For the 2nd straight year, we were guests of the Philadelphia Phillies on the occasion of Jackie Robinson Day, April 15, 2012. The statue is a one-of-a-kind, hand-carved, solid-wood statue, depicting Robinson in a 1955 home Dodger uniform. Everything you see on that statue is wood; the shoes, shoelaces, hat, skin, uniform: everything. Fans enjoyed taking photos with it all game long. It was a great experience and I want to thank the Phillies, particularly Kenny Johnson and Deb Rinaldi, for their work in making this come off so easily.
Jackie’s next stop is scheduled to be the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO, in time for this Summer’s All-Star game, which is in KC this year.
The Phillies crew gets some close ups of Jackie right off the bat.
The boys eat lunch behind the sign. It’s a long drive down for them and they need some fuel.
The boys each got a Phillie Phanatic from the guys at the Phillies. It was a very generous gift for them and they loved them! All day, they were our constant companions.
Here’s Gregg Murphy of the Phillies going over our in-game spot in the 5th inning. They could not get a camera to show the statue live, so they used the shots they had gotten earlier and we did the spot from the standing room section behind the left field foul pole. Murphy was very nice and put me at ease and the spot came off nice and relaxed.
The boys were tired but rallied in the suite. We only had an inning or two up there, because we have to be with the statue mostly, but we did get up there. The two gentlemen in the background are the fellows who played for the Phildelphia Stars in the early 1950′s. They signed the ball we got last year and we were glad to see them again. The Tuskegee Airmen were in a different suite and I got over there in time to speak to a few of them and that was a real nice treat. They are great guys and the country should be aware of their sacrifices under trying conditions.
The boys pose with their Phanatics.
The boys loved the doughnut car and even got some freebies.
All in all, it was a wonderful day. Both boys were old enough to go and really enjoyed it. The Phillies’ staff was just great as always and we hit all of our marks during the day. Many, many people said very nice things about the statue and it’s always great to get the statue out in front of baseball fans and hear their comments. It makes all the hours spent covered with sawdust seem worth it. Thanks, everybody. Hope to see you next year.
Recently completed: a solid-wood, hand carved, life size statue of Curt Schilling’s leg (yes, leg). The sculpture will be auctioned off to benefit ALS at a future date to be determined.
I had a ball making this item and I really like it although it generates some interesting responses, from bemused to, “who’s Curt Schilling?” from the non-sporting crowd. I have had it in front of people and the responses have been nice.
I got so tired of people not understanding that my art was 100% wood, even, at times, when they were standing in front of it and being told by me that it was wood. You would be surprised. So with this piece, I put it right out there and I plan on doing that with all of my pieces from now on.
* And before anyone asks me, I’ll tell you. ALS is handling the auction. It’s not on any fast track right now. Yes, I have tried to contact Curt Schilling through social media to propose the idea that he sign it to give it legs in the auction. Since I’m not making a dime off of it, I figured that I’d at least be acknowledged and to date I have not been. Am I disappointed in that? Well, to be completely honest, I am a little, I have to admit, but, I know he’s doing this huge launch to a product that his company has sweated blood to produce, so I understand the busyness.
I know he has people coming at him from all angles with his gaming company and on and on, so I do respect the demands placed on him, however, when someone spends the time I did, meticulously creating an art object for a charity auction for a cause that he champions, then I would hope for an acknowledgement at least. Even if the answer is “no”, which it could easily be. He may be uncomfortable getting too close to something that might appear self-serving. I would totally respect that. But I would like to at least hear, “message rcvd. great work. sorry, no can do good luck”. That’s it. Would that be too much? I read 10 tweets a day from him about the video games and sundry so it’s not like he’s not plugged in. Oh well, everything happens for a reason. So don’t ask me this question again! Got it? haha. Thanks.
Addendum: The Jackie Robinson statue looks like it will be appearing at Citizens Bank Park for the Mets-Phils on Sun April 15, 2012, but I do not have confirmation on that as of right now. It’s a strong possibility however. Love to see everyone there. Day game! Very pleased that the schedule makers did that.
