Greene County Daily World

Grumpy Ol' Simmons and the Brooklyn Superbas

Posted Saturday, October 4, 2008, at 3:14 AM
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Newest railroader in training.

For some reason I seem to be getting a lot grumpier than usual. I've always been grumpy, I think, and that's not a good thing at all. I'm pretty sure that I was a grumpy old man before I could even walk. I'm going to try to be less grumpy. It is just real hard to do when I keep looking at my retirement nest egg, as it dwindles away. I think the first article that I wrote for this great electronic, metropolitan newspaper concerned my retirement dilemma. I'm fairly sure, at this point, that the retirement option is being mercilessly ripped from my dreams, so I might as well get over it and realize that I'm doomed to labor for eternity. I'm erasing all thoughts of retirement now, so please, my friends, if you want to see me in a less grumpy mood, let's take the conversation in another direction.

I had stated earlier that I was going to write on the subject of Japanese-Americans during WWII, but I have failed to finish reading the three books which I recently purchased on this subject. I've tried to delve into this topic several times over the past week or so, but life and its' infinite realities keeps interrupting my train of thought. Have you ever noticed how your mind can get so preoccupied with thought that you can't read? Dagnabit, doggonit, darnit, (none of which are real words, but I'm trying to clean up my language as I become less grumpy) I hate it when I can't concentrate. Why is it that people have to complicate their lives? Gee whiz folks, I hate to be so selfish, but can't you see that I'm trying to read. I guess that I'll just have to take some time off and deal with some real life problems.

As I've wrestled recently with these irrational realities, I've realized that it has become necessary for me to find some mental relief, so I'm planning a trip. With Veteran's Day coming up, I've noticed that I could easily fashion a five day weekend trip without using much of my precious leave. (Leave is synonymous with vacation for us government workers.) I've narrowed my choices down to either San Antonio or Portland, Maine. I'm just trying, very hard right now, to determine which will be best for my pursuit of a diminished grumpiness. If you have any ideas on why one would be better than the other, I'm open to suggestions. It may just come down to whether or not I want to Remember the Alamo or Remember the Maine.

My youngest daughter, Kayla Dee, brought my grandson over for a visit on Tuesday. I am very much less grumpy on these occasions and I cherish my time with them both. Interestingly, for some reason that escapes me, our conversation turned to my blog writing the other night. She said that she had never read it. I don't know how many people I have run into at various places who tell me that they enjoy reading these little articles. Now how depressed can a person get when your daughter says she hasn't even read them? I made her sit down and look at them. I didn't beat her or anything like that (just tied her to the chair and said, READ). No, just kidding, she sat down and next thing I know she was reading Matt Mason's article on the Pepperoni Grill and telling me how good it was. I give up; I don't think I impressed her one bit. I can't wait until Aden can read, for now though, we'll just watch Thomas the Tank Engine.

Sorry about the fact that you couldn't read about the relocation camps and the heroic efforts of the Japanese-Americans during WWII, but I'll get to it someday.

As we watch the complete annihilation of the Cubbies by the Dodgers, I guess I should weigh in on the upcoming World Series. I've decided that it shall most definitely come down to the Dodgers and the Red Sox. That is very tough for me to say, but I'm working on dealing with reality. I find it very interesting that these two old franchises have only met once before in the World Series and back then, in 1916, the LA Dodgers were known as the Brooklyn Robins (they were also known at various times as the Brooklyn Atlantics, Grays, Grooms, Bridegrooms, and my favorite, the Superbas). During that Series, which was won 4-1 by the Sox, a 21 year old Babe Ruth was the winning pitcher in game 2. And, the Robins had a 25 year old outfielder who hit .364 in that Series by the name of Charles Dillon Stengel, The Old Perfesser. These two guys played significant roles in why the Red Sox didn't get to play in too many post season games after 1918.

Here is to Papa Joe and Donnie Baseball leading the Dodgers to a World Series Championship. Or maybe that old Yankee, Sweet Lou Piniella, will rally the hapless Cubbies and win 3 straight. Nah, I think it is "wait until next year", again.

Have fun at the Apple Festival and keep an eye out for a less grumpier Ol' Simmons.

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Reality, like our hair, grays as we mature. We become less and less sure about things we once new as certain. Is that how widsom works it's way into our decision making? Maybe, maybe not (the summary of man's knowledge).

Who was it that once said: " The problem with man is that the stupid are so cocksure, and the wise are so full of doubt."

