A disappointing week, as my streaks of 5500 step days and weeks with a 10,000 step day both came to an end, though the week itself still finished up above average. Sunday had a trip down to US Cellular Field, but still managed to fall short of 5500 steps for the first time in 20 days. The work week was a return to form, with every day topping 6000 steps. Saturday again was a sub-standard day, despite a trip to the bowling alley.
Total steps: 43,553
Daily average: 6221.9
Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.
Volume 12 covers the summer of 1993 and into the fall and my sophomore year of college. Alternative has mostly taken over, although there’s still a small smattering of pop and hair metal, or whatever we were calling Def Leppard and Guns ‘N Roses back then.
10,000 Maniacs – Because The Night
The hit from MTV Unplugged, which was Natalie Merchant’s swan song with the group, more than doubled its total over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 9 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 21 plays, most recently on 1/16/2015
Cracker – Low
Somehow, I’ve only listend to the first hit from Cracker’s sophomore effort once in the last 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 13 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 14 plays, most recently on 7/16/2012
Def Leppard – Miss You In A Heartbeat
The minor hit for the boys from Sheffield garnished only 1 additional listen, nearly 2 years ago now.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 3 plays, most recently on 8/11/2013
Cher w/ Beavis & Butthead – I Got You Babe
Cher’s threesome with the animated duo, from the hit film Beavis & Butthead Do America, earned a healthy increase over the past 3 years.
2014 iTunes stats: 17 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 22 plays, most recently on 5/16/2015
Guns N’ Roses – Estranged
The GnR opus doubled its listens over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 6/21/2014
Lemonheads – Into Your Arms
More than a tripling of listens for the big hit from Evan Dando and the boys.
2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 13 plays, most recently on 6/5/2015
Major League Baseball is asking its fans to vote for the four most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise. The winners will be announced in July at the All Star Game in Cincinnati. Today, I will give my Franchise Four picks for the American League Central, save the White Sox.
With 6 of their 8 nominees debuting in the major leagues prior to 1950, the Indians representation is focused on their early successes, with the remaining 2 covering their renaissance in the 1990s. The obvious choices are Nap Lajoie, for whom they owe their nickname, Tris Speaker, and Bob Feller. For the final slot, I will go with the criminally overlooked Larry Doby, who gets none of the credit that Jackie Robinson gets despite facing the same challenges.
The Tigers nominees are more spread out across their long history, although their four selections are all fairly obvious. With little thought, my picks here are Miguel Cabrera, Hank Greenberg, Ty Cobb, and Al Kaline.
Name: Charlie Hough
Rank: 149
Position: P
Years With White Sox: 1991-1992
A month shy of his 43rd birthday, Charlie Hough signed with the White Sox as a free agent in December of 1990. The knuckleballer filled out the rotation for a White Sox team that had surprising success in 1990 and looked to go further in their new stadium the following year.
Hough ended up going 9-10, failing to win 10 games for the first time since becoming a full-time starter in 1982. His 4.02 ERA was second to only Jack McDowell in the starting rotation.
Hough returned to the White Sox in 1992. He improved his ERA slightly to 3.93, but saw his record fall 7-12 in 27 starts. He moved to the bullpen in August to make room for young starter Wilson Alvarez, but returned to the rotation to replace the struggling Greg Hibbard.
With the Marlins and Rockies joining the league for the 1993 season, the White Sox let Hough become a free agent, with the intention of bringing him back should the team lose a pitcher in the expansion draft. They didn’t, so Hough signed elsewhere, ironically with the Marlins, ending his White Sox career.
Hough’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:
Another good week, my fourth straight over 50,000 steps and with at least one 10,000 step day. Things got off to a good start in Memphis on Sunday, where I spent the day visiting Elvis related sights, including Graceland and Sun Studios. Monday continued the Elvis extravaganza, exploring his birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, before spending the majority of the day driving home, with a small detour to stop and see Superman in Metropolis, Illinois. Tuesday and Wednesday was back to the normal work grind, with the afternoon coffee run playing into the day’s total.