Also, I am in talks with the Negro League Baseball Museum to have Jackie shipped out to Kansas City and displayed at the museum through the All-Star Game period. I’m very happy about that as well. Jackie belongs there and I hope a lot of folks get to see him.
Let’s talk politics. First let’s get some facts lined up:
FACT: The Liberal media provides millions of dollars of free tailwind and headwind to the candidates that they like/don’t like. In 2008, they got John McCain the GOP nomination because he was the closest thing to a Democrat running on the GOP side, and he was the most beatable candidate.
This time, they’d like nothing better than Huntsman, because he’s basically a Democrat. But they know it’s not going to happen, so they are backing Mitt Romney (a man, who, I might add, could NOT beat John McCain last time!). They are backing him in the primary season. If he gets the nomination, expect that same Liberal media that backed him to POUND him on being a Mormon and on having enacted universal healthcare in Mass. Oh, and they’ll dredge up some other stuff. The tone will change ON A DIME–over night.
Romney is NOT a Conservative. He is a very liberal pol. Any Republican who can (a) win in Mass and (b) pass universal healthcare, isn’t Conservative. Oh, and, by the way, that universal healthcare is costing multiples MORE than he promised and that’s precisely how the Obamacare will go and why it is imperitive to repeal it–we simply don’t have the money. Forget that it’s bad law–we simply don’t have the money. It will break us. We borrow 42 cents of every federal dollar spent. To enact a monolithic entitlement program like that when we are borrowing so much money is as close to national suicide as you’ll ever see. It must go.
The candidates who will figure are now running thusly:
Cain, Romney, Gingrich, Bachmann. Paul is only a factor if he is dumb enough to run as a 3rd party guy and virtually ensure that Obama wins. Huntsman is not realistic. Santorum ditto.
Bachmann may do very well in Iowa and, as a Conservative woman with gravitas, she may be a viable veep candidate. I would applaud that as the Dems have a permanent 15% advantage with women and that is why they attack Palin and Bachmann so rudely and visciously: they are scared stiff of a woman on the GOP side pulling that number down. Their whole “party” rests on that. The other leg of the stool is minorities, and that explains the treatment that Cain and Clarence Thomas get.
Now originally I liked Cain. I LOVED that he was NOT ROMNEY! And that was the point to Cain. But for 2 reasons, I don’t want him nominated. The 999 thing is not the right thing right now. I want a candidate who won’t waste ANY political capital on a radical overhaul. The radical overhaul is REPEAL OBAMACARE. It must be the first and only thing focused on until it is done. So 999 is a distraction that could cost us dearly. It also introduces a national sales tax, and I don’t want Congress with any new taxes to play with. Once enacted, they only go up. The power to tax is the power to destroy!
The real reason Cain needs to step aside? He recently said on the record that China was seeking nuclear weapons! Even as a school kid, I knew that China had them since the 1960′s. You can’t win the general and be throwing this red meat to the media. He will lose. There is too much at stake.
If he was Joe Biden, he’d get a pass, but he’s the opposite of Joe Biden–every Liberal “journo” wants to nail him, and if it’s that easy, then buh-bye, Herman. I respect you; I like you; but you can’t do that and win. This is too important. I wish you all kinds of well. And thank you for a very important job well done–you exposed the hate machine that is the Democratic/Liberal Media complex, that is for those who look at it objectively and in good faith.
With Cain a disaster, that leaves only Gingrich to thwart the disaster that is Romney. I know, I know, he said some things that were head scratchers. The photo op with Pelosi and the Globaloney Warming comments. I get it. But he is so smart and so dang erudite under pressure that he HAS to be the nominee. He also understands as do NO OTHER CANDIDATES that he is not only trying to convince people to vote for his IDEAS, but that he is fighting a ruthless and dishonest enemy: the press. He routinely goes after the press and calls out their ridiculous Liberal bias! To me, this is now a REQUIREMENT of any Conservative candidate. You MUST fight back against the bias and not only is Newt the one best equipped to do that, he is the ONLY one who seems to understand that it must be done! I’m tired of the Bush’s laying back and allowing their enemies attack them with no fear of pushback. The ideas need to be put out there and Newt will do it.
