This and that and a few more things.....

These items were stored in another box in the basement.  In the back in boxes are horse bobbleheads like the Secretariet bobblehead on top. I didn't feel like getting them out when you can see what they'd look like by the Secretariat bobblehead.  In the boxes are Seattle Slew on the left and Affirmed on the right. Also a Pat Day bobblehead and a Pat Day nesting doll sitting on top of riding goggles autographed by Day.  To the right is a set of Walt Disney Mugs with Uncle Scrooge on them.  I got those at a yard sale for 50 cents even though if you look close you'll see $1.00 marked on the top.
In front of those bobbleheads are some trading cards.  One is a card autographed to Mary Lynn by Nick Zito, and the far right   is a Steve Cauthen autographed card.  He rode Affirmed to a Triple Crown win.  Then in the left center are two boxes of golf trading cards from 1991, sitting beside an autographed flag from the PGA tournament.  Lot's of golfers autographs on it.  In the middle almost hidden are two blue Bart Simpson watches I sent away for with a couple of cereal box tops. Then, a golfer bobblehead, and a set of collectible P & G Coasters.  In front of that is a 'Grinch' cereal bowl I sent away for.  I have two of those.  Fill the bowl with cereal and pour the milk down the chimney!  Cool!  In the center are jockey trading cards.
Then, the rolled up posters I couldn't find a way to display for a picture.  On the left is a poster of the Derby winning Jockey Mural hanging at Churchill.  Then, front center, are posters of Derby Winners. Top is Monarchos, center is Charismatic, and bottom is Grindstone.  I have other posters stored around different places, but these were all in the same box.
Front right is a Kentucky Wildcat 2001 SEC Tournament Poster, Autographed by the team.  I can't make most of the signatures out, but if I had a roster of the team that year I could nail most of them.  The only one I can make out is Tubby Smith.
These were all in one box in the basement except for the Pat Day items and the Secretariat bobblehead. I have them displayed in the basement room.
But, this is just another box in the storage bins of Bad Bob's basement.  So Brian, if not a Coke room, what about a Golf Room?  If you want a Derby Room you'll have to talk to Kevin.

What else is stored in Bob's Basement?

Well, I've got a lot of Coca-Cola toy trucks.  These I came by in my years at Coca-Cola.  I would keep my eye out for toy Coca-Cola trucks at stores or Flea Markets.  If the price was right I'd pick it up. 

Many of the toys I took out of the original boxes for the picture, so I do have them.  Watching Antiques Roadshow, often the boxes are worth more than the item itself.  Or, by being in the original box it more than doubles the value.  Again, none of these are 'old', but they do keep getting older.  Most of them are from the 70's and 80's.  The big Semi-Truck on the left, when you have batteries in it the row of lights light up all away around the truck.
Boy Brian, I bet you're re-thinking that Coke Room now, aren't you?

More Collectibles....My autographed baseballs

Another item I have in my basement is a shelf of Autographed Baseballs.  Some of them are very famous Baseball Players, and some of them are not baseball players at all.  Starting at the top, going  L to R then continuing to the bottom shelf in the same order:

BOB FELLER:  Fastball Pitcher known as 'Rapid Robert', he as an 8 time All-Star and is in the Hall of Fame.

HARRY 'the hat' WALKER:  Played Centerfield for the St. Louis Cards, had a .296 Lifetime average. Played also with Phillies, Cubs, Reds.

BILLY  MARTIN:  Played infield with the Yankees then managed Yankees.  Was mostly noted for being fired by Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner multiple times.

KEN GRIFFEY, SR, and  LEE MAY:  Yeah, I'd rather have Juniors, but....  He played outfield with the Reds During the "Big Red Machine" era.  Also played with the Yankees, Cubs, Braves, Mariners. Lee May's name is above Ken Griffey's name.  The ball also has other autograph's on it but I can't make them out. I didn't get these autugraphs myself, so that's why I don't know who they are.

