Mario Brothers

Mario’s adventure is over for now, but

Mario’s dream lives forever.”

    “Go Go Mario”

Grandson James is really into Super Mario games and often goes on and on explaining the plot intricacies.  The Japanese company Nintendo developed the arcade original in 1983 and released an updated version for use on Wii games.  Plumbers Mario and Luigi fight creatures coming from the sewers of New York City. Mario first appeared in creator Shigeru Miyamoto’s game Donkey Kong.

The Cubs honored Ron Santo’s posthumous election to the Baseball Hall of Fame by cutting the grass in a way that highlighted his number 10.  Terry Jenkins called to talk about the Phillies, who resigned pitcher Cole Hamels to a record contract and recently swept a three-game series with Milwaukee with miraculous come from behind victories.  In one the Brewers’ Zack Greinke left after eight innings with a 6-1 lead only to watch six runs cross the plate in the bottom of the ninth.  Hope springs eternal even though the Phils trail the “Nasty Nats” by 13 games.

Jessica Jaffe from Chicago’s Field Museum interviewed me for a project entitled “Collecting Oral Histories and Contemporary Urban Culture of the Calumet Region.”  Their goal is to create a National heritage Corridor to showcase local heritage and partnership efforts.  From Philadelphia, Jessica has a master’s in anthropology from Tulane.  Mainly she asked about Steel Shavings and my various oral history interests.  She and intern Madeleine Tudar also spent several hours perusing various issues.  I pointed them to “Steelworkers Tales” and “Steelworkers Fight Back” and gave them “Gary’s First Hundred Years.” Jessica has been in touch with Karren Lee and and went on last month’s Miller garden walk.  I asked if she met Tanice Foltz, whose house was on the tour.  She wasn’t sure; if she had, she’d have remembered her.

Dave is playing in several Post-Trib tennis tournament events, including a doubles match against high school friends John and Mark Mario.  Their dad lives in our condo unit. John was Phil’s mentor in soccer, and Mark, nicknamed Minnie Mario, was a fierce competitor in several sports. While watching Dave and East Chicago grad Ashley Pabey play mixed doubles, I chatted with Ashley’s dad, like me a former softball player. 

Obama campaign headquarters in Chesterton had a trivia night, and the Wades named their team Rafalca after Anne Romney’s horse that’s competing in the London Olympics.  They finished in a tie but lost the tiebreaker when Darcey was overruled on which former president was a male model while at Yale.  The correct answer was Jerry Ford, a Michigan grad who went to law school there.  In a Rolling Stone interview Justin Bieber revealed that fans have nicknamed his sex organ Jerry.  I could have helped with questions about writer Jean Shepherd and the president (TR) who first coined the phrase “lunatic fringe.”

Speaking of male genitalia, passing up the opportunity to see the latest Batman flick, I was the only male patron for “Magic Mike,” directed by Steven Soderbergh (of “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” fame) about male strippers that won high praise from a Rolling Stone reviewer.  Matthew McConaughey was unbelievable as a strip club owner, announcer, and performer. 

On this day in 1933 FDR’s Interior Secretary Harold Ickes met with General Douglas MacArthur and afterwards noted in his diary: “MacArthur is the type of man who thinks that when he gets to heaven, God will step down from the great white throne and bow him into His vacated seat.”