I watched with great excitement and anticipation the last three innings of Taylor North Little League team’s game yesterday in which they defeated the Hamilton, Ohio team for the first title for a Michigan team since the 1959 Hamtramck team lead by Art “Pinky” Deras won the title. Deras was quick to send congratulatory comments after he was contacted by the Detroit News. Winning a championship on such a big stage will create memories that will last a lifetime for the players, coaches and parents. They will have a bond that will bring them together for the remainder of their lives. No matter what happens in their lives from here on out, they will always have this special moment which they can always think back upon and enjoy.
As of today, there are no more American armed forces in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, there are still approximately 250 American citizens who want to leave who were not able to get out. In addition, there are thousands of Afghanistan citizens who assisted the armed forces and want to leave but have not been able to get out. The Taliban are saying that anyone who wants to leave will be able to leave and that they will not seek revenge on those that helped the U.S forces. What happens in the next few weeks will be instrumental in the building up or tearing down of President Biden’s legacy. I am very curious to know the circumstances as to how and why the 250 Americans were not able to leave with the American troops. I will be reading everything I can on this subject.
For the first time in 4 months the Tigers will not have a winning record for the month. The 3-2 loss today means the best they can do is break even providing they win on Tuesday. The recent problem has been the hitting. They have been getting solid pitching throughout the pitching staff, but the lack of hitting is making victories hard to come by. They seem to be in most games, but it is hard to win when you are struggling to score more than 3 runs per game. September is going to be important for the development of the young players and for the older players. Their performance in September will have a bearing on who stays on the 40-man roster and who doesn’t. It is clear the Tiger brass is quick to release anyone who cannot help them build a championship team.
The impact of Covid-19 is everywhere. Supply chains are significantly interrupted. Try ordering a new car, home appliances, or furniture. Hospital beds in New Orleans and all of Louisiana are in such short supply that they are not available for victims of hurricane Ida. Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved by the FDA, employers are mandating Covid-19 vaccines as a condition of employment. We are going to be living (and dying) with the impact of Covid-19 for quite some time. This is a historic time and a playbook on how to handle it has yet to be written.
Stay safe. Social distance. Wear your mask. Wash your hands regularly. Get your vaccine.
Orchid of the Day: Taylor North Little League for winning the Little League World Series, only the second for a Michigan Team
Onion of the Day: Craig A. Maass, 62, who supervised the Oakland Hills Country Club fund created to send deserving caddies to college. An Oakland County Circuit judge on Monday called the actions of a former member of an elite country club “deplorable” before sentencing him to 51 months to 20 years in prison for embezzling more than $600,000 from the club’s caddie scholarship fund.
Quote of the Day: “I thought long ago it would’ve been broken. I don’t know by who, but 62 years is a long time. I knew sooner or later, somebody from Michigan would have to win it.” Art “Pinky” Deras, the star of the 1959 Hamtramck Little League team.