Newt is experienced. He has the Contract with American and the very skill full dampening of the most Liberal part of the Clinton years after the ’94 congress. He understands Congress and how you get things done. He understands the space. He is pleasant and smart and steeped in historical contextual knowledge and what’s more: he can THINK and SPEAK ON HIS FEET!
He is, I believe, realistically Conservative. What does that mean? Well, it means he is smart enough not to waste his time tilting at windmills with stuff like 999 while the healthcare bill alone is holding back GDP by 2-3% per year right now just on fear alone! He knows what needs to be done in what order and he knows what is OBTAINABLE and in what time frame!
We are very close to having the Liberal media, once again, shove a very liberal, lightweight candidate down our throats. We have a very short window left with which to thwart this. Newt is the only choice and he’s a da*n good choice too!
Don’t blow this. Don’t be fooled by radical/unelectable Ron Paul or Cain. Romney is who your enemies want. Gingrich has the added sweetner of being HATED by the Liberals! A Gingrich presidency would rankle them monumentally; right up there with Palin or Bachmann or Cain. They were so scared of Newt in the 90′s that they put him on the cover of Newsweek:
You want to know who the Left fears? Watch who they ATTACK! And NO ONE was more attacked in the 1990′s than Newt.
Addendum: How can I prove the media is pushing Romney and tearing down everyone else? Well, there are many ways. Newbusters.org is a great daily source of objective, verifiable stuff, but it’s even simpler than that. Just go about your business and count up the times you hear a KNOWN Liberal say, “…Oh, Romney has already won” and add that to the number of times you hear: “…Cain CAN’T win” or “…Bachmann can’t win”, or “…Gingrich can’t win”.
They want you to think that it’s over; that Romney has already won; that there are no issues with Romney; that all the other candidates are deeply flawed. Just listen with half an ear and it’s obvious.
Last weekend I worked all weekend clearing trees and raking leaves and had my headphones on Bloomberg Business News and the Liberal bias on Bloomberg was just STAGGERING. It was a joke. It was either bashing Cain or pushing Huntsman the whole weekend. It was a cartoon. But remember, Fox News is biased, even though they can’t give specific examples; even though Shep is a Lib; Greta is a Lib; Juan Williams and Geraldo are Libs. You think there are any Conservatives at MSNBC? hahahaha.
Buried Treasure, Fox 5 NY, Wed 8pm, w/ 2nd show at 9pm
My family, like a lot of others, is into collectibles and antiques. I have, along with my brothers, collected antique glass since I was in gramar school. I’ve literally dug antique glass out of 150 year old rubbish heaps as well as bought & sold it at shows, auctions, online and through magazine want ads. I’ve been a dealer at shows as well. So naturally, we like Antiques Roadshow. It’s a great show. It was one of the first reality shows. It made stars of the Keno brothers, the identical twins who do the furniture reviews on Roadshow.
In the last 2 years, you have seen several shows get into that space: Pawn Stars and Pickers namely, but there are several others that center around auctions and appraisals and even restorations. Apparently, PBS’s show just scratched the surface of the true demand in this space that they so expertly pioneered. Now, after over a decade, they have spun off the Keno’s into their own show. My first thought was “boy, was that late–they should have done this 7 years ago!”.
My mother and I watched the first shows and even though we were really fired up about the concept, we were scratching our heads as to how they decided to implement it. I don’t know a lot about TV, but I assume that the Producer or Executive Producer is the one who shapes the show’s final look and feel. Here is the blurb on the website as to who this is:
BURIED TREASURE is a production of ITV Studios America. The series is co-created by Joe Livecchi (“What Not to Wear”) and Tim Miller (“White House: Behind Closed Doors”), and executive produced by Livecchi, Miller, Paul Buccieri (“Eleventh Hour”), Leigh Keno and Leslie Keno. Tim Eagan (HELL’S KITCHEN) serves as co-executive producer.
So I guess our beefs are directed at one or all of these folks.
