The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by Hugo Montenegro - Random Instrumental Hit of the Day

 

This movie theme actually hit #2 on the Billboard chart in 1968.  I don't remember seeing the movie.

Bob Dylan Will Play at Forest Hills Stadium in July and I Got Tickets

 

Bob Dylan will be 85 years old next month and continues to tour.  The Never Ending Tour will stop in Forest Hills this July, and I got my tickets today.  I paid close to $200 for each ticket, but I only see him once a year.  I reported in this journal last December that I am aware of some fanatics who travel to all ends of the earth to see him in concert.  To each his own.

We did see Dylan in Forest Hills in July 2016.  He was supposed to return in July 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of that concert.  There was a controversial concert at Forest Hills in August 1965, when he went electric while the folk music fans hated it.

There are 3 months to go.

Dave Mason - Founder of the Group Traffic and Solo Artist Passes Away at 79

 

Obituary from the New York Times

Thinking of 77 WABC Radio on My 77th Birthday

 

So, I am 77 years old today.  Where did all of these years go?  I remember listening to Music Radio 77 WABC all those years ago.  They had plenty of legendary personalities, including Cousin Bruce Morrow and Dan Ingram, but the playlist was very short.  You can read about Music Radio 77 in this detailed article written by Allan Sniffen.  In 1982, the station dropped the music and became a talk station.  Talk radio was never my "cup of tea," so I stopped listening.

In 2020, Cousin Bruce Morrow returned to WABC and is heard every Saturday from 6 PM - 10 PM.  I listen to his show whenever I can.

Bruce's Journal is Always Free - No Patreon or Substack for Me

 

Since October 2005, I have published this journal to freely share my thoughts with others, whether or not they are acquainted with me.  The entries may be about:

• My Background
• Baseball Games
• Bob Dylan
• Oldies
• Radio broadcasting
• Unusual experiences
• Anything else

I can consider it a vanity press.  I don't have to worry about fact-checkers or copy editors.

I never wanted to monetize this journal.  I write it mostly for fun and am not concerned about making money from it.  I always wonder if my writings have any impact on anybody.  Do people think I am some kind of a nut?

There are services called Patreon and Substack where writers charge readers.  They offer a few paragraphs for free and then ask the reader to subscribe, usually for a year, to read their entire articles.  This is just not for me.

Casey Stengel Chapter of SABR Holds a Meeting at the 14th Street Y

 

Every year, the NYC Casey Stengel Chapter of SABR holds an in-person meeting.  This year the meeting was held at the 14th Street YM-YWHA on East 14th Street.  There were several speakers on topics of interest to New York baseball fans.

• Eric Weiss ran his yearly trivia contest
• Jay Goldberg discussed his project, The Memory of America: Remember Your First Baseball Game. He interviewed many fans who talked about the first game they saw in person.  My first game was on July 15, 1957 as the Brooklyn Dodger beat the Milwaukee Braves 20-4 at Ebbets Field.
• Lee Lowenfish, a noted author, discussed his biography of Frankie Frisch who once played for the New York Giants.
• David Fenichel talked about his campaign to build a statue of Jackie Robinson at the site of Ebbets Field.
• Journalist Ken Davidoff discussed his book 101 Lessons from the     Dugout: What Baseball and Softball Can Teach Us About the Game of Life
• Scott Tanenbaum, Professor of Sports Studies at Manhattanville University, discussed his book, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites, which examines Americans’ changing understandings of urban areas, inclusion, and the body politic.

The turnout at this meeting was somewhat disappointing since only 30 or so people came.  When I was first involved with the chapter, it drew over 100 people to meetings held at the New York Public Library.  It remains a challenge for the chapter to get more involved in the society.

Are Mets Fans Too Critical Over the Lack of a Jewish Heritage Day?

This website lists Theme Games and Heritage Nights at Citi Field in 2026.  There is no Jewish Heritage Night.  Does this imply anti-semitism by the Mets management?  The last such event was held in 2023.  Was there an outrage in 2024 or 2025?  I have seen many posts on social media criticizing the Mets.

