Cherokee Chronicle Times: Columns: Dan Whitney

Basic Biittner: Why George is George (03/17/10)
It's no secret that I am a life-long, die hard fan of the World Champion New York Yankees. And when I say "life-long," I'm not exaggerating by much. I will be 60 years old in a few months, and I've been a Yankee fan since I was five years old. The reasons that I became I Yankee fan, even though I grew up far from the Bronx, are quite simple...

Basic Biittner: O Canada, O My! (03/11/10)
Like many people, I spent some time watching the 2010 Winter Olympic Games on television recently, and I agree with the 41.7% of the respondents in a recent Chronicle Times poll who felt the Games were fantastic from start to finish. After starting out with the tragic death of the Russian luger and the failure to successfully light one of the legs of the Olympic torch at the Opening Ceremony, I was afraid that the 2010 Winter Olympics were going to be re-run of the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, where everything seemed to go wrong, from the killing of the athletes and their captors on down to several unfortunate (though much less serious, in retrospect) events for the U.S. ...

Basic Biittner: Over the hill at 30 (03/04/10)
While many of us enjoy watching professional athletes do their thing on the playing field, those athletes also elicit another response from many fans . That response is one of the so-called 'seven deadly sins' - envy. Many people envy the athlete's considerable skills, many envy their lifestyle, and MANY envy the money they make...

Basic Biittner : from H to Z (02/26/10)
By Dan Whitney Here is my third (and final - I promise) list of eponyms, which, if you recall, are items which are named after a person : the H a m m o n d O r g a n - L a u r e n s H a m m o n d the H e i m l i c h M a n e u v e r - H e n r y H e i m l i c h...

Basic Biittner : Sunday afternoon television (02/19/10)
It's a good thing they invented DVDS, cable and satellite t.v., books, magazines and the internet, because I think otherwise I would have to struggle to find a way to fill my Sunday afternoons. You see, watching sporting events on t.v. will no longer be one of my options. ...

Basic Biittner : The Oscars (02/05/10)
They announced the nominations for the 2010 Academy Awards on Tuesday. Years ago, I tried to see all the nominated films before the big night, so I could watch the show and applaud or denounce the winners. That would be kind of tough this year. for a couple of reasons. ...

Basic Biittner : Whatever happened to the 10 Commandments? (01/29/10)
A long, long time ago, the Bible says, God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush and laid down the law to the Israelites, in the form of ten commandments. These commandments listed all the behaviors that believers (not yet called Christians, because Christ hadn't arrived yet) should NOT exhibit...

Basic Biittner : solving some of the world's problems (01/25/10)
Many of you, particularly those of you who watch late-night television, are aware of what is being called "the mess" at NBC-TV, in regard to the Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien shows. I'm not going to go into the situation any further because it would take up my whole column, and I'm not here to re-hash the whole situation between the selfish, spoiled Jay and the wounded Conan. ...

Basic Biittner : How to deal with history (01/14/10)
Mark McGwire "came out" on Monday - no, not that way. No, the former major league home run champ admitted publicly that he has used steroids off and on for 10 years or more - including during his the record-breaking season of 1998, when "Big Mac" sent 70 balls out of the park in a season-long duel with the Cubs' Sammy Sosa - probably the most exciting individual duel in baseball since the similar 1961 Mantle-Maris home run race...

Basic Biittner: Tracking the "Bowl" Games (01/08/10)
I don't care what you say - there are only four college football Bowl games - the Sugar, Cotton, Rose and Orange - played on New Year's Day in that order. No other bowl games count (sorry, Iowa State fans and the winning teams in the other 30+ "unofficial" bowl games)...

Basic Biittner: The year in review (01/04/10)
One thing you can always count on in late December - the media will be full of "Best Of the Year" lists - The year's top movies, the top news stories, top music, etc., etc. And this year is even worse, because, by many people's figuring, 2009 marks the end of the decade. So, in addition to the usual "Best of the Year" lists, we also inundated with "Best of the Decade" lists...

Basic Biittner : The No Fun League (12/11/09)

Basic Biittner : my Eponymous ways (part two) (11/27/09)
Due to the overwhelming response to my first column on the subject, I continue herein with a list of more eponyms, which are persons after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named - or thought to be named. Mulligan, in its golf sense, is a relatively new word, but was in common use on golf courses by at least the 1940s. A mulligan is, of course, a "do-over." There are many, many stories about the birth of the golf term "mulligan" ... and it's quite possible that none of them are true...

