Got To Know The Wife

I was reading a post about the baseball induction or lack there of. This blogged mentioned names that should be there like Craig Biggio and other recently retired players. There is one man that should be considered but probably won't due to an incident that occurred almost a 95 years ago. His name is Joe Jackson or "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. He played in the teens of the 20th century. Considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. He could throw, hit, and field on a baseball field that hadn't been seen before.

Jackson was born in Pickens County, South Carolina, USA on July 16, 1887. His father was sharecropper who moved around a bit before settling in Greenville. With a poor family and him being the oldest of eight children, he went to work at 6 years old in the textile mills as a mill hand. He worked 12 hour shifts and didn't go to school throughout his formative years. It was rumored that he was illiterate but definitely uneducated. But in his own words, "It don't take school stuff to help a fella play ball." He learned to play baseball in the mill leagues starting at age 13. He got so good at it that eventually, the owner, Connie Mack from the Philadelphia (now Oakland) A's signed him to a contract. But he got so homesick from playing in Philadelphia that Mack traded him to the Cleveland Indians.

It was in Cleveland that his play got much better due to the fact the city of Cleveland was smaller and had lot of players who were from the southern part of the United States like he was. In his first year there, he hit over .400 and drove in 83 runs. His homerun total  was only 7 but keep in mind that was the dead ball where the leading homerun hitter hit only about 9 or 10 a year. This was due to the fact that was ball was handmade so the circumference of the ball was different in each ball, the homerun distances were further as well as the height of the fences, and only 1 to 4 balls were used in the whole game. So, if a ball was hit foul or for a homerun, fans couldn't keep the ball and had to return it back to the field. Likewise, pitchers and fielders messed the ball so much (saliva and dirt) that it became hard to hit after a few innings. The owners of baseball teams thought they were saving money by doing this. Finally, batters used a split-grip technique to hit a baseball which only afforded them to hit line drives of short distances.

But Joe was different. He put two hands at the bottom of the bat barrel and took a big swing. He called his black bats "Black Betsy" and his regular wood bats "Blonde Betsy." Big swingers tend to have bad technique or holes in their swing but opposing pitchers said they couldn't find a flaw in his swing. His swing was considered perfect that Babe Ruth copied his swing and became a hitter because of it (he started his career as a pitcher). He claimed that looking at a candle would sharpen his eyes by closing one or the other eye. He got this technique from the mills that he grew up in which were lit by candle light.  

Now, lets get to the scandal of the 1919 World Series. Joe by this time was playing for the Chicago White Sox. He played for cheap owner, Charles Comiskey, who forced them to clean and pay for their own uniforms. Likewise, he promised his teammate, Eddie Cicotte, if he won 30 games, he would get a bonus. Unfortunately when he won 29 games, he was taken out of the pitching rotation with five games left in the season by orders of Comiskey to his manager, Kid Gleason. That was the backdrop for the eight White Sox players to throw the World Series including "Shoeless" Joe by gamblers funded by gangster, Arnold Rothstein.

Problem was by many accounts, he didn't want to be part of the fix even though his teammate Lefty Williams threw 5,000 dollars under his bed. Though the Chicago courts found him and his teammates not guilty, new commissioner, Kennesaw Mountain Landis banned the eight guys for life when he got access to the affidavits that they were approached by gamblers and supposedly didn't it report it immediately to the owners. Due to baseball not being under U.S. anti-trust laws now and then, he had that power to do so. Jackson tried to or did report game fixing to the owner, Comiskey. Likewise, he even wanted to sit out the series when he found out that the fix was on. Eventually, the White Sox lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 5-3 (9 game series). But Comiskey or his secretary told him to keep the money and sign some affidavits though he was illiterate and could barely sign his own name due to his wife's help.

Each year, his name comes up whether to lift the ban so he could be eligible for the Hall of Fame voting. He has had many admirers who have advocated his cause. As for the money, rumor had it that he kept the money and donated to his local hospital. After being banned, he played in semi-pro leagues then ran a liquor and restaurant business till his death in 1951. But one thing mystifies me, you see all the debates about whether he did or not from writers. You hear stories from his friends or relatives who knew him after his baseball career. From all accounts, a great man.

But what about his wife? Nothing. I mean, Joe was dependent on her for everything including his liquor business when it came to the written word.  What did she know about her husband? After being banned, Joe successfully sued Comiskey in receiving back pay from the 1920 and 1921 season by the Chicago courts. An illiterate Joe did this when he supposedly confessed to his lawyer given to him by Comiskey that he threw the World Series due to his illiteracy? My question: I like to know what she knew or did for that matter? I know this: wherever Joe was, she couldn't be too far behind

Have I Got A Story To Tell You?

Old-timers like to criticize today's athletes. I like to criticize today's announcers and media folks. I know old folks to slam today's announcers because I have Youtube to prove that.  With Jim Thacker, though, I love to learn. He was a sportscaster from Charlotte from late 60's to the 80's. I "can" him as a broadcaster athlete who did everything and well such as football, basketball, racing, golf, tennis and others. But he wasn't slaving himself to keep his bosses happy. He was a sports director for WBTV and WBT radio. Which means, he wrote, produced, and edited shows.  An artist and scientist in his profession.

Critics (some even his good buddies) will say that he didn't do enough major events to warrant a Hall of Fame resume.  Jim did Marshall University football and basketball while maintaining his duties of doing 6 and 11 p.m. for WSAZ sports (Huntington, WVA) from 1954 to 1967. Thacker moved to Charlotte in 1968 to take the job of  ACC football and basketball  as well as sports director for WBTV. He did some freelance stuff with CBS with the Masters, NCAA basketball (women too), NASCAR,  NFL, and PGA Championship for British TV.  Remember at one time, he did both radio and television on the scene and behind for a local network with Sun Belt basketball. Finally, he helped ESPN in their infancy, doing college football, basketball, racing, USFL, and golf.

Besides his impressive resume and talent (who many guys can do radio and television?), I like his ability to get out of his own way. He had a great voice and make the game so easy (he was an auctioneer) but he put the importance of the game ahead of himself. When you hear him or watch the game on television, live or taped, he didn't have those famous cliches or phrases. Maybe, he will say something about the game being a "barn burner." You really don't remember him but you will remember the game and the participants such as coaches and players.  Particularly in television since color television was a fairly new concept. Therefore, his belief was let the picture talk and talk when needed. If a guy made a great play, he would make an enthusiastic comment but he let the action speak more.

A writer once mentioned that if Jim was commentating over a family dinner with utensils, he would listen to what he had to say. That was his broadcasting charm.  Unlike other broadcasters, he served mentors to many broadcasters who exist today like Harold Johnson, Mike Hogewood, Paul Cameron, Brett McMillan, Bob Rathbun, Billy Packer, and so many others. Do you see that in other broadcasters who do that kind of mentoring? They usually only keep it within their family. Jim married but didn't have any kids but I don't think that would have mattered. Most broadcasters are too insecure to share or discover new talent. But Jim was about improving quality for himself and others.

