Compiled by Peter Y. Chou, WisdomPortal.com

First Avenue in Minneapolis is a legendary club of rock 'n' roll.
Highlights: opening night with Joe Cocker in 1970 with dozens
of people onstage to the club's lionization in Prince's 1984 movie
"Purple Rain". "A brief history of Minneapolis' First Avenue"
(By Ehsan Alam, 11-27-2017)— The club has been the stomping
ground for bands like Soul Asylum, Babes in Toyland, Jayhawks,
Semisonic, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Lizzo, and Doomtree.

2

Secretariat wearing #2 was chosen by Sporting News
in Best by Number: Who wore what... with distinction (2006)
over Derek Jeter and Moses Malone as the best athlete.
Never has a No. 2 provided a more mesmerizing performance
than the day Big Red rampaged to a 31-length victory in the
Belmont Stakes. No athlete of any shape, color, or form ever
dominated as thoroughly as the chestnut colt with the star
on his forehead. How utterly sensational was Secretariat
during his romp to the first Triple Crown in a quarter century?
He still holds the record for the current distances run in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont.

3

John Adams (1735-1826) U.S. 806 (6-3-1938)

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) U.S. 807 (6-16-1938)

James Monroe (1758-1831) U.S. 810 (7-21-1938)

3 U.S. Presidents died on July 4th Independence Day.
John Adams, 2nd President, Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President,
and James Monroe, 5th President— all died on July 4th.
Adams & Jefferson died on the same day in the same year—
50th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence.

4

Why Do Some Clocks Use Roman Numeral IIII
(By Matt Soniak, mentalfloss.com, 4-29-2010)
Using IIII also means that only I is seen the first four hour markings
on the clock, V is only seen in the next four markings, and X is seen
only in the last four markings, creating radial symmetry.

A Brancusi Trio Becomes a Quartet
Sleeping Muse III/IV (1917-1918)
(By Carol Vogel, NY Times, 4-30-2004)
Art historians concluded that the sculpture might also have been
made in 1917-18, which is why it is called "Sleeping Muse III/IV."
Nobody can determine which of the last two heads was made first.

5

St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols (uniform #5) hits 3-run homer in
Game 4 to defeat the LA Dodgers 6-2 and win the NL Division Playoff Series 3-1.
NY Times, Oct. 11, 2004)
Albert Pujols (uniform #5)
hits solo homer in Game 2
to give Cardinals 5-4 lead in the 8th inning.
Rolen followed with another homer to beat
the Astros 6-4. NY Times, Oct. 15, 2004)
Albert Pujols & Cardinal baseball (6-20-2019)

At 5 in the Afternoon is a 102-minutes film directed by Samira Makhmalbaf (2003).
Cast: Agheleh Rezaie, Abdolgani Yousefrazi, Razi Mohebi, and Marzieh Amiri
Plot: One of the first films to be made in post-Taliban Afghanistan follows
the plight of Noqreh, a progressive young woman trying to school herself
in spite of her father's proscriptions. Both old and new generations find
themselves victims of a tragic historical situation in a ravaged country.

The Fifth Reaction is an Iranian film (2003) directed by Tahmineh Milani.
Five women sit in a restaurant in Tehran and talk about their husbands
and their marriages. It focuses on the story of a young Iranian teacher
(Fereshteh), who has recently lost her husband. Cast: Niki Karimi,
Jamshid Hashempour, Merila Zareei, Shahab Hosseini, Gohar Kheirandish.

6

Game 6 is a 87-minutes film (2006) directed by Michael Hoffman.
It is about a playwright's opening night on October 25, 1986, the day of Game 6
of the 1986 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets
when the ball went through Bill Buckner's legs and the Red Sox lost the game.
(NY Times, March 10, 2006)

7

7 Stars in Big Dipper— a large asterism consisting of 7 bright stars
of the constellation Ursa Major. Four stars define a "bowl" or "body" and three define a "handle" or "head". The North Star (Polaris), current northern pole star and tip of the handle of Little Dipper (Little Bear), can be located by extending an imaginary line through the front two stars of the asterism, Merak (β) and Dubhe (α). This makes it useful in celestial navigation. (Photo Source: earthlyfireflies.org)

Mickey Mantle wore uniform #7 while playing centerfield for the
New York Yankees (1951-1968). Mantle won the Triple Crown in 1956,
when he led the major leagues in batting average (.353), home runs (52), and runs batted in (RBI) (130). Career statistics: Batting average .298; Hits 2,415; Home runs 536; RBI 1,509. 7x World Series champion (1951-1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962); Hall of Fame 1974.
(Photo Source: pinterest.com)

Fives, and tens,
Threes and fours and twelves,
All the volte face of decimals,
The whirligig of dozens and the pinnacle of seven.
— D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), "Tortoise Shell", Stanza 7
Complete Poems of D. H. Lawrence,
Edited by Vivian de Sola Pinto & Warren Roberts
Volume 1, Viking Press, NY, 1964, p.355

Studio 7 is a WB television quiz show in which people
spend time with each other before facing questions.