Anyway, our beefs are many. First off, we watch these shows to
(a) learn about the pieces and to
(b) see the pieces and
(c) then hear an appraisal with regard to condition issues.
In this show, we don’t learn much about the pieces. On Roadshow, which is the gold standard, we get a real concise but thorough education about a piece by an expert.
We don’t always see the pieces long enough or in enough detail. There are too many edits to the Kenos and to the people sitting there trying to ratchet up artificial drama. Treat it more like Roadshow. Put everyone in one big shot for the “payoff” moment. While we’re building up to it, let’s see the piece!
The single most annoying thing about the show is the producer attempting to build tension and tease the big price reveals. DON’T ABUSE your audience! We know you’re going to talk price so just do it and get ON WITH IT! For heaven’s sake, don’t have the Keno’s stutter in their sentences to build up phony tension! It’s annoying! Ask the Kenos if they would EVER treat a client that way in their biz–they wouldn’t DREAM OF IT! But you think nothing of doing that to your audience like we are idiots! Speak plainly like they do on Roadshow! Save it for last, ok fine, but don’t tease it so much and don’t have them try to add drama with spoken pauses! That’s just obnoxious!
There are other more mildly annoying things about the show. One is that they try very hard to inject some personal tales of woe into the narrative. Most of the time, it’s a reach. One woman was a borderline hoarder; one wanted money for a child’s education; one wanted to (get this) feel “closer” to his dead brother! These are thinly disguised and thoroughly manufactured premises. We see through them. Just reveal the items and educate us and appraise them. It’s nice that they might want the money for a child’s education, but it doesn’t materially change the item, what it’s worth and the appraisal. I honestly DO NOT care if someone will, or will NOT, sell their item. It’s moot. I am not all tied in knots because a guy won’t sell his Superman comic book worth 20 G’s. I just don’t care. It’s his book and his life. If finding out you have a 20 thousand dollar bill there is causing you conflict, I think that’s phony-baloney. I suspect the producer is TELLING you to act this way for his dopey vision of what a good show is, or is not. I smell a rat. It’s immaterial. The item, the history and the appraisal, are why I’m tuning in and the phony, ginned-up “drama” is why I probably WON’T be tuning in much longer.
Look, it’s a neat idea. Keep it simple. Some people have big jumbles of old stuff and may not know what they have. You want to bring in pros to sort through it and highlight the highlights, then great! That concept stands on it’s own merit. The teases and delays and repeating things after the break are just obnoxious and get in the way of a nice concept. You have something the other shows do not–the Kenos! Put them in the best light, doing what they do best and LET THEM DO IT! People LIKE them and what’s more, people feel they know them and trust them so let them lead in an uncluttered way.
It’s not too late for the show, but you have to be ready to really rethink some of the things you’re doing and simplify it. Force it less. Let it flow more via the Kenos, otherwise, why have them?
Obama is going to speak tonight and probably ask for another 300 to 400 billion for a “jobs program”. Well, he’s not going to actually “ask” but rather, say that this is what should be done and then add that those mean Republicans in Congress will prevent this and thus, the rest of the recession is “on them”.
First of all, we don’t HAVE this money.
We borrow 42 cents of every dollar we spend at the Federal level.
That’s insane.
That’s unsustainable.
That will collapse the dollar eventually.
So, if he were actually telling the truth, he would say, “…I want to borrow or print, another 300 to 400 billion”, because that’s what’s really happening.
If I were a Republican running for President, I would jump up and demand, at the top of my lungs, that he stand before the nation like a man, and detail for us what he did with the last 787 Billion dollars that he spent (that we didn’t have either). Where is it? HOW did we spend it? On what kinds of things? Obama himself said that his “shovel ready” jobs weren’t so shovel ready. Oh really? Tell us where this money went! Where are the jobs? If it was a success, Obama ought to have many, many examples of them.
I would say we won’t vote a single dime of new money until he gives us a full accounting of the last one. It’s what any leader would do at the beginning of any meeting in which he was coming back and asking for more money. You want venture capital? You better have a good business plan. You want MORE venture capital? You better be prepared to show what you are doing and did with the money.