However, the one aspect that stands out about Jim from other broadcasters is that he never allowed himself to get biased or regionalized.  He did Big 10 games for basketball and football. Yeah, he was ACC and is southern very proud of it, I might add. But it wasn't a crutch to hold on to.  In addition, he always kept preparing for something new and different. Shoot, he could broadcast cricket without knowing anything about it for the BBC. Just give him time and he could the make the game interesting to listen for hardcore fans. Lastly, he was a pioneer. The games he did for ESPN then weren't that great because ESPN didn't give him a research team of interns, travel expenses, or camera angles like they do now as well as time to prepare. He had to do it on the go (lucky to get a sheet with a correct names from the AD). Yet, he was asked to come back. Why?

I believe it is due to him being a reporter who could go down, get the materials, and make the story on that day with short notice (You were lucky if the AD gave you the right names of players?). With him doing sports for affiliates is impressive, considering at that time, you couldn't stick to one conference like he did with ACC.  You really had to move. Thereby, you couldn't develop professional relationships with coaches, players, athletic directors, and staff from the schools had he stayed within his conference like "homer" announcers. Now, there may be stories about him like you hear about players that media and writers vent about. From what I heard, a professional.

Covering the 1975 Masters.

Whatever it is, I like to see him be remembered. There is no indication of where he is born. I looked up ancestry.com and it say Cook County, Illinois or has his birth certificate issued in Illinois and Kentucky. I remember reading an article about serving in the armed services. Not sure if it was World War II or Korea. Charlotte Observer says he died at the age of 64 but he actually died at the age of 65 because his certificate says that he born on October 12, 1927 and died December 15, 1992. Still a mystery.  ESPN 30 for 30, Sports South, or Fox Sports should do a bio about him due to his thankless work at ESPN and for southern sports on TV.  I want him to make the Broadcasting Hall of Fame but for now, a wikipedia article?  Many individuals that he influenced are on that site with their bios but not him. That ain't right. Wonder if his buddies, will support that?

RAIL COMEBACK!

I wrote this letter to the University of Alabama Athletics foundation but I don't know if it got there.  So, I'm putting in my blog with better grammar and correct spelling (not saying much). This can be a letter to all cities or towns that have college teams with athletics or other means like choir. My UNC-Charlotte is a prime example of having railroads and not using them. Not saying bring it back but you may want to consider on occasion since air-travel and buses is getting to be hell for me. Here it is!


Whomever this may concern:

I was riding on Amtrak from New Orleans to Atlanta line (I started in San Diego). The train came by Tuscaloosa with a brief stop at the Alabama campus. I noticed the depot looked very dilapidated. Then when the train took off to Birmingham, same thing. Nasty depot station but the two cities are so close. The train went slow but it got there in less than 45 minutes. I had this thought to vent.

Since the train comes near your football stadium and other sports arenas, wouldn't it be easier for fans from Birmingham or who landed in Birmingham to come by rail instead of putting parking lots or buses at the stadium? Likewise, improve rail facilities at Amtrak depot stations, the rail cars, and tracks. Finally, develop a rail system track that get  fans faster with the ones like in Japan that go 200 miles an hour (Auburn game?). That way you get more fans to come by rail cars in and out. Of course, fans getting packed in one rail car needs to be regulated.

Its not like Tuscaloosa has an international airport. So, fans do have to go to Birmingham or other places to get out of there. Think about it!


Sincerely,

Davan S. Mani

Game 7 and Touch Football victim

The 1960 World Series is on paper. Charlotte Observer is my best friend. Youtube doesn't exist for me where I could look up each game now. I have to follow the box score, newspaper stories, or radio bulletins. The game is in color on NBC, shown at the Downtown library. The broadcasters are Bob Prince of the Pirates and Mel Allen of the Yankees for TV. Radio is Chuck Thompson from the Orioles and Jack Quinlan from the Cubs. Game 1 starters are Art Ditmar for the Yanks and Vern Law for the Bucs in Pittsburgh. The game starts real early like at 11:30 a.m. or maybe noon. I'll see the finish or sneek the radio.

I'm just interested in following Bill Mazeroski but he isn't the story. Lot of stories follow Dick Groat who played at Duke (great basketball player), Smokey Burgess (looks like smoked sausage but could hit) from Asheville, and Vinegar Bend Mizell from Winston-Salem. Secondary stories of Bill Virdon, Roberto Clemente, Vern Law, Elroy Face (relief), and Don Hoak. Will Dick Stuart's fielding issues cost the Pirates despite his bat? Mostly, it is about the Yankees, the Mick, Whitey Ford, and new player, Roger Maris. You have stories about Tony Kubek (his intelligence), Moose Skowron (his last year?), and Yogi Berra playing the outfield with Blanchard and Howard catching. The paper star is Bobby Richardson because he is from South Carolina and plays for the Yanks. He is player narrator for the 1960 WS coverage with game by game analysis and briefs.

Media expects a cake-walk for the Yankees even though the Pirates won Game 1. Meanwhile, a senior from Myers Park is sent to Charlotte Memorial after a touch football accident for care. Doesn't really say what happened except that a few moments after a fall, he either started to develop symptoms of swelling or something. He should be okay. Yankees won Game 2 with a 16-3 score thanks to two homers by the Mick and Bobby Richardson drives in 6 RBI's with a grand slam to beat the Pirates in Game 3. Back home, the condition of Russell Craig Hunt is getting worse. The man who got hurt in a touch football game is developing symptoms that doctors can't figure out. He is unresponsive to treatment. They will do their best.

Pirates win Game 4 thanks to the fielding of Don Hoak as well as Dick Stuart. Bases-Loaded and Yogi up with one out in the 1st. Hits a liner to third, Hoak fields it, steps on third and throws to first-baseman, Stuart, to get Berra. First base-coach, Ralph Houk, jumps and yells at the ump for making that call. No replay action from TV like in the future of whether Yogi is out or not. My eye says, Yogi is safe. In the 4th, Vern Law drives in a run with a double after giving up a homer to Moose Skowron earlier that inning. It should have been two runs but Smokey Burgess was running from first despite being two outs. No matter, Bill Virdon drove in Smokey and Vern with a single in front of Mickey Mantle for a 3-1 lead. Later in the game, Virdon makes a game saving catch in the 8th off Bob Cerv with two runners on base. Pirates 3, Yankees 2.

Back home, the parents of Russell Craig Hunt put a rest to their son and bury him at his birthplace towards Hudson, I think. Pirates win Game 5, 5-2. "Buth" the Yankees win Game 6 in Pittsburgh with Whitey Ford shutting out Bob Friend for the second time, 12-0. Friend lost control of his pitches and hit Elston Howard in the hand, causing him to leave the game. Bobby Richardson went crazy in that one. Everyone says, he should be the MVP but I like the Mick. He hits, bunts, fields, and runs. Amongst other things, he makes his teammates better with his situational play. Clemente is good and consistent but his teammates don't seem to like him. I like Vern Law because of his leadership presence on the mound. The relief pitchers of Shantz and Face is my key.