Sadly, anti-semitism has grown tremendously in recent years.  My only comment is that Met owner Steve Cohen should address this issue.  He was raised in a Jewish household, but I have never observed him expressing a Jewish identity.

OK, Steve - let us hear you.

 

I am Glad I Didn't Stay Up to Watch the Mets Last Night

 

The Mets just started a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the West Coast, meaning the games start at 10 PM in NYC.  They lost 4-0 and were able to get just 3 hits as they lost their sixth game in a row. Will Sammon of The Athletic gives a good analysis of the Mets' woes.  Juan Soto is not expected back anytime soon, but one player can't turn the team around.  There are 145 games to go.

Athletics 1 Mets 0 as the Losing Streak Hits 5

 

The only scoring of the game was a home run by Nick Kurtz in the third inning.  The pitching of Freddie Peralta and Sean Manaea was good, but the offense was limited to 4 hits.  Posters on social media are already calling for manager Carlos Mendoza to be fired after a record of 7-9.  I think it is a little premature, but podcaster Kelley Franco, aka @threeinningfan, explains what the Mets need to do to turn things around.

Box Score

My Comments on Bruce's Journal

 

This is journal entry #5400 since October 2005, so I thought I should make some comments about this journal:

• There have been over 8,500,000 hits to this journal, but how many of them are real and how many of them are from robots?
• What people access this journal regularly?  I understand that people choose to be anonymous when they surf the web.  I am aware of a few regular readers who access it after I post the most recent entry on Facebook. Are my readers acquaintances or complete strangers?
• Very few people make comments either on the journal directly or on Facebook.  Does my journal have any impact on anyone, or is it just a vanity press for me?
• Some of the things I reported never happened.  Paul McCartney never teamed up with Bob Dylan.  There was never a movie based on Dylan's album Blood on the Tracks.
• Many of the YouTube videos I posted were taken down for various reasons.  It would be a very time-consuming project for me to revise the entries with "defunct" videos.
• Likewise, many of the linksin my entries are no longer valid.

Diamondbacks 7 Mets 1 at a Cold Citi Field

 

Last night's game was part of our 20-Game package, so we went and dressed warmly as the temperature was in the 40s.  The two earlier games in this series were moved up to 4 PM due to the cold weather, but Thursday's game started at 7 PM.

The game started well as Luis Robert Jr. hit a first-inning home run.  That lead held up until the 7th inning when the starting pitcher, Nolan McLean, began to falter.  The following relief pitchers, Luke Weaver and Luis Garcia, were ineffective.  The Mets lost 7-1.

Game Recap

Bob Dylan and Question Mark

 

The other day Bob Dylan performed in Saginaw, Michigan, the home of Rudy Martinez, professionally known as Question Mark.  His group, The Mysterians, had a big hit in 1966 called 96 Tears.

Len Levin of SABR Has Passed Away at Age 95 (Society for American Baseball Research)

 

For several years after my retirement, I was active in the SABR Games Project.  Authors would research and write accounts of professional baseball games.  As Coordinator of Fact Checking, I either reviewed the game myself or sent it to another team member.  After the game was fact-checked, I would send the manuscript to Len Levin to copyedit before publication.  I must have exchanged hundreds of emails with him over the years. I did meet him at two SABR National Meetings. It was always a pleasure to work with him.

Obituary by Jacob Pomrenke, SABR's Director of Editorial Content

Comments about Len by John Fredland, Coordinator of the Games Project:

Sad news for the Games Project and SABR in general: Len Levin, who served as copy-editor on a remarkable variety of SABR publications, including nearly every Games Project article during my five-and-a-half years as committee chair, died today at age 95. Len's reviews of our articles facilitated our weekly output until he broke his hip last December, and he struggled with his health after that.

I will miss how Len's revised articles arrived in my inbox overnight, with countless improvements in phrasing and citations brought into compliance with the SABR Style Guide. He once told me he worked on the articles after his wife Linda went to bed at night. He was born about a month after Ernie Banks and three months before Willie Mays, when the Philadelphia Athletics were defending World Series champions. He was a great teammate, and it is heartbreaking that he is gone.

