Tag / Corona Virus

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200 Things To Do In Illinois – Route 66

Illinois celebrated its bicentennial as a state in December of 2018. To celebrate, the Chicago Tribune published the Bicentennial Bucket List: 200 Things To Do In Illinois, celebrating the best the state has to offer in history, food, architecture, culture, sports, nature, drink, and oddities. Now that the state is starting to open back up following the corona virus outbreak, I figured this was the second-best time to look through this collection and cover the ones I’ve done/eaten/seen.

We kick things off with one of the entries from the History category: Route 66, from Chicago, IL.

Snap a selfie under the “begin” and “end” signs of historic Route 66, the legendary 20th century highway that stretched nearly 2,500 neon-lit miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.  The brown markers are at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street (the westbound starting point) and Michigan and Jackson Boulevard (eastern terminus).

The Mother Road was decommissioned years ago, but lots of Route 66 relics remain along Illinois’ 300-mile stretch between Chicago and St. Louis.

Truth be told, I can’t say that I’ve even seen the signs marking the start and end of Route 66 on Michigan Ave, but it isn’t for a lack of being in the area.  I spent most of grad school 1 block east of Michigan on Jackson, so I would make the walk over on occasion, as time permitted.  Not to mention events in Grant Park, like Lollapalooza or the Cubs championship parade in 2016.

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Post Mortem – Bless This Mess

After debuting as a midseason replacement last April, Bless This Mess, starring Lake Bell and Dax Shepard, lasted a little over a year on ABC.  Despite the corona virus pandemic shutting down pilot season, the network decided to move forward without the comedy without announcing what will replace it on the fall schedule.

The tale of a couple adjusting to farm life in Nebraska after leaving Manhattan never really caught on, and, between the abbreviated first season and the pandemic shortened second season, managed just over a full season’s worth of episodes in its two seasons on the air.  What’s next for the series’ stars and strong supporting cast?  We’ll have to wait for the world to get back to normal to find out.

by admin

Fitbit 6: Week 22

Week 15 of working from home due to the corona virus was another disappointment.  The week got off to a good start on Sunday, finishing 63 steps above goal.  Monday fell off a cliff, finishing just shy of 2400 steps.  Tuesday was better, but still bad, coming in at 3100 steps.  Wednesday was another downer, ending the day with 3100 steps.  Thursday was another good day, as I went out after work to meet up with Daryl and Val and ended up with 6300 steps.  Friday was the low point of a low week, with barely 2100 steps.  Saturday saw a slight improvement, but still finished with a sad 3000 steps.

Total steps: 27,720

Daily average: 3960

by admin

Indians All Time Leaders – Through 2019

With baseball shut down because of the corona virus, I thought it would be an interesting time to look back at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We continue today with the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians, then known as the Bluebirds, were one of the charter members of the American League in 1901.  After a few name changes, they settled on the Indians name in 1915.  I’ve seen them play 52 times, including games 4 and 5 of the 2016 World Series and 2 games against the White Sox in their home stadium last September.

Home Runs

Name Total
Victor Martinez 6
Jason Kipnis 5
Travis Hafner 4

Hits

Name Total
Victor Martinez 24
Jason Kipnis 21
Michael Brantley 20
Carlos Santana 20

Runs

Name Total
Grady Sizemore 14
Shin-Soo Choo 13
Jhonny Peralta 13

RBI

Name Total
Victor Martinez 16
Carlos Santana 14
Jason Kipnis 14

Doubles

Name Total
Victor Martinez 4
Jhonny Peralta 4
Jamey Carroll 4
Carlos Santana 4
Michael Brantley 4

Triples Continue reading →

by admin

Play Ball Part II

More details have come out regarding the upcoming truncated 2020 baseball season.  Players will report for a second “spring” training by July 1, with most teams holding the camps at their home ballparks. One exception may be the Blue Jays, who are still looking for travel exceptions for players and opposing teams to be allowed into Canada.  Most teams will kick off their 60-game schedule on July 24, with a handful of teams scheduled for national telecasts the day before.

To limit the amount of travel for each team, the reconfigured schedule would include 10 games against each team’s four divisional opponents, along with 20 interleague games against the corresponding division.

Several rule changes will be implemented during the season as part of the league’s health and safety protocols.  The designated hitter will be used in both leagues, while team roster sizes will fluctuate from 30, when the season opens, to 26, after 4 weeks.  The trade deadline will be August 31, while players must be on the major league roster by September 15 to be eligible for post-season play.  Extra-inning games will see each half-inning begin with a runner on second base.  In addition to the 40 man roster. teams will be allowed a taxi squad of 20 players, kept at an alternate site, to facilitate roster moves.

High risk players will be allowed to sit out the season while still getting paid and accruing service time.  Players with high risk dependents will also be allowed to sit out, though their service time and payments will be on a case by case basis.  Players on the 20-man taxi squad will not accrue service time, unless they are added to the major league roster.  Also, a team of free agents may be set up in Nashville to keep in baseball shape should the need arise.