Bing Crosby, one of the owners of the Pirates, will listen to Game 7 in Paris, France from shortwave radio. He is too superstitious to see them in person. He will record the game in kinescope in case his Pirates win. The game will be live in color at the library but for Bing, he will have to see it in recorded black & white. The Pirates have made the decision of not starting Dick Stuart for the final game only use him as pinch-hitter. Elston Howard will not play due to a hand injury from Game 6. The findings of Mr. Craig's death is due to an existing tumor in his brain, exacerbated from the touch football game.

Grandfather's Walk

After the tour, I bought some gifts and food at the museum. The food wasn't too great and neither was customer service in general. They seemed to be in a bad mood except for that one dude in that pit crew exhibit. I think it was because it was Sunday and everyone wanted to be at church. I can tell most of these folks weren't from the south or NASCAR fans. Because in the South this is church, god damn it." I have to say that they knew there NASCAR stuff but as John Riley once told me that in a sports job (broadcast monitoring), you want a guy who loves sports but knows and does his job well. You either get one or the other rarely both.

After some time at Wild Wing Cafe adjacent to the museum (them wings were hot), I took awalk around downtown on a lazy cold day (less wind, thank God). It reminds me of walk that I had with my grandfather in the summer of 1987 before his death a few months later. We were walking around the town of Karaikudi. We may have bought something. One things stands clear: I remember him wearing dress shirt, with a lungee, and a towel over his shoulder. It was hot. I don't remember him saying much except him sayin "don't watch too many movies or television and when he caught me looking inside at every Ambassador taxi cabs on the street, "all Ambassadors are all the same."

Except, I was trying to find the 1975-1979 one. Inside it had a grill background in the middle with glove compartment on the passenger and driver side. Inside the grill, you had a big circular speedometer with these small rectangular cube lights: red and orange on the sides indicating the engine; green beside the red indicating signal; and blue indicating high beam (Something you see at an old 70's RCA TV on their logo with the colors of red, green, and blue something). Next to the lights were small circular fuel gauge and amp. Depending on certain cars, there were would be one with the speedometer and four gauges with the light cubes below them. That made it difficult for the driver to see but it took awhile for the engineers to place the gauges on the driver side with indicators on the sides of the speedometer and have only one glove compartment. It was small to begin with, you literally could only put a glove inside that. Yet, I miss that design.

My grandfather also told me not to say bad words or say Oh my God but came up with a more positive phrase. Before I left, he told me to get stronger was to roll your wrist in a circular(its a crutch, I know) motion either for twenty minutes or twenty times. I don't remember because I never did them since I was seven when a girl mocked me at an Indian outing in Maryland. Maybe, I will. My dad use to tell me stories of grandy running yak races on a wagon cart on a open field in southern India. He also used to carry "illegal rice" but I came to find out it was the Indian version of moonshine where you can extract from rice and coconuts. He use to carry a hand axe and a gun.

When I read the stories about the lives of these drivers, I couldn't help think about my grandfather. I think my grandfather could have been a racer in the 30's-40's when it was a bootleg league. But he never liked cars because animals, he could control. But he did like speed in his day. Maybe, if he grew up in America, his attitude would have been different. As far as the racial climate, he looked a lot like those race car drivers. He certainly acted like a lot of them. I don't know. Junior Johnson. Fireball Roberts. Lee Petty. Just to name a few.

Whatever? A my mind wandered. I saw other places and went back to my hotel on that monorail. Got into a philosophical debate with an Indian guy who ran the Daisy Inn conerning women while watching Forest Gump (Guess? India born women over American). He didn't even know about the movie. He graduated from UNC-Charlotte with an engineering degree in 2000. But he got a wife from back home. He started making generalizations about my character along with my tribal heritage in a fun way. I liiked the guy but he seemed to be a Carrie Underwood's servant. I mean could he get away with dirt running on the shower head over my head and not warn me before hand but afterwards and do it in a joking, patronizing manner? I think not. Then again, I would do the same thing but without the Indian values bull.

The only thing that I will take with me is the race simulator. After my failure in my trials. I got on this track that a resembled a go-cart track with real race cars but simulators above the steering wheel. I would use brakes, accelerators, and the gear on the steering wheel. But before I entered, there was a video presention of Dale Earnhardt Jr. on what to do on the race course. He talked about safety but he also mentioned about this being a race car and that you need to go fast. However unlike the trials guide, he told us when and how to go fast. He said that once you have reached a certain speed: shift to a higher gear but meet the speed and if you need to down shift do so but get back to speed and continue to go faster. I remember that once I got out of the pits and into the track. I always wanted to go slower but remembering Jr.'s advice, I went faster and got the number results that I couldn't get at the trials. Now, there is somebody who loves racing and is good at it.

For this Sunday, I reached for something that I couldn't get before. If that isn't spiritual then I don't know what is? I wonder if my grandfather would get it. I know he would be proud. How and why, I'm not sure nor do I care.

The Experience, part II

After that education, I decided to take the race simulator course. Basically, its a video game where you practice learning to drive on a NASCAR course. They had five video game consols with steering, brakes, accelerator, and gear shifts. Unlike in most arcades, you sit on this rail and reach your arms and legs for the controls. You had to wait in line to get into this. Kids loved it. When it was my turn. I couldn't do a thing but crash all the time. You had this guide who tried to show me the controls especially in the steering wheel area of how to use gear shifts, down shifts, and the red buttons to start over in case you crash. I couldn't figure and had to start over. When I came back, I didn't crash but I couldn't shift to the right speed and stayed on 2nd gear the whole race. As a result, my speed time was this ------ on the screen. I asked the guide why? She said, you weren't fast enough.

She said to try it again but in looking at the line. I felt I was ready for the real race simlator course. Next to the preview course was this "test your NASCAR Knowledge" screen. You had to put in your entry card screen which I did but I didn't put my information at the relations booth who let you enter the experience. I seem to remember this lady who was a Derek Jeter fan from Ohio who said that she was having computer problems of entering my information. But I was able to enter the info and continue. However, one glitch that I noticed is when you start typing, it always gives you typo errors. I typed trivfun@gmail.com but it coming as trvfun. Therefore, I didn't get all the information to my email that I was supposed to get. I downloaded some past drivers and contributors from the past and other exhbits on the third floor which was the history floor of legends and the pasts. When you passed an item, you placed your card down to show that you went by that exhibit. It would test your NASCAR knowledge and IQ, failed some and past some. Oh, well.

The typo errors continued when I wanted to type a letter for "legends that have passed" on. Might as well as call it the "Dale Earnhardt, Sr." room if it isn't called that already. The room was dark except for a movie screen of his of Sr.'s life and his last race. They showed other guys who passed on in still photos in police light against the wall. There was this desk where you wrote to a person who passed on. I wrote to Neil Bonnett and downloaded his file. However, I kept trying to type on this computer instead of writing it on pencil. Everytime, I typed the letter b it would show v. I figured it out: type the letter x and you get b. RIP Neil Bonnett. I still think you are alive and ready to do your TV show.

