Rock & Roll
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Brushes with Fame
This is not that interesting nor is it something I think about everyday, but I was just reflecting on some inconsequential "Brushes with Fame" that I have had in my lifetime. You know famous or semi- famous people, you run into in everyday life. Here is a little list of my own, "Run-Ins, w/ Greatness" (or not so great).
1. The Straw That Stirs The Drink... I got to play 3 on 3 basketball with Reggie Jackson, ( yeah that's right...Hall of Famer, Reggie, of the N.Y. Yankees at the Quail Court Gym in around 1980-81. I remember, I blocked part of his shot and he asked me, indeed," If I blocked...his left handed effort?", I thought he might be mad & I kinda down played it...because I was just so thrilled to be invited as the last guy asked to play. I remember being so excited about this, I called my dad to tell him, and even now I have a smile on my face recalling this small event, some 30 years ago.
1-A. NBA Hustler...I again, got to play some basketball, at Quail Court, but this time it was a little One on One with Former NBA player and now Warriors announcer Jim Barnett...This was around 1981 or '82 and Barnett had just retired 2 or 3 years earlier. He and I were the only ones on the court that Friday evening and he asked if I wanted to play....How could I pass this chance up?...Well maybe I should of, the guy was like Spiderman, 6'4"and quick as anyone I have seen....It was hard just to get a shot off. I couldn't keep up with him but he was very nice and even complimented me on some move i made. it was a thrill just to talk to Jim. I even impressed him, with a little of my knowledge of his career, when I mentioned that I remembered his career high game of 42 points against the Seattle Super Sonics. I also commented that Seattle center Bob Rule, had 42 points as well that evening. With that Barnett kind of opened up and told me about another game w/ Portland when he scored 36 pts in around 30+minutes...I tell you it doesn't seem like this was over 30 years ago, it was a very memorable night for me...Good times.
2. The #5... Working at Safeway stores in 1989, back when the Loma Prieta earthquake shook the Bay Area...Joe DiMaggio would come into our store in Martinez ( he is from there-as you well know). I had heard co workers had seen him ( I had not ) and that he was living with relatives while his home was being repaired in the Marina. So as I remember it it was one Sunday and I was about to stock the milk section and I turned around ...and there He was ,The Yankee Clipper...Holy Cow...I couldn't believe it, I remember kinda shaking. In later months he would come through my line at the store and purchased some deli turkey and Chicklets gum. What was funny is that he had placed some chewed up piece of gum on the counter to show all of the gum...Because Joltin' Joe was an honest man as far as I could tell. I wanted to ask for his autograph but my co worker Pat beat me to the punch even though I had the ball ready for this opportunity, I didn't want to bother him too much cuz he really didn't want to sign...oh well...I got the memories.
3. No Bigge.... I saw former major league baseball player Curt Flood walking in Oakland's Chinatown....and yelled out "Hey Curt"...and I still remember Lisa explaining "Don't worry he is just a baseball fan"...and Curt Flood is the reason baseball has Free Agency now, he was a trend setter
4. I saw Oakland A's outfielder Joe Rudi at he Gap in Concord around 1973. I saw him and at first looked at him but couldn't recognize who he was...then went back and he gave me a funny look and I put it together.... Oh yeah, Joe Rudi.
5.Chris Mullin...then of the Golden State Warriors...We saw him at a Billy Joel concert.
6. Duane Kuiper, SF Giants announcer...I saw him at a St. Mary's baseball game.
7. Greg Kihn...of 80's music fame, known for his song ,"Jeopardy"..I saw him shopping on a Saturday night at Safeway in Clayton.
8. Ron Wotus...The SF Giants bench coach,...He belongs to my gym.
9. Dan Reeves...Former Denver Bronco and Atlanta Falcons coach...We saw him in Hawaii at a Mexican restaurant.
10. Pat Simmons... Guitarist ,songwriter, & Singer Of one of our favorite bands... the Doobie , Brothers...He was on the same flight we were coming back from Maui.
11. James Earl Jones...We saw him on a flight back form L.A.
That's it for now...pretty insignificant stuff...huh?