'Samurai 7' is an animated TV series based on a Kurosawa
1954 film classic Seven Samurai.
(NY Times, April 1, 2006)

8

An Octopus has 8 legs; it is a soft-bodied, mollusc of the order Octopoda, consisting of some 300 species. An octopus is bilaterally symmetric with two eyes & a beaked mouth at center point of the eight limbs. The soft body can radically alter its shape, enabling octopuses to squeeze through small gaps. Ink sac of an octopus is located under the digestive gland. The ink passes through glands which mix it with mucus, creating a thick, dark blob which allows the animal to escape from a predator. The Giant Pacific octopus, may live for as much as five years.

Yogi Berra wore uniform #8 playing catcher with the New York Yankees (1946-1963). Career Statistics: Batting average .285;
Hits 2,150; Home runs 358; RBI 1,430. He won 13x World Series championships. 3x AL MVP (1951, 1954, 1955). Hall of Fame 1972. He also holds the all-time record for shutouts caught with 173.
As manager with N.Y. Yankees & N.Y. Mets, he had 484-444 record of .522. At the end of Don Larsen's Perfect Game (10-8-1956) in Game 5 of 1956 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Yogi Berra leaped into Larsen's arms with a bear hug after the final out, one of sports most iconic photos. (Photo Source: Yogi jumps on
Don Larsen after his 1956 perfect game cbssports.com).

Eight Below is a 120-minutes Disney film that is "inspired by a true story"
based on the experiences of some Japanese in 1958 with sled dogs in Antarctica.
Directed by Frank Marshall; Cast: Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood,
Jason Biggs, Moon Bloodgood.
(San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 17, 2006, E5)

9

"Pont Neuf at Nightfall" is a poem by Galway Kinnell
The 40-line poem starting with
"Just now a sprinkling
of rain begins. It brings with it
an impression of more lasting existence—"
and ending with "lights their moment
all the way to the end of memory."
appears in Mortal Acts, Mortal Words
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1980, pp. 63-64

9 Consecutive Strikeouts to Start a Game
"On anniversary of father's death, Marlins' Pablo López sets an MLB strikeout record" (López needed just 35 pitches to get 9 strikeouts.
Five of strikeouts were on 3 pitches. Previous consecutive strikeouts to start a game: 8, done 3 times: Jim Deshaies on 9-23-1986; Jacob deGrom on 9-15-2014; and German Marquez on 9-26-2018. Record for consecutive strikeouts at any point in a game is 10, done twice: Aaron Nola on 6-25-2021, and Tom Seaver on 4-27-1970). (By Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, July 11, 2021)

10

In Bowling, 10 pins
are arranged in a
triangular pattern.
Candlepin Bowling

11

An 11-headed Khmer goddess Prajnaparamita small bronze statue
was on exhibit at the Nancy Wiener Gallery, New York City.
( NY Times, April 1, 2005)

12

Hungary J6 stamp 12 Filler (1903)

The number 12 is a sacred number; 12 signs of the Zodiac is a secret wonder.

12 Signs of the Zodiac

Tom Brady #12 New England Patriots (2000-present) Super Bowls (36, 38, 39, 49, 51, 53)

Uniform #12 of Super Bowl heroes we hold in awe— Tom Brady, Joe Namath, & Terry Bradshaw.

Joe Namath #12 New York Jets (1965-1976) Super Bowl III

Terry Bradshaw #12 Pittsburgh (1970-1963) Super Bowls (9, 10, 13, 14)

12 Hours on Clock Noon or Midnight

12 o'clock is high noon or midnight; King Arthur's Round Table gathered 12 knights.

12 Knights of Round Table

13

The Neighbor No. Thirteen is a 115-minutes Japanese film (2006)
directed by Yasuo Inoue. It is a revenge saga about gangster hyperviolence.
( NY Times, March 8, 2006)

13 Ways of Looking at an Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is an article
by Jack Hitt on seeing an ivory-billed woodpecker in the Arkansas swamps.
( Sunday NY Times Magazine, May 7, 2006)

Black Swan Green is a novel (2006) by David Mitchell
set in Worcestersire, that follows 13-year-old Jason Taylor
through 13 months, each folded into a storylike chapter.
( NY Times, April 16, 2006)

14

14 Hours is a TNT television special aired
on Sunday, April 3, 2005, and directed by Gregg Champion.
It showed the devastating 2001 tropical storm that cut off all power
to Houston's Memorial Hermann Hospital. Although four patients died during
the emergency, the medical staff's heroic efforts kept 540 patients alive.
( NY Times, April 1, 2005)

Albert Pujols sets Major League record for April with 14 home runs.
[Previous April Record: 13 Homers— Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) & Luis Gonzalez (2001)]
(NY Times, Apr. 29, 2006)

15

15th President of the United States is
James Buchanan (1791-1868),
who served (1909-1913). Buchanan was the
only bachelor President of the United States.
Buchanan was on the 15¢ stamp
issued on October 13, 1938
in the Presidential Series.