Thursday and Friday benefited from my leaving work on time and getting home at a reasonable hour, thus being able to explore the neighborhood, with Thursday just falling short of 10,000 steps and Friday surpassing it. Saturday looked to be a bust early, but the evening’s trip to US Cellular Field, and a walk down the ramps thanks to a closed Fundamentals area, helped pull up the day’s total.
Total steps: 53,227
Daily average: 7603.9
Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD. Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to. Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.
Volume 11 takes us late into 1993 and my sophomore year of college. It features mostly alternative and hip-hop hits, with a little pop and Aerosmith on the side.
Shai – Baby I’m Yours
A modest 2-play increase for the last time anybody ever heard from Shai.
2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 11/7/2013
Tears For Fears – Break It Down Again
The comeback hit for the 80s sensation managed a small increase over the past 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 12/29/2014
Bell Biv Devoe – Something In Your Eyes
I came to the conclusion that this is not a very good song when I last heard it in January.
2012 iTunes stats: Never played
2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 1/9/2015
4 Non Blondes – Spaceman
A doubling of the number of listens for the minor follow up hit to What’s Up.
2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 9/17/2014
Pearl Jam – Go
The first hit from Pearl Jam’s second album more than tripled its number of listens, thanks mostly to being used as Paul Konerko’s walkup music during his final season.
2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 5/12/2015
Nirvana – Heart-Shaped Box
Nirvana’s first release from their final studio album more than doubled its number of plays over the last 3 years.
2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays
2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 10/24/2014
Radiohead – Stop Whispering
A small increase for the lesser known follow up to the smash Creep.
2012 iTunes stats: 1 play
2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 11/7/2013
Major League Baseball is asking its fans to vote for the four most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise. The winners will be announced in July at the All Star Game in Cincinnati. Today, I will give my Franchise Four picks for the National League Central, minus the Cubs.
5 Hall of Famers should make this an easy choice, but the permanent exclusion of the all-time hit king adds a slight wrinkle to the proceedings for the Reds. Let’s say that Johnny Bench and Frank Robinson hold down two of the spots. That leaves Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Barry Larkin, and Pete Rose for the final two slots. I’m going to go with the exiled Rose and Morgan.
For a franchise that dates back to 1969, the Brewers, once you get past Robin Yount and Paul Molitor, don’t have much to choose from. Ryan Braun, despite his association with PEDs, get my third slot. I guess I’d give the final position to Rollie Fingers.
Name: Reid Nichols
Rank: 150
Position: OF
Year With White Sox: 1985-1986
Reid Nichols joined the White Sox via a July 11, 1985 trade that sent Tim Lollar to the Red Sox. His biggest moment with the White Sox came a little under a month later when, playing left field in Yankee Stadium, he caught the final out of Tom Seaver’s 300th career victory. Nichols appeared in 51 games down the stretch, hitting .297 and driving in 15.
1986 was a different beast for Nichols, and the White Sox as a whole. Caught up in the whirlwind that was the Hawk Harrelson era, Nichols saw his playing time reduced and his batting average drop.
He returned to the White Sox for spring training in 1987, but a rebuilding White Sox team, having just acquired outfielder Gary Redus from the Reds, decided to go in a different direction and, at the end of March, Nichols was released.
Nichols’ numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:
Another good week as I put together my highest total since early January, crossed the 5500 step mark every day, and surpassed 10,000 steps in a day for the third consecutive week. Things got off to what turned out to be a slow start, with Sunday, thanks to a trip to US Cellular Field, just barely crossing the 5500 step plateau.
The work week was very successful, with Monday being the worst day, clocking in at over 6000 steps and every other day finishing above 7000 steps. Saturday was the big day, surpassing 10,000 steps, despite spending a large portion of the day driving south to Memphis. Fortunately, that was followed by a trip to the Memphis Zoo. More to come on that trip.
Total steps: 54,156
Daily average: 7736.6
To bring us in to June, we have 2 photos of Danny, from last year’s Cubs season ticket holder event at Wrigley Field. Our first shot has him ready to (try and) catch a ball on the outfield grass. The second pic has him taking some cuts in the unfortunate batting cage nestled under the right field bleachers.
