The Best American Poetry

Happy Birthday, Willie

The most famous catch in World Series history: Willie Mays catches up with Vic Wertz's clout and the New York Giants are on their way to sweeping Cleveland in 1954.

Happy Birthday, Willie. 77 years old today.

Hail the Conquering Hero

(AP)

This is what Shawn Green saw when he approached home plate after his walk-off round-tripper won a tense eleven-inning contest with the Cardinals. The Mets prevailed, 2-1 (June 25, 2007)

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Quiz: "Such, such were the joys / When we all, girls & boys, / In our youth time were seen / On the Ecchoing Green."  Who wrote these lines?

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-- DL

Buzzie Bavasi

Buzzie Bavasi, possessor of one of the great baseball names, died today. He was the general manager of the championship Dodger teams of the 1950s and 60s -- the Brooklyn Dodgers of Duke Snider and Carl Furillo, the LA Dodgers of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Buzzie was ninety-three years old. His real name was Emil Joseph Bavasi.

Buzzie Bavasi

-- DL

Johnny Podres (1932-2008)

Johnny Podres, who died on January 13, 2008, has just shut out the New York Yankees in game seven of the 1955 World Series -- and the Brooklyn Dodgers have won the world championship for the first time. It is October 4, 1955. It is 3:43 in the afternoon.

Quiz: What is the title of the poem composed by ardent Dodger fan Marianne Moore in tribute to the 1955 Dodgers?

-- DL

More Toots [Shor] for the Buck

The ballplayer, the blonde, and that's Toots between them. The marriage lasted nine months.

And in the background Al Jolson sings "Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye."

-- DL

Here's to you, Toots

Kristi Jacobson has made an excellent 85-minute documentary (Toots, 2006) about her grandfather, Toots Shor, and the eponymous joint he opened in 1939 at 51 West 51st Street. Among the cats who went there during the following two decades were Jackie Gleason, Whitey Ford, Edward R. Murrow, Jimmy Hoffa, and the two fellows pictured above. I recommend it.

-- DL

Thank you, Matthew Yeager