Lunch at Ellen's Stardust Diner

Every year we like to take Lee to a Broadway show for his birthday on March 28.  This year we decided to see Tina - The Tina Turner Musical.  It is very convenient to buy theater tickets online, but of course, Ticketmaster adds a very big fee.  Karen and I decided to travel to Manhattan to buy the tickets at the Lunt-Fontaine Theater to avoid the fee. 

After buying the tickets we decided to go to Ellen's Stardust Diner for lunch.  Back in June 2006 the first Oldies Meet and Greet was held there for the first anniversary of the dreaded format change at WCBS-FM.  Whenever we passed by there after seeing a Broadway show, there was a long line for people trying to get in.  Since it was a Tuesday afternoon and no matinee performances we were able to walk right in.  Ellen's is unique for its singing waiters and waitresses.

Radio Legend Harry Harrison Passes Away at Age 89

It was just reported that Harry Harrison has passed away at age 89.  His New York radio history goes back to 1959:

• 1959-68 WMCA 10AM - 1 PM
• 1968-1979 - WABC - Morning Drive
• 1980-2003 - WCBS-FM Morning Drive
• October 2004- May 2005 WCBS-FM Saturday morning show.

Harry always cared about his listeners.  When we turned on the radio in the morning, we knew we were listening to a true friend.  Morning radio just hasn't been the same since he retired.  Around 2007 I started a Fans of Harry Harrison page on Facebook.  There are now 2380 members including his daughter, Patti.  She always advised us of how he was doing.  Thankfully, he lived to experience his induction into the Radio Hall of Fame last November.  I always remember the photo where Patti and her Patrick were ear to ear smiles as they posed with their Dad.

My fondest memory of Harry was in May 2001 when he announced Lee's Bar Mitzvah during the Harry Harrison Birthday Book.  We played the recording of it during the reception.  The following letter that Harry posted after the tragic death of radio friend Alan Berman in 2013.

My sincere condolences to Patti, Patrick, the entire Harrison family, he fans and colleagues in the radio business.  His memory will certainly be a blessing.

Meeting of NYC Bob Dylan Fans Wednesday February 19 at 6 PM at NYU

The New York City Bob Dylan Discussion Group will hold its second meeting on Wednesday Night February 19^th from 6 PM – 8 PM at NYU.  Lawrence Kaplan will bring a set of DVDs of a variety of Dylan concert performances called Through the Years.  As a group, we can pick and choose, stop and discuss the performances and the songs.  I am sure there will be spirited conversations.

the 8^th Floor Commons Room of the East Building of NYU located at the intersection of Greene Street and Washington Place in Greenwich Village.  Please send me your name if you plan on coming since I need to send all the names to security a few days before the meeting.  You will also need to show a photo ID to show the security guard.

The meeting will be held in the 8th-floor commons room of the East Building, which is 18 Washington Place in Greenwich Village, New York, NY 10003.  Please bring a photo ID to show security.  You will walk through a student center to the elevators where there will be another guard and then take the elevators up to the 8th floor.  Please tell me if you will be going as security will need a list of names.  I thank Sal Fallica of NYU for making these arrangements.

My email is bruce@bruceslutsky.com

Prayers

Today I am praying for Harry Harrison, his daughter Patti, and son Patrick as she asked for prayers on the Fans of Harry Harrison page on Facebook.  She asked to respect their privacy, but I think it is safe to assume that Harry was taken ill.  I wish him a full and speedy recovery.

I also from the family, friends, and fans of Kobe Bryant who was tragically killed in a helicopter accident near Los Angeles.

I found this photo on Twitter.  A similar tribute to Aretha Franklin was done when she passed away.

2020 SABR Day

For my readers who are not baseball fans, SABR is the Society for American Baseball Research.  Like many professional societies, it is a national organization with local chapters.  The New York City chapter is known as the Casey Stengel Chapter to honor the man who played or managed with the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Giants in New York City.  Every year on the last Saturday of  January each chapter has a meeting.

