Gold Star

 And if I'm going to pass through the Midwest then, if at all possible, I need to swing by Cincinnati to see my old friend Dave. As always, we had a blast. We talked the long the first night that we missed closing time at Skyline Chili; fortunately, Gold Star was more dedicated to providing us with Chili Excellence.

I suppose I shouldn't post a story about heart issues and then include this picture a few slides later. Still, it was great chili - and much better company.

Camp Washington Chili

 I was out of town for a week and half (more on that later), which gave me a chance to get caught up with so many people who I hadn't seen in two years (making me a citizen of the planet, I guess). It would be messy, even by my messy blog standards, to try and tie the trip together in one post, so I'll divide this up into more manageable moments. One of my favorite moments was a trip to Camp Washington Chili, the establishment which routinely ranks near the top, if not at the top, of any list of Cincinnati chili parlors. And, believe me, if you're from the Natti these are important issues. Dave and I remembered eating there - and then we arrived we decided we maybe hadn't actually eaten there - or maybe we're both just really old. It's close to the University of Cincinnati, of which we're both graduates (his JD and my PhD), so it seems entirely plausible that we would have eaten there. Anyway, it was a great meal, and the debate over its merit vis a vis Skyline and Dixie and Empress, etc. continues. I was talking to my PT guy the other day about Cincinnati chili and my desire to devote an entire weekend to visiting different chili parlors to research this question. He said, "But how many chili parlor could you possibly visit in a weekend?" I was more than a little horrified by his horrified surprise at my answer of ten or twelve, and I clearly need to get a new PT guy.

Happily, Camp Washington Chili has survived as an independent chili parlor since before the US entered World War II.

A classic chili parlor.

The esteemed Dave Kelley and I discussed the pros and cons of the different varieties of Cincinnati chili - and the deeper meaning of reality - which is really the same question.

Out and About in the Natti

 I've mentioned one of the things that has given me joy - and kept me reasonably sane - during this long pandemic has been my Monday evening video chats with my oldest friends, Jack and Dave. Jack always sets up the Zoom meetings, mainly so that he I can include amusing/childish backgrounds (and get some sort of perverse joy that Dave hasn't mastered the art yet). Inevitably we blow through the first forty-five minute session and the queue up for a second. Last night, however, we were limited to one because I had to run off to Pedro's for Iftar (a couple posts back) and Dave had to go out and meet folks, who turned out to be my son and my nephew Garrett. Now, my nephew lives in the Natti, but Gary had driven back to the Midwest to visit his mom (which always makes me very happy when he does).

Garrett, The Boy, Dave. I just wish I was there to join in the fun.

But Bring a Spare

 So this showed up in the mail yesterday. I don't think I've reached the point of matching my mask with my outfit (or even ever matching my outfit) but I've definitely reached the stage of looking for certain masks (and being dissatisfied with the availability of CFL masks). My friend Jack immediately point this in the appropriate context when he pointed out: "Be sure to bring a spare. They only last 6 innings." To get the joke you have to have followed the trials and tribulations of the Reds terrible bullpen.

My friend Ellen asked if it absorbed tears.

Irrational League Draft 2019

Last weekend I made my way down to Miami, Florida for the draft that began the 27th season of the Irrational League. It doesn't seem that long ago that I suggested we start a fantasy baseball league; I think it was in a Subway restaurant up by UC, on a trip back to the Natti after we have moved to Atlanta. I've told the story before about how when I was trapped in Zanzibar looking after a very sick student I received word that my great friend Gary Beatrice had passed away.  Along with Bob Sawma that now makes two members of the league who have passed.  Truthfully, I don't know if I've ever gotten over Gary's passing, and only partially because I didn't have time to grieve then (I had to get the student packed so that we could be flown to Nairobi on an air ambulance).  Anyway, it's made me value my friends even more than before. I visited Jack down in Miami last summer and told him that it was essential that we had to carry out the next draft in Miami.  I love heading back to Cincinnati every year, but it was also pretty sweet to run around southern Florida for a few days (especially if you're coming from the Yankee Hellhole). If I had not sadly drafted the worst team in fantasy baseball history it would have just about been a perfect weekend.

Here we are at a Miami Marlins game.  It's a beautiful stadium, which sadly was almost deserted.

Ace of the Staff

The last year or so has been a tough one for my great friend Gary Beatrice.  He started out, well over a quarter century ago, as a friend of a friend, but over the years has become one of my best friends.  He's a better husband and a better father and a better friend that I could ever hope to be, and he richly deserves all the wonderful things that life has to give and none of the bad ones.  In the face of a lot of pain and bad news he and his amazing wife Margie have been unflappable.  Things are looking great at the moment, and we're all thankful for that.  Last night, for I think the second time, he was chosen to throw out the first pitch at a Cincinnati Reds game.  I thought this was the coolest thing ever the first time he did it, and therefore I don't know what to say about a repeat performance.  I've always wanted to throw out the first pitch out a Reds game, but only if I could have my friend Dave Kelley at the plate - so I could dust him for crowding the plate.