15¢ postage stamps of the United States:
Statue of Liberty, Scott #566 (issued Nov. 11, 1922)
4-2-1869: "Landing of Columbus" by John Vanderlyn
2-22-1890: Henry Clay after daguerrotype by Marcus Root
1-2-1893: "Columbus Announcing Discovery" by R. Baloca
11-30-1898: Henry Clay (1777-1852), U.S. Senator
12-12-1958: John Jay (1745-1829), 1st Chief Justice
3-8-1968: Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935), Associate Justice
7-28-1972: Mt. McKinley, Alaska, highest North America peak (20,320 ft)
7-10-1973: Progress in Electronics: early microphone to TV camera tube
— Elena Marzulla (Ed.), Pictorial Treasury of U.S. Stamps (1974)

15th State to enter the Union is Kentucky (June 1, 1792)

Fort McHenry Flag was the flag that inspired
Francis Scott Key to write The Star Spangled Banner in 1814.
This U.S. flag (1795-1818) has 15 stars and 15 stripes. It flew
above the fort during a British attack which threatened
Baltimore. It now hangs in the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington D.C. This flag appeared in the
3¢ Francis Scott Key issue (August 9, 1948)
and in the 6¢ Historical Flag Issue (July 4, 1968)
1814 Banner Is Now Too Fragile to Wave (NY Times, June 15, 2001)

Confucius said:
At 15, I had my mind bent on learning.
At 30, I stood firm.
At 40, I had no doubts.
At 50, I knew the decrees of Heaven.
At 60, my ear was an obedient organ
          for the reception of truth.
At 70, I could follow what my heart desired,
          without transgressing what was right.
— Confucius (551-479 B.C.), Analects, II.4.1-6

Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the age 15:
On voit à quinze ans le bonheur d'un homme sage,
comme à trente la gloire du paradis.
At fifteen we become aware of the happiness of a good man,
as at thirty we become aware of the glory of Paradise.

— Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Emile, Book III
(French edition, p. 209; English edition, p. 146)

At Age 15:
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) publishes his first book of motets (1582).
Judy Garland (1922-1969) as Betty Clayton sings in the film
    Broadway Memory of 1938 (1937) and becomes a star.
Deanna Durbin (born 12-4-1921), stars opposite Leopold Stokowski
    in the film One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937)
Pelé (born 10-23-1940) scores four soccer goals for the Santos second team (1955)
Paul Anka (born 7-30-1941) composes and sings the hit song Diana (1957).
Bobby Fischer (born 3-9-1943) becomes the youngest-ever
    International Grandmaster in chess (1958)
Sue Lyons (born 1947) stars in Stanley Kubrick's film Lolita (1962)
    based on Vladimir Nabokov's notorious 1953 novel.
Nadia Comaneci (born 11-12-1961) wins three gold medals in 1976 Olympics
    gymnastics, where she earned seven perfect scores of 10
[Sources: World Almanac Book of Who (1980); Jeremy Baker, Tolstoy's Bicycle (1982), pp. 58-60]

16

"16 Golden Atoms in Search of a Catchy Name"
by Kenneth Chang is a science article
about a new, unexpected configuration:
a cage consisting of just 16 atoms,
the smallest hollow piece of 24-karat gold possible.
( NY Times, May 23, 2006)

17

You'll get my Letter by
The seventeenth; Reply
Or better, be with me—
Yours, Fly.
— Emily Dickinson, Poem 1035

Chicago Cubs Greg Maddux (16-11) has 15+ wins for a baseball
major league-record 17th straight season. ( ESPN, October 3, 2004)

Jeremy Lin wore uniform #17 when he played the 2012 season
with the New York Knicks. In his 12 starts before the All-Star break,
Lin averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists per game, and New York
had a 9-3 record. On February 10. 2012, Lin scored a new career-high
38 points and had seven assists, leading the Knicks in their 92-85
victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. He outscored the Lakers'
Kobe Bryant, who had 34 points. The craze surrounding Lin's
sudden ascendancy became known as "Linsanity".
Jeremy Lin News Stories

"BASEBALL: Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez extends historic hot streak
after breaking a 1925 record" (In Saturday's matchup against Astros (8/19),
which Mariners won 10-3, Julio Rodríguez made history with four hits.
A single in the seventh inning gave him 17 hits in four games. According to MLB.com, this passes Milt Stock of the Brooklyn Robins (now Los Angeles
Dodgers), who had 16 hits in as many games in 1925. It was also the Seattle
star's fourth straight game with four hits. On Thursday (8/17), he went a
perfect 5-for-5 with a game-winning three-run home run in the 6-4 victory.)
(By Victoria Hernandez, USA Today, 8-20-2023)