Radio Log Saturday April 4th

 

Here is a list of radio stations I heard today:

• 1010 WINS
• WFUV
• Classic AT 40 with Casey Kasem
• Elvis Radio on SiriusXM
• Rewound Radio
• 60s Gold on SiriusXM
• WBGO - Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez
• WABC - Cousin Brucie

Passover Seder in the NYC Subway

 

The story on the TV News last night states that this seder took place on the #6 train.

• A rapper known as Kosha Dillz started hosting pop-up Passover Seders on subway trains three years ago.  It is obviously an abbreviated version.
• The moving celebration brings together riders of different backgrounds, including some attending their first Seder
• Organizers say the quick, unconventional format is designed for people who might otherwise skip the holiday
• Participants say the experience is both meaningful and uniquely New York

I think there should have been a seder on a New Jersey Transit train.  With their history of long delays, there could have been a complete seder.

Everybody Plays the Fool by the Main Ingredient on April Fools Day

 

I have to be careful about what I read on the Internet on April Fools Day.  Somebody stated that the Mets traded Richard Lovelady to the Baltimore Orioles for Pete Alonso.

Pirates 4 Mets 3 in 10 Innings

Since we hold a Sunday partial ticket plan, we were at today's game after being at the home opener just 3 days ago.  Like yesterday, today's game had to go into extra innings.  The Pirates did not hit well with runners in scoring position in the first 9 innings, but in the 10th inning Ryan O’Hearn singled to left field, driving in automatic runner Bryan Reynolds.  Four batters later, Pittsburgh added to the lead when catcher Henry Davis singled to right-center field, scoring pinch-runner Billy Cook.  With runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the 10th, Juan Soto doubled to left-center field, scoring automatic runner Francisco Alvarez, but relay throws from center fielder Oneil Cruz and shortstop Jared Triolo were able to nail Francisco Lindor at the plate.  Jorge Polanco flied out to Cook in right field to end the game.

The Mets are now 2-1, but there are 159 more games to play.

Box Score

 

Jamie Ding - Latest Jeopardy Superstar

 

Last night, Jamie Ding won his 10th game qualifying him to be a Jeopardy Superstar.  Here are his statistics compiled by The Jeopardy Fan.

Jamie Ding, career statistics:

306 correct, 20 incorrect

22/24 on rebound attempts (on 42 rebound opportunities)

48.42% in first on buzzer (275/568)

12/17 on Daily Doubles (Net Earned: $34,200)

8/10 in Final Jeopardy

Average Coryat: $25,540

Total winnings for the first 10 games: $272,810

He now ranks #18 in all-time winnings in regular play.  He made one mistake when he bet and lost $30,000 in a Final Jeopardy.

We must take Jeopardy one game at a time, so we don't know how many games he will win.  It depends on the categories, Daily Doubles, and competition.

Opening Day at Cit Field Mets 11 Pirates 7

 

Since we bought a 20-game package for 2026, we got tickets for Opening Day.  There was a full house at Citi Field.  I saw reports of horrific traffic jams in Queens, but, as usual, we took the #7 to the ballpark.  The Mets made several roster changes in the offseason, so this was obviously the first time to see the new players in action.

Freddy Peralta, acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers, gave up two home runs in the first inning, but it was uphill from there for the Mets.  They scored 5 runs in the first to knock out the 2025 Cy Young Award Winner, Paul Skenes. The Mets were helped by defensive mistakes by centerfielder Oneil Cruz.

Rookie Carson Benge hit his first career home run, while catcher Francisco Alvarez also homered.  Brandon Lowe hit two home runs for the Pirates.

It is a very long season, but so far, so good.

Box Score

Two Years Later, Whitestone Lanes is Still Open

 

Two years ago, I was interviewed on NY1 about the closing of Whitestone Lanes.  In 2019, I started an online petition opposing the use of that site for affordable housing, as it would create congestion at that intersection and overcrowd the local schools. The reporter was able to track me down and interviewed me and two others for the story.