I think that’s fair. I don’t think that’s harsh or partisan. It’s OUR money, err, it’s our names he’s ringing up this insane debt on. Stand and deliver, pal. I keep reading what a great orator he is–get up and tell us? Where did the money go? Why will it be different this time?
That aside, if he wants to end the recession we’re in, he needs to do 2 things: Completely repeal the healthcare bill that is frightening business into sitting on cash. You rammed it down the American people’s throats out of a smoke-filled room. It’s 2000+ pages; you never read it. Nancy Pelosi ADMITTED she didn’t read it. It’s a budget buster. Businesses don’t know what their labor costs are going to be when this kicks in. Repeal it and businesses would breathe such a sigh of relief that it would be audible.
Cut spending. A LOT. Do it NOW.
These two things would send a signal to business that the government “gets” it. Then, they might take some risks. Until then? Nope.
Ultimately, our form of government has a major flaw in it. It will be our undoing unless it is fixed at the Constitutional level. Our system rewards politicians only for SPENDING MORE and never for spending less. Government will always grow, and that’s not a good thing. Spending will always grow and that’s about to destroy us. I think they called it “Bureaucratic Inertia” in my IR class in 1984: government always gets bigger–never smaller.
Since our currency is not backed by hard assets (and I’m not taking a position that is should or should not be), it is a “fiat” currency. It exists by government fiat ONLY. It has no other value other than “the government says so”. If politicians are allowed to deficit spend the stuff, AND to PRINT the stuff, then it will not end well. There has to be a hard limit tied to a verifiable metric like GDP, beyond which, the government can not spend. This must be an amendment to the US Constitution and it must be sacrosanct. Otherwise, sooner or later, it will not end well.
Don’t believe me? Your president will get on tv tonight and tell us we’re stupid if we don’t want to borrow and/or print another .4 TRILLION of the fiat dollars, so that he can spend them and tell everyone he’s a big hero. He’s already done this before.
After 3 hours of sleep, it was up at 3am and driving down from NY with the Jackie Robinson statue to do the first of many interviews and appearances at Fox. Ably assisted by Kenny Johnson and Deb Rinaldi of the Phillies, we hit our marks out in front of Fox at 7:20am. A few teaser shots and then a short interview with Fox 29′s John Anderson. Click here to see the interview in a new window
Here’s a small clip my brother took from a little way away during the Uke Washington interview:
Then it was on to a community Jackie Robinson Event at the Philadelphia Stars Memorial at Belmont and Parkside Aves, in Philadelphia. That crossroads was the location of the Philadelphia Stars ballpark. The Stars were Philly’s entry in the old Negro League. Later this day, my family would get to meet two of the last surviving members of that franchise.
There were many groups attending and special promotions from the Phillies. The children were having a ball and posed for this photo.
There were several groups and this particular group did a dance number before posing.
There were many nice monuments marking the site and those who were a part of it. I really enjoyed meeting regular folks from this community and just listening to the older fellows tell me how much Jackie Robinson and Monte Irvin and Larry Doby meant to them growing up. You know, when you do an event like this, those dusty pages in a history book become real live anecdotes and recollections and it was amazing to take it all in. It was also very flattering to hear the very sincere compliments for the statue. When you spend that long covered with itchy sawdust, it is very gratifying to hear these things and see the sparkle in their eyes, as opposed to words on a page.
Here we are finally at The Bank. It’s early; well before batting practice and my amazing handlers with the Phillies (Kenny Johnson & Deb Rinaldi) lined up a couple of more interviews. The first was with John Mayberry, the man who’s hit won the exciting Phils opener. I don’t have any photos of that interview but it went very well and it was nice to see and hear John’s reaction to the statue. It was probably the first time I had spoken to someone who was directly in line with Robinson’s courageous work, so it was extra special for me.
After that piece, we did a short interview with Comcast out in dead center field. What a beautiful backdrop! I have been to 40 different major league ballparks in my lifetime and Citizens’ Bank Park is my favorite building. Everything about it just feels right.
