September 28, 2008

Last Days for Bay Ridge Methodist Church

They've erected a wooden fence all around the Bay Ridge Methodist Church. It's not high enough to hide the crime about to take place.

As I took this photo today, a man stopped by and said that he felt so very sad about what was happening. His take on it was that all everyone cared about was money these days.

"Maybe we'll see the building again in the next life" he said. We shook hands and I moved on.

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The NY Daily News has an excellent on line poll which will allow you to vote on whether the Mets should "keep or dump" various players, as well as Minaya and Manuel. Great fun.

Vote early and vote often.

September 27, 2008

Lets tear down Citifield and keep Shea Stadium


This shows both the Polo Grounds and Shea Stadium. Hit the little square near bottom right to make this youtube video fit the entire screen. Hit escape to shrink it again.

This Sunday will be the last regular season game at Shea Stadium, very possibly the last game of any kind at the great old ballpark.

I've been to Shea maybe 200 times since the 1960s, with virtually every one of my family and friends.

Up until the early 1970s, nearly everyone in Bay Ridge was a Mets fan. The celebrations after they won the World Series in 1969 cannot be described.

Shea was for the most part a ballpark for the working man. When I was a young teenager, you could buy a ticket to the upper deck for $1.30.

Next April, they'll be moving to a creepy luxury place named after some bank, and I'm not very happy about it. The prices for tickets and food will be shocking. The average fan will not be welcome. In a small way, this is like the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn again, half a century later.

I'd rather blow up Citifield and keep Shea Stadium for another 44 years. Lend me a backhoe, and I'll drive out to Flushing and start the job tonight.

A wonderful era in New York baseball ends today. It was such fun. Goodbye, Shea Stadium. The fans will miss you a lot more than they think.

September 26, 2008

69th St Key Food

Don't see much activity at the site of the new Key Food, so I called the Key Food on Kings Highway, whose owner will own the 69th Street site.

I was told that the new store will open this November. Makes sense to me. September did seem a tad ambitious.

September 23, 2008

Sept 22: Mets Lose to Cubs



Yesterday, went to the Mets-Cubs game. We were in Loge Section 28. Despite the fact that it is in short left field, the view was good. You can't go wrong with the Loge.

Only two things went wrong last night. The first was that the section was crawling with Cubs fans.

The second was that they had plenty to cheer about as the Cubs won 9-5. And as they say "it wasn't that close". Here, one of the good moments as David Wright lofts a chip shot to left for his 33rd Home Run. (click to enlarge)

Jason Marquis, of Staten Island's Tottenville High School, pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win and hit a grand slam in the fourth inning just to make sure.

I'll be back out there Friday night.

September 21, 2008

Goodbye Yankee Stadium


Yankee Stadium will soon no longer be with us.

On the broadcast tonight, they showed Reggie Jackson at the ballpark yesterday He was in the black seats, in deepest centerfield. Trying to find the exact spot where he hit a monster home run, the third of three consecutive home runs in the final game of the 1977 World Series clincher vs the Dodgers. Wearing sunglasses, crying.

So many great moments here, it's silly to even list them. I don't accept that they're tearing it down.

Hate to see you go, buddy. And where does the time go.

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Speaking of doomed treasures, I tried to take photos of the Bay Ridge Methodist Church yesterday. It was impossible to get a decent angle with the gates locked so I didn't bother. The large round stained glass window has been removed, as have some of the windows on the side. The weeds are out of control. Its a sad sight.

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Lutheran Elementary School of Bay Ridge
Attention Lutheran Elementary School Alumni: Send us your name, address, and email so we don’t lose touch. Lutheran Elementary School, 440 Ovington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209, Attn: Alumni Office or LESAlumni@hotmail.com for news and information about your former classmates and teachers. (Hold the Date: Nov. 7 "Night at the Races”)

September 13, 2008

Rainout at Shea Stadium: September 12, 2008



Bobby, Helen and I went out to Shea Stadium last night to see the Mets take on the Atlanta Braves.

The weather did not cooperate, so there was no game.

But we did get to hang out in the stadium until the game was called. We ate some shockingly priced food, chatted with some visitors from Atlanta, and walked around.

This was Bobby's first and only time in the House that Seaver Built. I took him to the upper deck, where I spent many days and nights.

We went to the last row of the the upper deck, just to do it. "This is really high" he said. You got that right. The upper deck of Shea Stadium seems like the highest place on earth!

September 08, 2008

September 11, 2008


DSC_2251, originally uploaded by dogseat.


I flew in from London tonight, arriving at 1030. From my porch, I could faintly see the Towers of Light, shining through the clouds from lower Manhattan.

We remember.

(photo taken from flickr)

World Trade Centre - Lobby


World Trade Centre - Lobby, originally uploaded by ~It's_me!.



I flew to Dublin Friday night. Had a cocktail with Doyle at O'Donahue's on Saturday, and dinnner with Mark, Una and the kids on Sunday.

Today, it was working the computer at the Mont Clare Hotel, waiting for the client to arrive tomorrow in the middle of a major rainstorm.

Always a pleasure to visit Dublin, one of the more comfortable and lovely large cities on earth.

Tonight, on RTE TV, there is a documentary about 9/11. Seven years it soon will be. Seven years is it?

September 03, 2008

Palin blows 'em away in St. Paul

The smart politicos in the Democratic Party were always afraid of Sarah Barracuda, and they were right to be.

Anyone who saw her speech tonight knows that she isn't the weak link on this ticket. There is no weak link, and she's no weak sister.

This is a true reform ticket on a Presidential ticket of the like that I've not seen in a lifetime.

She's going to play well in the cities, but oh my God is she going to be a megastar in the towns and suburbs.

She appeals on so many levels, it's going to take a few days to think this through.

It's over. I kid you not. It won't even be close. Congratulations, President McCain and Vice President Palin.