Basic Biittner : Watching Sports (11/13/09)
There are basically two ways in which sports enthusiasts can watch their favorite sporting activities. For most of you other than my colleague Mike, one of the ways is watching the contest on television. There are many sizes of television screens on which you can choose to watch these days. ...

Basic Biittner : It's here at last! (10/29/09)

Basic Biittner: the Hawtbed of American Humah (10/22/09)
What do Americans find funny these days? While some people go for the redneck humor of the Blue Collar Comedy Group of Larry the Cable Guy (real name: Dan Whitney), Jeff Foxworthy and company, others dig the 'Real Kings of Comedy '(Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, etc.), another group follows like the old 'In Living Color' group of actors (Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier and the Wayans Brothers), and, of course, the various members and ex-members of the 'Saturday Night Live' troupe all have their fans as well.. ...

Basic Biittner : The Greatest, without a Doubt (10/19/09)
Dan Whitney Thanks largely to my having a brother who is seven years older than I, I became an avid follower of pop music from the time I was 6 , which was basically at the "Dawn of Rock and Roll." And so it was that I literally grew up on the music of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis...

Basic Biittner : 'A No- Brainer?' Depends who you ask (10/08/09)
I attended the special School Board meeting in Aurelia Monday night, and throughout the meeting, a certain phrase kept reverberating throughout the Aurelia gymnasium - scene of many exciting basketball, volleyball and wrestling moments through the last 50 years. No, it wasn't a traditional gymnasium phrase, such as "Go Dogs!", "Are you kidding, stripes?" or even "It's hot in here!"...

Basic Biittner : In case you forgot ... (09/28/09)
In this world of "All-NFL, All-the-Time," where everybody and his brother (and sometimes sister) are in an NFL pool, a Fantasy League, placing bets (friendly or otherwise), or just plain glued to the tube on Sunday afternoons and nights, Monday nights, and (sometimes) Thursday nights, etc., etc., etc., I'm here to report from the "old school."...

Basic Biittner: That Was the Week That Was (09/21/09)
I attended two important meetings which were held in Cherokee County last week as a reporter for this newspaper. The two meetings had a combined participation of about 500 - 600 participants, considered an excellent turnout in both cases. Both meetings had to do with the future direction of venerable institutions which are more than 100 years old, so the amount of interest shown really shouldn't have come as a surprise. ...

Basic Biittner : Reincarnation (09/03/09)
I have never been a believer in reincarnation, nor in anything else mystical, magical.To me, "Reincarnation" was just a cute song by the late Roger Miller: "If I was a bird and you was a fish, What would I do? I guess I'd wish for Re - incarnation, re - incarnation,...

Basic Biittner : One Last Visit to the Dome (08/20/09)
I took a trip north with family and friends last weekend. We were making our (almost) annual trip to see a major league baseball game in Minneapolis. The Twins' opponents this time out were the Cleveland Indians. The Indians are having a 'down' year, and the Twins also have not caused any sportswriters or fans to wax eloquently about the team and liken them to the '27 or '61 Yankees, or even the Twins of 1965, 1987 or 1991. ...

Basic Biittner : Dog Days of Summer (08/13/09)
Most of you have probably heard the phrase "Dog Days of Summer," and perhaps - if you have absolutely nothing more important to think about - you have wondered when and where that phrase came about. No? Too bad. In the interest of my lifelong pursuit of useless information, and the subsequent disseminating of same, I'm going to enlighten you on that very subject...

Basic Biittner: Getting in touch with Our Past (08/06/09)
I recently undertook a three-day "educational road trip" with my brother and sister, to explore our family roots in Clayton County, Iowa. For those of you who don't know, Clayton County is located on the far eastern border of the state. The county seat is Elkader, which strangely enough is named after an Algerian emir, Abdel Kader, and the most famous landmarks are the Effigy Mounds, which I vaguely recall from my 6th grade Iowa History class. ...

Basic Biittner : In my Opinion ... (07/30/09)
Yes, you read correctly. Despite my recent declaration that I have no strong opinions about anything, and that this column should not be thought of as an "opinion" column, there are a couple of news items recently about which I feel the need to express an opinion...

