonderfully uplifting.  It changed my day!

A GOOD DAY FOR TRIVIA!

On a Monday morning in March, with the winds swirling about and the snows seemingly unending, it was a good day for trivia, I discovered.  My eight-year old grandson slowly pulled me out of my trance and disgust for winter.  He came downstairs for breakfast bright and early and started reading the rather unusual trivia book I had bought him at a thrift store a week earlier.  He was sharing and enjoying all the odd questions and quizzing me on the answers. It was an obvious enjoyment for him, but not as much for me, until he came to the question about twine. Of course he pulled in the Minnesota connection as well. He asked me how much the largest ball of twine weighed, where it was made, and who made it.  Well, here’s the scoop!

THE GAZEBO THAT HOUSES THE BALL OF TWINE AND THE MAILBOX WITH THE GUESTBOOK

 

A man by the name of Francis A. Johnson from the town of Darwin, Minnesota (population of less than 300) started rolling the twine in his basement in 1950, every day for four hours over the course of 29 years. I thought about that in absolute amazement.  How could you devote that much of your life to a ball of twine?  What was it that drove him?  Well, if you’d drive to Darwin, Minnesota in August you’d probably learn a whole lot more about Francis Johnson since there’s a museum in Darwin that tells about him and that ball of twine.  Every year there’s “Twine Ball Day” and you can learn the history of the ball.  There’s even a gift shop devoted to that enormous ball of twine that’s housed in a gazebo to protect it—all 7,900 kg (17,400 pounds), which is the largest ball of twine rolled by an individual.  Francis died in 1979, but his amazing invention made his town proud.  There’s a sign on the outskirts of town that declares, “Darwin, Home of the Ball of Twine.”  There’s even a mailbox with a guestbook you can sign.  All very interesting and trusting!  Weird Al Yankovic at one time drove across America to see it and write a song about it. Maybe later this year in August I’ll make the trek to pay tribute to Francis Johnson and his ball of twine.  What’s interesting is that recently I started reading a book I picked up at a thrift store called SPIRITUAL LITERACY—READING THE SACRED IN EVERYDAY LIFE.  One chapter deals with the importance of different THINGS in our lives, regardless of what they might be.  For me they’re special antiques and keepsakes left behind by my ancestors and housed in my room.  They might not have great meaning for others, but for me they’re a special joy.  I often look at them and feel happy to just have them near me.  As strange as it may sound, I believe that Francis Johnson took special delight in creating that unusual ball of twine and presenting it to his town.  I admire that, perhaps even more so because it was my grandson who shared some of the information with me and the SPIRITUAL LITERACY book made me view the whole idea from a completely different perspective.  And as it turned out, it was indeed a good day for trivia, one I hadn’t expected.

KEY TO THE CITY . . . AND TO YOUR HEART!

 

Donald Driver

 

 

 

Recently I ordered a simple children’s book from a very special author, who’s also been an exceptional professional athlete, a founder of an amazing organization which benefits underprivileged children, homeless families, children with serious illnesses, and many more.  The organization’s motto is “STRONG HANDS, STRONG MINDS, LOVING HEARTS.”  It’s called the DONALD DRIVER FOUNDATION, which was established by Donald and his wife Betina.  For fourteen years I watched Donald excel as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and often thrilled at how gracefully he glided across the football field. His infectious smile and delight in acknowledging his children after games often left me even more uplifted. Little did I know that he had been homeless during part of his childhood years. 

I could relate to one of the books Donald wrote because it dealt with a child’s loss, whatever that might entail.  It’s called QUICKIE HANDLES A LOSS.  The book relates to Donald’s storytelling to his own children.  He said that as a child his mother had given him the name Quickie because she could never catch him. That got me laughing because I could picture what a mischievous little guy he must have been.

In the opening page of the book, Driver had written that whatever type of loss you’ve experienced, “Always keep a positive attitude and use those good memories to push yourself forward in life . . . Don’t stop.  You must remember that life goes on no matter how hard it may feel in the beginning.  It gets easier in time.  Remember!”  He signed it, “Your friend, Donald Driver, #80.”  I wish I’d had his book when I was eight or nine and my best friend moved away to another part of my home state of Wisconsin. Quickie had experienced something remarkably similar.  When my friend died of leukemia a few years later, I was devastated and felt that a part of me had been lost forever. Donald’s book has special significance in acknowledging children’s losses and helping them heal and move on.