Maybe that's true. Or maybe it would be more accurate if it was put this way: "The stupid are so cocksure and the wise are so full of doubt, and doubt can lead to grumpiness." I don't know Simmons, just a hunch.

Maybe you just need to add more fiber to your diet.

-- Posted by hopeanddust on Sat, Oct 4, 2008, at 10:29 AM

Did you forget about the "Trolley Dodgers", or was it too obvious?

-- Posted by Wiglund on Sat, Oct 4, 2008, at 2:51 PM

Another great meal tonight; scallops & pasta at the Pepperoni Grill and Aden showed up with his great grandmother...he elected to go home with Poppy.

Aden's mother just came to pick him up after she got off work. We had a blast tonight working puzzles, building Lego bridges and watching Thomas the Tank Engine. He cheers me up and he wears me out. I'm exhausted and I have to play in the Cat tomorrow morning. To the Cat. Goodnight.

-- Posted by simmons on Sat, Oct 4, 2008, at 9:50 PM

if its just a change of scenery we can put him up just fine--- a $100,000 suite (well a seat and steering wheel) a lot of noise, a nonworking airconditioner, and lots of dust

oh there is lots of time to sit and think... cause the raido's not audible :)

ya we could set him in a tractor-- either mowing weeds or disking weeds--- lots of solitute and wouldnt cost the price of an airline ticket! ;)

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Sun, Oct 5, 2008, at 9:26 PM

I think I'll pass on that offer Dude.

HopeandDust, the actual quote was, "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell

This has nothing to do with the topic of my grumpiness or the fact that the Cubbies laid down so quickly, but on the subject of Bertrand Russell, if you are interested in a nice treatise on the causes of war, try reading "Why Men Fight". I don't totally agree with everything Russell says, but this is a good and interesting read on his take of the many problems with mankind.

http://www.archive.org/details/whymenfig...

What a beautiful weekend we just had. For those of you who didn't hear the outcome, Lyons added another win over Linton in The Cat on Sunday.

-- Posted by simmons on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 1:20 AM

Maine is great, but the locals are pretty snobby sometimes. I loved the back country of Maine. The bigger towns (tourist areas) seemed a little uptight to me and would probably cause me to get a little "grumpier." Just my take. Never been to San Antonio.

-- Posted by great_googly_moogly on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 11:10 AM

The picture looks to me like you're starting to get down with some of that good ol' rock and roll.

If you would go to San Antonio to "Remember the Alamo", wouldn't you have to go to Havana to "Remember the Maine"?

-- Posted by Caleb'sGrandpa on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 1:50 PM

Pretty picky CG. The Maine was the first ship in the Navy to be named after the State of Maine. I think that is reason enough to go there to remember her.

In that picture I was hard at work taking train orders, surely you can tell that. I was a little short in the britches when it came to pulling those levers, but I finally got the hang of it.

I was the only one of the Sims children to be put to work at such an early age. The other three were Dad's favorites and I suffered for several years in violation of the Child Labor Laws so that they would have it so easy. All of my wages went for their toys and games, but I suppose it made me a better man. A grumpier man too.

-- Posted by simmons on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 3:33 PM

what makes me grumpier is insurance companies doing everything they can to get out of paying anything!

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 9:00 PM

Dude, I feel your pain. The only difference between an insurance company and a car battery is that one has a positive side. They sure love to take your money without any questions asked, but file a claim and welcome back the Spanish Inquisition.

Mmm - Bringing up the little fellers just reminds me of the story of Snow White taking their lunches to the mine and finding out there was a cave-in. She called frantically for them but could get no response, until finally after an hour or so, she heard a faint voice say, "Vote for Hillary." Snow White smiled and said softly, "Thank goodness, Dopey is alive."

Starting to lean towards San Antonio for this trip and try Maine next spring. I keep thinking about how cold it might be in Portland in early November. I don't do cold well anymore.

Been working out, I did a couple of push-ups and a couple of sit-ups this morning. Trying to work into gradually. I think I may have strained an oblique. :>)

-- Posted by simmons on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 2:01 AM

I think your obliques are buried..

-- Posted by Mr. Robato on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 10:45 AM

Simmons you mentioned Hillary, with all of your speaking skills I cant imagine you didn't mention Palin, now there is a lady that really has a vocabulary.