JOE GARAGIOLA:  Played Catcher in the major leagues but was most noted for his work in the Broadcast  booth.

JOHNNY BENCH:  Catcher in the "Big Red Machine" era, hit .267 Lifetime.  Was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989.

STAN MUSIAL:  Hall of Fame outfielder with the St Louis Cardinals.  Career Batting Average .331, 475 Home Runs.

RED SCHOENDIENST:  Played 2nd base for the Cardinals.  Elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1989.  Also Managed the Cardinals.

WALLY MOON:  Played Outfield for the Cardinals and Dodgers.

EARLY WYNN:  Right handed Pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972.  Won 300 games while playing with the Senators, Indians, and White Sox.

CALVIN BOREL AND ROBBY ALBARADO:  Nope, not ballplayers but Jockeys.   Brian got this ball for me while working with the Bats.

THE CHICKEN:  Probably the #1 Entertainer in the baseball world.  Brian had this ball autographed for me also.  Says "Hi Bob, The Chicken".

GEORGE FOSTER:  Outfielder for the Reds during the "Big Red Machine" Era.

ALLIE REYNOLDS:  Yankees pitcher during the 40's and 50's.  Had a lifetime record of 182 - 107.  Came up one vote shy of making Hall of Fame.

DUSTY BAKER:  Another ball Brian got for me while working for the Bats.  Dusty played for the Braves and Dodgers, lifetime BA of .278.  Was a 2 time All-Star and now manages the Reds.

Except for the ones noted tha Brian got for me and the Ken Griffey ball, all the other balls I had autographed myself.  I know they are authentic.  This is just one more of the many groups of objects I have in my basement. But by no means, the only autographs. I have a golf cap with a lot of golfers autographs from the PGA Tournament, a basketball autographed by Ralph Beard,  a pair of Pat Day's riding goggles signed by him, a picture and 3 winning tickets framed and autographed by Jean Crouget of Seattle Slew's Derby Win, and, probably not the most valuable, but I think the neatest, an autograph of Neil Armstrong, first man on the Moon.  I may have others, but that's all I can think of right off the top of my head.
Oops....almost forgot.  My Jack Nicklaus autographs on a picture of him and on the cover of the Sports Illustrated when he won the Master's in '86.  Plus a card of Arnie and a card of Jack autographed.

Pins you say? I got'em....

Another one of the items I've collected....Pins.  Other than Derby Festival Pins, I didn't really collect pins, I just never got rid of any.  Over the years working at Coca-Cola, Miller Beer, and Toyota, I've come in to a few pins.  At Coke, I got a service pin every five years and a safe driving pin every year.  Along with that, there were always pins handed out for various events, like the balloon race, sales campaigns, safety, United Way donations, etc.  Same with Toyota.  Always some type of pin being given out.                                                       The framed pins on the  left are Coca-Cola Balloon pins and a set of Coca-Coca Olympic Pins.  The frame at right were 15th Anniversary pins for Disney World.  A set of Snow White and The Seven Dwarves, and Peter Pan.  The big pile of pins on the right center are all Derby Festival Pins.  The front center are all Coca-Cola Service pins. One item of note, the little box just to the left of the green card is a UofL 1986 National Championship Pin.  I don't remember how I got that, but I know I didn't 'buy' it.

At least these items don't take up much room.  I can get them all in a couple of cigar boxes.  Hmmm.....the cigar boxes might be worth more than the pins.

A sampling of my Coca-Cola Memorabilia

In my basement, much to the dismay of Mary Lynn, I have stored what I call 'collectible' items.  M. L. calls it 'junk'.  To be fair, she doesn't call it all junk, but a lot of it junk.  I have a fair amount of Coca-Cola items stored away.  To the left is a sample of some of the 'older' items.  A couple of metal 'six pack' trays, 3 old embossed bottles, two of them still full, all 3 stamped Louisville, KY on the bottom, an old brown Coke bottle, I don't know what year that is from, and a 'Simba' bottle.  Remember Simba?  Coca-Cola introduced it in the 60's with the tag line 'Conquers the African thirst!".