All in all, this will be the strangest season of baseball in my lifetime, and, possibly, of all time.  Some of these rule changes will likely stick around, like the universal DH.  Some, like the extra inning runner, are hopefully never seen again.  Hopefully the season goes off without a hitch, avoiding a major outbreak of the corona virus that would shut down the season for a second time, and we can all get back to whatever passes for normal in 2021.

by admin

Fitbit 6: Week 21

Week 14 of working from home due to the corona virus was a nice uptick, coming 141 steps away from my best total since the world fell apart.  The week got off to a slow start on Sunday, finishing with 3500 steps.  Monday was a nice improvement, coming in at 7300 steps.  Tuesday saw a decline, coming in with 4600 steps.  Wednesday was another downer, ending the day with 4300 steps.  Thursday was the low point of the week, coming in 41 steps shy of 2000.  Friday, thanks to an unplanned day off due to Juneteenth being added as a company holiday earlier in the week, gave me an opportunity to go out for a morning walk, which put me over 8600 steps.  Saturday used a trip out for breakfast outside under the tent to finish at 4000 steps.

Total steps: 34,410

Daily average: 4915.7

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Pirates All Time Leaders – Through 2019

pirates-primaryWith baseball shut down because of the corona virus, I thought it would be an interesting time to look back at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We continue today with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates began life in 1887 as the Alleghenys, before taking on the Pirates moniker in 1891.  I’ve seen them play 46 times, including a double header sweep in 2003, enabling the Cubs to clinch their first NL Central title and a work outing in 2008 against the White Sox.

Home Runs

Name Total
Brian Giles 3
Jack Wilson 2
Nate McLouth 2
Carlos Garcia 2
Craig Wilson 2
Andrew McCutchen 2

Hits

Name Total
Jack Wilson 27
Jason Kendall 14
Aramis Ramirez 14

Runs

Name Total
Jack Wilson 16
Brian Giles 10
Nate McLouth 9

RBI

Name Total
Jason Kendall 12
Brian Giles 11
Jack Wilson 8

Doubles

Name Total
Freddy Sanchez 5
Aramis Ramirez 4
Abraham Nunez 4

Triples Continue reading →

by jim

Play Ball

After weeks of corona virus related delays and petty bickering back and forth with the MLB Player’s Association, MLB owners voted last night to proceed with an abbreviated 2020 season under the terms of their March 26th agreement.  The agreement gives Commissioner Rob Manfred the power to implement a schedule that will likely be between 50 – 60 games.  Because the two sides could not come to an agreement, none of the proposed changes (universal DH, expanded playoffs, uniform ads, extra innings nonsense) can be implemented.

The next step is for the MLBPA to determine if players can report for a second “spring” training starting on July 1 and to agree on the health and safety protocols.  Following that, a strange season will unfold starting in late July and grievances will be filed, followed by another winter of sanctimonious arguing leading in to a labor war that will engulf the 2021 season, the final season of the current CBA and will likely lead to the sport’s first work stoppage since the disastrous 1994 strike.  What a time to be a fan.

by admin

Astros All Time Leaders – Through 2019

astros-primaryWith baseball shut down because of the corona virus, I thought it would be an interesting time to look at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams.  We continue today with the Houston Astros.

The Astros began life in 1962 as the Colt 45’s, joining the National League along with the Mets, and became the Astros 3 years later.  In 2013, they moved to the American League, becoming just the second team to switch leagues.  I’ve seen them play 42 times, including game 2 of the 2005 World Series.

Home Runs

Name Total
Lance Berkman 7
Carlos Lee 4
Morgan Ensberg 3
Mike Lamb 3

Hits

Name Total
Lance Berkman 30
Morgan Ensberg 19
Brad Ausmus 17

Runs

Name Total
Lance Berkman 15
Craig Biggio 11
Chris Burke 11

RBI

Name Total
Lance Berkman 26
Morgan Ensberg 12
Mike Lamb 10

Doubles

Name Total
Lance Berkman 7
Mike Lamb 6
Hunter Pence 5
Chris Carter 5

Triples Continue reading →

by admin

Brewers All Time Leaders – Through 2019

With baseball shut down because of the corona virus, I thought it would be an interesting time to look at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We continue today with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Brewers began life in 1969, joining the American League as the Seattle Pilots.  After one year, they moved to Milwaukee and were re-christened the Brewers.  In 1998, the Brewers became the first team to switch leagues when they moved to the National League as the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays joined the American League.  I’ve seen them play 41 times, first in 1993 battling the White Sox at their old home of Milwaukee County Stadium and most recently last July, battling the Cubs at Miller Park.

Home Runs

Name Total
Richie Sexson 4
Prince Fielder 4
Ryan Braun 4

Hits

Name Total
Ryan Braun 29
Prince Fielder 23
J.J. Hardy 19
Corey Hart 19

Runs

Name Total
Ryan Braun 14
Prince Fielder 14
J.J. Hardy 11
Rickie Weeks 11

RBI

Name Total
Ryan Braun 23
Prince Fielder 17
Richie Sexson 13

Doubles

Name Total
Prince Fielder 9
Corey Hart 6
Ryan Braun 6

Triples Continue reading →