Basic Biittner: Learn from Our Successes (07/16/09)
Many of the projects proposed under the recent economic stimulus government grants have been criticized as unnecessary, frivolous, and so on. Maybe it's time to look back on a similar period of time in American history, and a similar proposed solution...

Basic Biittner : It was 40 Years Ago today ... (07/09/09)
Forty years ago this month - 40, can you believe it? - A very historic event occurred. One which we young punks thought would forever change our lives. Quick, can you tell me what it was? I say, quick, because if I gave you any time, you could look it up on google, or in one of those, what do you call them? Oh, yeah - books...

Basic Biittner : What a week! (07/02/09)
Last week was one in which I became a little hesitant to read the latest news. It seemed as if reports of the death of someone famous were coming in at a record pace. The first, the death of Ed McMahon, was not a total shock. McMahon was 86 years old and had been in poor health. ...

Basic Biittner : Book Review (06/25/09)
"Lesser-known Giants of the 20th Century" is a non-fiction work whose subject is summed up very well in its title. It was written by Charles M. Aulino, who is an attorney with a 30-year background in estate, trust, tax, and financial planning and practice, A New Jersey native and resident, Aulino is described as "a serious amateur pianist and private pilot" in a press release for the book.This may be his first book, though I am not certain about that...

Basic Biittner : Musical Musings (06/18/09)
I hate to admit it, but I have been listening to popular music for more than fifty years now. Actually, I haven't listened to much "new" stuff for the last 30 years or so, but I listened to records from an earlier era, too, so, basically one could say I'm very familiar with pop music from the late 1930s to the 1980s. ...

Basic Biittner: Following up (06/10/09)
In today's column, I will tie up some loose ends from some of my previous columns. In a column I wrote near the end of April, I asked readers whether the quaint "holiday" of May 1 was still being celebrated. I received three responses, all from women who are a little bit - but not a lot - older than I am. All three remember May Day fondly, with the distribution of May Baskets at school and in the neighborhood, but don't feel it's a big thing anymore...

Basic Biittner: There's a word for it (06/04/09)
On Thursday, May 26, the National Spelling Bee was held. I watched a little bit of it (yes, it's a televised event), and came away with a few observations. #1. Please forgive my political incorrectness, but when the 11 finalists were introduced at the top of the program, I couldn't help but notice that very few of the contestants had "American - sounding" names. ...

Basic Biittner: Salute to a Good man and Good Ballplayer (05/28/09)
Over the recent Memorial Day Weekend, I made my first ever trip to North Dakota, to visit a niece and her husband in Fargo. While there, of course, I paid a visit to the Roger Maris Museum, something I had wanted to see for quite a few years now. Though the museum is located in the Midwest, Fargo is not exactly a short trip from here - something like 5-6 hours away. ...

Basic Biittner : That Wonderful Year, 1959 (05/15/09)
When I was a kid, there used to be a variety show on television called The Gary Moore Show. Probably the only thing it's remembered for these days is the discovery of a talented young comic actress named Carol Burnett, who, of course, went on to host her own variety show - probably the best - and pretty much the last - weekly variety show on t.v., a staple of Saturday night programming on CBS for many years...

Basic Biittner: Random thoughts (05/07/09)
Just some miscellaneus thoughts about a couple of subjects - Last Saturday, a group of paranormal researchers (i.e., they research paranormal activities. I don't know that they themselves are paranormal) from east of here came to Cherokee to do more searching for ghosts at the American Theater. ...

Basic Biittner : May Day (05/01/09)
A couple of years ago around this time of year, I asked readers if May Day was still celebrated in our elementary schools or in family homes, or anywhere, really. I don't recall receiving any answers, so I will pose the question again, as May 1 once again arrives...

Basic Biittner: The Redbox is Coming! The Redbox is Coming! (04/23/09)
Last Sunday, April 19, was Patriot's Day, which is celebrated in Boston, if nowhere else. The holiday commemorates the famous ride of Paul Revere - a ride he made (on horseback, for you kids out there) 234 years ago, on April 19, 1775. During "Paul Revere's Ride," the silversmith rode through the town, warning residents "The British are coming! The British are coming!" The British, of course, were our country's enemy in those days, and in the years to come after Revere's ride, the rag-tag young Americans would fight and defeat the properly - attired British "Redcoats," and win our independence from the "Mother Country.". ...