All night it was the same thing: folks lined up in a semi circle around it, taking photos and asking questions. It never gets old. I met some really tremendous people and heard just an amazing array of stories and anecdotes about Robinson, Civil Rights, baseball, art and on and on. This part of it is easy and never feels like work.
By this point in the day, I’m feeling my 3 hours of sleep and nonstop itinerary pretty acutely, however, a great subplot was that my 3.5 year old son, Thomas, came to the game and it was his first time in a big league ballpark! What a way to break in! His uncle Bob, shown below, was holding him up to see the Phillies take batting practice and he caught a BP homer left handed while holding Thomas in his right hand! So on his first game day, Thomas gets a ball!
Later on this evening, Thomas got the ball signed by the last two remaining Phildelphia Stars and for that I am very grateful and want to thank both the Stars and again, my Phillies guardian angel, Kenny Johnson. Kenny is just a pro’s pro and he hit his marks (and kept me hitting mine) all day long with aplomb. He put on a clinic. It’s a pleasure to watch someone do something that they are so good at, whether it be art, or sports, or even business.
Below is Thomas showing off his baseball. How great is that?
Here’s the family; my wife Carol and Thomas (Jack Benny is too little and is spending the day with his grandparents). I’m looking a bit tired by this point and perhaps a bit cold as the temp dropped towards gametime, but on April 15th in the East, you are going to have that. I was just thanking God all day that there was no rain as that was the one thing that would have given us a problem.
Since my statues are 100% solid wood, they will not hold up to weather, so it was a concern. All around baseball, there are many life size statues that honor players but they are all bronze. Bronze is great for holding up to weather and can be outdoors permanently. But Bronze is one color. The great thing about the wooden statues is that I can show color and isn’t baseball a colorful thing anyway? Add to that the color component of the Robinson story and it makes a nice fit. There are currently no color statues such as this permanently residing in any major league ballpark. Wouldn’t it be nice (and somehow fitting) for this statue to be the first?
After a little breather, I did two more spots thanks to Deb Rinaldi and Kenny Johnson. The first was a spot right behind the statue that went very well. It was what they call a “talkback”, which means, I wore an earpiece and had to listen for a cue from an unseen host. It was hard to hear with the crowds and I was worried that I would miss the cue or not be able to make out what the host was asking me, but it turned out to be the best one all day just about. I think I was too tired to be nervous! I’ll tell you, I have new respect for anyone who makes their living with a mike and a camera. They make it look easy–it isn’t.
Here’s what it looked like. I sure look rigid in this shot, but I felt pretty loose, all in all.
After that, I had to run halfway around the stadium and do a pregame radio spot and that was fun and went really well. By then I suppose, it didn’t seem so strange to be doing this stuff.
On the way back to the statue from the plate area, I heard my voice on the PA and quickly ran down the tunnel to the seating area, so that I could see the Phanavision screen. They were showing my 2 minute video which I had narrated. It was the strangest sensation to hear my voice blaring around Citizens Bank Park like that, but there it was. It was a day of things like that and one that I’ll never forget.
I mentioned that two of the old Philadelphia Stars had signed Thomas’ ball and here are their names on the statue by their old stomping grounds which we had visited earlier.
The gentlemen who signed were Mahlon Duckett and Harold Gould. I also got a chance to meet some of the Tuskegee Airmen and that was a big thrill. My father and just about all of my uncles were WWII vets. Men of that generation shaped me more than any other and I have read a great deal about that war and so it was just tremendous to shake the hand of men who flew Jugs and P-51′s against the Germans in those dark days.
Guys like that gave us a lot of freedom and I think it gets taken for granted sometimes, unfortunately. The Tuskegee Airmen, not only had to deal with bombs and bullets, but the institutionalized racism of the day: a double whammy. They are great men for having done all of that and children should know their story.
And again and again, all night, folks stopped by to talk, take photos and ask questions. It was great.
April 15th 2011, a day in which the Jackie Robinson statue went many places and met many nice folks, hopefully, making them happy and spreading awareness of what went on, not that long ago. The statue is tentatively slated to visit the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City later this Summer but as of right now, there are no details.
