Jackie Robinson 42

42 was Jackie Robinson's number. He died on this date in 1972.

Jackie Robinson Day 42s

I get Jackie Robinson Day, really I do (and you can read an explanation here if you're not familiar with this), and yet how many repetitions of the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything do you need?

I mean, with no names and everybody sporting 42:

Source: Keith Allison Flikr

it's hard for me to know who's who. The Husband doesn't have any trouble, being a baseball fan from way back, and he keeps me informed.

Football 42

Watching a recent UEFA Champions League group game between Bayern Munich and the Scottish Celtics, I noticed a 42 on the back of one of the Celtic players. Meet Callum McGregor!

Tojo Yamamoto

I wasn't a huge wrestling fan when I was little, but I did watch some of it on tv on Saturdays and was familiar with the major names of the day. Tojo Yamamoto was a major name back in the 1960's. Today is the anniversary of his suicide in 1992.

There's a sweet news story/tribute video filmed shortly after his death here:



Obsessed With Wrestling has his title history. The Not In Hall Of Fame web site has some information on his career, some videos and an argument for why he should be awarded Hall of Fame status. Memphis Wrestling History has clippings from his career. The picture at the top of the post is scattered all over the web with no attribution that I could find.

He doesn't get much love in the Memphis Heat documentary, but he isn't alive to give interviews.

Oldest Sumo Wrestler to Win First Title

The Bangkock Post reports: "Mongolian-born Kyokutenho on Sunday became the oldest wrestler in modern times to win his first career sumo title, beating the previous record set in 1929." The Daily Yomiuri adds, "The championship makes him the fourth Mongolia-born wrestler and the 10th foreign-born wrestler to win." From Japan Today:

Unheralded veteran Kyokutenho of Mongolia won the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on Sunday, capturing his first Emperor’s Cup with a win over Tochiozan in a championship playoff.

the playoff:


The picture at the top of the post is from Wikipedia.

Congratulations, Hakuho!

The Mainichi Daily News says this is "his 22nd career title, tying him with former yokozuna Takanohana for fifth on the all-time list." The Japan Times reports "Hakuho pulled off an improbable comeback in Houdini-esque fashion, rallying from behind...". Wikipedia says,

This marked the first time a wrestler had come from one win behind to claim the yusho on the final day since Asashoryu defeated Hokutoriki in a playoff in May 2004.

Here's the play-off from this tournament:


Hakuho is a Mongolian wrestler.

God Bless American Baseball Games?

What does it say about me that I'm sick to death of God Bless America at baseball games and find it extremely irritating? I much prefer the traditional Take Me Out to the Ball Game:

Memphis Roller Derby

I had never seen roller derby before, but The Daughter knows someone who plays for a local team, and I went with her to a friends & family practice game in the Pipkin Building at the old fairgrounds. Fun! Even though I was clueless about what was going on, it was fun. We plan to find out a bit about the rules and go back. All I know right now I learned from the song:



The Daughter's friend is in the yellow helmet in the top picture. The Daughter took the pictures in this post.

There is a Facebook page.