Basic Biittner: No opinion (04/16/09)
Recently, I was asked by someone what I thought about some topic in the news, and, after thinking about it for a few seconds, came up with the profound answer, "I don't know." Having had a little time to reflect on that answer, I've come to realize that that's pretty much my answer for just about everything...

Basic Biittner - A Boss Experience (04/10/09)
Well, I have been to the mountain top and returned, a changed man. I'm speaking, of course, of the "Springsteen Experience -" my recent attendance at the second concert of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's "Working On a Dream" tour. If any of you out there ever have an opportunity to attend one of the Boss' concerts, I would certainly recommend you do so...

Basic Biittner: Third Time's the Charm (03/30/09)
I've been very fortunate, during my 53 years as a fan of Rock and Roll and comedy, to have been able to see many of my favorite performers live in concert. Paul McCartney, Elton John and Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, The Righteous Brothers, Neil Diamond, Willie Nelson, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Bill Cosby, Steven Wright, Three Dog Night, Chicago, John Mellencamp, Paul Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, CSN, Crosby and Nash, and The Crickets are just some of the artists I've been able to enjoy in person.. ...

Basic Biittner: Who's Minding the Store? (03/24/09)
I'm getting a little concerned about the Grand Old Party in recent months. It seems to me as if the party of Lincoln doesn't have a rudder to steer the ship these days. With President Obama's term only 60 days old, the political pundits have been speculating about who the leader of the Republican Party is now. I certainly don't know, but if they are looking for someone who is not afraid to speak their mind and say what feel, they have no shortage of candidates...

Basic Biittner : Following up Erroneous 'facts' (03/10/09)
This column is In reference to a column I did last week, which quoted an e-mail I had received, which cited several wrongdoings by U.S. Congressman. In my column, I admitted that I didn't know if the accusations were accurate. Thanks to the website, snopes.com, I can report the following:...

Basic Biittner: Revival of Game Show Theme (03/04/09)
Back in the 1960s, a young comedian and his side-kick hosted a network daytime game show called "Who Do You Trust?" It aired on ABC televison at 3:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. On the show, the announcer, one Ed McMahon, would introduce pairs of players, nearly always a man and a woman, who were chosen for their unique backgrounds. ...

Basic Biittner : A scary quiz (03/03/09)
There has been a lot of negative publicity in recent years concerning the off-field activities of some of the athletes who play in the National Football League and National Football League. In fact, some days the national sports news is not about sports at all. It's about assaults, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, car theft, you name it...

Basic Biittner : Holidays (02/24/09)
I've always found it interesting that the shortest month of the year - FebRuary (it's also the most often mispronounced month, but that's another matter) - seems to have the most holidays, at least if you consider everything that SOMEONE celebrates...

Basic Biittner: Super Sunday (02/06/09)
Sunday Feb. 1 is the big day. Super Sunday. An American institution. Believe it or not, children, it hasn't always been this way. Though the National Football League was founded in the 1920s, it really didn't become big until fifty seasons ago. Though I was just 8 years old at the time, I remember watching "The Greatest Game," as it's been tagged, on (Black and White) TV. ...

Basic Biittner: "Job -less" (01/22/09)
Here's a sure sign that economic times are tough - even Steve Jobs is, well, job-less. He's taken a medical leave of absence from his position as CEO of Apple, Inc. for as long as it takes to get a handle on his current medical problem, which he says is some kind of hormonal problem...

Basic Biittner: Thoughts on the new Chief Executive (01/15/09)
On January 20, the United States will inaugurate a new President, Barack Obama. Obama, the 44th President, will, at the age of 47, be the third youngest man to hold the nation's highest office. Teddy Roosevelt, at 42, was the youngest, while JFK, at 43, was the youngest to be elected...

Basic Biittner: Okay, I give in (01/05/09)
I don't know about you, but it seems like it took me a long time to get over saying "Nineteen ninety - whatever." But, you know what - this week we begin our 10th year of the new decade/new millennium (or 9th, depending upon your point of view), so I guess it's time for me to admit it. Thursday, January 1 brought in the year 2009 ...

