I was sorry to read about the sudden passing of Kimera Bartee, 49, the Detroit Tigers’ first base coach. Bartee died at his father’s home in Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday. The death came less than two months after he had been essentially re-hired as the Tigers’ first base coach by manager AJ Hinch. Bartee began his six-year big-league career with the Tigers, wearing the Old English D from 1996 through 1999. His best season turned out to be his rookie year when he played in 110 games, hit .253 and stole 20 bases. He has the distinction of taking the last Tiger at-bat at old Tiger Stadium. Too soon. Too sudden.
This feels like Déjà vu all over again. The NHL is beginning a leaguewide shutdown Wednesday amid a rise in positive COVID-19 test results among players, and with 10 of the league’s 32 teams’ schedules already paused and their facilities closed. The league announced Monday night that it will open its annual holiday break two days earlier than scheduled and have it run through Saturday. The decision, reached in coordination with the NHL Players’ Association, means five additional games scheduled for Thursday will be postponed, bringing the total this season to 49. The omicron variant is hitting all sports hard. Is the NFL and NBA next?
After a 4-3 vote by the Michigan Supreme Court overall ruling the Michigan Citizens’ Redistricting Commissions claim of attorney client privilege, the Commission released the minutes of their meeting in question and the seven memos that were previously withheld from the public. Here is a link to an article by Bridge Magazine about the meeting along with the full text of the memos.
This just in from various news outlets. The Michigan Court of Appeals on Tuesday vacated the conviction of former Michigan State University gymnastic coach Kathie Klages for lying to police after concluding her statements about not remembering a 1997 conversation were not material to the criminal investigation. Klages was found guilty by a jury in February 2020 of two counts of lying to a peace officer during the 2018 investigation into the sexual assaults committed over decades by for MSU and USAG doctor Larry Nassar. Two gymnasts testified they told Klages about Nassar’s abuse in 1997. Judges Elizabeth Gleicher and Cynthia Stephens wrote in the 2-1 opinion that “No evidence supported that Klages’s false statement regarding the 1997 conversations was material to the criminal investigation conducted in 2018. We vacate her convictions and remand for dismissal of the charges. These charges may be vacated, but we should never forget how Klages chose Nassar over the young women who entrusted her as their coach.
I have added a new feature to my blog, “Song of the Day”. I will try to share why each song was chosen.
What are you doing today to stop violence? What are you doing today to expand mental health services for those in need? What are you doing today to make sure your guns are not are accessible to minors in your household?
Stay Safe. Social Distance. Wear your mask when indoors in public places. Schedule your vaccine and booster.
Orchid of the Day: The Detroit Zoo staff for nursing the injured sandhill crane back to life. See above story.
Onion of the Day: My gut says to give the Michigan Court of Appeals an onion for vacating the conviction of former MSU gymnastic coach for lying to the police. I will pass on giving an onion but I am not happy. Coach Klages was a key person who could have prevented many young women from the sickness of Larry Nassar if she just would have done what was right.
Quote of the Day: “Like many across baseball, I was devastated by the news of Kimera’s passing. The sport has lost an amazing man, but more importantly his family has lost a loving fiancé, father and son.” Tiger manager, A.J. Hinch on the sudden passing of Kimera Bartee.
Song of the Day: “Burning Bridges” by the Mike Curb Congregation. I heard the voice of Donald Sutherland in a commercial recently which made me think of the role he played as “Oddball” in the movie Kelly’s Heroes. Naturally I had to re-watch the movie. I have been playing this song in my head for the last two days. Here it is.