The third floor had the front ends of both Donnie Allison's and Cale Yarborough's car from the 1979 Daytona race with a Bill France statue looking directly at the car. Likewise, you had a TV screen above the car showing that race. The exhbits were amazing with old trophies, racing uniforms from old, bios of lesser known racers, Spirit of 76 tower at Daytona, pamphlets, magazines that took place in the 30's. My favorite one was the garage shop where they had this car which was painted in red called Kiekhafer . There was a phone that was ringing and you picked it up with somebody telling when the race was on. My personal favorite was the Junior Johnson exhibit of his moonshine distillery in a glass case with a diagram of how moonshine is made. Even this dummy knows that NASCAR came from moonshine runners who could out race the cops. That is why the tracks are so far away from the cities in obscure places in the south.

I can't give justice on this floor but let me just say it covered everything from Daytona to lesser races with TV screens filled with historical clip and interviews. But make no mistake about it, this is and was the Founder of NASCAR's production. Bill France and still in the family. You see a plenty of exhibits of him. No problem with that except for one thing. The France family had a lot enemies including the racers. Some the racers who weren't that good got more praise than the ones who didn't like Curtis Turner. When you try to unionize or go against Mr. France, you get your butt kicked. I'm just sayin. This is just an isolated incident, either? It seems that when you cross Mr. France, weird things happens to you some years later, you get killed and its never solved. Forgiviness is not one of his strong traits. Its good to be the King or David Pearson. Maybe, even Tim Flock. I guess that is how you judge good racers. Then maybe not.

The Nascar Experience

Once I got inside the museum, it wasn't much of a intimidating presence like it was from the outside but it was a circular presence, going three stories high. They would put exhibits close to the walls or on the walls like pictures, old billboards, glass cased model cars, and old live cars like Darryl Waltrip's 1981 Mountain Dew Buick. On the first floor, you had this oval paved track, lined with old cars and a floor to walkand for wheelchair access (not by your self to roll). The track would go up and sideways. The track didn't cover the whole just about a quarter of the space but it felt huge. I kept looking at the big ceiling. Likewise, I got to feel what its like to be on a real racetrack. It felt off-balanced due to the veering from the right upwards to my left. But there was a safety rail and shoe box step to get back down. Finally, you had written markers some about waist high and others about eye-level next to each exhibit detailing the items and their significance.

As I walked up to the second floor, I realized the first floor was the appetizer buta lot more fun. The second floor had exhibits but similators to experience what is like drive, broadcast, and fix a race car. I can say this: the pit-crew has my respect. In this one exhibit, I tried to lift this rear passenger side (not the whole car) against this wall, get the wheel locks out of a tire and put the wheel locks back on, put gas, and then bring the car down. Took me 11 seconds. Whew. They had weight tests which I barely lifted for the gas can, tires, and others. Finally, they had this foam version of an engine for kids to break it down and put it back together. That was easy but learned more from that.

A revelation came to me when I tried to broadcast the race. I can't hear or I can't talk. They had a radio and television broadcast with microphones and headsets with a videotape involving a crash between Dale Jr. and Kurt Busch from two years ago. Radio side first, the video would show how the commentators said it and it would last 4 minutes. Then it was my turn to broadcast but when they played back the tape, I couldn't hear myself except when they crashed and this was with bird ears. I tried the television side and same thing. I thought I was screaming the whole time but you could barely hear a chirp. Then I realized, its only 11 a.m. but I did have breakfast.

After that, I went to them exhibits concerning break parts, gear shafts, and shocks. I tell you this one is for the engineers. The engineering students from India will be impressed. If they don't have jobs, try for NASCAR. I had keep asking someone what these means and do. These American dudes looked at me strange and one told me to read the maker. The confusion lied in this: I can't tell what is considered cheating and what is not when I don't even know what each part does. I know about brakes, alternators, carburetors, and engines but I don't know how to make one much less how to make it work. Likewise, how can you cheat? Well after going back to the exhibits and reading them again and again my ADD mind figured this out, the officials understand that speed is the game and you use tools to make them faster but you want to be fair to the competition.

My favorite test that officials use is the magnetic test on items like shocks. There is a aluminum and metal one both the same feel. If you put the magnetic on the metal you see attraction but on the aluminum, no attraction which means it is lighter and can go faster with less power and more force. They'd give you test on other items of legal and illegal parts. I failed them all but I learned something: racing can be fair and balanced at times. However, I seem to remember that Richard Petty won a race in Charlotte in 1983, yet he was fined 50 grand for illegal engine and parts but got to keep the trophy. Rules don't apply to a king but he did get into a lot of accidents using engines from WWII planes. Maybe it does on a spiritual sense?

The Nascar Experience

Once I got inside the museum, it wasn't much of a intimidating presence like it was from the outside but it was a circular presence, going three stories high. They would put exhibits close to the walls or on the walls like pictures, old billboards, glass cased model cars, and old live cars like Darryl Waltrip's 1981 Mountain Dew Buick. On the first floor, you had this oval paved track, lined with old cars and a floor to walkand for wheelchair access (not by your self to roll). The track would go up and sideways. The track didn't cover the whole just about a quarter of the space but it felt huge. I kept looking at the big ceiling. Likewise, I got to feel what its like to be on a real racetrack. It felt off-balanced due to the veering from the right upwards to my left. But there was a safety rail and shoe box step to get back down. Finally, you had written markers some about waist high and others about eye-level next to each exhibit detailing the items and their significance.

As I walked up to the second floor, I realized the first floor was the appetizer buta lot more fun. The second floor had exhibits but similators to experience what is like drive, broadcast, and fix a race car. I can say this: the pit-crew has my respect. In this one exhibit, I tried to lift this rear passenger side (not the whole car) against this wall, get the wheel locks out of a tire and put the wheel locks back on, put gas, and then bring the car down. Took me 11 seconds. Whew. They had weight tests which I barely lifted for the gas can, tires, and others. Finally, they had this foam version of an engine for kids to break it down and put it back together. That was easy but learned more from that.

A revelation came to me when I tried to broadcast the race. I can't hear or I can't talk. They had a radio and television broadcast with microphones and headsets with a videotape involving a crash between Dale Jr. and Kurt Busch from two years ago. Radio side first, the video would show how the commentators said it and it would last 4 minutes. Then it was my turn to broadcast but when they played back the tape, I couldn't hear myself except when they crashed and this was with bird ears. I tried the television side and same thing. I thought I was screaming the whole time but you could barely hear a chirp. Then I realized, its only 11 a.m. but I did have breakfast.

After that, I went to them exhibits concerning break parts, gear shafts, and shocks. I tell you this one is for the engineers. The engineering students from India will be impressed. If they don't have jobs, try for NASCAR. I had keep asking someone what these means and do. These American dudes looked at me strange and one told me to read the maker. The confusion lied in this: I can't tell what is considered cheating and what is not when I don't even know what each part does. I know about brakes, alternators, carburetors, and engines but I don't know how to make one much less how to make it work. Likewise, how can you cheat? Well after going back to the exhibits and reading them again and again my ADD mind figured this out, the officials understand that speed is the game and you use tools to make them faster but you want to be fair to the competition.