BASIC BIITTNER : Fifty Winters Later (12/31/08)
My brother Doug is seven years older than I, which meant, of course, that during my formative years I was the "little brother" who was only in the 5th grade when he graduated from High School, and, like many siblings with that great an age difference, I'm sure he didn't really want to have a lot to do with me then...

Basic Biittner : Hall of Fame vote coming (12/23/08)
It has been well documented (by me) that I am a "Hall of Fame" afficianado. Whether it's the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Basketball Hall of Fame or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I love the anticipation of seeing a sports or music hero of mine elected to his or her Hall. Part of that, too, is the occasional disappointment when one of my faves misses out - but, as Cub fans (and yes, now Yankee fans too) say ,"Wait 'Til Next Year."...

Basic Biittner : Control, Consistency and Class (12/18/08)
Greg Maddux announced his retirement from Major League Baseball recently, after a very successful 23-year career, spent entirely in the National League. Since I recently vowed that I would never refer to anyone as a "future Hall of Famer" again, I won't do so. But .....

Basic Biittner : What is Christmas? (12/11/08)
Last year at about this time, I wrote a column about the status of Christmas these days, in which I ranted about the commercialism of the holiday, excessive spending, etc., etc. Before I do a repeat in this space, let me just say up front: I am not a "Scrooge." Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. No, I take that back. Like many of you, it is my FAVORITE holiday...

BASIC BIITTNER - Sure, we'll bail you out ... here are the conditions (11/25/08)
Well, the "Big 3" auto makers have gotten on the Government bailout wagon, joining Wall Street and some select U.S. cities. Well, that's all well and good, but ... if the government (which in a sense, of course, is you and me) is going to bail out every Tom, Dick and Harry (he's the unknown Smothers Brother), it seems to me that some expectations need to be set and met by those being bailed out...

BASIC BIITTNER - When you assume... (11/20/08)
When I first read, last summer, that the state of Nebraska had passed a "Safe Haven" law, I noticed in the article that no age limit was listed for the children who could be left at Nebraska's hospitals, and joked about parents dropping off their "problem" teenagers...

BASIC BIITTNER: Now what do we watch? (11/12/08)
Well, the historic election is over. After at least 20 months and billions of dollars, we can all breathe easy, because of the election of Barak Obama. Many important questions remain to be answered, of course - like who will be selected to fill cabinet positions, who will be selected to serve as the

BASIC BIITTNER : Fifth Consecutive UWS (10/28/08)
BASIC BIITTNER : Fifth Consecutive UWS Dan Whitney Well, it's October 2008, and I guess that means it's time again for the championship showcase of the former American pastime. On Wednesday evening, in the unlikely setting of Tampa Bay, Florida, the fifth consecutive "Unofficial World Series" got underway in that hallowed baseball cathedral, Tropicana Field (otherwise known as Metrodome South)...

Basic Biittner : Some musings (10/22/08)
My occasionally idle mind has been musing about a few things lately, so, being the generous soul that I am, I thought I'd share a few of those things with you. For example - I found myself wondering recently if any brave souls out there bet money last spring on a Philadelphia Philies-Tampa Bay Rays World Series match-up in 2008. ...

Basic Biittner: Cool Hand Icon (10/15/08)
A truly gifted, loved and remarkable man left us recently. Paul Newman was many things to many people throughout his 83 years on this Earth. He was first and foremost one of the last true movie "stars" in Hollywood, though by all accounts he abhorred that image of himself. ...

Basic Biittner - Bi-partisan humor? (10/07/08)
After reading this Associated Press sampling of the political comedy from Tuesday night's late-night television hosts, I have but one question. Do you think that maybe - just maybe - those in the entertainment industry lean a little bit to the left?...

Basic Biittner: A "Hairy" Anniversary (09/30/08)
Considering the nature of American pop culture and the tendency of the media to celebrate any anniversaries of cultural events, I was somewhat surprised to realize that a major American cultural event celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008 and I don't remember seeing any mention of it...

Basic Biittner: A new attraction (09/22/08)
I was on vacation last week, and spent most of the week getting to know my 2-year-old granddaughter better. She (and her parents) live in a Washington, D.C. suburb, so my wife and I did spend one day doing the "tourist" thing in our nation's capital. ...