I want to thank the Philadelphia Phillies for all of their support. I have worked with various organizations and baseball clubs through the years, but I have never seen the professionalism and can-do spirit that I did these past few weeks while working with the Phillies. As I have said, much of that was through the hard work of Kenny Johnson and Deb Rinaldi, who made it easy to do all of these things without one single hitch. As I look back at the itinerary and see all the marks we hit from 7am to 10pm, I am amazed that it went so seamlessly and that is a testament to their diligence. I hope to work with them again in the future.
Here’s my takeaway shot for the day: the first time my little buddy is at a big league game. It was filled with memorable things. I have to wonder, however, that at 3 and a half, will he remember it years from now? I hope he does. I know I will.
Thanks for all the kind words and stories! Enjoy the game.
This is the photo that is currently on the front page of the Washington Post’s Sunday Metro section:
Before I go any further, let me make sure that I take time to thank the staff at the Gaylord National Hotel inWashington, DC for their tremendous professionalism and attention to every detail. These people are the standard for their industry. I have, in all honesty, never seen such elan in my life. It was a real treat. With the hotel slated to open in a few days, you could ride on the energy of these folks as they readied their jewel of a hotel.
I would also like to thank Michael Hudson of Gaylord Hotels. He is a throwback to a more civil time in America and in business. He is a true gentleman and a visionary in his field. You don’t run into too many people like him and it was my good fortune to have done so. Thanks Michael, for everything.
This is a shot someone took for me with my camera during the installation.
I went down there on Tuesday and stayed until Thursday and The Babe was installed and well received. The Washington Post came by and did a story on the hotel opening and included a fair amount of interest on the statue. I was not sure how much would run on the statue but I was pleased to have folks in Washington DC call and tell me the good news.
The full story of the statue and everything surrounding it is on the Birrerart.com website:
Other things that were noteworthy while I was down there was the fact that the Nationals has declared the sportsbar in the Gaylord as the official sportsbar of the team. Because of this, they had sent over the last home plate used at RFK stadium so it could be permanently installed at the entrance to the sportsbar. Here are a few shots of that and the Washington Post getting their story at the time:
That’s Michael Hudson, Director of Brands at Gaylord Hotels, with homeplate from RFK Stadium.
And here is the laying ceremony while the PR folks take photos.
***
The Gaylord National Hotel is so immense that it is difficult to photograph it all in one frame. The atrium that overlooks the Potomac River and Old Alexandria, Virginia, on the opposite bank, is 18 stories high. There is a village of little shops and fountains and trees and restaurants all inside the enclosure. It is so big that you mostly aren’t aware that you are inside.
Here is a view of the upper part of the atrium. These gaslights are 20 feet high. The scale is just hard to fathom.
On the 24th floor, there is a state of the art nightclub and one of the unique features is, believe it or not, the men’s room. Here are the fixtures and the view is outrageous. The Washington Monument can be seen while you are, well…ahem, you know. It’s just one of a myriad of details that make this hotel one of the most amazing in the world.
I’m pretty sure that a lot of people have played “soccer-golf”. Yea, and, apparently, we owe this guy money now~
Actually, this is a real patent from the us patent office website. It’s fascinating reading, as you can see. What I don’t get it this: Patents cost a fair amount of money, no? A few thousand bucks? Why patent a schoolyard game? How are you ever going to “enforce” or generate revenue from this? Don’t people do this with Frisbees too? Does this guy hold that patent as well? Did he invent it? Or just lay out the cash to patent it? Too many questions…This reminds me of the time my wife talked me out of patenting Hopscotch.
United States Patent
6,200,234
Hannon
March 13, 2001
Portable soccer golf gameAbstractA portable soccer golf game in which the players arrange a course comprising a plurality of independent and successive stations each defined by a starting location and a goal location according to the available space and their particular skill level. The game is played by placing goals at the various goal locations, whereby a player kicks a soccer ball from the designated starting location along any desired path toward the given goal location with the intent of getting the ball in the goal. The player with the fewest number of kicks to complete the course is the winner.
