Play Ball! (Already?)
Did you know that baseball season started this week? I did not. Seems a little early, no?
It’s amazing how things can change over the years. Every year up until my late teens I loved baseball. I was obsessed with it. I would watch every Red Sox game, I played in Little League (actually, Minor League, the league for younger kids, right before Little), and even kept score of games in one of those baseball scorebooks. I don’t think I could do that now because I don’t remember all of the little symbols and lines and numbers.
I even cried when the Sox won the World Series in 2004.
But now? If you offered me a million dollars I couldn’t name one person on the Red Sox except the manager (though if anyone wants to make me that offer I can use Google). I have no idea what’s going on with the team, and the last time I watched a game was in 2018. And the only reason I watched then is because they made the World Series (I didn’t watch any of the regular season games). If I tried to watch a night game now I’d probably fall asleep like the kid on the cover above.
Anyway, baseball season has started! You can buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, but I don’t ever see myself getting back to liking the game the way I used to.
Okay, So Where Did “OK” Come From?
It’s something all of us say at least once a day, and we probably don’t even realize it because it’s so common and only two letters. (It’s four letters if you use “okay.”)
It’s so common I’ve already used it six times in this column.
The first use of the term that is accepted by most experts is in Boston during the 1830s, as a mistaken abbreviation of “all correct” (“oll korrect”). Of course, there are approximately 27,000 other theories, so who knows?
Howard Johnson’s at 100
I’m cheating a bit here. The official 100th anniversary of Howard Johnson restaurants was last year, but I thought it was still worth mentioning.
The last location, in Lake George, New York, closed in 2022, but many people of a certain age have fond memories of the orange-roofed establishments. It was once the largest restaurant chain in the United States.
The Howard Johnson hotels are still around. They’re owned by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts.
Quote of the Week
“Fictitious friends and mannequin copilots won’t cut it.”
– California Highway Patrol, after stopping a man in the carpool lane with a fake passenger
RIP Chuck Norris, Valerine Perrine, Robert Mueller, Nicholas Brendon, Ed Overmyer, Ed Bernard, and Kiki Shepard
Chuck Norris starred in the CBS action series Walker, Texas Ranger, as well as in films like Missing in Action, Code of Silence, The Way of the Dragon, and Lone Wolf McQuade. He died last week at the age of 86.
Valerie Perrine appeared in such films as Lenny (for which she received an Oscar nomination), Superman, The Border, The Electric Horseman, Slaughterhouse-Five, and The Border. She died Monday at the age of 82.
Robert Mueller was former director of the FBI. He died last week at the age of 81.
Nicholas Brendon starred on Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and had roles on Criminal Minds and Kitchen Confidential. He died last week at the age of 54.
Ed Overmyer created the TV series Bosch and produced/wrote for such shows as Law and Order, The Wire, Treme, Boardwalk Empire, The Man in the High Castle, Homicide: Life on the Street, and The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd. He died last week at the age of 74.
Ed Bernard had roles on such shows as Police Woman and The White Shadow and appeared in films like Shaft, Across 110th Street, and The Hot Rock. He died in January at the age of 86.
Kiki Shepard was a dancer and actress and one of the hosts of Showtime at the Apollo. She died last week at the age of 74.
This Week in History
Joanie Loves Chachi Premieres (March 23, 1982)
Along with AfterMASH, Joey, Three’s a Crowd, and The Brady Brides, Joanie Loves Chachi is known as one of the worst spinoffs in TV history. It lasted for 17 episodes and then the stars went back to Happy Days.
Tennessee Williams Born (March 26, 1911)
He was known as a playwright, of course, penning such American classics as The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Night of the Iguana. But he was also a screenwriter.
He died in 1983 and wanted to be buried at sea in a very specific way. But he did not get his wish.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Howard Johnson’s Clamboree (March 27, 1965)
I had clams at Howard Johnson’s more times than I can count. Never the clam chowder though (I’m one of those people who loves clams but not the chowder).
April Is National Brunch Month
Clams for brunch? Why not?