Basic Biittner - Time for a Woman? (09/17/08)
To all those "male chauvinists" (when's the last time you heard that phrase?) out there who are upset because the Republicans have chosen a vice presidential candidate who happens to be of the female gender I say, "Get over it!" The fact is, it's about time. ...

Basic Biittner: The Hoops Hall (09/15/08)
On Saturday Sept. 6th, the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts inducted the latest class of basketball greats into their esteemed group. This year's group included a lot of pretty well-known names. Here are the latest inductees, in alphabetical order:...

BASIC BIITTNER : Biittner on Biittner (09/02/08)
I don't think I'm asked any question more often than a variation of "Where did you come up with the name of your column?" Though I could swear I had written a column about that very subject, a recent perusal of all my previous columns on our website, www.chronicletimes.com, failed to produce such a column...

Basic Biittner: A legend passes (08/26/08)
Aurelia lost a legend recently when Paul Jones left us at the age of 91. Paul graduated from Aurelia High School in 1934, then went on to college at Iowa State Teacher's College (now the University of Northern Iowa), where he played both offensive and defensive end for the Panther football team. ...

Basic Biittner: Calling it quits not easy at the top (08/19/08)
Three cheers for Brett Fav-ruh! Heretofore known simply as one of the greatest quarterbacks and inspirational team leaders in NFL history, "#4" has now managed to show another side as one of the greatest soap opera stars in NFL history as well - no small feat, considering his previous acting performance, when he played himself ten years ago in the hit movie "There's Something About Mary," was less than stellar...

Basic Biittner: Psychic sportswriters (08/12/08)
On July 31, Major League Baseball's trading deadline, many big trades occurred, including two deals involving "future Hall of Famers" Ken Griffey jr. and Manny Ramirez. During the same week, there were many stories on the sports pages concerning "future Hall of Famer" Brett Favre...

Basic Biittner: Thanks for the memories (08/11/08)
It was a bit sad around the Chronicle Times office last week. You see, the linchpin of our news room, Ken Ross, left the organization Friday, August 8th, to start a new chapter in his life. Ken, who has been a Cherokee resident since October of 1990, moved "back east," closer to his home town of Ft. Madison, to start his new job as editor of the Washington (Iowa) Evening Journal on Monday August 11...

BASIC BIITTNER - What's good for the Goose ... (07/28/08)
Last Sunday, July 27, the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, inducted their latest class of new members. First and foremost of the new inductees was Rich "Goose" Gossage, the fireballing right handed pitcher with the memorable glowering stare, located just north of his Fu Manchu mustache. ...

BASIC BIITTNER: Proud to be an Iowan (07/23/08)
I had to be in Des Moines the other day for an appointment, so I took the time to visit an attraction which I had been wanting to see ever since it opened. The attraction of which I'm speaking is the Iowa Hall of Pride. The "baby" of former IHSAA Executive Director Bernie Saggau, the Hall of Pride stands as a monument to the students, teachers, parents, coaches, and administrators of Iowa's schools, with a fascinating array of interactive kiosks, games and videos telling the story of the spirit of Iowa, through the history of school and student accomplishments - not just in athletics, but in all scholastic and extracurricular activities.. ...

Basic Biittner : (One of) the Best Ever (06/30/08)
Whenever anyone embarks on an attempt to make a list of "the best (fill in the blank)," or to name a single person (or object) as "the best" at some endeavor or occupation, they quickly find themselves in no man's land, fearful that they have left someone out and might offend that person, his family, or "fans."...

BASIC BIITTNER : A 21st Century revival of a classic (06/23/08)
In 1954, a book was published entitled "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant" (a work of fiction, obviously) by Douglas Wallop (Wallop - how's that for the name of an author of a baseball book?). Anyway, the book was adapted into a Broadway musical by Wallop and George Abbott, and that musical, "Damn Yankees," was enough of a hit that it was then made into a movie...

Basic Biittner: Dear Old Dad (06/16/08)
Sunday June 15th was Father's Day, so I thought I'd share some of the favorite quotes I have found about fathers, fatherhood, being a father, etc. Though I had a father and still have a father-in-law, and am myself a father, father-in-law and grandfather, I don't claim to have actually written any of these quotes myself. All are appropriately attributed to their authors, when known...