18

18 Johannes Brahms "Lullaby" has 18 bars.
Brahm's Lullaby (Cradle Song, Wiegenlied)
(Lyrics and Music)
Brahm's Lullaby
(Music audio file)

Doug Mientkiewicz greets Johnny Damon (uniform #18)
who scores the winning run as the Red Sox
beats the Yankees, 5-4, in 14 innings (10-18-2004),
in the longest postseason baseball game, 5 hours 49 minutes.

18 innings is the Major League Baseball Playoffs record
as Houston Astros defeats the Atlanta Braves 7-6 to win the
Playoff Series 3-1. Time of game was a record 5 hours 50 minutes.
Houston's Chris Burke's homer in the bottom of the 18th wins
the game for Roger Clemens who pitched the 18th inning in relief.
( NY Times, Oct. 10, 2005)

19

Highway 19 Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

19 Varieties of Gazelle by Naomi Shihab Nye
is a book of poems of the Middle East,
Greenwillow Books, 2002 (PS3564.Y44.A613.2002)
It is also the title of the 34th poem in the book (pp. 87-89).

A gash of movement,
a spring of flight.

She saw them then
she did not see them.

The elegance of the gazelle
caught in her breath.

They soared like history
above an empty page.

Nearby, giant tortoises
were kissing.

What else had we seen in our lives?
Nothing better than 19 varieties of gazelle
running free at the wildlife sanctuary...

Gentle gazelle
dipping her head
into a pool of silver grass.

20

"Winter Threnody"
After twenty hours the snowfall stopped
without our noticing.
— Joyce Carol Oates (born June 16, 1938),
The Time Traveler: Poems, E.P. Dutton, NY, 1989, p. 60)

And twenty caged nightingales do sing:
— William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Induction.2.36

22

The Hebrew Alphabet has 22 letters.
It does not have case. Five letters have
different forms when used at the end of a
word. Hebrew is written from right to left.
Alef, Bet, Gimel, Dalet, He, Vav, Zayin, Chet,
Tet, Yod, Kaf, Lamed, Mem, Nun, Samech,
Ayin, Pe, Tsadi, Qof, Resh, Shin, Tav.
(Photo Source: eachersprintables.net)

22

The Kabbalah Tree of Life has 22 paths.
Tree of life is a diagram used in various mystical traditions.
It consists of 12 nodes symbolizing different archetypes and
22 lines connecting the nodes. The nodes are arranged into
three columns to represent that they belong to a common
category. The nodes are usually represented as spheres and
the lines are represented as paths. The nodes represent
encompassing aspects of existence, God, or human psyche.
The lines usually represent the relationship between the
concepts ascribed to the spheres or a symbolic description
of the requirements to go from one sphere to another.
The nodes are also associated to deities, angels, celestial
bodies, values, single colors or combinations of them,
and specific numbers. The columns are usually symbolized
as pillars. These pillars represent different kinds of values,
electric charges, or types of ceremonial magic. It is usually
referred to as Kabbalistic tree of life in order to distinguish
it from other concepts with the same name. In the Jewish
Kabbalah, the nodes are called sephiroth. The diagram is also used by Christian Cabbala, Hermetic Qabalah and Theosophy.
The diagram is believed to be derivable from the flower of life.
(Photo Source: luxsaturni.com)

22 and 50 Poems is a book by E.E. Cummings
first published as a Liveright paperback (2001).
Edited by George James Firmage. The 22 poems are from
New Poems of Collected Poems (1938) and Cummings'
50 Poems book (1940). (PS3505.U334.A6.200)

Roger Clemens wears uniform #22 pitching for
the Houston Astros. Clemens returned from his third
abandoned retirement to the Houston Astros on June 22, 2006.
A full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle designed as a movie poster
featured Clemens, who wears No. 22, holding a baseball at his side,
like an eager gunslinger, in "Mission 22: The Return of the Rocket".
Clemens lost to Minnesota Twins 4-2 whose rookie pitcher,
Francisco Liriano (age 22) is half his age.
(NY Times, July 30, 2022)

Will Clark wore uniform #22 when he played first base for
the San Francisco Giants (1986-1993). Nickname "Will the Thrill",
Career: 284 homers, 1,205 RBI, .303 batting average, and .881 OPS.
BASEBALL: Will Clark meets the moment in jersey retirement speech
Clark's No. 22 now hangs between Monte Irvin's 20 & Willie Mays' 24.
It's the 13th number immortalized by the franchise. Clark homered off
Nolan Ryan for his first career hit. He read Greg Maddux's lips for a
grand slam in 1989 NLCS. His meticulous preparation & baseball mind
endures today, when he mentors young Giants as a special assistant.
(By Danny Emerman, KNBR Studios, 7-30-2022) (YouTube Highlights)
Photo Source: pinterest.com)