At right are some of the Coke radios I have.  Two vending machine radios, a bottle radio, and a can radio.  Plus two old time soda shop glasses with pewter holders.  Plus a golf club pen holder for a desk.  None of these items are very old, unless you consider 60's and 70's old.  I guess they're getting pretty old, come to think of it.
This is a sampling of the items I have stored.  I've always said that Mark get's all my coins, which I've already given  to him, except for the metal detecting coins.  Kevin gets my Derby collectibles, and poor Brian gets stuck with all my Coca-Cola Collectibles.
I'm not sure which items would be worth more, but my bet would be on the Coke items, if for nothing else, because there's more of it.  Also, Brian, whenever you're ready, you can start hauling it away!  Wouldn't it be nice to have a 'Coke' room in your house?  What a conversation piece!  Kevin, whenever you want you can start hauling the Derby Collectibles away, too!

The British Invasion caused me to turn to folk music in the 60's

  I grew up on Rock'n Roll Music.

Listening to Bill Haley, Elvis, Chuck, Fats, Chubby, Jerry Lee, etc.

Then the British Invasion hit in the early 60's.

I know that it's sacrilegious to some people, but I never liked the Beatles!  In my opinion the  end of good ol' Rock'n Roll music. 

The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five, The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits.....Yuck!

At that time a lot of people turned away from popular music and found an alternative.  Some turned to Country Music....that's why it's so popular today.  I know it was popular then, but this is when it really took off. Others, like myself, turned to Folk Music.  I spent a lot of time listening to the music of Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, The Brothers Four, The Chad Mitchell trio.  I still have those albums.  Most of these artist's I have several of their albums.    One item  of interest, on the last album, the Chad Mitchell Trio album, John Denver was a member late in their career and early in his.  Some of the other people I listened to, and have albums by, are Gordon Lightfoot, Gale Garnett, Judy Collins, Joe and Eddie, Dave Von Ronk.  I doubt any of my albums are worth any money, most are pretty worn, but I'm still hanging on to them.  If you want to listen to a good Folk Album, played on the 'Record Player', come on over.

"SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY"

In case any of you missed this in the paper, it's "Squirrel Appreciation Day" today, January 21st.  I probably pay more attention to squirrels than most of you do, so it's only fitting that I would notice this in the paper while many of you may have missed it.  I've realized for a long time that if squirrel's aren't controlled, they not only multiply in great numbers, but if the food source is plentiful, they will grow to enormous sizes.

This is why I do my best for all mankind to keep them under control!

Just like Dad always said......

My Dad used to say "If anything is laying on the street in our neighborhood it will eventually end up in my yard."  I feel the same way.  I looked out the front door to see if it was snowing yet, and I saw something lying in the yard out by the fire hydrant.  I couldn't tell what it was so I went out to investigate.

It was a complete exhaust pipe off a truck or car.  It was in the yard, so I dragged it out to the street and called metro call to come pick it up.  I guess it fell off a vehicle and somebody put it in the yard to get it out of the street.  I hope they come by and get it before the snow covers it up.

Anyway, back to my Dad's saying.  Once, when he was driving home, he saw a dead chicken in the road just about a block from the house.  He said to himself, "I don't know how, but some way that thing will end up in my yard."  Well, a couple of hours later my brother Joe, who was about 5 years old at the time, came strolling up in the yard carrying that chicken saying "I've got something we can have for supper tonight!"

This picture goes back a long way.....

This is a picture of my Great Grandfather and my Grandmother.  My Grandmother, Olga Dow, was born in 1896, so I would think this picture was taken somewhere around 1900, give or take a year. It's great to have pictures of your family from so long ago.  I was named after my Great Grandfather.  Lawrence is my middle name.  He died and is buried in Santa Rosa, California.  I have his old railroad watch and his train pass.  Keepsakes that I inherited from my Dad and will pass down to Mark.  I just thought you might enjoy an old picture.