BASIC BIITTNER : 'Dear Old Dad' (06/16/08)
Sunday June 15th was Father's Day, so I thought I'd share some of the favorite quotes I have found about fathers, fatherhood, being a father, etc. Though I had a father and still have a father-in-law, and am myself a father, father-in-law and grandfather, I don't claim to have actually written any of these quotes myself. All are appropriately attributed to their authors, when known...

Basic Biittner: Lakers v. Celtics? (05/27/08)
The NBA is now down to its version of the "Final Four," so I can finally start to get interested in the league - and this year, I may be more interested than I have been in recent years. If the Boston Celtics (my favorite team) beat the Detroit Pistons, and the L.A. Lakers (my second favorite team) beat the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, we will have the first match-up of the Lakers and Celtics for the title in quite a few years...

Basic Biittner - Lakers v. Celtics? (05/27/08)
The NBA is now down to its version of the "Final Four," so I can finally start to get interested in the league - and this year, I may be more interested than I have been in recent years. If the Boston Celtics (my favorite team) beat the Detroit Pistons, and the L.A. Lakers (my second favorite team) beat the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, we will have the first match-up of the Lakers and Celtics for the title in quite a few years...

BASIC BIITTNER - A Changing World (05/21/08)
The news of the recent flood in Myanmar brought this response from me : "Where is Myanmar ? - never heard of it." This type of reaction has been real common for me in recent years, I have often been confronted with country and city names with which I was unfamiliar. Bosnia? Darfur? Dubai? I didn't remember seeing any of those names when I was studying geography back in the 1960s. Where did some of these places come from, and where, exactly, are they located?...

BASIC BIITTNER : By the Numbers (05/09/08)
I had the chance recently to peruse some interesting numbers, and thought I'd share them with you. The numbers I'm referring to are from the "BEDS Document," and are available on the Iowa High School Athletic Association web site, www.iahsaa.org. The BEDS document is prepared each year, and consists of the enrollment figures for Grades 9-11 in each of the 395 school districts in Iowa. ...

BASIC BIITTNER: Bubblegum cards (05/05/08)
When I was a boy, I was really into baseball cards - Topps, in those early days - and loved the smell - and the taste, brief though it was - of the pink rectangle of gum that accompanied every pack of cards. Then there was putting cards ("extras" of non-stars) in the spokes of my bicycle, so I could pretend I was riding a "hog" (of course, we didn't call motorcycles that in those days). ...

Basic Biittner: The Spirit of the Olympics (04/24/08)
Way back when, the nations of the world decided to unite every four years to celebrate goodwill, peace, tranquility and sportsmanship through athletic competition. And so, the Olympic Games were born...

BASIC BIITTNER: No Seniors? (04/21/08)
Well, the Final Fours are over, and Kansas and Tennessee are the champions of NCAA basketball for 2008. A job well done, and thanks to all the fine young athletes who entertained us over the past couple of weeks. A week or two ago, the All-American teams were named, and, on the Men's team, an interesting thing happened. ...

BASIC BIITTNER: Pray ball! (04/03/08)
For those of you missed it, the Major League Baseball season opened Tuesday (March 25). Not Spring Training - not the Grapefruit League or Cactus League. No, the real-live actual Major League Baseball season opener, featuring the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox against the Oakland Athletics. The Bosox won the game, as good old Manny Ramirez hit his second 2-run double of the game to lead Boston to a 6-5 extra inning win...

BASIC BIITTNER: Dems shooting themselves in the foot (03/20/08)
Has anyone checked lately to see if Vice President Dick Cheney has switched political parties? The reason I ask is that while Cheney is the guy who accidentally shot his hunting partner a couple of years ago, it seems like the Democrats are the party now misfiring...

BASIC BIITTNER : R.I.P. R.P.I. (03/17/08)
A few years ago, in their never-ending quest to drive college basketball fans crazy (why do you think it's called "March Madness?"), Bob Knight's favorite organization, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (hereafter known as the NCAA) devised something called the R.P.I. to "help" their committee that selects the at-large teams for the 64-team (no, excuse me, 65-team) post-season basketball tournament...

BASIC BIITTNER : Here we go again... (03/10/08)
Changes in technology are wonderful. it boggles my mind when I think of the many advancements that have occurred just in my 57 years, and I would imagine the minds of those who are 70+ years old are even more boggled than mine (though that's hard to imagine, I know)...