The Declaration of Independence
is now kept in a bullet-resistant,
titanium and aluminum case.
When National Archives close
at night, the case descends
22 feet below the vault of
the Archives. Preservation

23

Michael Jordan wore uniform #23 playing for Chicago Bulls
(1984-1993, 1995-1998). Best by Number: Who wore what... with distinction (2006) selected Michael Jordan over all atheletes wearing uniform 23— No number has been more visibly ingrained into the international psyche and better marketed worldwide than 23, thanks to the championship script and frequent-flyer miles logged by His Airness. No. 23 is Jordan, whose "Be Like Mike" message echoed through the 1980s and '90s as an icon-enhancing battle cry. Just close your eyes and visualize Chicago Bulls No. 23 with one arm extended, legs scissored and tongue wagging as he flies toward the basket seemingly unaffected by gravity. Now say it loud, and with meaning: six NBA titles and highest scoring average (30.1 ppg) in NBA history.

Christian McCaffrey wore uniform #23 playing running back for
San Francisco 49ers (starting 2022). "FOOTBALL: Niners RB Christian McCaffrey scores rare hat trick in comeback" [Two games into his tenure with San Francisco 49ers, Christian McCaffrey
is already making history. McCaffrey had assists, rushes and touchdowns in a stellar second performance for San Francisco on Sunday in their 31-14 win over Los Angeles Rams. McCaffrey became first NFL player since Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to score the rare touchdown hat-trick. Since 1970 merger, only McCaffrey, Tomlinson and late great
Walter Payton (1979) have thrown, rushed & received touchdowns in the same game.]
(By NFL.com, oltnews.com, October 31, 2022)

M23 Bus at 3.4 miles per hour is the slowest bus in New York City.

US Highway 23 and Greene County 23B Highway signs in New York State.

24

Willie Mays wore uniform #24 when he played centerfield for
the New York & San Francisco Giants (1951-1972). Nicknamed
"the Say Hey Kid", Mays finished his career batting .302 with
660 home runs, 6th-most of all time, and 1,903 runs batted in.
He holds MLB records for most putouts as an outfielder (7,095)
and most extra-inning home runs (22). Mays was selected for
24 All-Star Games, tied for the second-most of all time.
Regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time,
elected to Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979. His over-the-shoulder
catch of a Vic Wertz fly ball in Game 1 of 1954 World Series is
one of the most famous baseball plays of all time. (YouTube)
(Photo Source: pinterest.com)

Four, and a keystone;
Four, and a keystone;
Four, and a keystone;
Then twenty-four, and a tiny little keystone.
— D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), "Tortoise Shell", Stanza 4
Complete Poems of D. H. Lawrence,
Edited by Vivian de Sola Pinto & Warren Roberts
Volume 1, Viking Press, NY, 1964, p.355

25

Scoreboard: Los Angeles Angels beats Colorado Rockies 25-1 at Coors Field in Denver on June 24, 2023

Mike Trout celebrates with Brandon Drury after his solo homer in 3rd inning

"21 things to know about the Angels' 25-1 win over the Rockies" (By Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, June 25, 2023) The Angels set a franchise record for most runs scored 25 in a single game. Angels also set a franchise record for the most hits in a single game at 28. Angels scored 23 runs through the first 4 innings. It was third-most runs scored by a team between the first and fourth innings of a game in MLB history. Angels 24-run margin of victory over Rockies is third-highest win total since 1900. Three of the five home runs the Angels hit on Saturday were back-to-back-to-back. Trout, Drury and Thaiss hit homers in the third inning.

Five, and five again, and five again,
And round the edges twenty-five little ones,
The sections of the baby tortoise shell.
— D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), "Tortoise Shell", Stanza 3
Complete Poems of D. H. Lawrence,
Edited by Vivian de Sola Pinto & Warren Roberts
Volume 1, Viking Press, NY, 1964, p.355

Mac Weakley was fishing on Dixon Lake, a reservoir near San Diego, when he
landed a largemouth bass that weighed 25 pounds 1 ounce. The fish, if certified
by the International Game Fish Association, would topple the current world record:
a 22-pound, 4-ounce bass caught by George Washington Perry in 1932.
NY Times, March 28, 2006)

26

The Zapruder film documenting the assassination of JFK in Dallas
on Nov. 22, 1963 is 26 seconds long.
  (NY Times, Nov. 16, 2003)

What is the most common letter for country names to begin with?
26 countries whose names begin with "S"—
Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino,
Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Saint Barthelemy,
Saint Helena, Ascension, & Tristan da Cunha, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre & Miquelon,
Saint Maarten, South Gerogia & South Sandwich Islands, Svalbard
19 countries begin with "M"; 17 countries begin with "B" and "C"   (Alphabet Passport)

Pier 26 Lower Manhattan, NYC
  (NY Times, Sept. 13, 2005)

Peter Porter's "Sleeping with the Alphabet"
from Afterburner (2004):

You glorious twenty-six, not equal
In purport, short straws of words,
Come with me in the night-time squall,
My hurricane of verbs.

