Sunfield Area SPY's Report---11/5/09

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+ The Sunfield Area Sponsors of Programs for Youth would like to acknowledge some recent contributions to the Scholarship Fund and / or the Youth Activities Trust Fund. They came in from the following fine folks:

* Hilda Kenyon made donations in memory of Linda Sandborn and Harold McNamara.

* Oren & Rosie Best gave in memory of Harold McNamara.

* John & Sandra Fisher contributed in memory of Keith Klotz.

* The Sunfield Area SPY’s Membership made a donation in memory of Keith Klotz.

We thank you all for using this means to help us help kids!

+ Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: Who was Frank Dwight Baldwin and what did he do that was important? (Answer later in this column).

+ Thought #1: In this day and age, was learning to write in cursive really necessary?

+ Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week: What two teams played in the last World Series game that was played during the day? (Answer later in this column)

+ “Honest Roy’s” Quote-Of-The-Week: “I respect your opinion, even though I think mine is better.”
+ The “Sports Trivia Just For Ward ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week: What two major league baseball players won a batting championship while playing for two different teams in the same season? (Answer later in this column).

+ Another Historical Tid-Bit From The Vast Archives Of Wendel “Thong” Peabody:

Troy, New York, resident Sam Wilson worked as a meat packager. His reputation for friendliness earned him the nickname "Uncle Sam."
During the War of 1812, Wilson acted as inspector for a government contractor. The meat that passed Wilson's inspection was stamped "U.S.," for "United States." The nation was quite new then, and "U.S." was not yet a common abbreviation, so when soldiers asked what the "U.S." stood for, some people supposed it must stand for Uncle Sam. This is how "Uncle Sam" came to symbolize the U.S. government. The first caricature of an Uncle Sam figure, attired in stars and stripes, appeared in political cartoons in 1832.

+ Thought #2: When someone gets something for nothing, someone else gets nothing for something

+ Attention all SPY members! The Annual Meeting of the Membership Will take place on Saturday, January 9, 2010. The Annual Meeting will be held at the Centennial Acres clubhouse. Please make a note of the date on your calendars. Details will be sent to all members in December. The election of officers will be coming up at our annual meeting in January. If
you have a desire to serve as an officer in the SPY's organization, (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Director, General Directors (5 positions); Promotions Director, or Sergeant-At-Arms); get more information
about what each officer does; or would like to nominate someone for an office, please contact any of the following:

* Darin Weller 517-819-4657 * Barry Vezino 566-8218

* John Fisher 566-8278 * Bill Weller 566-8895

* Craig Mulholland 566-8859

Thank you.

+ Louie “Trouble-Shooter” Trowbridge’s Tip-Of-The-Week: For icy door steps in
freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dish washing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze.

+ Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Frank Dwight Baldwin was a native of Constantine, Michigan. He was the very first of only 19 servicemen to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor twice. Baldwin first received this award for his actions during the Civil War during the Atlanta Campaign with the 19th Michigan Infantry. He received his second Medal of Honor for conspicuous bravery in 1874 during the Indian Wars.

+ Andy Woodman’s Sports Trivia Question-Of-The-Week Answer: The sun hasn’t shone on baseball’s biggest stage since 1984, when the Detroit Tigers beat the San Diego Padres 8 -4 in Game 5 at Tiger Stadium to win the World Series.

+ The “Sports Trivia Question Just For ‘Smarty-Pants’ Mac Cready Question-Of-The-Week Answer: Dale Alexander won the A.L. batting crown in 1932, amassing a .367 average while playing for both the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. Harry “Harry The Hat” Walker’s batting title came in 1947, when he hit .363 in a season during which he was traded from his original team, the St. Louis Cardinals, to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ravings Of The Mad Columnist

The other day I ran across a “Letter To The Editor” that appeared in the Lansing State Journal. It was written by an old Sunfield High School classmate of mine---Richard Deer. Based on all of the ineptness that has been displayed in our illustrious state government the last couple of years, it raises a good point. Here it is for your consideration---
“The never-ending saga of our inept State Legislature has stirred a fierce debate as to how to fix this problem for the future. Some say end term limits. The political parties point fingers at each other. Proposals to dock pay and even arrest absent legislators have been voiced. But, I haven’t heard anyone mention what one other state has done---a unicameral legislature. Nebraska has one assembly---a Senate. They are all part-time. They are paid $12,000 a year. And, the best part---they are non-partisan! There are no political parties to haggle along party lines. Each senator is responsible only to his/her constituents. What a concept!”

+ MDLIVI