Basic Biittner: The Unbroken Circle (03/04/08)
From 1969-1971, Country legend Johnny Cash had a weekly ABC - TV show, which accomplished two objectives: 1) Exposing non-country music fans to country music and its artists; and 2) Exposing country fans to current non-country music and artists. Cash did this by booking an eclectic set of guests, all of whom were fans of his music. Cash, by the way, is a member of both the Country and Rock ad Roll Halls of Fame, so who better to merge the two genres?...

BASIC BIITTNER : Is anyone here telling the truth? (02/25/08)
Wednesday February 13, 2008 will go down in history as the date that Major League Baseball and one of its legendary players took another giant step in dragging their glorious sport even further into the muck and mire - a process which seems to have been going on for decades now. ...

Basic Biittner : Which 'Home State?' (02/18/08)
During news coverage of "Super Duper Tuesday" last week, a newscaster referred to Illinois as Senator Obama's "home state" and to New York as Senator Clinton's "home state." It led me to wonder - just what state should be designated someone's "home state?"...

Basic Biittner : E-mailing Bud(dy) (02/11/08)
Like many of the advancements in technology and communication, e-mail has its ups and downs. Just ask anyone who receives hundreds of "spam" e-mails every day, no matter how many spam blockers they may employ. That is the primary "down" of the e-mail world for me. ...

Basic Biittner : Happy New Year (01/08/08)
Happy 2008 to you-all. As one who hasn't really adjusted yet to the current date not being 19-something, I am amazed to realize that the new millenium is getting close to being a decade old. As much as I cling to the past, though, it is truly 2008. Over the last eight years, it seems that most people have chosen to call the years of this millenium "two thousand _," or occasionally "two thousand AND ," with the exception of NPR/CBSTV's Charles Osgood, who refers to the current date as "twenty oh .". ...

Basic Biittner : On a first - name basis (01/02/08)
Throughout the many political ads and news stories about would-be Presidential candidates, I have noticed that one of the candidates often seems to be called by her first name, rather than her surname. I have a couple of theories about why this is. Theory number one is that people don't want to refer to her as "Clinton" because of a recent president with the same surname. ...

Basic Biittner - The New Yankees? (12/26/07)
I've come to the realization lately that the NFL's New England Patriots are dangerously close to reaching the "I hate that team" status of the New York Yankees, L.A. Lakers, and Dallas Cowboys. I say this as a long-time fan of some of those teams, because you see, part of these team's fate is that people either "love 'em or hate 'em." Some people tag these successful teams as "America's Team," while others wish they played soccer in Europe, so us Americans could ignore them...

BASIC BIITTNER : College success vs. pro success (12/18/07)
The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner was name last weekend, and for the first time a sophomore, Florida U's Tim Tebow, was the winner of the trophy, given annually to the nation's "Most Outstanding Player" for that season, as voted on by sportswriters across the nation. ...

Basic Biittner: 'Tis the Season (Once Again) (12/10/07)
Unless you have been in a cave - or a coma - for the last week or two, you have probably noticed that "Christmas is a-comin', and the geese are getting fat. Please to put a penny in the poor man's hat. If you haven't got a penny, then a ha'penny will do. If you haven't got a ha'penny, then God bless you."...

Basic Biittner : The forgotten holiday (11/29/07)
I don't know about you, but over the last decade or so, retail merchants and advertisers seem to have boosted Hallowe'en - not even an "official" holiday - into a mega-holiday. What was once a kids' holiday, where mothers made their little ones a nice, simple costume to wear to school on October 31 and MAYBE to go to a few homes in the early evening has exploded into grown - up parties where the adults wear costumes, too, and every town seems to have a Haunted House. ...

Basic Biittner : NBA (11/19/07)
Way back when, I used to follow the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the elite players like Bob Cousy, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson. and (especially) Wilt Chamberlain were just as much my heroes as any of my favorite baseball players like "The Mick."...

Basic Biittner: The Hot Stove League (11/12/07)
Well, we finally have the baseball season behind us, finishing with yet another "Unofficial World Series," to use the late Frank Miller's term. This, of course, was the fourth consecutive unofficial World Series, and, though I must admit (I mean, I MUST admit - it really pains me) the arch rival Red Sox (aka the Bosox) were pretty darned impressive in sweeping the Cinderella Rockies in four games...

Dan Whitney
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