My favorite test that officials use is the magnetic test on items like shocks. There is a aluminum and metal one both the same feel. If you put the magnetic on the metal you see attraction but on the aluminum, no attraction which means it is lighter and can go faster with less power and more force. They'd give you test on other items of legal and illegal parts. I failed them all but I learned something: racing can be fair and balanced at times. However, I seem to remember that Richard Petty won a race in Charlotte in 1983, yet he was fined 50 grand for illegal engine and parts but got to keep the trophy. Rules don't apply to a king but he did get into a lot of accidents using engines from WWII planes. Maybe it does on a spiritual sense?

NASCAR, The True Religion

I read about a preacher who lost his son to another congregation because that preacher was a NASCAR fan and the father wasn't. I don't care what anybody says, if you hate the NASCAR presence, you will not last long in Charlotte or in the Carolinas. Many will try to avoid the subject or keep themselves out of southern folklore distance. The ones who can, are the naives ones from out of town or non-English folks. Once you have taken a point of view of a southerner( whether its about race, religion or politics), you better embrace the sport. Parks Helms as Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Commissioner was despised by many conservatives in Charlotte because he always raised taxes and isn't shamed to admit because in his words, "if you don't like it then leave." But nobody left when the public money went to the museum during the recession. (By the way, he is still a deacon at Park Road Baptist church).

Speedy Thompson (2nd left) winning the 1960 National 400. 

In this part of the area to be competitive, you either take the Vanderbilt view or the Redneck view if you are honest about it. If you aren't competitive, you go on the "you love everyone" tick or the drug tip. Very few, will be all embracing in everything. Here to get a balance on the environment and themselves, most will be on the avoider trip or take the southern-gentlemen kick in hard and fair play. Football is the main sport for these southern gents and arts& lit for the avoiders that includes academia.

As for me, it was Sunday. Something real spiritual happens to me when I'm here. Even though I'm not religious. In Atlanta, I love to work on Sunday's but not when I lived in Charlotte. I asked the hotel attendant if there were churches or temples nearby and she gave me a list as well as a mapquest for those placess(thank you). I saw one Hindu Temple which was off Independence Boulevard, too far from Woodlawn to drive. There were a lot of church listings but decided against driving to them. Instead, I decided to walk to a nearby mono-rail which I noticed when driving from the Carrie Undewood concert.

I figured, I would notice a church from the train and get off. I saw this chuch right next to the station in a office warehouse but it was closed until 11 a.m. and it was 9:30 a.m. When I got on the train, I notced how easy it was. A small car but you can get on street level like a trolley. Inside, they had an area for wheelchair bound folks with a hook that can latch on their chair for safety. Security seemed lax because there was none at the Woodlawn stop but I paid money on the coin dispenser. Good thing coz on the next stop, a couple of Charlotte Mecklenburg police showed up asking for tickets.

On the way, I saw a lot of warehouses, trendy apartments with trees and benches, restaurants, and offices but no church. I did see the Time Warner Arena right next to the rail. Wasted money for that adventure from the night before. Asked the cops where the museum was and they told me. I walked about a couple of blocks and found the building on East Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

The exterior had an oval, metallic exterior that resembles the remodeled version of Soldier Field in Chicago. Very majestic with a billboard TV showing old races as well as the Wild Wing Cafe restaurant. I got to the ticket booth, prices were relatively cheap. 12 bucks for kids, 17 bucks for seniors and military, and 19 for adults. I chose the Hall of Fame one for 24 plus the 19 just because it was new. Little did I know what the decision would do for me.

The Carrie Underwood Show

I love Charlotte. That is my home visitation place. The fun for me is going to places that I didn't plan for. Charlotte is that town. Other places, you have to put in advance, organize, and plan accordingly. My issue with that is when something goes wrong (something small), it ruins the vacation. However, disorganization costs a lot of money if you are cost conscientious. But since I don't care, I went exploring.

Driving through I-85 is fun on a Saturday afternoon. It was warm without the slushy rainfall. Bit chilly at night but no cold mist or wind. I was just driving around in downtown when I noticed cars filled up at Time Warner Arena. I parked my car at a this lot. I first tried to put cash in this dispenser but it took all my money without giving me a receipt. I had to use my credit card for a 10 dollar parking lot.

After some debating, I decided to stay and go inside the arena. It was Halloween, you saw some kids going to clubs with a Halloween theme. They seemed to have fun. I preferred a basketball game since the Bobcats play there or so I thought. As I went to the arena, the ticket boxes were closed so I had to go find a ticket scalper as well as an ATM machine. Oh, I found both real quickly as well as a homeless guy talking about how he was done in.

The scalper saw me first and asked me to buy 40 dollars. I said I would think about. Then, he went 30 dollars and told him that I would go by the ATM machine to get my machine. When he noticed that I was talking with those homeless guy after I got my cash from the ATM, he went down 20 dollars. Bought the ticket and gave homeless man, 20 dollars. You should have seen the scalper's face. Oh, man.

The arena was pretty cool but I had to sit way up there next this curtain that was covering up the upper deck seats. Everybody was warm and fuzzy with their special someone. Looking down was okay except it wasn't a basketball game but a Carrie Underwood concert. Oh, great. Carrie just got married to a hockey player.

I have to say though, I enjoyed the show. Say, what you will, Carrie brings it. Sitting on the bed of a pickup truck being suspended in mid-air over the crowd by 40 feet high with this metal rail, moving the truck around in a circular motion. You should have seen the fans, moving away from the truck because it that sucker fell .... Oh, well. I like the the three layer, circular, jacuzzi-looking tile stage that she stood on. The middle circle would go down with Carrie and then, you would see her in a new costume every few minutes. She once popped up in a piano (she actually played it), and to start the show, in a love seat. But never in a jacuzzi. Damn!

I took pictures of her in my phone but too far up. Sat in my seat till everybody left and security told me to go home. Traffic wasn't too bad which is very unusual for Charlotte. Drove around and found this hotel that I discussed with the Rest Area person when I got into NC earlier that day. This lady was very nice and found me a coupon at this Days Inn in Woodlawn Road. Cost me 47 dollars per a day for two days. The place was good with a Mexican restaurant in the site. Nice bed and TV. Next day, NASCAR Hall.

Its Fun Time!

I got invited by this lady from the Indian Meetup Group in Atlanta to a trip to Gatlinburg for Labor Day Weekend. I went to her apartment and went with a group of four, including me, packed in the small Mazda with a hatchback. We left about 8 p.m. from Atlanta and got there about 11 p.m. but we sort of got creeped out by the mountside and the cabin we were supposed to stay at. It was mountainous and not exactly paved. One of the meetup members knew somebody who owned the cabin and rented it out to him for the weekend. 114 dollars for each individual. There ended up being about 7 or 8 people at the cabin. Remote but had showers, washer & dryers, satellite TV, and a land line phone. There were about 4 bedrooms with a kitchen, living room, beds, and other luxury necessities. Soap for body and clothes cleaning were provided as well as refrigeration. Outdoor deck looking straight at the Smokies.

