Bruce Slutsky was born in New York City in 1949. I retired six years ago after working as a Science/Engineering Librarian at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark for 25 years. I was married to Karen until she passed away in February 2021. I have a son Lee who is now 35 years old. I am very much interested in the popular music of the 1960s, especially Bob Dylan and the Beatles. I am interested in rock and roll radio. I am an enthusiastic fan of the New York Mets.
I had a short commute this morning as all I had to do was take the #7 train to Grand Central Station to go to the meeting at the Grand Hyatt. I attended several meetings and even volunteered for a few hours at the registration desk. I met some people that I have been in touch with through e-mail including Tom Brown, Jacob Pomrenke, Len Levin and Alan Cohen. I was the co-chair at the meeting of the Games Project committee. There were much more people there than I expected. Some people wrote articles for it while others were readers who enjoyed the articles.
When I looked at my phone in the early afternoon, I found out that Bartolo Colon was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves. His record was 2-8 with a very high ERA. Perhaps he should have retired at the end of last season. It turns out for the better that the Mets didn't offer him a big contract.
After work, I took the train back to Penn Station as usual, but from there I walked over the Grand Hyatt at 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. The welcoming reception named after Ross Adell who lived in the Mitchell-Linden section of Flushing began at 6 PM. I was looking at name badges as I tried to meet some people I have communicated with through e-mail. This was reminiscent of the times in the mid to late 1990s when I went to American Chemical Society meetings and encountered those people I saw on the chemistry librarians listserv.
I did meet Mike Huber and Steven Weiner who wrote articles for the Games Project. Tomorrow will be a full day.
Over the years we have collected several bobblehead dolls from the Mets. It used to be that all people who bought tickets got one as they entered, but now they limit it to the first 15,000 customers. In order to get one, you must arrive at least 2 hours before game time and wait on line to get one. Of course, some entrepreneurs get a doll and sell it on Ebay for as much as $100.
Some years ago we got one for Mo Vaughn while he was on the disabled list. It turned out that he never again played for the Mets. This weekend the Mets are giving away a bobblehead for Asrubal Cabrera who has just demanded a trade. It is quite possible that less than a month after people get the doll, he will be on another team.
I saw this mentioned on Facebook and saw that it got a good review in the Washington Post. Of course, I had to order it so it should be in the mail today or tomorrow. I guess I can't get enough of Bob Dylan covers.
I was always interested in the history of baseball and heard of SABR, but a few years ago I joined it. As I am approaching retirement, I wanted to have an outlet and become active in the organization and then "step it up" when I actually retire. For about a year I have been the record keeper for SABR Games Project . I wrote a few articles for a book about key Met games, but I really want to do more once I retire.
This year the annual convention will meet at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. So I going and will try to meet many of the people that I have contacted through email. The program is really excellent and I am looking forward to going. There will be reports here later in the week.
For at least a few years there is a thin woman in downtown Flushing who shouts out "One Dollar, One Dollar." I have probably passed her at least 100 times. As a general rule, I don't give money to panhandlers, but this afternoon I felt kind hearted and gave her a dollar bill. She didn't even say thank you. Can't these people show a little gratitude? Maybe the only words in English that she knows is one dollar.
Panhandlers often make up stories and use the money they get to buy drugs, but this woman obviously needed the money for food. After this little experience, I will follow the advice on the photo above and donate to reputable charities that help out the hungry and homeless.
It is almost 20 years since my Dad, Irving Slutsky, passed away. I still miss him after all these years. For many years he worked for 6 days a week to support his family. He is certainly not forgotten.
It seems that June 2017 is a month for milestone anniversaries. June 15, 2017, is the 40th anniversary of the Tom Seaver trade. At that time I worked as a chemist for Pfizer in Groton, CT and lived in nearby New London. It was not a happy time in my life, but that is another story I won’t discuss here. I couldn’t believe it when I first heard it that night and I had to see or hear at least 3 media reports until I realized that it happened. The Mets sent Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman.
Seaver was “The Franchise” as he was the team’s premier pitcher, but M. Donald Grant, the cheapskate general manager, just didn’t want to pay him a competitive salary. Three of the four players the Mets got from the Reds had decent careers, but they just couldn’t replace Tom Seaver. It took several years for the Mets to become competitive again.
In recent weeks much has been written about the 50th Anniversary of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club, but as I just read the latest issue of Goldmine Magazine I just realize that June 16-18 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival. I just found a website about events associated with the anniversary.
I remember seeing the film Monterey Pop in 1969 in Manhattan with a date that didn't work out.
Karen in front of a #7 train from the 1964 World's Fair
It has been a very long time since we visited the New York Transit Museum in downtown Brooklyn. I actually did a search of this journal and determined that we were last there in February 2008. There are always permanent exhibits in a museum so we say the old turnstiles, tokens and subway cars from different eras of the system. There was an exhibit of how the system was constructed early in the 20th century.
There was a new exhibit on how the transportation recovered to disasters including 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, the 2003 blackout, and the blizzard of December 2010.
Where did all these years go? Here is a picture of yours truly with the late Alan Berman at the WABC Cruise on June 8, 2007. Cousin Brucie, Dan Ingram, Johnny Donovan, and others were there. Several of my radio enthusiasts friends including Paula and Patrick Guice were there. At that point in time they didn't know each other, but a few years later they started dating and eventually were married.
In October 2015, I reported in this journal the incident in the NLDS where Chase Utley badly injured Ruben Tejada sliding into second base. It turned out that that was the last game Ruben played for the Mets. In Spring 2016 he was released by the Mets and played briefly for the Giants and Cardinals in 2016. This Spring he was in the Yankees camp and was assigned to AAA Scranton/Wilks-Barre. Two days ago the Yankees sold his contract to the Orioles. Just today the Orioles brought Ruben up to the major league team.
I think I speak for all Met fans when I wish Ruben all the best with his new team.
Bob Dylan finally gave his acceptance speech in order to receive his prize money in a private ceremony recorded in Los Angeles yesterday. When Bob Dylan talks, I listen. His speech was recited but it sounded like a 27-minute song. It was vague in parts and open to interpretation. He started by saying how he was influenced by Buddy Holly whom he saw in concert a few days before he died in a plane crash. He mentioned that his songs were influenced my many novels including Moby Dick, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Odyssey.
He made the following statements:
"If the song moves you, that is what is important."
As I was leaving today's game at Citifield I thought I should get a refund as the Mets really sucked as they lost to the Pirates 11-1. At least they didn't have to use a position player as a pitcher as they did a few weeks ago. There was a strange occurrence in the top of the 7th inning as John Jaso hit into an apparent inning-ending double play. God Bless America was played followed by Take Me Out To The Ballgame, but the Pirates didn't take the field. It turns out that Pirate manager Clint Hurdle challenged the umpire's call as he thought Met second baseman Neil Walker missed second base. They didn't want to interrupt the patriotic song, so the review was challenged. The call was overturned and the runner returned to second base. An RBI single followed giving the Pirates a 6-1 lead. When the inning finally ended there was a second 7th inning stretch.
The Pirates scored 5 more runs in the 8th and 9th innings to make it an 11-1 blowout.
In the photo above Mr. Met used his index finger as he pointed to me. The situation was not the same yesterday as America's most popular mascot used the "Badfinger" to some fans at Citifield at the end of a 7-1 loss. It really a shame as Mr. Met is a public relations icon for the team. Apparently, some kids were just trying to get a high five and the person in the outfit lost his cool and made the obscene gesture. The person will be disciplined by the team and no longer be in the Mr. Met outfit.
