Books I have read

Just finished reading "Pillow for my Helmet," Robert Leckie's account of serving in the marines during the war in the Pacific in World War II. Leckie's story is one of three that were used as the primary basis for the HBO series, The Pacific.

Fun with my '90s-era computer baseball game

Denny McClain Nearly Perfect Through Eight Innings
1996 Tigers No-Hit 1996 Rangers

DETROIT _ Detroit Tigers' ace Denny McClain was nearly perfect for eight innings and combined with closer Gregg Olson to no-hit the Texas Rangers in a 3-0 victory.

McClain struck out six and faced 25 batters, one over the minimum through eight innings, to notch his league-leading 10^th victory.

Rangers' second baseman Mark McLemore broke up the perfect game by reaching base on an error by Tiger first baseman Tony Clark.  McLemore was then caught trying to steal. The only other Ranger to reach base was catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who walked in the ninth inning against Olson. Olson also struck out a batter in earning his eighth save.

The Tigers scored all their runs in the first inning on back-to-back home runs by Travis Fryman and Bobby Higginson. Chad Curtis tripled ahead of Fryman's 13^th home run of the season and Higginson followed with his 17^th of the season.

Bobby Witt (7-4) went the distance for Texas, giving up six hits, three walks and the three runs. He matched McClain with six strikeouts.

Box Score

More about the season I am playing.

Notes:
1. I have no idea why the computer replaced McClain after eight innings. The computer plays all games not involving the Orioles. I only manage the Orioles.

2. Although I manage the Orioles, I have taken the liberty to bolster several 1996 team rosters with great players from the past, such as Denny McClain from the 1968 Tigers. I'm thinking about adding Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Micky Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente and others. Stay tuned. I also have added some of the best NL players from 1996 to AL rosters since I am not playing the NL schedule.

Novels I Have Read

Finished John Grisham's "Calico Joe" last week. I was a little disappointed. Just seemed like there could have been a little more to it. I felt like I was set up for something really special and then it didn't happen. But I'm still a big fan.

Novels I have read

Finished reading "The Litigators" by John Grisham. I am caught up again. I have read all his novels.

"The Litigators" was fun, as promised. You would know it was a Grisham novel without seeing the cover, but it's still enjoyable. I always like his character development.