The group was great. Lot of teasing and jabs as well as great friendship. I liked the board game competitiveness from that Saturday night! Though, I got scared a bit. LOL. Great cooking from the group with burgers , other meat, veggies, and the coffee/tea. Great job guys because I couldn't cook. But I did help clean, somewhat. Restaurants were good in Gatlinburg. Unfortunately, the traffic was a bit much due to the Labor Day Weekend. Cars came from so many other states than Tennessee.

I got to ride in a helicopter for the first time with these rides that service for a minute, 4 minutes, 8 minutes and so on. We paid 32 dollars each for an 8 to 12 minute ride. Did the skylift. I love the people and the strangers. Very kind folks. Did the Bumper cars. Thanks for the bump, dude? LOL. But most involved deep conversations that stays in the cabin. Finally, learned the basics of chess from a seven year old. Thank you for breaking me out that shell. AJC Chess club will be happy.

Leaving Gatlinburg was fun too. The day before, we went to the streams at this national Park. That was cool. But traveling with the original four and adding another was something else. The cars was stuffed with bags and suitcases. I barely could move. The car was going on the left side off I-40 going 90 before getting on I-85. But the drive was fun. Felt like clowns in a Volkswagen Beetle. Cracker Barrel near Asheville, North Carolina was great but the service reminded me of the movie, Bhaji on the Beach particularly where we were placed after waiting for 15 minutes. But the attendants at the gift shop were wonderful. This lady went out of her way and I bought some things. Sorry, mom, dad, and the whole family. But, hey it's a vacation.

Nothing to conclude which I like because I hope this trip never ends for me except for my wallet. Ha, ah, ha!

Competitive Morality

As a young boy, I was a bit of brat until girls didn't like it so I became nice. Then I realized something. I can be a moralist and judge people. He is a sissy because he eats vanilla ice-cream and I don't. Or he touches girls. He is a nerd or he talks back to the teacher. Man, all sorts of things. When I look at facebook, I see that from me. People putting down sayings and quotes. However, when it hits you. I get competitive. I wonder if they do the same thing.

For example. One guy put about not giving excuses to your condition. Here is my response: "Look at the WNBA, Atlanta Dream. You have a coach who is asked to be a GM and a coach for the same price. Has to keep the roster to 11. When she started coaching, she not only coached her basketball team but taught 9 classes of physical education at her college. The players are amazing, they shake hands with other teams despite losses. Sign autographs despite getting beaten at home. They don't make much and always in danger of folding. They get to the Finals but not much talk."

The point is do people appreciate others who overcome circumstances and go beyond expectations. No. Unless its me. But if you ask them, do you appreciate what that team has done. Back-hand compliments but no inspiration when there should be. Aw, I'm not interested in women's basketball. Which gets me to the next point. Parks Helms.

Parks Helms is a lawyer in Charlotte. He is known for his service as a County Commissioner chairman for Mecklenburg County. Born and bred in Charlotte, he attended UNC and their law school. He has been involved in Charlotte politics since 1972, involved with various boards and appointments. Likewise, he has been a deacon of Park Road Baptist church. Finally, he served in the North Carolina legislature for many years.

After he resigned from the County Commission, he became a board member for the N.C. Alcohol Beverage Control system in Mecklenburg. He had to resign because he attended a luncheon which cost about 9,000 dollars, paid by a liquor company in London. He ended up paying one grand back while other ABC members footed the bill. The rule is you can't accept gifts for more than 300 dollars each person. However, the one that got me was his board spending 11 million government dollars for that liquor company to sell their products. Likewise, Parks's statement that his opponents were practicing "competitive morality" with him.

I personally called his law office, giving my support to him. He responded in kind saying that he remember me and wished me well.

Fannie Flagg's (Standing in the Rainbow)

Fannie Flagg, I had a crush on big time. I loved her figure but her personality and charisma made med adore. She was the mother I never had during my early elementary school years when the Match Game show was about to come to an end. In that she appeared to be nurturing, fun, loving, and full of energy. Likewise, she seemed to be understanding and pleasing. But something in schizoid mind told me that it wasn't all it seems though I wish it would be.
Now to the book "Standing in the Rainbow", I read as if she was conversing with me. There were times I wanted her to hurry up and get to the point quickly but most times, I clung to every word she said. All I could get in my head was her reading to me with me cuddled up in her lap, hoping she would lean toward the back of my head. I didn't want to get perverse with her because she always seemed to be respectful and I wanted to respond in kind. But... oh, just this once.

Anyway, what made me read the whole book instead of a few pages, was her knowledge of of the state of Missouri's history concerning the St. Louis Browns baseball team from 1944. I felt like she was there and a fan of team even though she was born and grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. Likewise, she genuinely understood characters of both men and women in fluid motion concerning their roles in society, occupation, and family. Therefore, she was able to move from church, political & social arena, and time periods while marinating the depth of the characters.

Simplicity with complicity. I thought it was cute when she added for Elvis as a friend for Minnie Oatman when she asked me to support her daughter, Betty Raye or Harry Truman endorsing Hamm Sparks. I like the story concerning Bobby Smith and he grew from a mischievous kid to a man. Sister, Anna Lee looking for Mr. Right. Tot Wooten and the hard luck life as a hairdresser with an alcoholic husband and children going nowhere. Macky and Norma Warren as the happy couple who worried alot. Beatrice, the blind boarder who could sing. Finally, Mrs. Dorothy Smith as a cook and a radio social commentator for her town while her husband was the town druggist.

The bottom line was being about getting that man no matter how strong the women were. The impression you got was women were strong due to circumstances. Only a few were naturally strong. Vice Versa too for the guys in small town America. In return, the folks were very giving to those in need like Mrs. Smith taking care of Beatrice and Betty Raye without nothing in return. But you had to get married unless you were Cecil or Mrs. Vita Green. That was the 50's and early 60's of America. Fanny definitely lived it.

However when the book goes to the 80s'and 90's, it loses its steam concerning its candor but its more of a reflection of decline in small town America concerning the economy and its values. Fanny mentions about Tot's son being incarcerated on drugs but doesn't tell the devastating effects of meth in southern Missouri during the 90's and now. You wondered about Macky's and Norma's daughter Linda who moved to San Francisco, build her own career, and adopted a Chinese girl without a father. Something seemed edited. Yeah, early in her career, she paid for her boyfriend's law school but then got divorced when she miscarried a baby. Of course, it talks about him being weak and a deadbeat. Lack of candor concerning this period.

I thought she should have stopped in the mid-70's with a reunion at the nedbut it doesn't kill the book. I think she felt obligated to write due to the promise of a young Bobby to his best friend Monroe in 1946 of both making it to the year 2000. Unfortunately, Monroe doesn't make it as he died of a massive heart-attack in the 80's. The book ends with Bobby telling his story from 1946 to the present for "Readers Digest" starting with his mother.

