The last Box-Score of Stan the Man Musial...(c) ByJerry Pritikin

Although I am best known as a Cubs Fan... I always respected the great players from the Visiting teams. I have seen quite a few as rookies and also many veterans who wound up at Cooperstown's Baseball Hall of Fame. Probably my favorite all time National Leaguer was Stan Musial. Tonight came the word that he had passes away. He had an unusual batting stance and once in an interview I described him as looking like a Rodan Statue when he was in the batters box. A cork screw like swing, and seldom striking out. I never heard a Cubs fan boo him, in fact he always received a great hand when ever he came to the batter's box. Most of the times I only got to see him in the Cardinal's gray traveling uniform whenever he played in Wrigley Field, and that was quite often. My dad would always give my Brother Allen and me enough money to the first game of a series... then after that game we would help clean the grandstands and earn a free ticket to the next game. We considered ourselves lucky when the Cubs and Cardinals played in a double header. Since the Cubs did not play night games, Allen and I would listen to the Cardinal games on the radio... it was always filled with static. Their announcers were Harry Caray and Gabby Street and the Call letters were KMOX. The beer sponsor was a local brewery with an unusual name... and it was not Busch! When we were able to see the Cubs Cardinals games on TV, it was in black & white because color TV was years away. I have to admit I always thought the Cardinal's home uniform was the best in the National League. Once in a while I got to see them wearing their home White uniform with the Red Birds on a bat when Sport Magazine had Musial, or some other Card great on the Cover.

There are a few facts I recall about Musial, like he had the same amount of hits on the road as he did at Sportsmans Park and later Bush Stadium. (1,815) and the unusual trivia question that asked "What did Cardinal ballplayer Pete Whisenant do that no other Cardinal player did? He actually pinched hit for Musial twice! I was lucky to see him interviewd by Jack Brickhouse often, and once in a while he played is harmomica,too.  I also recal the year that Cubs outfielder Frankie Baumholtz and Musial were battling out for the Batting Championship... and both teams were out of the pennant chase and on the final day of the season both players were starting pitchers, and pitched to each other. Musial won out,but the fans of both teams enjoyed the extra added attraction.

I remembered reading a great artical in Look Magazine in 1963 that said that Musial was retiring, and I took the time to write a letter to their editor and the printed it... see attachment. I was 27 when I wrote that letter. The following year I was mad when the Cardinals won the pennant because Stan Musial was not on the team. Yesterday I hit 76, and that's not homers... and Stan the Man from Denora Pa. is now playing in the Heavenly Confines for all times... Thanks Stan, you always were #1 with me and all baseball fans who appreciated Good Sportsmanship on and off the field.

Jerry Pritikin  aka The Bleacher Preacher

My Friends Harvey Milk & George Moscone (c) Jerry Pritikin

November 27,2012:

Today is another Anniversary of the assassinations of my friends,Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone in San Francisco back in 1978. I had the pleasure of knowing them and so many of the "Pioneers" of the early Gay Rights Movement and being a part of it myself. I am constantly reminded just how far that movement has come over that time. It came at a snails pace but never retreating. The movie "Milk" has helped the movement most in this the early stages of the 21st Centeury. It introduced Harvey (and George) and that era in Gay Rights to millions of people, young and old, gay and straight, here in America and around the world. The advent of the www. has made it easy to find out about our hero's as well as our enemies at the various stages along the way. I'm proud of my contributions via my photography and speaking OUT when ever I can, via this blog,Letters to the Editors and exhibits,documentaries and books happening in my lifetime.

The best is yet to come until the day all gays have Equal Rights! Please ask me if you have any questions, or comments on this post or all the rest found on my blog. May this Holiday Season bring Peace to you, your families,friends and most of all... to the World!

        Photo Credit:Danny Nicoletta-1978 The day Harvey was the Acting Mayor of San Francisco.