When Donald retired from the Packers recently, a retirement party was held for him, a rarity for the Packers.  Tickets were hard to get and the building was packed.  Donald is truly beloved in all of Wisconsin and elsewhere.  He had broken the Packers all-time receiving yardage and scored 61 touchdowns overall, including a 90-yarder in the 2008 playoffs against the New York Giants.  He had also helped the Packers beat Pittsburgh in the 2011 Super Bowl, despite being injured.  In his 14 years with the Packers, he had only missed four games.  A remarkable accomplishment!  The versatile player from Alcorn State in Mississippi was a rare find for the Packers.

Donald Driver received the key to the city of Green Bay, but more importantly, he’s held the key to many of our hearts.  He’s made hundreds of charitable appearances, made the lives of countless children and families more meaningful and less of a struggle, and endeared himself to people everywhere.  I will miss his acrobatic play on the football field, but I will continue to admire and respect him; he’s an exceptional human being. 

A PLACE CALLED SOLITUDE

LAKE SUPERIOR

 

Albert Einstein once said, “I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.”  Wish I could talk to him about that; I think we’d have a fascinating discussion and he could also offer me a few pointers.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve found times of solitude reinvigorating and peaceful and necessary.  I’ve also been drawn to writers who share that joy, and along with it, a love of nature and animals.

One of my favorite writers is May Sarton.  I’ll always be grateful to a friend of mine for introducing me to her writings, particularly her journals.  At times when I felt troubled about the direction of my life, I often picked up one of her books and found inspiration and hope, along with the knowledge that every day has its own special joys, no matter how small. She shared stories of many agonizing times in her own life, but through it all, she found peace and acceptance and a new found wisdom.  Of all the authors I’ve read, she speaks to me more than any other.  Some time ago she expressed that “Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self.”  My sentiments exactly!  Here are additional quotes about the meaning of solitude.

            “I lived in solitude in the country and noticed how the monotony of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”  (Albert Einstein)

            “I have to be alone very often.  I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment.  That’s how I refuel.”  (Audrey Hepburn)

            “The best thinking has been done in solitude.  The worst has been done in turmoil.”  (Thomas Edison)

            “The thoughtful soul to solitude retires.”  (Omar Khayyam)

            “We live in a very tense society.  We are pulled apart . . . and we all need to learn how to pull ourselves together . . . I think that at least part of the answer lies in solitude.”  (Helen Hayes)

            “I love to be alone.  I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”  (Henry David Thoreau)

            “I hold this to be the highest task for a bond between two people; that each protects the solitude of the other.”  (Rainer Maria Rilke)

            “In solitude we give passionate attention to our lives, to our memories, to the details around us.”  (Virginia Woolf)

            “Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.  Gardening is an instrument of grace.”  (May Sarton)

photo by Heinz Richter

 

            “Who hears music, feels his solitude peopled at once.”  (poet Robert Browning).

            “One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude.”  (Carl Sandburg)

            “Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius.”  (Edward Gibbon)

Remembering May Sarton who wrote JOURNAL OF A SOLITUDE:  “A house that does not have one warm, comfy chair in it is soulless.”

 

1890 painting by Frederick Leighton

 

            Reflecting some moments of solitude, I’ve included some photos.

"A GRANDFATHER IS SOMEONE . . ."

MY DAD WITH MY NORWEGIAN GRANDFATHER; THEY BOTH LOVED CHILDREN.

 

Some time ago an unknown author remarked, “A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart.” Those words could easily have been spoken about my father.  He adored his grandson and I will always cherish the only picture I have of them together, when our son was only two months old.  I especially remember him now because March 1 marks the thirty-ninth anniversary of his passing.

MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER (ON RIGHT)

 

MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER AT THE OLD HOMESTEAD IN WISCONSIN

 

MY TWO GREAT-GRANDFATHERS, ARNE AND FRANCIS

 

I also remember my grandfather Oluf, who was born on the same day (Feb. 4) as his father Arne.  I never met Arne, but I’ve heard many stories about him and his travels to Wisconsin from Norway.  He and my grandfather were incredibly hardworking men, as was my father.  They were not afraid to take risks in order to provide a better life for their families.  I honor their memory and that of grandfathers and great-grandfathers everywhere with these special quotes and photos.