As for me, this is one story I would be proud to have, fiction or non-fiction. She gives those value pointers for people who are given vs. those who aren't given. For instance, Hamm Sparks had to work for what he got which got him to the govenor's office but didn't feel comfortable with people on a social level because they were given so much from their parents. Yet, Hamm was idolized from the people he envied. In short, the grass is always greener from the other side. Same way that I love Fanny Flagg and always will.

Baltimore Like Atlanta?

I don't go to Maryland that often. Yet, it feels home for me. I live in Atlanta. My sister, Kamini, who is from Dumfries, VA says Baltimore is a little bit too much like Atlanta. I don't know, I'm still looking for that harbor at Chattahoochee. LOL. Anyway, I feel comfortable there when I visit. Of course, the last time I visited Baltimore was at Paru's sister's, Julie's wedding some fifteen years back. That wedding was more relief to me than anything. For some reason, I felt scared and I wasn't even in it. But, Paru's wedding was very relaxing even though my parents told me to prim and proper like I was going to prom.

There is always a weird surprise element that occurs when you visit the Gurusamys' for anything. Let me see, the movie theater at Ocean City forcing us to see Rocky III instead of ET; then some time later at Ocean City, gas attendants giving us Super-sized cups of Coke for no reason; the weird neighbors at Timonium (Bree has to come home and eat cheese, what? and hanging clothes off the window to dry?) ; and the weird stories about personally knowing someone jumping off the Chesapeake.

This time they didn't know but before the wedding, a hotel attendant at the front desk said that Morris Day of the Time was outside. I told him that "are you kidding." I look outside and it was some old dude with a shaved head and clean shaven face. Man, I was upset, told what I saw and for him to look outside. So he gets outside the door with me and I point to the man. He said "naw, that ain't him, he is in there inside the Holiday Inn van." So, I look inside the van and sure enough, it was Morris Day with his neatly trimmed, slick back afro hair with that bushy mustache. I waived hi to him while he was surrouned by a bodyguard and a couple of fans asking for autographs. Somehow, that relaxed me and got ready for the wedding.

The wedding was plain and simple. I loved that TV screen outside the temple parking lot. Inside, it was pretty cool and formal. Lenghty but not too long. What was good about, you could go outside and not miss the wedding. Food was being served the whole time of Idli's, chappathi's, coorima, and others. I like that mango drink that the kid attendants were giving me. Then another weird thing happened. I was outside when the wedding was about to end. A puff of black smoke appeared cloud like on the wooded tree side of the temple. Behind the forest, is a neighborhood with some streets paved. Someone said, it was a car accident or something else but you could hear sirens of police, fire trucks, and a ambulance. The puff of smoke was like an omen something you see in Hindu paintings or that song, Light My Fire.

The later event was the reception. This Dr. Dude kept telling me that I can do when I was sitting at this table next to my sister Rathi's friend, Ananathi. Food was great but too uptight with old people. But the show moved well. To the Groom: "You won't see an Indian pitch for the Yankees but you may with the Orioles." Funny highlight before that was my two nephews were running around the hotel and dancing. Nephew, Loghan passed out on the chair and carrying him was funny. Velan dancing and still having energy when it was passed midnight. I come back and start dancing. Julie apologizes for playing YMCA. I said they should have played "Living After Midnight" by Judas Priest. It was a party at the reception building and at the hotel.

Another weird element, you had Redskins fans at a Baltimore suburb hotel, cheering hardcore for a pre-season game against the Patriots. I went swimming on cold at the hotel pool. Finally, on Sunday we went to this restaurant, the whole family and my sister's family. I had the seafood platter. Then I took off from the Thurgood Marshall Airport hugging my nephews, an my sister saying those words about Atlanta and Baltimore.

Thanks Dad for the hotel rooms, Yogesh for your hard work. Mom with Velan/Loghan. Rathi great job of braving the knee. Vadivan for being very supportive. Remy hope you had the great Murugan experience. I love Greenbelt, MD so much. I wrote to the mayor telling her so and she said if I come back to email her so she can tell me the places to go and when those tours starts. She also said that she was born in Atlanta.

What you see is what you get

One of the perks of going to broadcasting school like I did at CSB is that I got to go to basketball games when the Hornets were in town. I held the cable wire from the camera guy under the basket and during timeouts. Unlike the fans, I had to be there two or three hours before game time. The guy in charge was man named Lou. He is the middle man for everything involved Charlotte sports. You didn't want to mess up or end up being where I'm at. I did okay but mistakes were made. Anyway.

You got to see players work with coaches. I saw assistant coach Lee Rose working with Hornets player, George Zidek. It wasn't just one time. Ever game, he did this. Footwook on offense from the the catch to post moves as well feet shuffle on defense. Mostly, I remember offensive moves. Later on, Tony Delk was wearing a parachute suit with strings attached to his waist and shoulders. Lee would hold and stretch the string portion to the free throw line while Tony was jumping underneath the basket. He had to jump and land with perfect balance. If he leaned just a little bit on one side of the body or favored a shoulder, foot, hip, knee or any body part, he had to do it again.

Most of the Hornet players particular the starters would show up later on, 45 minutes before game time. The camera crew, ticker ushers, coaches, trainers, and ball boys would start appearing as well as fans who had ties to the players. They would go into their character mode, go over plays, camera angles, lighting, scripts, ifb's, commercials, player interviews, product promotion while out of breaks or during action, and makeup. Before a game is just as busy as game action. Preparation to the game is where the the real money is made. Therefore, these folks are not easy people to talk to. They can Rasheed Wallace on you in a hurry if you tick them off.

Announcers go into character mode when the camera is on and than change when the camera is off. Sometimes, they change from bad to good but mostly its good to bad. They are just as bad as players to fans when it comes to interactions. They don't want to do nothing with you and some are just assholes. Its not like the fans ask for their autographs. I know I didn't. Most times, I just said hi but they would brush off and be their prima donna self. You talk about Bill Russell not signing autographs, announcers are worse.

What you see is what get from Bill Raftery. On camera, he is very enthusiastic and hyper with all those phrases. Before I met him, I thought he was annoying. Somebody who worked too hard to please like a girl on a date. I met him off camera after he interviewed Kendall Gill for the New Jersey Nets during a game in Charlotte. I was holding cable for a camera man. Usually, we only broadcast or videotape the Charlotte Hornets team. However, something went wrong with the Nets camera or they decided that they would use the Hornets camera guy. The interview with Kendall went well, surprising, considering that Bill got on him for not hustling during that year and Kendall had some choice words but Bill spoke to him positively and patted him on the back as if to say "go get em, kid. I'm behind you."

After he finished the interview, I introduced myself told him about one of the games that he did. The game involved UNC-Charlotte during the flu or measles epidemic at a college in the Northeast where no fans showed up. He related something to Charlotte concerning the late coach, Al McGuire. Talked about Al coaching at at a small Catholic school, Belmont Abbey near Charlotte. Mentioned that Al would get New York players by placing a picture of the Duke campus on the Belmont Abbey's brochure. I made a mention of this and he looked at me, smiled and said, "Good memory" and told me that I was very knowledgeable.