After two years, Whitestone Lanes is still there.  I see many cars in the lot when I pass there on Saturday mornings.  It must be profitable, or else the owners would have closed it.

I advised the reporter that it may be premature to run the story, but she wanted to do it.  NY1 did a story about the demise of the College Point Multiplex, but in that case, a closing date was announced.

MJ The Musical

 

It is a family tradition to see a Broadway show for Lee's birthday, which is coming up this Saturday.  He picked MJ The Musical.  We decided to go on a weekday since the ticket prices were significantly less.  It is a Tony Award-winning Broadway jukebox musical focusing on Michael Jackson's creative process during rehearsals for the 1992 Dangerous World Tour and featuring 25 of his hits.  The choreography was excellent.

Nervous Breakdown - Eddie Cochran ----- Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown Rolling Stones

 

Bob Dylan covered Eddie Cochran's Nervous Breakdown on his first two concerts of 2026.  According to Joel Whitburn's Top Pop, it was released in 1958, but did not chart.  Eight years later, Nineteenth Nervous Breakdown by the Rolling Stones hit #2 on the Billboard chart.

Bob Dylan's Never Ending Tour Resumed Last Night in Omaha, Nebraska

 It is still branded as the Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour that started after the COVID-19 pandemic.  Within minutes after the end of the concert, the setlist was posted on the Internet. As you can see below, most of the songs were from Dylan's latest album.  There were a few older Dylan songs played along with covers of Bo Diddley and Eddie Cochran songs.  Will future concerts on this leg of the tour have the same setlist?

1. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
   Play Video
2. Man in the Long Black Coat
   (First Live Performance Since 2013)
   Play Video
3. All Along the Watchtower
   Play Video
4. I Contain Multitudes
   Play Video
5. False Prophet
   Play Video
6. Black Rider
   Play Video
7. Love Sick
   Play Video
8. Key West (Philosopher Pirate)
   Play Video
9. I Can Tell
   (Bo Diddley cover)
   Play Video
10. I've Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You
    Play Video
11. Crossing the Rubicon
    Play Video
12. When I Paint My Masterpiece
    Play Video
13. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
    Play Video
14. Soon After Midnight
    Play Video
15. Nervous Breakdown
    (Eddie Cochran cover)
    Play Video
16. Every Grain of Sand

Tribute to Miles Davis at Flushing Town Hall

 

It is nice to have a concert venue in the neighborhood.  Last night we walked over to see a tribute to the late Miles Davis.  Led by trumpeter and 2012 NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens, the FTH stage welcomed pianist and 2010 NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron, drummer and 2021 NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington, bassist Kenny Davis, saxophonist and 2022 NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison, and guitarist Michael Howell. This suite of brilliant, acclaimed musicians championed Davis and his contributions to the field.

I have his CD Bitch's Brew in my collection.  His works are heard on WBGO.  From 1988 to 2007, his recordings were also played on CD101.9.  WFAN is now heard on that frequency,

Howie Rose calls Pete Alonso's Go Ahead Home Run 2024 Wild Card Game 3

 

Today, Howie Rose announced that he will retire from being the Mets' radio voice at the end of this season.  He has been with the team since 1987.  He said his father introduced him to baseball, and sadly passed away in 1978, and never saw or heard any of Howie's broadcasts.  Hopefully, Howie will announce a Mets World Series victory to end his phenomenal career.  

I am posting Howie's call of Pete Alonso's Go Ahead Home Run 2024 Wild Card Game 3.  Ironically, Devin Williams who threw the pitch is now on the Mets while Pete Alonso left.

Questions About Bob Dylan's 2026 Tour - Posted on March 18

 

Some time ago, dates were announced from March 20 to May 1.  Most venues are in small cities in the South and the Midwest.  Within the last few days there were two concert dates announced in early June in Washington State and one in Oklahoma.  Likely, more dates will be announced in the near future.

Questions

• Will these be more Rough and Rowdy Ways concerts with most songs being from Dylan's latest album from 2020?  If so, what other Dylan songs or covers will he play?  Will there be a completely different set list?
• Will Dylan appear on the Outlaw Tour with Willie Nelson as he did during the last two summers?
• The big question for me is whether he will play in the New York metropolitan area.  The Beacon Theater is my preferred venue.

