Gimme Gimme Gimme

Tomorrow's Black Friday, so now's as good a time as any to drop fat hints about all the weird stuff you should buy me. None of these things I can't live without, and I'd probably own 'em already if they weren't so elusive and/or expensive (or if I never got rid of some of these items in the first place). I guess it's their current elusiveness that makes them so desirable.

Like this Billiken bank, above. My grandma had one of these, which her dad bought her at the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. I don't know whatever happened to it, but I don't think I'd want any other than that one in particular.

I used to have these bitchin' Batman View-Master reels, which aren't all that rare, and that I can re-experience here and here (albeit without the stereoscope action). Still...

I also used to have a Mariners inaugural 1977 season program, like this one. These are always on eBay, except the one I want: it's from the first ballgame I ever went to, sold during the June 3-4-5 Cleveland series. It profiled Seattleite-turned-Indian Paul Dade, and had a photo feature of the first-ever M's triple play -- Reynolds to Meyer to Jutze.

Also on the baseball tip, I'd go for a vintage Pilots pennant or any other such ephemera - a pocket schedule, a scorecard, a media guide or a yearbook. But it's all too expensive.

All the heshers at Sequoia Junior High wore this KISW tee (most likely purchased at the Squire Shop, along with a pair of James Jean painter pants). Now I want one too.


Also on the rock 'n' roll tip, this Girl Trouble Live CD. The only time I ever saw one was at Fallout, but I passed on it that day. Haven't seen it since.



I'm also missing issues 1-9 and 11-13 of Wig Out!, Girl Trouble's self-produced fanzine, along with issues 1-9 and 11 of Roctober, a whole heap of Murtaugh back issues (featuring Tony Millionaire's Batty comics), and Motorbooty #2. I haven't even seen a picture of this issue, making me wonder if it ever even existed... This is an ad from around that era (circa '89) -- if it did exist, perhaps that's what the cover looked like?

Finally, I've mentioned before that I want a Six Million Dollar Man Bigfoot, but I wanna Beastie Boys Bigfoot even more. Supposedly just 70 of these were released in 2004 to promote "Triple Trouble" -- the figure wears an apron, just like in the video.

Alright, I gotta be at Mervyn's at 4 a.m... Let the war on Xmas begin!
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We Hardly Knew Ye: Edo Vanni & Tom Poston

Edo Vanni died Monday at age 89. Vanni was long considered the embodiment of Seattle's baseball history (as well as its dean, its face, its heart and soul, etc.). Born in Black Diamond and attending both Queen Anne High School and the UW, the speedy Vanni played right field as a rookie on the first Seattle Rainiers team in 1938. Until his death, he remained its last surviving member. Vanni's fiery presence helped the Pacific Coast League Rainiers win three consecutive pennants between 1939 and 1941, turning Seattle into a baseball-mad city. After managing the final Rainiers team in 1964, he was employed by every subsequent pro Seattle ballclub in various capacities -- coach, manager, general manager -- except by the Mariners, who honored him with a lifetime pass. He called the Seattle Pilots "the biggest farce I ever saw," but remained a big M's fan (his favorite player was Ichiro). He lived the rest of his life in Queen Anne, where he ascribed his longevity to daily constitutionals and lots of wine, and his marriage of 58 years. See him in action in this great Rainiers video, and read Larry Stone's 2005 profile.

Tom Poston died Monday at age 85. Poston was a comedic actor who mostly appeared on TV in his 56-year career, usually playing slow-witted, bewildered characters. He often worked alongside Bob Newhart: his best-known regular role was simpleton handyman George Utley on Newhart (1982-1990). He also played Bob's old college roommate in five episodes of The Bob Newhart Show between 1975 and 1977, along with appearances on Bob (two episodes in 1993), George & Leo (one 1997 episode), and the 1971 theatrical movie Cold Turkey. Besides being a frequent game-show panelist, he's had guest appearances on seemingly every sitcom of the last 20 years, and also voiced animated characters on King of the Hill (as Mr. Popper, the old vaudevillian who turns Bobby on to ventriloquism) and the The Simpsons (as the Capital City Goofball).

Tenuous link: Suzanne Pleshette played Bob's wife Emily on The Bob Newhart Show. Emily grew up in Seattle during the '40s and '50s, where there's a good chance she saw Edo Vanni in action at Sick's Stadium. In real life, Pleshette married Tom Poston in 2001.
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Ichiro/Salami/Pilots Updates

An anonymous reader emailed me this bitchin' picture of Seattle Pilot Ichiro Suzuki that he (or she) snapped at yesterday's game. Thank you, masked man (or woman).


Ichiro also graces the cover of the current Grand Salami, you know, the one with my Pilots article that I keep yappin' about. Look for it this month outside Safeco.


Yesterday's Seattle Times had some cool Pilots stuff -- a piece on
the team's cult appeal, a where-are-they-now update on former players, and an audio file of that infectiously jaunty fight song/sea chanty, "Go, Go You Pilots!" I also liked Art Thiel's column in yesterday's P-I on the P's, and I continue to love Mike Fuller's long-running Seattle Pilots fan site.

Now go pound them Budweisers.
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Well It's 1969 Okay

The spunky, obscure fight song "Go, Go You Pilots" blared through Safeco Field this afternoon as Ichiro and his teammates took the field. It was a promotional "Turn Back the Clock" game, at which the Mariners wore replica uniforms of the 1969 Seattle Pilots, while the visiting Detroit Tigers were decked out in their '69 road unis. It was cool.



Safeco wasn't exactly transformed into Sick's Stadium of yore, but the first 20,000 fans received Pilots caps, and lots of other fans wore their own Pilots caps and jerseys and T-shirts. Live organ music sounded over the speakers, and samples of '60s rock tunes played before each batter's plate appearance. "Pilots" replaced "Mariners" on stadium scoreboards, as well in the stadium announcer's patter. Old Pilot players and management were introduced before the game, including Rod Belcher, the Pilots ad man who wrote "Go, Go You Pilots." Former Pilot Tommy Davis threw out the first pitch.



The M's have hosted TBTC games in the past, either dressing in '77-style Mariner garb or as the Seattle Rainiers, and in 1998 they even hosted a "Turn Ahead the Clock" game, where they and the visiting Royals dressed in bizarre, futuristic uniforms. I recall they once dressed in Pilots road uniforms at some other team's TBTC game, but I think this is the first time the Mariners ever went with a Pilots theme at home.



The M's -- er, the P's -- won the game, 3-2, and the victorious "Go, Go You Pilots" played once again as the stadium emptied. Next up is the All-Star Game.

Eliza took the awesome picture of Ichiro; I took the rest.
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Hide the Salami Find the Salami!

Those headed to Safeco Field this month should pick up the current issue of The Grand Salami. Not only is the unofficial Mariner mag a great read, but the July issue reprints a slightly updated version of my Seattle Pilots article. Look for sidewalk vendors selling it outside the stadium before games. It's a mere three bucks an issue, and for guys like me who like keeping score, there's a bonus scorecard in the centerfold -- hubba hubba!
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