Here to satisfy your appetite for trivia ! Remember Clint Walker, the 6-foot-6 star of the Western series Cheyenne? His most incredible story happened off camera. In 1971, while skiing at Mammoth Mountain, California, a ski pole pierced his chest and penetrated his heart At the hospital, two doctors reportedly pronounced him dead. But a third detected signs of life, and emergency surgery saved him. Walker later described a near-death experience, saying he felt overwhelming peace and asked God to let him return because he still had things to accomplish. Incredibly, he was back at work in about 2 months. He lived another 47 years, passing away in 2018 at age 90. How many remember watching Cheyenne?

Cap!!!

In 1984, Paul Newman took the watch off his wrist and handed it to a young man who'd just told him he didn't own one. Thirty-three years later, it sold for about $17.8 million. It was his Rolex Daytona, a gift from his wife, Joanne Woodward. It was probably worth a few hundred bucks at most at the time. On the back, she'd had it engraved "DRIVE CAREFULLY ME" on three separate lines, because he raced cars and it frightened the life out of her. Newman wore it every day for years. Then one summer, his daughter's boyfriend, James Cox, was rebuilding the family tree house when Newman asked him the time. James said he didn't know and didn't own a watch. So Newman took the Rolex off his wrist and handed it over: "If you can remember to wind this each day, it tells pretty good time." No photographers present, no fuss, just a spur-of-the-moment gift to his daughter's boyfriend. In 2017, James sold it for about $17.8 million, a world record for a wristwatch at the time. He then reportedly donated a large portion of it to the Nell Newman Foundation, Newman's daughter's charity. That was typical Newman. Newman's Own, the food company he founded, gives all its profits to charity and has handed over hundreds of millions. He was also known for giving privately, without letting anyone know it was him. What a great example. Anyone can be generous with a camera on them. A true gentleman does it when no one's watching.

John Stockton: “I remember as a rookie Larry Bird walked by our bench and said, ‘I feel like 43 tonight.’ Then he came out and scored 43 points by the 3rd quarter and checked himself out.” 🤯 Larry Bird had a special talent for getting inside his opponents' heads before the game was even over. His confidence was legendary, but what made him different was his ability to back up every word with his performance. During a 2018 appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, NBA legend John Stockton recalled an unforgettable moment from his rookie season with the Utah Jazz. “I remember as a rookie Larry Bird walked by our bench and said, ‘I feel like 43 tonight.’ Then he came out and scored 43 points by the 3rd quarter and checked himself out.” Read that again. Bird walked past the opposing bench, predicted how many points he would score, went out and delivered exactly that number before the fourth quarter even began. That was Larry Legend. He wasn't the most athletic player on the court, and he didn't need to be. His basketball IQ, shooting touch, footwork, and understanding of the game allowed him to outsmart defenders who were faster, stronger, and more explosive. Bird didn't just compete against his opponents. He challenged them mentally, too. He would tell them what he was about to do, then make them watch as he did it. Stories like this help explain why Larry Bird's reputation went far beyond his three NBA championships and three consecutive MVP awards. His confidence wasn't empty talk. He had the talent and mentality to turn his boldest predictions into reality. John Stockton experienced it firsthand. And when a legend like Stockton remembers a moment like that decades later, you know it left an impression. Larry Bird didn't need to talk trash all night. Sometimes, one sentence was enough. ☘️

America knew him as Eddie Haskell, the polite troublemaker from Leave It to Beaver. But on September 20, 1980, Ken Osmond faced a real-life danger no television script could prepare him for. Ken wasn’t acting anymore. He was a Los Angeles police officer chasing a suspected car thief when the man opened fire. Two bullets struck his protective vest, and another hit his belt buckle. He survived. Ken had been acting since childhood. His portrayal of Eddie was so convincing that the character became a cultural symbol of someone who acts polite around adults but behaves differently when they aren’t watching. Yet Hollywood’s success came with a price: Ken struggled against being typecast. In 1970, he made an unexpected career change and joined the LAPD. He served for years, including as a motorcycle officer, taking on risks far removed from the fictional mischief that had made him famous. After surviving the shooting, Ken understood just how important protective equipment could be. He eventually retired after 18 years of police service. Later, he returned to television, reprising Eddie Haskell for a new generation. Ken Osmond died in 2020, aged 76. The world remembered Eddie Haskell, the character who always seemed to be hiding something behind a polite smile. But Ken’s life told a much bigger story. He spent years pretending to be a troublemaker—and years risking his life to protect others. Eddie Haskell was a character. Ken Osmond was much more than that.

Good afternoon. Heading to the dog park. 🐕

He should be in the @Yankees dugout