I finally get out of the house!

It's been a few days, but I finally got out of the house.  Well, I've gone for a walk most days, but I got to go someplace today.  We met Erin, Jill, Kim, and Nana for Lunch at Jason's Deli and then went to Open Gym at KGA, where Erin and Jill got to play for awhile.  It was fun watching them.  This also finally got me something to post.  I wanted to post how I hate January, but I did that LAST January.  But, I'll say it again, I think January is the worst month of the year.

Only six more weeks til March, and that, in my opinion, is the beginning of Spring!

Hitting the Slopes

I had to post this video of Kim going downhill on a sled for the first time EVER!  Her comment was that it was fun, but it sure was bumby!  She wants a padded sled next time.
Jill went down the hill about 2 or 3 times, but Erin went down about 15 times.  Jill got cold and went to sit in the car with Mimi.  Erin got hot and had to take her hat off.  There's something a little different about these girls.

After sledding, off to The Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen for Hot Chocolate and Cookies!

Bob - The Navy Years in Publication

My book arrived in the mail today.  The family now has a written record of what I did while in the Navy.  I wish I'd have known they were going to put a picture on the back cover.  I would have picked a nice Navy picture for it.  Instead, they have the tree being cut down next door.  But, all and all, I'm very pleased with the outcome.  Stop by and take a peek.

Death takes No Holidays...

It has come to my attention that my friends I grew up with are starting to pass away with alarming regularity.  In the years past I've lost friends at intervals that did not seem alarming, but at a pace that would be normal as I grew in age.  However, lately it's has increased at what I consider an 'alarming rate'.  Yesterday, at two different functions, I found out about two of my friends that passed away recently.  One, a Coca-Cola Luncheon for all old Coke employees, I found out that a friend I worked with for a number of years Charlie
Belcher, who was exactly one week younger than myself, died in September.  Then last night, Mary Lynn and I went out with Dub and Linda and I was informed that  a High School friend of ours passed away December 22.  He was one of the 3 people I mentioned that we planned to join the Navy together in my blog entries Bob - The Navy Years.  Jacques Sabrie and I were good friends in High School, though I hadn't seen him for many years, retiring from the local Fire Department, in Midland, Michigan.

I guess it's a sign of the times.  When you reach a certain age your friends start filling up the obituary pages.  I guess the only bright spot is that it's better to read about them than to have them read about me.

Round #1 for the year 2011

I played my first round of the year today.  I didn't play well, but I shot about my average score for 2011.  I played Shawnee and shot a 42 - 44 = 86.  I walked the 18 and it was a lot easier than walking 18 in July!

The course wasn't quiet  as frozen as the picture to the right, but most of the ground was still frozen and you really couldn't expect your shots to the greens to 'check up'.  One big problem was that you couldn't hit the greens with your irons because the ball would bounce high  and off the back of the green.  And if you tried to hit short and roll onto the green the balls would really take some wicked sideways bounces.  The greens rolled fast and true today, overall, and that was nice.  I can't complain about an 86 on January 4th.  Any score you can shoot in January is a bonus!  I'm going to have to make sure I get my walks in over the winter so that I'll be ready to walk 18 when the days are nice.

Coming soon to your favorite Movie Theatre?

Well, I did it.  I had a book made of Bob - The Navy Years.  If I'd have been a little more Technically Savvy, I could have done a better job.  But, the printing will contain every post I did while writing The Navy Years.  So, 3 or 4 other posts will be in the book.
You can preview it by going to: http://blogger.sharedbook.com/pilot/apiPreviewBook.do?flipbookPath=/beta/content//sharedbookColoCluster/printPreview/silent_api_a4953c096d_110103-053527-221_4b97573933e9aaf7_preview.pdf&bookTitle=Blog2Print_Blogger_1294050925530&userId=silent_api_a4953c096d&mbId=100733113
I believe you can just click on this and go to the site.  I'd like you to post your reviews as comments.