(c) Jerry Pritikin

Jerry Pritikin / Chicago

Thanksgiving in Chicago 50 years ago (c) J Pritikin

There is a story that movie star Dorothy Lamour was discovered working as an elevator operator at Chicago's Marshall Field. I have a similar Marshall Field story.  My second lover was discovered while I was working there as a furniture salesman.  I was on the eighth floor near the State Street bank of elevators when I noticed a good looking young elevator operator. I watched for him every time the door opened to let customers in or out. Sometimes I saw him eating alone on the twelfth floor employee’s cafeteria where I often ate with a few gay friends.  I pointed him out to them as a possible Mrs. Pritikin. Then he disappeared.  One of my friends advised me that he was working in the Marshall Field Mail Catalog Department and that his name was Charles.

 

The day before Thanksgiving I decided to call Charles after looking up his department in the employee telephone directory. At about two in the afternoon I dialed the number and he answered the phone. I said I would like to place an order – for him. There was a pause, after which he asked me to call him at home later that night.  I did. I asked if he would like to go out with me that evening but rather than go out, he wanted me to come over to his place on North Dearborn where he was renting a studio apartment in an old mansion.          

 When I walked up the stairs to ring the bell I noticed several people looking out a first floor window. Along with Charles they all rented rooms in the house.  They invited me into the largest apartment which had once been the library.  They confessed that they had been watching for me but with trepidation as quite a few shabby people had walked by carrying alcohol in brown bags.  They were relieved by my appearance when I came up the stairs. After a few drinks with the group, Charles walked me back to his room.  He told me he was nineteen and had moved from a small city about an hour west of Chicago.  After we chatted for awhile he invited me to stay the night.  There was not much in the room; mainly an old TV that one had to put a quarter in to get it to play for an hour and a pull-out sofa.  The next morning I was thrilled when he confided that he had never been with anyone before me.

 

That day was Thanksgiving.  I was supposed to go to my sister’s house for dinner  but after I found out that he had no plans for the day I called her to excuse myself from the commitment without telling her why.  We had breakfast at a local greasy spoon then went downtown to see Whatever Happened to Baby Jane at the Chicago Theater. After the movie we celebrated Thanksgiving with dinner at Henrici's Restaurant before returning to the Dearborn Street apartment for another night of bliss on the uncomfortable sofa.  A couple of weeks later he moved into my Hudson Street apartment.  My parents had been expecting me to visit them at their home in Miami over the Christmas holidays but by then I was too much in love to leave Chicago.

Our 2nd Anniversary fell on the day President Kennedy was killed.  Shortly after, I asked Charlie if he would like to move to San Francisco where I had lived for a short time in 1960.  I bought a used '57 Buick and we left for the west coast by way of Miami to finally visit my parents.  We arrived in San Francisco on Washington's Birthday, celebrated in 1964 on the 22nd of February.  My life with Charles lasted until 1968.   Both of our lives were changed forever because I had ordered him from the Marshall Field Mail Order Catalog fifty years ago.  What a magical day that was back in 1962.

  

YES VIRGINIA(and the other 49 States) There is a Santa Claus!

YES VIRGINIA(and the other 49States) I believe in Santa Claus. I admit I was scared going into tonight. America had a choice... to go FORWARD with President Obama, or go backwards with Mitt Romney, and his band of Billionairs and Millionairs who thought they could buy the Presidentcy, and make 2nd class citizens out of the 47 % of people of color,gay and the disenfranchised working class,unions and middleclass Americans.

The Republicants again thought they could fool us... but even with all their money and big business... they were wrong again. President Obama, thankfuly in the next 4 years will be choosing several more Supreme Court Justices. Not the kind that allow money be their guide. As an openly gay person, I am proud of President Obama and the Democratic Party for being inclusive for all Americans, rather then like the GOP-heads that is the party who are exclusive to only their kind.

Thank you President Clinton, and all those volunteers who fought against the odds, and sometimes the media for scaring us in beliving that Mitt Romney could fool us into surrender. WE DID IT WITH THE TRUTH AND HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW, TOMORROW AND TOMORROW!