My chiefest pegs to hang fear on—
Don't think it's only sights
Which dreams call up— Wordsong
Lingers in the tucks and sweats.

Sounds of pre-performance, cries
Subsumed in nothingness,
Hoping to syllabicize
Themselves as messages?

The A of Anger, E of Death,
An I who might not be myself
And O the deadly wind that bloweth
Unto U, my vowel of Truth

26a is the first novel of Diana Evans, published by Chatto & Waindus, London (2005).
It is about four sisters living in an attic room at 26a Waifer Avenue in London
with their alcoholic English father and their spirit-talking Nigerian mother. The book
opens with two small furry creatures scurry through the night to their deaths—
hit by oncoming traffic and are reborn as human twins Georgia and Bessi.

27

Only 27 of Brodgar's original 60 stones are still standing
  (Ring o' Brodgar, Stenness, 2700 BC-2500 BC)

San Francisco Giants Juan Marichal (uniform #27)
in spring training, Cas Grande, Arizona, March 1965
Photo by Neil Leifer

Los Angeles Dodgers Jose Lima (uniform #27) shuts out
St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in Game 3 of NL Division Playoff Series
NY Times, Oct. 10, 2004)

Vladimir Guerrero (uniform #27) of the Anaheim Angels
won the 2004 American League Most Valuable Player award
NY Times, Nov. 17, 2004)

27 feet: length of an orca whale
"World Orca Week: A look at the ocean's largest predator""
(Orcas, often referred to as killer whales, are a toothed whale but are technically the largest member of the dolphin family. Orcas have from 40 to 56 interlocking teeth— each one around 3 inches long. The're used for ripping and tearing, but not for chewing. Orcas eat their food in chunks or entirely whole. Orca can eat 500 pounds of food a day. They usually hunt in groups and use echolocation to find prey. They have excellent eyesight but no sense of smell. Diving depth from 846 feet to 1483 feet. Adult male killer whales can grow to a length of 27 feet (size of school bus), wheras female grow to 23 feet. Adult males weigh twice as much as females, up to 13,300 pounds. Average life expectancy of orcas in the wild is about 30 years for males & 50 years for females. Killer whales are among the fastest swimming marine mammals & can reach speeds over 30 mph for short distances. Fastest human on land, Usain Bolt's 100-meter dash, was about 27 mph. As of Jan. 9, there were 55 orcas in captivity worldwide, 29 of which were captive-born. Corky II, from San Diego Zoo, is oldest captive orca at 57-58 years old.)
(By Kurt Snibbee, Mercury News, 7-16-2023, B18); Photo Source: Tory Kallman, The Atlantic, 5-18-2013

28

Twenty-eight young men bathe by the shore;
Twenty-eight young men, and all so friendly:
Twenty-eight years of womanly life, and all so lonesome.
— Walt Whitman (1819-1892), Leaves of Grass
"I Celebrate Myself", Stanza 11
A Textual Variorum of the Printed Poems, Vol. I, Poems, 1855-18561
(Edited by Sculley Bradley, Harold W. Blodgett, Arthur Golden, William White
New York University Press, 1980, p. 12)

29

Jack Lummus wore uniform #29 as an end on offense & defense
for the football New York Giants in 1941. He was killed on
March 8, 1945 by a land mine after capturing a Japanese outpost
on Io Jima, and received the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor.
( NY Times, Feb. 19, 2005)

29 Poems by Muriel Rukeyser (1913-1980)
was published by Rapp & Whiting, London (1972).
The 29th poem is titled "This Morning".
First three lines of poem:
Waking this morning,
a violent woman in the violent day
laughing.

30

Radio :30 referring to a 30-second spot commercial, is a Toronto
theater company play starring Chris Earle and directed by Shari Hollett.
(NY Times, Aug. 14, 2004)

Section 30 in Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself": All truths wait in all things,
They neither hasten their own delivery nor resist it,
The do not need the obstetric forceps of the surgeon,
The insignificant is as big to me as any,
(What is less or more than a touch?)
Walt Whitman (1819-1892), Leaves of Grass
"Song of Myself" (1855)
A Textual Variorum of the Printed Poems, Vol. I, Poems, 1855-18561
(Edited by Sculley Bradley, Harold W. Blodgett, Arthur Golden, William White
New York University Press, 1980, p. 40)

31

Secretariat wins Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths

Secretariat also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown, setting and still holding the fastest time record in all three races. He is considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time. He became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and his record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths in 2:24, is widely regarded as one of greatest races in history.