            “GRANDFATHER, GREAT SPIRIT, ONCE MORE BEHOLD ME ON EARTH AND LEAN TO HEAR MY FEEBLE VOICE.”  (BLACK ELK)

            “MY GRANDFATHER TAUGHT ME GENEROSITY.  HE SOLD SNOW CONES IN HARLEM.  I WENT WITH HIM AT 5 AND HE LET ME HAND OUT THE CHANGE AND SNOW CONES.  I LEARNED A LOT IN THE COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE DID THAT.”                                        (ERIK ESTRADA)

            “MORE AND MORE WHEN I SINGLE OUT THE PERSON WHO INSPIRED ME MOST, I GO BACK TO MY GRANDFATHER.”  (JAMES EARL JONES)

            “I WAS TOLD BY MY GRANDFATHER WHO WAS A MINISTER THAT WE ALL WERE PUT HERE ON EARTH TO BE OF SERVICE TO ONE ANOTHER, AND IT IS QUITE GRATIFYING TO KNOW THAT IF I AM ABLE TO BE OF HELP TO ONE THAT IS NOT ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES, THEN I AM FULFILLING MY OBLIGATION AS A HUMAN BEING.”  (DIONNE WARWICK)

            “NO COWBOY WAS FASTER ON THE DRAW THAN A GRANDPARENT PULLING A BABY PICTURE OUT OF A WALLET.”  (UNKNOWN AUTHOR)

            “IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE I COME BY THE PASSIONATE COMMITMENT I HAVE TO BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, IT ALL STARTED WITH MY GRANDFATHER.”  (BILL CLINTON)

 

            “YOU’VE GOT TO DO YOUR OWN GROWING, NO MATTER HOW TALL YOUR GRANDFATHER WAS.”  (IRISH PROVERB)

AN UNEXPECTED SONGWRITER

Today, Monday, February 25 is the 76^th birthday of a dedicated, hard-working, loyal man who’s been trusted by Americans for decades.  He also has an interest you probably wouldn’t suspect—he loves song writing and has worked with different musicians across America.  Bob Schieffer has been with CBS for over four decades as a journalist, anchor, and challenging interviewer of politicians and others on FACE THE NATION.  I’ve admired and respected him for a long time.  I’ve also learned a lot from his perspective on the news.

Bob Schieffer was born in Fort Worth, Texas and served in the Air Force as a young man.  Through his years on television he’s won six Emmy awards for excellence and has written several books.  He also appeared on 60 MINUTES for over twenty years. He’s a leader in his field and inspires the confidence of millions.

So today, I send my best wishes for a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a man who’s given much to his country.  Here’s wishing there are many more!

"SOONER OR LATER"

 

Probably my favorite quote in the world was expressed by Susan B. Anthony, an American civil rights and women’s rights and women’s suffrage leader who lived from 1820-1906.  An amazing woman of her time, she paved the way for women of future generations. For a period of time she gave nearly one hundred speeches a year.  I’ve included her memorable quote, along with photos of mine that I felt matched the sentiment she expressed.

 

"SOONER OR LATER WE ALL DISCOVER THAT THE IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN LIFE ARE NOT THE ADVERTISED ONES, NOT THE BIRTHDAYS, THE GRADUATIONS, THE WEDDINGS, NOT THE GREAT GOALS ACHIEVED.  THE REAL MILESTONES ARE LESS PREPOSSESSING.  THEY COME TO THE DOOR OF MEMORY UNANNOUNCED, STRAY DOGS THAT AMBLE IN, SNIFF AROUND A BIT, AND SIMPLY NEVER LEAVE.  OUR LIVES ARE MEASURED BY THESE."