70s Hit of the Day Love Rollercoaster by the Ohio Players

 

This was a big hit in early 1976.  It reminds me of two people that I knew all those years ago.

Chris Carrino, Radio Voice of the Brooklyn Nets, Win Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

 

Chris Carrino has served as the Brooklyn Nets’ radio play-by-play announcer since 2002, having joined the organization in 1992 as a studio producer and feature reporter. He steadily worked his way up to studio host, backup play-by-play announcer, and ultimately the team’s lead radio voice.

It is an amazing accomplishment since Chris is suffering from facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, or FSHD, a genetic disease that has weakened his muscles and for which there is no cure.  Chris's journey is discussed in detail in an article in The Athletic written by Andrew Marchand.

Please read this website describing the Chris Carrino Foundation for FSHS.

New Jersey - Some Things Change, Others Stay the Same

 

• From 1992-2017, I commuted from Queens to Newark, New Jersey.  There were numerous delays on New Jersey Transit, many of which were documented on my commuting blog.  Almost every morning now, I hear about terrible NJ Transit delays on the TV news.  I count my blessings that I never have to ride any of their trains.  Avoiding NJ Transit is one reason I don't want to visit my former employer.
• From time to time, I peruse the websites of my former employer. (I choose not to name it here).  Certainly, over 8 years, things will change, most of which is positive.  Enrollment has grown with new programs, departments, and faculty.  There is a new president and provost.
• Let me discuss changes in the library that I observed. The staff has grown with about 4 new positions.  I am disappointed to see that the new librarians do not have degrees in the technical disciplines offered by the university.  I can't understand why reference hours were extended to 9 PM from Monday to Thursday.  During my last years there, reference transactions declined greatly.  For many hours, I sat at the reference desk and had no interactions.  I can not see this trend changing.  Let them do what they want, as I am not there any longer.

Natalie Merchant Covers Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa

 

The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, presented "Sooner or Later: Celebrating 60 Years of Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde," a special one-night-only concert held on February 20, 2026, at Cain's Ballroom. The event featured a house band and various artists performing the landmark 1966 album in its entirety, with comedian Jordan Klepper as host.

I have chosen to feature Natalie Merchant's cover of Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.  I remember Dylan's original had a long harmonica solo.  There is no video of the entire concert, but if you search YouTube you will find other concert appearances covering the songs.

Bob Dylan as Filmmaker: No Time to Think

 

In February 2021, in this journal, I questioned how many Bob Dylan books are enough.  What does Dylan think of all the books that have been written him or his works over the years?  He probably doesn't care since he didn't visit the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa the last time he performed in that city.  The Dylan archives at the center have certainly encouraged more research.  A book about Dylan is valuable if it provides new insights into his works.

Of course, Bob Dylan is best known as a songwriter and musician.  Michael Glover Smith is a Chicago-based filmmaker, author, and teacher.  His most recent film, Helka, was released in early 2026.  Please understand that this journal entry is not meant as a critical review of the book, but just an attempt to bring it to the attention of Dylan fans who regularly read my journal.  I don't know who they are since internet surfers are mostly anonymous.

In the introduction, the author states the book examines an authorial voice in moving image works directed by others, including:

• Eat the Document
• Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorcese
• Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan
• A Complete Unknown directed by James Mangold

It does not examine in depth the better-known Dylan films, including:

• Don't Look Back
• Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
• I'm Not There

I was impressed by the information included in the book's appendices, which are useful to Dylan fans and scholars.  This includes lists of:

• Documentaries about Dylan
• Narrative films in which Bob Dylan appears as an actor
• Music videos where  Dylan appears
• Films for which Dylan wrote new music

Here are a few detailed reviews by Dylan scholars (I am a fan, not a scholar)

• Matthew Ingate
• Simon Warner
• Bradley Morgan

Michael Glover Smith has been interviewed on various podcasts, including:

• Definitely Dylan with Laura Tenschert
• Erin Callahan - Infinity Goes Up on Trial
• Kait Flower

There will be an open discussion through a Zoom Meeting with the Bob Dylan Book Club on March 22nd at 2 PM Eastern Time

Enough said.