He was very enthusiastic about what I had to say because of personality of wanting to make everyone happy. Unlike some announcers when the camera is off, they want to leave or move on the next segment. Mind you, I'm not saying anything but, "Hi" but like the movie "Bull Durham" where the bat boy tells Crash Davis to get a hit, he tells him to shut-up. Therefore, when you hear an announcer criticize a player for not relating to fans or giving autographs most likely the announcer is the player unless he is Bill Raftery. From Bill, "What you see is what you get."

Charlotte Dreams

I always have Dreams about Charlotte, NC (of course, when I'm in Charlotte, I have dreams about Atlanta). Just mundane random stuff. My favorite is driving over this overpass overlooking a park with kids playing, weather being chilly and wet, and the sky scrappers just around the corner. Sometimes, I have time flash backs where it is Christmas in 1958 and a couple with young kids are celebrating with friends. Yeah, I'm influenced by shows or events that happened there as well.

My favorite is where in the midst of a party of a supposed happy family, you see tension but you don't know why? I go to this room and see a older teen-age boy stoned quiet with his younger sister whimpering. The year is around the early 1960's. My mind is like what is going on here but it never gives me the answer. That is what many of these scenarios do for me. Slyvia Plath and Anne Sexton images hit me when it comes to those times. I remember a sentence from Betty Feezor's book about her kids wanting her to stop yelling and she felt that she didn't but promised to follow their advice.

When I lived there, I walk by graves and read about them from newspaper microfilms. Highways that ruined neighborhoods in Charlotte. I think of a couple: one from Central and the other from First Ward meeting secretly in the early 40's. A Greek family living in the late 19th century to the late 20th century. Charlotte's own version of Geisha girls who weren't allowed to go to temple, churches, businesses, or other functions but always served the men behind close doors at all times in all decades.

Children failing in classrooms in the 00's, 10's, 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's. Some Parents understanding but worried. Others impatient and abusive. Most angry and resentful. Scholars and successful types. Cliques and groups. Laziness and ambitiousness. Jealousy and resentments washed away as new wave of people come in. Gossip and churches. Kids wanting to rebel and develop racial views to fit their peers or push their family anger towards others. Dorothy Counts comes to mind.

I think about loneliness a lot. Family working behind the scenes of the city to feed their family and paying bills while maintaining a calm frontier front. Domestic arguments and violence. Women not wanting to go to work in the 50's because she wanted to fit the 50's housewife stereotype but her man had trouble with booze and left the family (Most claim that the husband died or left). Children is all they can help so say the social worker. Some are truly happy no matter what, they got each other and that is all they need, no front needed.

What do I know? Just images that flash in my head. Nobody lives where they grew up except for visit. Some tell me that nothing has changed. One thing bothered me: Betty criticized other families in how they raised their kids but did they criticize in how she raised their's? My point why can't get you work together instead of constantly proving yourself to each other since you claim to be "God's children." But religious people are not exactly saints either. TV doesn't help either. The point is: you are boxed in like everybody else with little time to spare. When your contribution is done, no one remembers you but the building and its time for you to save.

Gus Roberts

This is a poem inspired about a student who integrated the Charlotte, NC public school system. It isn't necessarily about him.

GUYS LIKE GUS?

Central High: slipping the through cracks
Lost in intensity: the city’s bleached wax
It was 1957: wanted to play pool
Daddy Mommy; wanted me at school

Carolina Tar Heel: struck me in the ass
Sit in the back: away from the class
“Wait then scream rape” Girls, say: I’m boring:
“Bait or see Jail” Guys, say: I’m nothing

Football team and Principal protect me from herd
Went to prom on a separate cord with some curd
Graduated on time: no fare to roam
Family to friends: no place to hum

Guys like Gus, flies & tries
Guys like Gus, mourn & worn
Guys like Gus, pitied and witted on X-mas

Central High: living through tracks
Hovering the intensity: at the city’s beat tax
It was 1992: can’t play the fool
Mommy & daddy; kept me at school

Carolina Blue; is all over my ass
Lying in front: away from the past
“Wait and scream rape” Girls, say: sorry
“Bait and see jail” Guys, say: lordy

Visitors and gatekeepers protected me from harm
Went to Rom on a constructed card with no charm
Reincarnated on-line; my faire to roam
Brothers to sisters; my place to bum

Guys like Gus, tries & dies;
Guys like Gus, worn & scorn;
Guys like Gus, witted and kidded on X-mas


© 2006 by Davan S. Mani

The story about Betty Feezor

WHO IS BETTY FEEZOR?
Betty Feezor was a Television presenter in Charlotte, NC USA. Betty’s specialty was cooking and home decorations to housewives around the Carolinas. Her southern, accent monologue and manner became the trademark of its popularity. The Betty Feezor show ran from 1953-1977 on WBTV Charlotte during weekdays at 1 p.m. It was the first local show to be video-recorded in color on Sept. 5, 1958.

She was born on Feb. 17, 1925 in Texarkana, Texas where her father John Buford Daniels was a county agent. Due to her father’s graduate studies and work, she lived in Texarkana, Fayetteville and Little Rock, Arkansas. Attended Texas State College for Women before transferring to the University of Tennessee where she got a degree in home economics.

She was a home demonstration agent first in Maryville, TN, then in Salisbury, NC, and later in Greensboro, NC. It was there she met and married Turner Cole Feezor, a farm equipment salesman through his sister. Together they had 3 children: Betty Cole, John, and Robert. In Greensboro, a TV station asked for her cooking and home expertise.

Due to Turner’s job, she moved to Charlotte and worked for 4-H Clubs and Girl Scouts while remaining as a housewife. The general manager from the Greensboro TV station told WBTV about her work and how she looked comfortable in front of the camera. Eventually, she landed her own show which became popular. She interviewed many celebrities such as Rose Kennedy.

Betty passed away on February 28, 1978 after being diagnosed with cancer in 1977. A diary about her battle with cancer was published in 1979 called “A Life That Mattered.” A scholarship is named in her honor. Elected to North Carolina Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1982.



This is a poem that I wrote about trying to find this videotape. I contacted universities, tv stations, and her friends and family if a videotape was possible. Though pleasant at times; most of them were in distrust mode and were wondering why I even care for someone who existed a long time ago.

Dear Momma Feasor---
Your kids sect me.
Dear Momma Feasor
Your friends hurt me.
Dear Momma Feasor
Why can’t mothers, be your kin.

Perfect for all.
An angel to stall.
Not everyone is keen as thee.
Don’t want a raise a latch to be

Dear Momma Feasor ---
Virginia hates me.
Momma Feasor
The Queen rejects me.
Dear Momma Feasor
Why can’t MP’s, believe you can.

Stand for all.
Model for Hall.
Not everyone’s phony as we.
Do want a place of high Cree.

Dear Momma Feaser ----
You’re not here
Momma Feaser ----
You’re not real
Dear Momma Feaser ----
Don’t be a Teaser
Dear Betty Feezor----

Dear Betty Feezor---
Dear Betty Feezor----





© 2006 by Davan S. Mani

any memoribilia or video

Welcome to Betty Feezor trivia or memories. I was wondering if you would like to share something for us to see and believe.