1. The Straw That Stirs The Drink... I got to play 3 on 3 basketball with Reggie Jackson, ( yeah that's right...Hall of Famer, Reggie, of the N.Y. Yankees at the Quail Court Gym in around 1980-81. I remember, I blocked part of his shot and he asked me, indeed," If I blocked...his left handed effort?", I thought he might be mad & I kinda down played it...because I was just so thrilled to be invited as the last guy asked to play. I remember being so excited about this, I called my dad to tell him, and even now I have a smile on my face recalling this small event, some 30 years ago.
1-A. NBA Hustler...I again, got to play some basketball, at Quail Court, but this time it was a little One on One with Former NBA player and now Warriors announcer Jim Barnett...This was around 1981 or '82 and Barnett had just retired 2 or 3 years earlier. He and I were the only ones on the court that Friday evening and he asked if I wanted to play....How could I pass this chance up?...Well maybe I should of, the guy was like Spiderman, 6'4"and quick as anyone I have seen....It was hard just to get a shot off. I couldn't keep up with him but he was very nice and even complimented me on some move i made. it was a thrill just to talk to Jim. I even impressed him, with a little of my knowledge of his career, when I mentioned that I remembered his career high game of 42 points against the Seattle Super Sonics. I also commented that Seattle center Bob Rule, had 42 points as well that evening. With that Barnett kind of opened up and told me about another game w/ Portland when he scored 36 pts in around 30+minutes...I tell you it doesn't seem like this was over 30 years ago, it was a very memorable night for me...Good times.
2. The #5... Working at Safeway stores in 1989, back when the Loma Prieta earthquake shook the Bay Area...Joe DiMaggio would come into our store in Martinez ( he is from there-as you well know). I had heard co workers had seen him ( I had not ) and that he was living with relatives while his home was being repaired in the Marina. So as I remember it it was one Sunday and I was about to stock the milk section and I turned around ...and there He was ,The Yankee Clipper...Holy Cow...I couldn't believe it, I remember kinda shaking. In later months he would come through my line at the store and purchased some deli turkey and Chicklets gum. What was funny is that he had placed some chewed up piece of gum on the counter to show all of the gum...Because Joltin' Joe was an honest man as far as I could tell. I wanted to ask for his autograph but my co worker Pat beat me to the punch even though I had the ball ready for this opportunity, I didn't want to bother him too much cuz he really didn't want to sign...oh well...I got the memories.
3. No Bigge.... I saw former major league baseball player Curt Flood walking in Oakland's Chinatown....and yelled out "Hey Curt"...and I still remember Lisa explaining "Don't worry he is just a baseball fan"...and Curt Flood is the reason baseball has Free Agency now, he was a trend setter
4. I saw Oakland A's outfielder Joe Rudi at he Gap in Concord around 1973. I saw him and at first looked at him but couldn't recognize who he was...then went back and he gave me a funny look and I put it together.... Oh yeah, Joe Rudi.
5.Chris Mullin...then of the Golden State Warriors...We saw him at a Billy Joel concert.
6. Duane Kuiper, SF Giants announcer...I saw him at a St. Mary's baseball game.
7. Greg Kihn...of 80's music fame, known for his song ,"Jeopardy"..I saw him shopping on a Saturday night at Safeway in Clayton.
8. Ron Wotus...The SF Giants bench coach,...He belongs to my gym.
9. Dan Reeves...Former Denver Bronco and Atlanta Falcons coach...We saw him in Hawaii at a Mexican restaurant.
10. Pat Simmons... Guitarist ,songwriter, & Singer Of one of our favorite bands... the Doobie , Brothers...He was on the same flight we were coming back from Maui.
11. James Earl Jones...We saw him on a flight back form L.A.
That's it for now...pretty insignificant stuff...huh?
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Hey Lisa Lee...
Today is our number 35
So here's to keepin' healthy and to have... just survived
To this simple little life and our lessons learned
To being happy together
and our gray hair earned
To our little boy, Our Sunny Son
Watching him grow....and having all that fun
To all our memories...we still share
To putting "Us" first... and being quite a pair
And here's to making our own luck and being thankful
...for all we have made
Because if I know one thing, that is true
It's that Our love will never fade
Oh, and thanks for making our own kind of music...
and diggin' our small insignificant scene
and thanks to You, for keepin "Our Overhead Low"
...You know, what I mean ;o)
In the photo above we are in between the songs "The Show Goes On" & "The Good Life"
Yeah, that's Us
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
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