Remembering Jack Spector of WMCA

 

It was 32 years ago today when Jack Spector suffered a fatal heart attack while on the air at WHLI.  He is best known for his time as a disc jockey on WMCA when his shift was 1 PM - 4 PM.  When WMCA started a talk format, he did a sports talk show.  Later, he did a similar show on WNBC.  He also worked at WHN and WCBS-FM.

Out of Sight Out of Mind by the Five Keys

 

I discussed the concept of "Out of Sight Out of Mind"  several times in this journal.  I discovered a song by that title that reached #23 on the Billboard chart in 1956.  Sadly, I was confronted by this notion again over the last week.  I won't discuss the specifics of this situation here. Briefly, I sent a friendly email to 3 people, but they didn't respond. I hadn't seen them in about 15 years and was trying to stay connected.  I guess I am Out of Sight Out of Mind to Them.  There is just nothing I can do.

64-12 Wetherole Street in Rego Park - Yesterday and Today

 In January 1980, I moved out of my parents' apartment on Saunders Street and moved to a small one-bedroom apartment a few blocks away at 64-12 Wetherole Street, across the street from P.S. 139. It was a small building with just 12 apartments.  I lived there until Fall 1983 when I married Karen and moved to 62-60 99th Street.  I remember the landlady was a cheap bitch and gave very little heat.  On a few occasions, it was so cold in the apartment that I could see my breath.

64-12 Wetherole Street in 2009

Today, as I perused Facebook, I found a post in the Rego-Forest Preservation Council Folder by Jim Orens and learned that 64-12 Wetherole Street is being demolished and will be replaced by a much larger building.  I haven't visited Rego Park in a while. I am aware that many small buildings were demolished and replaced by high rises.  For example, the Shalimar on 63rd Drive and the Trylon on Queens Blvd. are gone, replaced by high-rises.  Everyone is out for the almighty buck.

2026 64-12 is on the right side and is being deconstructed

The building on the left replaced a low-rise

Random Thoughts of the Day - Tuesday March 3

 

• I saw the documentary Man on the Run about Paul McCartney on Amazon Prime Video.  It was very good, but it stopped in the early 1980s.  Perhaps there will be another film about Paul's later years
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind also applies to families.  I sent a kind email to Karen's nephews and niece in California, but they didn't respond.  This is disappointing, but there is nothing I can do.
• This year, I will watch some of the World Baseball Classic.  Opening Day at Citi Field is on March 26.  Hopefully, it won't be cold that day.

EPIC - Elvis Presley in Concert at AMC Fresh Meadows

 

My son Lee, the Elvis Presley fan in the family, insisted we see EPIC Elvis Presley in Concert, which opened in traditional movie theaters this weekend.  It was not a traditional concert film that showed one concert, but provided clips from different concerts from Elvis's later years.  There were also flashbacks from his earlier years.  Interviews were also featured.

• There were several seconds of Elvis singing Dylan's "I Shall Be Released".  I was not aware of this recording
• Elvis never did a concert outside North America
• Some of the footage was never shown before.
• There were only about 10 people in the audience.  I guess people would rather stay home to watch movies.

On the way home, I turned the SiriusXM radio to Elvis Radio, where we heard director Baz Luhrmann interviewed.

Review in the New York Times

Solitaire - Elvis Presley Covers a Neil Sedaka Song

 Last night we heard the terrible news that Neil Sedaka passed away at age 86.  He was certainly an icon in popular music for over 60 years.  It was a shame that he was not elected to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Obituary in the New York Times.  He also wrote songs for other artists.  Solitaire did not chart for either Elvis Presley or Neil

Johnny Cash - A Wanted Man on What Would Have Been His 94th Birthday

 

This duo of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan appears on the Dylan boxed set Travelin' Thru.  If you listen carefully toward the end, Johnny changed the lyrics:

Wanted Man Duluth

Wanted Man Hibbing

Wanted Man Dyess