Sports
Showing up and shining in the
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1. In August 2023, the London Capitals defeated the London Mets to claim the championship in what baseball league?
2. Tim Grgurich resigned as head coach of what college basketball team after just seven games and a 2-5 record in 1994? 3. How many times was drag racer Doug Kalitta the NHRA Top Fuel season runner-up before he finally won a championship in 2023? 4. What Minnesota Vikings player set the NFL record for longest kick return touchdown with a 109-yard score on the opening kickoff vs. the Green Bay Packers in 2013? 5. What two golfers made holes-in-one in consecutive groups in the final round of the 2004 Masters? 6. Who was the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing? 7. What Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball star surpassed LSU’s Pete Maravich as the all-time career NCAA Division I scoring leader? 1. The British Baseball Federation’s National Baseball League.
2. The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. 3. Six. 4. Cordarelle Patterson. 5. Padraig Harrington and Kirk Triplett. 6. Claressa Shields (2012). 7. Caitlin Clark. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
“I Just Wanted Somebody to Talk to!
A couple weeks ago, Maury, when Grandpa was having his weekly (and always very enjoyable) Friday lunch at Mario’s with Duke, etc. someone brought up a name immediately causing me to recall this memory. The person involved has passed away years ago but this caused me to remember an incident that was both humorous and also “tugged at the heart strings.”
When Grandpa had an office in downtown Dubuque, Maury, I parked my car in a commercial lot just a block away. Across the street was a barbershop. Because of its convenient location for me I became one of its patrons. This led to becoming acquainted with a shoe shine man who operated out of this shop. His name was Lester Gruie. Not only did I get a shine when I was there for a hair cut but I also popped in regularly to get a shine from Les once or twice a week. Less didn’t have a “set charge.” He relied on his customers to “pay” whatever they choose. Here, I must explain, Maury, why Grandpa would get his shoes shined a little more frequently than necessary. It was because Les was a “simple man” in the same way Tom Hanks played “Forrest Gump.” (Your mom and dad will explain). As I recall, Les was on the job for about five years, over which time we had many short ‘interesting and at times humorous’ conversations. Then, one day when going for a hair cut, Les wasn’t there. The barber told me Les had some health problems. A short time later I heard he was in a retirement home somewhere. What happened next, Maury, is why Grandpa has this memory. Two months later I received a telephone call from Marshalltown, Iowa. When the operator asked me if I’d accept a collect call from a Lester Gruie, I did. Wondering why he called me, we talked for quite awhile. Finally I said: “Why did you call?” Maury, I’ll never forget his reply. He said, “I just wanted someone to talk to!” Much love, Grandpa. |