Tuesday, April 20, 2010

eBay: Pulling a Bird from his Hat

You gotta love Casey Stengel.  That lovable old man could please any crowd.  In fact, as can be attested by this vintage UPI press photo found on eBay he does just that.  Acting as a manager during a 1971 Brooklyn Dodgers- Los Angeles Dodgers Old-Timers Game he pulls out an old trick. 
In 1919 Stengel of the Pittsburgh Pirates was being taunted mercilessly by fans of the Brooklyn Dodgers, his old team. Somehow Casey got hold of a sparrow and used it to turn the crowd in his favor. With the bird tucked gently beneath his cap, Casey strutted to the plate amidst a chorus of boos and catcalls. He turned to the crowd, tipped his hat and out flew the sparrow. The jeers turned to cheers, and Casey became an instant favorite.
On this June 6th afternoon he reenacts the trick by pulling out a pigeon from under his cap.

What a Game! Kings Take Series Lead

Tonight was the most excited I've ever been for a hockey game.  It was crazy tonight.  The crowd was large, loud and raucous.  A buzz was in the air.  We knew we were going to win this game, and it was obvious before the drop of the first puck that nothing would stop this train.

That's how confident we all felt.  We just knew. 

Thankfully, the Kings obliged us. They were perfect on the power play, scoring 3 goals on 3 power play attempts.  They were battling along the boards like wild animals fighting for a meal.  They cleared pucks away from the slot when Vancouver went on the offensive.  Drew Doughty and Jack Jackson were masterful on the blue line.  Everything was coming to together, and in the end they won 5 to 3.

WooHoo!  Kings win!

Before you entered Staples Center fans were greeted by some remodeled statues.  Awesome, just awesome.