We are enjoying a day off. Everything will return tomorrow. -gk

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The Daily Dose/June 7, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

PLAY BALL…OR WHATEVER THEY DO: We know very little about cricket, but even we knew the significance of this headline: 

US Defeats Pakistan In Cricket. 

USA! USA!: The win came at the T20 World Cup, which we’d never heard of, either, until this week. Some research shows T20 cricket is an abbreviated form of real cricket – which we also don’t understand – and there has been a T20 World Cup for most of this century. 

USA! USA! II: Ignorance does not diminish this feat at all: it’s as big an upset as if Pakistan had beaten us in baseball, basketball, ice hockey, or any other sport except cricket and, perhaps, field hockey. 

Dry, Technical Matter: Cricket is a bat-and-ball game. That’s really all but 23 people in America know about it. It developed in England in the Middle Ages and was popular in America from colonial times until the emergence of a man’s sport – baseball – made people forget about cricket. 

Leaderboard: The US is in Group A with, among other teams, Pakistan and India, both international cricket powers, which seems a tad unsporting. But after an opening win against Canada, the Americans are in grave danger of advancing to the Super 8 round, where the top two teams from each group play another round robin, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals. 

Make Your Ticket Plans Now: The 2024 T20 World Cup is being hosted by both the US and the West Indies and the US/Pakistan match was played in Dallas. The semifinals are scheduled for Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana and the gold medal match, or game, or fiesta, or whatever the hell they call it, is on June 29 at Kensington Oval in Barbados, more or less the St Andrews or Wrigely Field of Western Hemisphere cricket.

The Bottom Line: You don’t have to be on the International Cricket Council to know the US beating Pakistan in any form of cricket is as big a sports upset as we’ve produced. It’s right up there with beating the evil Soviet Union in ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics and our defeat of mighty England in soccer at the 1950 World Cup. If the US cricket team keeps this up, we might actually have to learn more about it. 

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow has trouble buying a lottery ticket. Today’s Diary. 

We hand the wizard behind the counter our play slip and $20 and we might as well have handed him some nuclear codes…He stared at it blankly…

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———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1694 – Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas, which divides land discovered in the New World. The treaty established a meridian 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands, off the coast of Senegal and the treaty did not specify the length of a league, though as a practical matter, North America went to Spain and Brazil to Portugal. The treaty superseded an earlier decree by Pope Alexander VI and was later superseded by the Treaty of Madrid in 1750. 

In 1936 – Red Ruffing and the New York Yankees establishes an American League record for the longest game without recording a strikeout in a 5-4, 16-inning victory over the Cleveland Indians. Ruffing pitched all 16 innings without recording a strikeout, gave up ten hits, and walked six in the game. The team record was tied by the Chicago White Sox in 1943 and the all-time record is 17 innings, done twice in the National League, by Ice Box Chamberlain of Cincinnati in 1893 and by Art Neff of New York in 1920. 

In 1975 – John Denver is at #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the only week with Thank God I’m a Country Boy.  It was the sixth of seven Top 10 hits for Denver and his third of four #1s. The song also went to #1 in Yugoslavia and Canada, had spent its only week at #1 on Billboard’s country chart the week before, and was Billboard’s 11th-biggest song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

A secret to being more revered than resented, he learned, was to display a self-deprecating humor, unpretentious demeanor, and an unaggressive style in conversation.
Walter Isaacson
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

Serena Williams is the woman who has won the most Grand Slam titles, 23. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

Two teams have won multiple T20 Cricket World Cups. Name them. – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/June 6, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Leading Off will return. Promise.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow talks to himself. Today’s Diary. 

We spent no small amount of time debating whether or not to go to the ball game in the big city…

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Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1892 – The Chicago L rail service runs its first revenue route, carrying passengers from the 39th Street Station to the Congress Street Terminal 14 minutes away. The train utilized a steam locomotive carrying four wooden coaches carrying about two dozen people and the tracks are still in use by the service’s Green Line. Now run by the Chicago Transit Authority, it is now the 3rd-largest public transportation service behind New Yrok City and Washington, D.C.

In 1987 – Steffi Graff, 17, of Germany, wins the French Open, defeating world #1 Martina Navratilova 6-4, 4-6, 8-6 in Paris. It was the first of of six French Open titles for Graff and her first of 22 Grand Slam singles titles, the 2ndmost all-time and she remains the only player to win each Grand Slam championship at least four times. It was the fourth and final French Open runner-up finish for Navratilova, to go along with two titles.  

In 1960-  The Everly Brothers are at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the third of five consecutive weeks with Cathy’s Clown. It was the 8th of 15 Top 10 hits for the duo and their third and final #1 and the song also went to #1 in Great Britain and on Billboard’s soul chart. In 1989 a version by Reba McEntire went #1 country, making it one of the few songs to to #1 on all three major Billboard singles charts.

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…on the other end, the overwhelming interest which was the culmination of a lifetime of preparation and work…
Doris Kearns Goodwin
No Ordinary Time

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

The Grand Principality of Hungary was established in either 895 or 896. It was replaced by the Kingdom of Hungary early in the 11th century. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

What woman has won the most Grand Slam singles titles? – Answer next time!

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The Daily Dose/June 4, 2024
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™

 Leading Off
Notes from around the human experience. 

Leading Off will return.

Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually. 

The Diary of a Nobody – Ol’ Sparrow discusses the importance of wearing a uniform. Today’s Diary. 

It’s distinctive and not likely to be worn by civilians and, combined with the nametag, heralds immediately that ol’ Sparrow is on the job…

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Would you like 4Ever & Ever access to Gaylon’s crap?
Of course you would.
Click here. It’s only $24.99.

Click here for complimentary chapters of all of Gaylon’s books.
It’s easy reading on any device. 

———

On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it. 

In 1920 – The nation of Hungary loses about 70% of its territory with the signing of a treaty between them and the Allied powers, officially ending their hostilities in World War I. Out of Hungary came all or part of the nations of Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Italy. It’s estimated that 30% of Hungary’s population lived in areas ceded to neighboring countries and the treaty is known to History as the Treaty of Trianon. 

In 1927 – The US wins the first Ryder Cup golf title, defeating Great Britain 9½ to 2½ at the Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts. It was the first of 27 wins for the US, against 15 wins for Great Britain/Europe, and there have been two ties. Players from throughout Europe have played since 1979, and the next Ryder Cup is scheduled for 2025 in New York. The Worcester Country Club hosted the US Open in 1925 and the US Women’s Open in 1960.

In 1995 – Clint Black is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the first of three consecutive weeks with Summer’s Comin’. It was the 20th of 30 Top 10 country hits for Black and his ninth of 13 #1s. The song also went #1 country in Canada and was Billboard’s 4th-biggest country song of the year. 

Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.

…in much wisdom is much grief.
Ecclesiastes 1:18 
King James Version

Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.

New Amsterdam was renamed New York City in 1667. 

Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.

The current nation of Hungary traces its roots back to the Grand Principality of Hungary. When was the Grand Principality founded? – Answer next time!

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