Golf for the year 2010

I played 71 rounds of golf in 2010.  I thought I'd played less than I did in 2009, but looking back I played one more round this past year.  I think it's because I started playing on Thursdays regularly.  These are only rounds that I played my own ball.  I didn't count scrambles, or a lot of the rounds that I played with J. R. when we played against Harold Goad and Barry Rahn, in which we play a combination of alaternate shot and scramble from hole to hole.  So guessing, I'd say I played about 85 rounds of golf counting everything.
I met J. R. over at Crescent Hill GC late afternoon New Year's Eve after the UK/UL game.  We didn't get in but 3 holes before the rain stopped us and we walked in.  But, one item of note on that.....J. R. 6-putted his last hole of 2010! It wasn't a pretty site.

Bob - The Navy Years, Chapter 17

Going Home

My orders came through.  I'm headed home October 7th, exactly one year to the day that I arrived in Vietnam.  This means that, with 1968 being a Leap Year, I will spend 366 days in Vietnam.  Guess I didn't get an early out like a lot of people. 

My orders were report to NATTC, Memphis, Tennessee, to be processed for Discharge from the U. S. Navy.  This was the nearest Navy Base to Louisville, Ky.  The picture at left is our Commander, and I can't remember what this Colonel's name was, presenting me with the Joint Service Commendation Medal for my worderful work while with DCA-SAM. I packed my bags, said my goodbye's, enjoyed all the looks of envy from everyone else I was leaving behind in Vietnam, and headed to Tan Son Nhut Air Field to catch my flight back to Travis Air Force Base, California.  I had a late afternoon flight, and sitting in the terminal the sirens went off.  Rocket Attack!  We were instructed to get on the floor.  Great.  My last few minutes in Vietnam and I'm gonna get killed!  We stayed on the floor for maybe half an hour, then the sirens stopped.  And, the announcement came that all flights were cancelled for the rest of the day.  I was reschedueled for a flight to leave the next morning.  So, I went back to my barracks.  There were 7 other guys in my cubicle and they were kinda surprised to see me again  after our previous goodbye's.  Anyway, the next morning I reported to Tan Son Nhut again, and this time I boarded the plane and we took off for California.  I left Vietnam air space 367 days after I got there.

I was on  a plane full of military people just like me.  Going home after being gone a long time, glad we made it through this past year alive.  When the plane touched down in the United States, every person on that plane let out a cheer and was grinning from ear to ear.  We were home!

This may sound a little strange, but American Currency is very pretty.  When you haven't seen it or used it for awhile, you realize how pretty American money is.  Overseas we used MPC (Military Payment Certificates), or Vietnamese money.

I took a cab to the San Francisco Airport, and caught a plane to Memphis, TN.  I called Mary Lynn from the SF Airport, and called her again when I got to Memphis. 

It was a little different on the base at Memphis this time.  I wasn't an Airman Recruit, I was a Yeoman 2nd Class, military and combat veteran.  I was assigned a bunk and had to kill several days before my discharge was processed.  During that time I had free run of the base.  I didn't have to march anywhere.  The only real problem I had was limited uniforms.   I couldn't wear my jungle fatigues that I'd worn for a year in Vietnam.  I had one uniform, and that  had  YN3 stripes on it. I didn't want to sew new stripes on my shirt for 2 days. 

On October 14, 1968, I received my discharge from active duty in the U. S. Navy.  I caught a plane in Memphis, headed to Louisville.  Mary Lynn met me at the Airport.  I was home!  Bob - The Navy Years, has now come to an end.

THE END

I hope you have enjoyed reading this account.  I couldn't cover everything that happened in a nearly four year period, but I tried to touch on the highlights.  There are so many memories I have from those years, and the people I served with.  All good friends.  I've been very surprised that to this date, with the age of the computer and Facebook, that  I've never been able to contact any of those old friends.