-- Posted by not from Greene Co. on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 3:32 PM

From 1977-1979, we had to drive through Wasilla, Alaska on our 65 mile journey to work each morning and back home each evening. (65 miles doesn't really sound bad until you think of it as 130 miles round trip daily in nine months of winter.) Sarah was living there, although a young lass at the time, but I don't recall seeing her. Shoot, we were too busy messin' with those Russkies to notice much.

MBoyd, you were there, do you recall meeting a young Sarah back then?

I remember the late Susan Butcher though, she made a greater impression on me than Ms. Sarah ever could. I may have to write about her someday (but then I'll have the animal rights activists on me again). I get teared up just thinking about her.

I have been totally amazed since the day that McCain picked Sarah Palin, but hey, that's politics and I definitely don't know a thing about that. Her interviews are definitely worth the price of admission, she's like a female Dan Quayle.

-- Posted by simmons on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 7:27 PM

Mr. Robato, I think Ole Simmons is ignoring your insightful observation!

-- Posted by CHatton on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 8:42 PM

I don't know how old she is. She probably would have been a teenager at that time. I was so busy trying to get ahead I never really looked around. I mean I never did anything but work and run four miles a day.

We ran her and McCain in seperate motorcades last Monday, six trips total because security didn't want them together. The guys said she had great legs. I sat outside on a rock wall and ate pizza with the citizens. Nice to sit with good people and relax.

-- Posted by M Boyd on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 8:43 PM

A good opportunity for a blog might be to explain what the Russians actually did to our sites, or our AADCP, while they were out in the Gulf of Alaska. I spent most of my time physically in the Launcher Control Group when we were hot, and slept with the headsets on to offset the generator noise. The launch guys were sleeping while the IFC guys trained, and I always listened.

-- Posted by M Boyd on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 8:59 PM

A friend asked me last week if I could conceivably construct a ticket where I would be forced to vote McCain/Palin in November.

Easy.

McCarver/Morgan '08.

-- Posted by GarthHudson on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 9:26 PM

Garth, why do you always one up me. You and your father do have a way with words. Garth, I only had the pleasure to meet you once, if I would have known of your wit, I would have paid more attention. Tell your Dad to keep the words coming.

-- Posted by not from Greene Co. on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 10:08 PM

I agree with Garth, any ticket with McCarver on it, and Im moving to Canada. Maybe Ill become a Blue Jays fan eh?

-- Posted by midnightrambler on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 1:21 AM

Did Robato say something insightful? I think he just overstated the obvious.

MBoyd's comments on hot status at Goose Bay brought back some fond memories of tracking Bisons, Bears and Badgers as they approached our airspace from the former Soviet Union. We could pick them up on acquisition radars from quite a distance and then the air wing at Elmendorf would scramble fighters to go out to meet them. Of course it was always just a game to test everyone's capabilites and they would turn back prior to causing any problems. But it was better than sitting there tracking a flock of snow geese, which can give the appearance of a very slow moving air raid.

McCarver/Morgan reminded me of watching the 1968 WS game, where Gibby struck out 17 Tigers, on ESPN Classic last week. The announcers were Harry Caray, Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek, who was wandering through the crowd. For those who never listened to Harry when he was younger, he was really good to listen to (not near the nonsense of his later days) and Curt was always one of my favorites.

My guess is the Blue Jays would be more sensible than the Giants anyway Rambler. I read yesterday that the Giants were unsure if they were going to erect a statue of Barry. If they do, they might want to do it out in the Bay at Alcatraz...with bars around him. :>)

-- Posted by simmons on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 3:50 AM

Curt Gowdy was always one of my favorites as well. I have a lot of respect for his mother as she was a good speller!!

-- Posted by CHatton on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 8:15 PM

and Curt Gowdy was a star basketball player at Wyoming U. I think his team mate was credited with Perfecting the jumpshot.

Anyway--- I use to love the Gowdy-Kubek team.

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 8:42 PM

Im not sure if the prison cells at Alcatraz have enough head room to hold old BB's statue. I suppose if they could hold Capone's big ass, they could hold Barry's gourd.

I will agree Gowdy was one of my faves as well, but for a color-man you just cant beat Uecker, I subscribed to MLB radio just so I could hear his broadcasts, along with some late night drubbings to my Giants.

Funny, Uecker threw out the first pitch of the only game the Brew crew won in this years playoffs, coincidence, i think not. Selig followed up the next night and threw out the pitch that ended the teams season, how fitting.