Gary Beatrice and Dick Stewart.  Happily, they'll both be eligible for the Hall of Fame in the same year.

Beatrice bringing the heat, and making the fans forget Aroldis Chapman.

Gary being sexually accosted by Rosie the Red.

Gary and Margie

I just wanted to include a picture of my wonderful friends, Gary and Margie Beatrice.  Here they are dressed up as Gary was set to receive a much-deserved award for his contributions to the business community of Northern Kentucky.  It's been a tough year for them, and Gary is struggling with some health issues, but I know the coming months will be better ones.

They've been friends for years, and they always represented what I thought a couple should be, and I've always envied their relationship.  Great friends and great parents and great spouses.

Reds Hall of Fame

Or the closest I will ever get to a Hall of Fame.  In April I made my yearly trip back to the Natti for my fantasy baseball draft.  The Irrational League is entering its 17th or 18th season or far longer than can be rationally explained - except that it is a collection of a great group of guys who I am pleased and happy and honored to call my friends.  Every couple years I post pictures of the draft, which if nothing else documents the ravages of time (although none so more than with me).  While there David and I visited the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, which we had heard was the best of any MLB team, and I'm happy to say that it's true.  Of course, the Reds were formed in 1869 so they have more history to celebrate than anyone else.  I'll have to post some more pictures in a bit.  Right now here's a picture David insisted on taking.  I'm mainly curious how my Dad keeps sneaking into my pictures and taking my place.

I'm sure the ball bounced off my head for a home run.

Irrational League

There are certain times of year when it is ridiculous to try and get me to concentrate (and they seem to be expanding every year). One of them is late March, because I am focusing on the upcoming fantasy baseball league draft for the Irrational League. Our league, which had humble origins years ago as a crazy spark of an idea at a Subway shop up next to the University of Cincinnati when I was up visiting from Atlanta, is getting ready to launch it's sixteenth year. Gary Beatrice, Glenn Rice (who comes and goes in the league) and I were having lunch when I proposed that it might be cool to put together a fantasy baseball league, and I think we drafted two days later. There were only four of us so we restricted the pool of players to the NL West (the old National League West) because we didn't want to have too much talent available and because Cincinnati was in that division.

The membership has shifted over the years, but it has always been a great group of folks. We've had a steady core, pictured below, for several years now - from top to bottom: David Kelley (Springfield Isotopes), Jack Schultz (Indy Griffiths), Gary Beatrice (Boston Bums), Daryl Evans (Kentucky Cubs), Bob Sawma (Red Dogs), Kelly Hamad (Killers) and Mike Bergman Bombers). A lot of folks mock the fantasy leagues, and, like most things, some people do take it to an illogical extreme, but I've always enjoyed our league immensely. It's allowed me to keep connected to some great friends, and get reconnected to people like Jack, who was my best friend in high school. Plus, it's forced me to know a lot more about baseball, especially the minor leagues, than I ever thought possible.

One of these days I should put together a blog posting centered around my favorite Irrational league moments, but no time for that today. The draft itself is always my Christmas and I look forward to it way too much, especially if it includes a trip into Cincinnati. The draft itself takes around six hours, and then we normally retire to a local Skyline Chili parlor to break our fast and to begin sand-bagging and trading. Sadly, I'm trapped in Abu Dhabi this year so we're going to try and carry on the draft online (insh'allah). Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have no chance at all to win this year so I'm not too worried about the technology. Normally by this time I would be awash in preparation and have pages and pages of notes, but I haven't even thought about it yet. The Atlanta Crackers went all in last year in a mad attempt to win their sixth title and ended up finishing second, which I consider last, so the cupboard is bare, which means I can just focus all of my attention of destroying other team's dreams. Go Crackers!!

Union Terminal Mosaic Murals

Here's a very long-delayed posting that I don't really have time to explore in the detail that it deserves. Here are a few pictures of some of the extraordinary mosaics that were originally in the old Union Terminal train station in Cincinnati. These are in the Cincinnati Airport, which means that even if you can't make it downtown to Union Terminal itself you can at least catch a glimpse of them as you pass through Cincinnati. My understanding, and I could certainly be wrong, is that they are the largest non-religious mosaic murals in the world. They were designed by the German artist Winold Reiss back in the early 1930's and celebrated the industries of Cincinnati, back in the day when the Natti was a true working class town.

The mosaics were housed in the glorious old train station, which is a masterpiece of Art Deco art. The station itself was a victim of changing economic times in the US and it's a miracle that the mosaics survived. In fact, the largest one which was am amazing map of the world was destroyed back in the 1970s (it sort of reminds me of how the squares in Savannah almost didn't survive the 1970s and idiotic ideas about urban renewal). Luckily Union Terminal today is a functioning museum center so the mosaics which are still housed there are safe.

Now, it does make you wonder if a celebration of the working man like this would even be possible in today's America?