Today's meeting was held at the Scandinavia House at Park Avenue and 38th Street.  The morning program was a panel discussing:

The Babe’ As You Never Knew Him –  One Hundred Years As A New York Yankee

The panelists were:

• Marty Appel Premier New York Yankees Historian
• Mike Gibbons Director (1983-2017) of the Babe Ruth
• Birthplace and Museum Bill Jenkinson Legendary Consultant and Researcher on George Herman “Babe” Ruth

Much has been said about the Babe over the years, but I always find more out by reading and attending panel discussions about him.  The topic was chosen for 2020 as it is the 100th anniversary of his becoming a Yankee after the infamous sale of his contract by the Boston Red Sox.  Below are some notes that I took during the discussion:

• Marty Appel was a pallbearer at Claire Ruth's funeral in 1976
• Babe used a 50 once bat in 1914
• Pictures were shown of Babe's teams at the St. Joseph's Home for Boys in Detroit and St. Mary's in Baltimore.
• The speakers felt that the movies that were made about Babe were terrible.
• Babe Ruth promoted integration in baseball years before Jackie Robinson broke the color line.  Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis was against integration, but the efforts by Branch Rickey commenced after his death.
• Recently $5.4 Million was paid for a uniform worn by Babe
• Babe signed more baseball than many other players of his era.

Tyrone Brooks, Major League Baseball's  Senior Director of the Front Office and Field Staff Diversity Pipeline Program was the afternoon speak.

He discussed his career in baseball working with several clubs in a variety of positions over the years.  In his current position promotes the hiring of women and minorities to executive and managerial positions in baseball.

I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Wright who was the editor of Met-rospectives: A Collection of the Greatest Games in New York Mets History (The SABR Digital Library).  I worked with him as I contributed 3 articles about specific games to this book.

I bought a copy of Mets in 10s: Best and Worst of an Amazin' History that Brian authored.  He will be issuing another book about the Mets in March titled The New York Mets All-Time All-Stars: The Best Players at Each Position for the Amazin's

It seems that every time I go to a meeting I buy a book.

Stew Thornley Speaks to the New York Giants Preservation Society

Yours truly with Stew Thornley

I have been acquainted with Stew Thornley's baseball expertise from my activity in SABR.  Stew lives in Minneapolis but is very familiar with the New York Giants and the Polo Grounds.  I originally thought tonight's talk would focus on this book:

The Polo Grounds: Essays and Memories of New York City's Historic Ballpark, 1880-1963 (McFarland Historic Ballparks)

He did discuss this, but his talk turned out to be a "mixed bag" of his many interests in baseball.  I did not take notes at the meeting so I'll list some of the points he made.  Most of the talk was devoted to answering questions from the audience.

• He knew much about the Minneapolis Millers that was a farm team of the New York Giants in the 1950s.  There was some speculation back then that the Giants would move to Minneapolis, but of course, that never happened.
• He spoke about Metropolitan Stadium, also known at the Met, where the Twins played after the franchise moved from Washington, DC.   The minor league Millers played there from  1956 until the Twins came.  That stadium was built to try to attract a major league team to come there.  He said that the people in Minnesota did not have much "affection" for the Washington Senators.
• There was some discussion of the strange dimensions of the Polo Grounds and Willie Mays catch in the 1954 World Series.  One gentleman in the audience attended that game.  Many of the people in the audience have attended games there.  I went to two games in 1962-3 with my dad to see the Mets.
• Stew spoke of his experiences as an official scorer for the Minnesota Twins.  He is on the MLB Official Scoring Advisory Committee. He is in NYC for their annual meeting at MLB Headquarters.

Stew Speaks to the audience

You Must Have the Patience of a Saint When You Come to the Motor Vehicle Bureau

I received a notice that my driver's license was up for renewal.  This, of course, necessitates a trip to the motor vehicle bureau. Fortunately, there is an office in College Point within walking distance of my home. Now there is an enhanced license (permit, or non-driver ID)  a New York State DMV issued document that you can use instead of a passport to return to the US by land or sea from Canada, Mexico and some countries in the Caribbean.  To get this enhanced license one must bring a birth certificate, social security card, and other proof of address.

I arrived at 1:00 PM and noticed a long line outside the building.  At 1:45 PM a got into the building and was directed to a line to have my photo taken.  I was given a number and told to wait.  I waited and waited until 4:45 when my number was called.  The clerk examined my documents and gave me a quick vision exam.  I was finally done at 5:00 PM.

At least I will not have to do this for another 8 years.  Keep in mind that if you have to go to the Motor Vehicle Office, you need the patience of a saint.