While Rita and I were flying back from the Telluride Film Festival last night, Jorge Soler hit his record-setting 39^th home run. The previous “Kansas City” record for homers in a season was 38, set by Bob Cerv (1958) and Mike Moustakas (2017).

Below, with the scoreboard reading that he is tied with Moustakas at 38, Soler hits #39 (photo by Royals photographer Jason Hanna).

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The Mets were in Kansas City this past weekend. Friday night was “Beatles Night” to celebrate the appearance by the band in Kansas City 55 years ago – at Municipal Stadium at 22^nd and Brooklyn, hosted by A’s owner Charlie Finley. Since 14-year-old Rita Leifhelm was at that concert in 1964, we of course had to go to the Royals anniversary party. Rita bought us Beatles tee-shirts to wear and arranged transportation with uber (small “u” – i.e., outstanding) driver Pat Titterington and his wife Cheryl Dillard. The Royals did little during the game to remind you it was Beatles Night, but the band’s music was played during the quite spectacular fireworks show. Continue reading →

Turned 78 today, or as I like to think, 25.556 Celsius.

Rita has this thing that you are only as old as the high temperature on your birthday. Easy for her to say. She was born in December. Under her theory, I am forecast to be 88 today. Or as I like to think, 31.111 Celsius.

When I turned 75, my friends-of-long-standing Diana and Larry Brewer gave me a tee-shirt that converted my age to…Celsius. This year, they sent me the baseball-themed card you see below. The inside message reads “Hope your birthday is a major-league good time.” I’m sure it will be. Rita and I will be walking  down the hill to enjoy a birthday dinner at Capital Grille at its new location on the Plaza. Continue reading →

Fifty years ago today, at 3:17 Kansas City time, the first humans landed on the moon. At that moment, there were eight major league games in progress. It was the Sunday before the All-Star break.

The title of this post is borrowed from the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, a movie I saw in 1951 at the age of ten. I was reminded of the film this past week by a headline in the Washington Post: When Apollo 11 landed on the moon, major league baseball stood still. The Post article featured what happened at Yankee Stadium fifty years ago, and I took to Google to find out what happened at some other stadiums.

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I’m going to start with tennis, but if Wimbledon is not your cup of tea (get it), please feel free to skip to Jim Bouton and Tyler Skaggs for some pure baseball.

Breakfast at Wimbledon: Rita and I attended “Breakfast at Wimbledon” on Saturday and Sunday. Via ESPN.

We were also there thirty years ago. But that time at Centre Court. And closer to lunch time.

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The All-Star game is tomorrow night in Cleveland. Below, something to keep you busy between innings and during mound visits.

Rita and I recently completed our fourth annual stadium tour. We were joined on the bus by 43 other baseball fans from around the country. As always, the tickets, hotels and other details were superbly handled by Darren Zinser who runs Triple Crown Travel (click here if you have an interest in a future trip). First stop, Minneapolis…

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Rita and I will be on the road next week for our fourth annual baseball stadium tour. We start in Minneapolis (Target Field) and then hop on our tour bus for games in Milwaukee (Miller Park), Chicago (Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate Fields) and Cincinnati (Great American Ball Park). Full report in Hot Stove #102.

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Three big numbers for me this month.

100^th Hot Stove.

60^th anniversary of high school graduation.

38^th wedding anniversary – 19 years in the 20^th century and 19 years in the 21^st century.

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The month of May is not being kind to the Royals (but the K looked good in this shot posted by Visit KC). So let’s reminisce instead. Plus cover a couple of non-baseball sports highlights. And Hamilton.

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