The Babe, and other gems...

1. On deck, The Babe. Not that Babe. But, THE Babe. June 26, 1911. Mildred Ella Didrikson born in Beaumont, Texas, a century ago, and I hear tell just a hop, skip and tall Texas spit away from that other city, Port Arthur, which would later hatch one of the greatest blues and rock legends of the 60's but that my friends is for another blog. A comet hurtling through the sports world, all alone, in an era when there wasn't any encouragement (nada, zippo, zero) for women to excel in sports; Mildred Ella shocked the world. Nicknamed by her mother, the Babe, Mildred grew up foul mouthed and brash, two uh, Texas sized attributes which would serve her well as chauvinistic writers and fans amped up dis on her athletic prowess. And what marvelous stats the Babe reaped: 2 time Olympic track and field gold medalist; all American basketball player; baseball pitcher for the Southern Assoc in 1934; and the winner of 82 golf tournaments, 14 of them trophied in a row. It is said the LPGA was founded because of the Babe. As a teen, I stumbled onto the Babe when my dad tossed me a book, and told me to read the story of one of the greatest athletes who ever lived. My head was spinning when I finished and I remember staring at her photo a long long time. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (George Zaharias was a wrestler she married), who saw no point in playing a game if you didn't win, died at 45 from colon cancer. Of her, the legendary sports writer, Grantland Rice, wrote: "She is beyond all belief until you see her perform...Then you finally understand that you are looking at the most flawless section of muscle harmony, of complete mental and physical coordination, the world of sport has ever seen."

2. MIA. Not. Called upon for an emergency tour of duty...family crisis. And, on flight as my mind wandered through the musical maze of Stones...Out of our Heads, December's Children, Let it Bleed; Beatles Revolver, and White; Cake; Johnny Cash; I savored an amazing moment. During my checkerboard 45 years of aviation flights, I have never had the pleasure of hearing a female voice over the aircraft intercom utter these seven golden words: "Welcome aboard, this is your flight captain," until the other day. It was a swell moment. Props galore. I enjoyed every sweet mile of my journey.