His book "Catcher in the Wry" is one of the funnier sports books I have ever read, worth a read to anyone who appreciates Bob.

-- Posted by midnightrambler on Thu, Oct 9, 2008, at 12:35 AM

I've reached a point where I don't think I can vote for either Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin. Both parties have seriously failed us.

I think I will be voting 3rd party this time if I have a choice. Nader has my trust and respect...though I honestly want a libertarian like Ron Paul.

Locally I'm pulling for new blood.

-- Posted by hopeanddust on Thu, Oct 9, 2008, at 12:51 PM

I do hate politics, but I love comedy. It just doesn't get any funnier than this election. Now that I think about it, that's a tragedy.

Really the only thing I wrote about politics in all of this was the Dopey and Hillary joke.

Aden and I just went for a golf cart ride. He likes crossing bridges. We stopped and talked to a few people and now, he thinks I know everybody.

-- Posted by simmons on Thu, Oct 9, 2008, at 5:21 PM

"Really the only thing I wrote about politics in all of this was the Dopey and Hillary joke."

Someone must be posting under your screen name then:

"I have been totally amazed since the day that McCain picked Sarah Palin, but hey, that's politics and I definitely don't know a thing about that. Her interviews are definitely worth the price of admission, she's like a female Dan Quayle."

Though I might have posted my frustrations with the 2-party farce without simmons invite.

-- Posted by hopeanddust on Thu, Oct 9, 2008, at 6:47 PM

As an Avid RADIO listener I've discovered Cathers doing the Color for baseball games usually do a good job--- (ok some most of you dont like McCarver anymore -- I think he's gone to NEW YORK myself)

but you think about it--- go back a ways...

JoeGarogiola

Mike Shannon( well he was the emergency catcher on the 64 cardinals-- behind Mac and EUK)

Bob

and really if you can understand it-- YOGI Berra!

I think Catchers -- since they are the only defender that see's the whole field-- get a decent view of the game all around! :)

OK so I got us off politics LOL

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Thu, Oct 9, 2008, at 8:45 PM

Good idea siler, Yogi is actually a St Louis hometowner. I went looking for a good sandwich in Yogis neighborhood a couple of summers ago, thinking in little italy, st louis style i would find a great sammy. I was really disappointed in the sandwich , but the old neighborhood was ripe with history. Right down to the bocci court behind the old bar i had a few sips in. I would really like to try that trip again, with Simmons as a liaison. I would report back with much detail that trip for all his loyal readers.

At least I now have a goal with Simmons for the following year besides eating at the "eat rite" cafe, which Garth and I tore to shreds last time we were in the gateway city. I dont recommend their slinger but their pie on a spinner is magnifique.

Politics are depressing me!

-- Posted by midnightrambler on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, at 12:55 AM

I hear ya, rambler. Depressing to a very real possibility of a depression. A great depression. My Roth IRA is depressing me as it is a fraction of what it once was...but hey, I never had a plan to retire by a specific date. Actually never envisioned growing old enough to retire. In fact, life has been nothing but a party, or gift, ever since I made it through a near-death collision on my 1975 Kawasaki 750cc 2-cycle way back in '77. And now, no bullets flying over my head. I just awoke from a warm and comfy sleep on my TrueForm posturepedic deluxe... sipping my sweet creamed columbian...life is good. Yea, this is the ticket. Who ever thought the party would last anyway? To all you Dodger fans, relax. It can still happen.

-- Posted by hopeanddust on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, at 6:42 AM

Check out the new picture on this blog. Aden has entered into his railroad apprenticeship. As the local freight agent, Aden is supervising the runs of Thomas, Duncan and Scarlooey with the adeptness of an experienced railroader.

-- Posted by simmons on Sat, Oct 11, 2008, at 8:08 AM

I'm never grumpy with Aden, just when he leaves. I just had the opportunity to keep him for 24 hours and it was a treat that I couldn't begin to describe.

Getting prepped for the Cliff Palooza right now.

This looks like a wonderful day to play The Phil backwards. I may try to evolve into some kind of semi-maniacal sportswriter and provide a report on the highlights of this event. This just might be the greatest sporting extravaganza in Greene County this weekend.

Here's to Christopher Columbus and another Monday off. God Bless Government Holidays.

-- Posted by simmons on Sat, Oct 11, 2008, at 8:51 AM

I think its neet how all these special days always happend on Monday????

-- Posted by silerCityDude on Sat, Oct 11, 2008, at 11:27 PM