Turkey Bowl XXX in Princeton

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We celebrated the traditional way in Princeton, New Jersey, by playing the 30th annual Princeton Gentlemen’s Society Turkey Bowl football game. Thanks to gimpy knees, I was a non-combatant. I did prowl the sidelines taking photos. My main photo outings are shooting birds and other wildlife, but I also enjoy sports photography […]

Pinball Baseball still charms me

Growing up, I was continually frustrated playing pinball. Every quarter I’d drop into the slot would produce a minute or two of unsatisfying play, as the silver ball would flash past my flippers, ending the game. I never had enough quarters. I wouldn’t bash the machines to nudge the ball this way or that, and […]

Saying farewell to the Say Hey Kid

Willie Mays died last night at age 93, news that most Americans woke up to today. So did I, by checking the text my daughter sent me last night shortly after I’d dropped off to sleep. Although I never saw Willie play in person, I saw him play on TV in many an All-Star game […]

A Father’s Day treat: Trenton Thunder baseball

For Father’s Day, I treated myself to a Trenton Thunder baseball game, spending an enjoyable couple of hours in New Jersey’s capital city as the home team fell 8-3 to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. This was only the second time I’d been to a game in Trenton. The first was several years ago when the […]

Turkey Bowl XXVIII on a beautiful Thanksgiving Day

Forget the Lions and the Cowboys. We have plenty of football excitement of our own in Princeton, New Jersey, on Thanksgiving. Today we held the 28th Turkey Bowl pickup touch football game. The curiously named Princeton Gentlemen’s Club holds the annual event, which brings players of all ages and their families to the big field […]

Opening day for old Guy Football

It’s opening Sunday for the National Football League, and even better, I survived the first game of the year in the long-running “old guy” touch football game that’s been playing in Princeton since the mid-1990s. In my mid-60s, I was a rookie last season. Now I’m hoping to avoid the sophomore jinx, although I’ll settle […]

The phenom(onology) of MLB Draft League baseball

If a line drive falls into left field and no one’s in the stands, does it make a sound? That question came to mind as I cycled away from Sonny Pittaro Field this evening after watching several innings of an MLB Draft League game between West Virginia and Trenton. Pittaro Field is at Rider University […]

Throwing the game (golf)

With my Brewers cap on my head and baseball on my mind, I headed out the back door this morning intent on walking the golf course adjoining our lot. But a funny thing happened along the fairway. On the first hole, I picked up a stray range ball nestled up against a tree. I planned […]

Phillies fans are a passionate lot

As I put my purchase onto the checkout counter at the sporting goods store, the clerk looked me in the eye and said bluntly, “Why did you take Hunter Pence from us?” In a split second, I realized that this young man was a Phillies fan and had noticed my San Francisco Giants cap. “I […]

What exit? Yes, It’s the Jersey Turnpike World Series!

1985: The Cardinals and the Royals meet in an all-Missouri matchup, and it’s the I-70 World Series. 1989: The Giants and Athletics endure an earthquake to play in the Bay Bridge Series. 2000: The Bronx Bombers rumble with the Metropolitans of Queens in an all-NYC Subway Series. This is 2009, Yankees versus Phillies, and there’s only one possible […]