Or you could make Curtis Stone’s Bagel, Egg, and Mushroom Brunch or his Easy Asparagus Omelet. Good Housekeeping has this Grilled Fruit Salad with Vanilla Yogurt, the New York Times has Overnight French Toast, and The Pioneer Woman has a Conbread Casserole. If you like Breakfast Tacos, Love & Lemons has them, and Food52 has this Hot Chicken & Jalapeño Bacon Cheddar Waffle.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
Aprils Fools’ Day (April 1)
Too bad I didn’t mention Howard Johnson’s 100th a few months ago. You could have bought your spouse some Fried Clam Soap (it’s sold out).
National Walk to Work Day (April 3)
If you work from home, you do this every day.
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Comments
I will dissent on the idea of “AfterMASH” being bad. It had the misfortune of following one of the best shows ever. I have since seen several episodes and I say the idea of a “dramady” centered around a Veteran’s Hospital was full of potential. Alas, ratings weren’t good and as I said it was in the shadow of the original. You’re right about the others you listed, though. A peanut-butter-and-asphalt sandwich would be more appetizing than that lot. PFWAUGGH!!!
Dear Editor:
The baseball tradition began in August of 1904 when President Teddy Roosevelt went to the World Fair, ostensibly to visit the fair.
The ball game was New York City team and the St. Louis.
When he arrived. he was [as almost always] hungry, so his “Press Ecreaatary” Canadian-born journalist Laurance Hill Grahame, got him a coupole of hot dogs [the buns were a new item], a couple of ice cream cones [flavor unknown]…the cones were new at the fair, a bottle or two of Dr. Pepper [new to the fair] & a box of “Cracker Jack” new at the fair.
The next day of the double header, he made a “quickie trip” around the fair, to fulfill his obligations, and, then took in the nest game.
This time, it was two hamburgers[the buns were new];a couple of bottles of “Canada Dry: gingerale…new at the fair and another box of Cracker Jack and likely a ag of unshelled peanuts, the bage was still in the person of Hill’s grand-daughter in the year 2000.
Not certain when beer replaced the soda drinks, but, this is the beginning of that diet according to his Grahams’s grand-daughter in a year 2000 interview.
These games were to showcase baseball as a possible Olympic game.
Okay ?
Sincerely.
Gord Young – Peterboro ON Canada [still not the 15st state]
The New York “Highlanders” won two out of three games
Bob, I thinks it’s best if you consult the Post’s Andy Hollandbeck as the best source on the true origins of the word ‘okay’. A fake passenger in the carpool lane. Of course it was California. ‘Joanie/Chachi’ sounds terrible, but so was ‘Happy Days’. The only good thing that came from it were the first few seasons of ‘Laverne & Shirley’.
Tennessee Williams was a brilliant playwright and screenwriter, to be sure. As for the clams dinner in this 1965 Howard Johnson’s ad, it does indeed look like a tasty dish; with no skimping, either.
When I was a kid and the Army was transferring my dad somewhere stateside, my family would stay and eat at Howard Johnsons more often than not. Fried chicken was my meal of choice and the rooms were simple, nice and clean. It made sense. After a day on the road, the last thing anyone wanted to do was get back in the car to find something to eat. I’d take that over a boutique hotel any day. Thanks for bringing back the memories of people and places long gone.
R.I.P. Chuck Norris and thank you for all you did for our Lone Star State and life lessons taught on “Walker, Texas Ranger.” You will be missed.
Also, Valerie Perrine R.I.P. Your performance in the Superman movie is unforgettable.
What a tasty looking dish at the Howard Johnson’s Restaurant.
Hi Bob-
HoJo’s fried classic were the best!! And of course had to be followed by a scoop of their delicious ice cream. Thanks for the memory.
For all baseball fans and folks interested in the sport’s (and American) histories, I wanted to mention that I’ve dropped the First Inning of Diamond in the Rough: Baseball, Bigotry, and the Battle for America, Season 2:
https://americanstudier.podbean.com/e/the-first-inning-japanese-americans-baseball-the-american-story/
This season focuses on baseball at the Manzanar Japanese incarceration camp, and new Innings will drop every Wednesday. Check it out and let me know your thoughts if you do, thanks!
Ben