SPECIAL FRIENDS WITH THEIR BUGGIES

 

 

HEINZ RICHTER AS A YOUNG BOY

 



OUR SON WITH A SPECIAL CABIN NEIGHBOR

MY AUNT ELLEN WITH OUR SON

 

MY BROTHER AND FRIEND

 

 

ME WITH MY BROTHERS

 

MY MOTHER AND HER NIECE

 

MY MOTHER WITH HER CAMPING FRIENDS

 

MY AUNT WITH HER FRIENDS

 

A SPECIAL BABY, OUR DAUGHTER

 

 

HEINZ'S TOUGH DAY

 

MY AUNT ELLEN WITH SPECIAL PALS

 

CABIN MEMORIES WITH MOM

 

 

A SPECIAL AUNT, EARLY 1900'S

 

           

"KEEP TRYING, FLY HIGH"

Bessie Coleman once told her mother that she was going to “amount to something.”  In her short, but remarkable lifetime she did more than that; she inspired countless others around the world to follow their dreams and not let anything hold them back.

 

Bessie became the first African American to earn a pilot’s license. As one of thirteen children born to sharecropper parents in Atlanta, Texas, Bessie loved to read and dream of a better life.  Her two brothers who had fought in World War I and returned home safely told her about French women who could fly planes.  Bessie listened intently to those stories and was determined that she would one day fly a plane.

A Chicago newspaper editor, Robert Abbott told her that she could learn to fly in France; she just needed to save her money and learn French.  He offered to help her find a flying school when she did.

Bessie moved to Chicago in 1915 at the age of 23.  Initially she worked as a manicurist in a barber shop.  From there she went to work in a restaurant and took French lessons from a Berlitz school in Chicago.  She was able to get some financial help from a banker, but not able to attend an American flying school because of discrimination against blacks and women. That was not about to stop Bessie, however.  Her passion for learning to fly was resolute.

Within seven months Bessie earned her international flying license in France, despite knowing no one when she arrived.  Her obstacles often seemed insurmountable to others, but to Bessie they were just challenging steps along the way.  She performed at numerous air shows in the U.S, including one on Long Island in 1922.  She did stunt flying and daredevil maneuvers to earn money and formulate her dream to open a flying school for African Americans.  She also spoke to audiences around the country and was admired by blacks and whites everywhere. Some called her QUEEN BESSIE.

One area where Bessie drew the line, however, was in refusing to perform in air shows where African Americans were not allowed to purchase tickets.  Her message to blacks was “You can do something too.  Keep trying.  Fly high!”

Eventually Bessie was able to buy her own plane, but it crashed in California; she wound up in a hospital for three months.  The planes she could afford were not in good shape, but she wasn’t afraid of taking risks; she had done it all her life.

Bessie was about to realize her dream of opening a flying school, but in 1926, the day before the air show in Jacksonville, Florida, her plane crashed during an aerial show rehearsal with her mechanic friend and the two of them were killed.  Her funeral was held in Chicago, where 5,000 people attended.  She had encouraged so many others to follow their dreams and never give up. She had dared to follow her passion for flying and today is considered a pioneer in women’s aviation.  In 1995 a commemorative stamp was issued in her honor, and I’m proud to say that my eleven year old granddaughter told me about learning of Bessie’s achievements this year. Today a Chicago public library is even named after her.

Bessie Coleman died in 1926 at the age of 33, but her legacy will live on and continue to inspire people worldwide.

TIME MARCHES ON!

Winter scene at the cabin

 

My childhood park in Wisconsin

 

One of my mother’s favorite refrains in her later years was, “Time marches on.”  Such a simple phrase, and yet so thought provoking.  The trouble is, it seems like it marches faster all the time.  I’m not sure why, but I feel especially drawn to nature themes now. F. Scott Fitzgerald, the great American writer once said, “After reading Thoreau, I felt how much I have lost by leaving nature out of my life.”  That sums up my feelings too.  And as much as I long for spring, I’m trying to stay in the moment because that’s all we really have anyway. 

Serenity--Lake Superior

photo by Heinz Richter--at the cabin
 

A special pal at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis
 

A foggy day in Rhode Island

 

 

A special morning

My gully pal

A few nature memories from the more recent past, and some that others have shared with me, for which I am grateful. 

**A footnote--Sometimes I think my grandchildren overlook beautiful nature scenes as we drive around the Twin Cities, and I feel a wee bit annoyed.  And then one day my granddaughter says, "Grandma, you've got to come see this."  I look out the front door and there it is--the most beautiful sunrise ever. A moment I won't ever forget!