There is one more chance to see a fabulous one man show called “For The Benefit of Miss Jennie Gourlay” and that is tonight at 7 pm at 46 Walker Street in Tribeca New York City.
Billy Hipkins is brilliant in relating the missed opportunity involving Ms. Gourlay, whose benefit performance was scheduled at Ford Theatre in Washington D.C., the night after President Lincoln was assassinated there in 1865, to his own career.
He does so in marvelous and humorous detail.
Of course the performance of Jennie Gourlay, who was also present at the theater the night before when President Lincoln was killed on April 14, 1865, was cancelled.
There is both humor and pathos in the show. Mr. Hipkins is a marvelous performer.
The performance also was aided by extensive research into Ms. Gourlay’s life done by Mr. Hipkins. You will likely find out some more interesting facts about the terrible assassination as I know that I did.
Last chance tonight at 7 p.m. and I highly recommend seeing “For The Benefit of Miss Jennie Gourlay” at 46 Walker Street (Walker Space) in Tribeca.
Recently I had the privilege to see singer A.J. Croce perform at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck, New York.
In a beautiful, somewhat intimate setting, Mr. Croce dazzled with his songs and stories much like his late father, Jim Croce, who died tragically in a plane crash in 1973.
As Peter O’Toole’s character said at one point in “My Favorite Year:” “high praise indeed!” It is well deserved high praise.
He opened the show, which was well over 90 minutes without an intermission, with Leon Russell’s “Rollin’ On” and then continued with an eclectic collection of music including songs from his latest album, “Twelve Tales.”
A.J. sang “Operator” a song written by his father Jim in 1964 which he also recorded.
It told of a time Jim Croce was stationed at Fort Dix New Jersey and had to use a phone without a booth.
Much has changed as callers no longer place quarters, no less dimes, (the lyric “You can keep the dime” still resonates) in phones, but seeing A.J. perform, I felt a connection greater than any electronic gadget can provide.
Somehow he has continued what dad Jim started and is a prolific singer/songwriter with so much to say.
I spoke with the personable Croce after the show, congratulating him on a wonderful show and I also asked a sports question or two for this column. Croce is a San Diego Padres fan in baseball but laments the team’s loss of manager Bruce Bochy, who has guided the rival S.F. Giants to three titles.
For info on where you can see A.J. Croce perform, click here.
A.J. and Andy B
The defending American League East champion Baltimore Orioles are my choice as the key team in their division.
Last year the Orioles were a surprise division winner and then they swept the Detroit Tigers in three straight games in the division series.
However, the Orioles, in turn, were swept by the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS. This year the Orioles will not surprise anyone as they are a known quality team.
I think the Orioles’ fine third baseman, Manny Machado is the key player.He missed the post season last year due to injury. I think he will continue his fine play this season.
Manny Machado
Take it easy Chicago Cubs fans as I will attest to in my predictions down the road but the St. Louis Cardinals are the NL Central key team.
Though they pale by comparison to the New York Yankees, who have 27 World Series wins, the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 World Series wins are a stellar organization in stark contrast to the Cubs.
Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals is my key player.
Much will be made about the Chicago Cubs, but I am from Missouri and backing the Missouri based Cardinals.
The Cubs and for that matter the rest of the NL Central, will have to “show me” otherwise.
Another snowy day in the New York area and the anticipation and need for spring increases. No longer that important, but noteworthy, is the anticipation of college basketball tournaments.
That anticipation is waned by the fact that the University of Kentucky under its coach John Calipari is a prohibitive favorite to win the NCAA Men’s title.
The team is (30-0) and easily could be the first men’s college basketball team to go undefeated since Indiana University, coached by Bob Knight did so in 1976.
Kentucky can complete a perfect regular season with a home victory vs Florida University this Saturday.
After that the Wildcats (Kentucky) need 3 wins in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and most important, 6 wins in the NCAA Tournament.
Thus they are at the three quarter pole, a good Kentucky reference, (horse racing) in their bid to make college basketball history.
In thinking back to the somewhat glorious sports of the 1960’s, I recall players named Willie and Tommy Davis in baseball and Willie and Tommy Davis in football.
Baseball’s Tommy Davis, a personal favorite, had a year for the ages in 1962 playing for the L.A. Dodgers. He drove in 153 runs!
Football’s Tommy Davis did both the punting and place kicking for the San Francisco 49ers. He also did the same for the 1958 college champion, Louisiana State Tigers.
Staying in football, the Packers’ Willie Davis is a member of the Pro Football of Hall of Fame. As a great defensive end, he played on five NFL championship teams with “G.B.”
Baseball’s Willie Davis was considered the fastest man in baseball in his time. He played on two World Series winners with the L.A. Dodgers.
Since the NHL instituted a different playoffs system last season, standings within the four divisions are far more important.
With that in mind, it is noteworthy that last year’s Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers have as many points as the New York Islanders.
In addition, the Rangers have played two less games so at the moment they are theoretically ahead in the race for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
There is still a long way to go in the “endless” NHL season but this race for the top spot and the possible playoff match-up between the Isles and Rangers, has made the season a bit more interesting.
Last year, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were the top seed in the American League. However, they won nary a post season game.
The Angels were dispatched in three straight games by the Kansas City Royals in the division series.
They still are my key team in the AL West. Their tremendous player Mike Trout is key in the division.
The Angels’ failure lies not with their loss nor even with the Royals’ fine play.
No, alas the Angels failure lies in the wild card system, which forced them into an unnecessary short series, in which anything can happen.
Mike Trout
Bill Mazeroski hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history.
His leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of game 7, won the 1960 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
It was a great upset win for the Pirates who defeated the heavily favored New York Yankees.
In real life, Mickey Mantle cried after the defeat.
In the movie, “Bronx Tale,” the young character “C” is very upset when the Yankees lost the 1960 World Series. He is told Mickey Mantle does not care about him so why care so much?!!
The post season underachieving Detroit Tigers are still the key team and favorite to win in the American League’s Central Division.
Detroit has won the division the past four seasons, but has failed to win the World Series.
After losing once in the World Series and twice in the ALCS, last year the Tigers were swept in three straight games by the Baltimore Orioles in the division series.
The key player and certainly one of baseball’s best hitters is the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera.
Even he has been a disappointment in post season play. As a rookie, he helped the Florida Marlins greatly in their improbable run to the 2003 World Championship.
That is not the case with Cabrera in Detroit, as both the team and this tremendous individual performer have been post season disappointments.
key player