NY Daily News (June 10, 1973)

LaDainian Tomlinson, running back of the San Diego Chargers
had one of the best years ever in the NFL,
and won Associated Press NFL's 2006 MVP Award.
Tomlinson broke Shaun Alexander's league record (28 touchdowns)
by scoring 31 touchdowns (28 rushing & 3 receiving).
He also threw for two scores, rushed for a league-high 1,815 yards
on 348 carries, 56 receptions for 508 yards and was 2-for-3 as a passer,
both completions for scores, giving the Chargers running back 6
in his 6-year career, tying him for second among non-quarterbacks.
Tomlinson's 186 points broke Paul Hornung's 46-year record of 176.
("Tomlinson Hill, Texas", N.Y. Times, 1-7-2007)

32

Charles Dumas was the first to clear 7 feet in the high jump, on June 29, 1956,
  in the U.S. Olympic trials in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. His uniform
number was 32 when he won the Olympic gold medal in Melbourne, Australia,
clearing 6-11 1/2, an Olympic record.

A glass cube 32x32x32 feet will be set like a jumbo gemstone into the middle
of the plaza of the General Motors Building at 767 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
( NY Times, Mar. 2, 2005)

33

33 Fainting Spells was a work that the experimental Russian stage director
Vsevolod Meyerhold devised in 1935 that was based on short plays
by Anton Chekhov in which there were 33 references to fainting.
It is also the name of a 10-year-old Seattle-based dance group.
(NY Times, Sept. 13, 2004)

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was 33 years old
when writing the Declaration of Independence (1776)
Jefferson was one of the younger member of the
Congress. Youngest was Edward Rutledge at 26.
Portrait by Rembrant Peale (1800)

34

David Ortiz (uniform #34) singles
in the winning run as the Red Sox
beats the Yankees, 5-4,
in 14 innings (10-18-2004),
in the longest postseason baseball
game, 5 hours 49 minutes.
Video of Ortiz' winning hit

Glenn Davis (uniform #34) was the Army football halfback
and the 1946 Heisman Trophy winner, scoring 59 touchdowns (1943-46)
NY Times Obituary, March 10, 2005)

Miracle on 34th Street s a 1947 American Christmas comedy-drama film released
by 20th Century-Fox, written & directed by George Seaton & based on a story by
Valentine Davies. It stars Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, & Edmund Gwenn.
The story takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas in New York City, & focuses
on the effect of a department store Santa Claus who claims to be the real Santa.
The film has become a perennial Christmas favorite. Miracle on 34th Street won
3 Academy Awards: Gwenn for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Valentine Davies
for Best Writing, Original Story, and George Seaton for Best Writing, Screenplay.
The film was nominated for Best Picture, losing to Gentleman's Agreement.

Miracle on 34th Street is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy
comedy-drama film directed by Les Mayfield and produced
& co-written by John Hughes. The film stars Richard Attenborough,
Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, J. T. Walsh, James Remar,
Mara Wilson, and Robert Prosky. It is the first theatrical
remake of the original 1947 film. Like the original, this film
was released by 20th Century Fox. Gimbels had ceased operation
in 1987; and was replaced by the fictional "Shopper's Express".


37

Patrick McDonnell's MUTTS Comics (August 24, 2022)

The 37-Year Itch is an article on divorce among the 55-plus crowd.
( NY Times, Aug. 8, 2004)

Shakespeare & Company is a bookstore at 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris.
Web site: www.shakespeareandco.org

Brentano's is a bookstore at 37, avenue de l'Opéra, 75002 Paris.
Web site: www.brentanos.fr/

38

"38 at the Garden" Documentary

Jeremy Lin: "38 at the Garden" (2022)

"Jeremy Lin doc "38 at the Garden" moves Linsanity beyond basketball" (Now streaming on HBO Max, "38 at the Garden" chronicles that special season, culminating exactly 11 years ago at a Feb. 10, 2012, game against the Lakers when Lin scored a remarkable 38 points; and when Kobe Bryant stepped on the court at Madison Square Garden, it was total pandemonium. This film is going to be about humanity. It's going to be about what's going on right now post-pandemic with the [anti-]Asian violence that we've been seeing, about minorities & people who are fearing for their lives in this critical moment in history.) (Trailer) (By Jevon Phillips, Los Angeles Times, 2-10-2023) (Jeremy Lin News Stories)

39

1904 Olympics Medal was the first to award gold for 1st place,
silver for 2nd, and bronze for 3rd place. Diameter was 39 mm
Front side showed an athlete standing on some steps, holding in his right hand a laurel crown, symbol of victory, and raising his left arm. Above the athlete, inscription "OLYMPIAD" and on rock bottom right "1904". Reverse side: goddess of victory Nike, standing on a globe. She holds a laurel crown in her left hand and a palm leaf in her right hand. In front of her, a great crown wreath, with space for name of the sports event. Behind Nike, bust of Zeus on a plinth. Inscription "UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION ST. LOUIS U.S.A." (wikipedia.org; stillmed.olympic.org)

2003 Turner Prize is awarded to Grayson Perry's Ceramic Vase
showing a car with 39 on the hood.

The Brooklyn Dodgers hit 39 home runs during their homer streak of 24 games
from June 18-July 10, 1953.

Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodger's catcher
(uniform #39) hugging pitcher Johnny Podres
with third baseman Don Hoak (left), after their
7th game 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees
in the 1955 World Series. It was Brooklyn Dodger's
first and only World Championship.

At age 39, Dikembe Mutombo, Houston Rockets, is the oldest player in the NBA (2005)
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

39 Strikeouts is the record by both teams in a MLB Playoff Game, as Cleveland Guardians
beat Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 in 15 innings on Oscar Gonzales' walkoff homer on Oct. 8, 2022.
20 strikeouts by Tampa Bay batters & 19 by Cleveland. Previous record: 37 strikeouts
by the Cincinnati Reds & Atlanta Braves (21 by Reds pitchers, 16 by Braves pitchers)
during Game 1 of their Wild-Card Series, won 1-0 by Braves in 13 innings, on 9-30-2020.
(By Mike Gavin, Yahoo News, Oct. 8, 2022)

40

The New York Yankees hit 40 home runs during their homer streak of 25 games
from June 1-29, 1941.

Super Bowl XL 2006 between the Pittsburgh Steelers
& Seattle Seahawks will be played in Detroit's Ford Field.
( NY Times, Feb. 1, 2006)

41

Hitchcock's film "North by Northwest" (1959)— Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant)
boards the 20th Century Limited train to Chicago. He meets Eve Kendall
(Eva Maria Saint}, who hides him from the police; the two establish a
relationship, on Kendall's part because she is secretly working with
Vandamm. She arranged a meeting with Kaplan for Thornhill at an
isolated rural bus stop (#41). He waits there, but is attacked by a crop
duster plane. After trying to hide in a cornfield, he steps in front of a
speeding tank truck; it brakes, and the airplane crashes into it,
allowing him to escape.

Sum 41 are a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed
in 1996 & most recently consisted of Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, guitars,
keyboards), Dave "Brownsound" Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason
"Cone" McCaslin (bass, backing vocals), Tom Thacker (guitars, keyboards,
backing vocals), and Frank Zummo (drums, percussion, occasional backing
vocals). In 1999, Sum 41 signed an international record deal with Island
Records & released its first EP, "Half Hour of Power". From their formation
to 2016, Sum 41 were among the top 10 best-selling Canadian bands in Canada.
On May 8, 2023, the band announced it would be disbanding following the
release of "Heaven and Hell" and a worldwide headlining tour.

The former Metropolitan Life headquarters at One Madison Avenue & 23rd Street,
Manhattan was sold for $1 billion and will be converted into condominiums.
The 41-story tower building was the world's tallest when completed in 1909.
( NY Times, March 31, 2005)

Australia issued a 41¢ stamp depicting the Golden Wattle
(Acacia pycnantha) on January 17, 1990. This medium shrub
with golden ball-shaped flowers is the national floral emblem of Australia.

42

Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson (uniform #42)
stealing home against the Chicago Cubs in the 4th inning
at Ebbets Field in May of 1952. Robinson was safe before
the Cubs1 catcher, John Pramesa, could tag him. To the
left is Dodgers pitcher Preacher Roe who stepped back
up to the plate and got his first hit of the year.
New York Times Photo Archives

Giordano Bruno's 9th Seal: The farmer—
Each of the four sides in a cubicle is perceived to contain on workshop
along with its mechanic, with his preparations and tools arranged in order
in their proper place. Instead of the number of the thirty fellow singers
and the twelve harmonizers, let forty-two proper and appropriate
characteristics become all for one thing. For all arts in and of themselves
do not in this way seize manifold deeds and instruments. For this reason,
those things which are and can be comfortably comprehended as fields
and atria may assist you.
— Giordano Bruno (1548-1600),
On the Composition of Images, Signs & Ideas (1591)
Book Three, which is about the images of the Thirty Seals, 3.10
(translated by Charles Doria, Willis, Locker & Owens, NY, 1991, p. 260)

Uniform #42 worn by Jerry Stackhouse of Dallas Mavericks
& James Posey of Miami Heat in Game 2 of NBA Finals 2006 in Dallas.
( NY Times, June 14, 2006)

The 42nd Mersenne Prime = 2^25,964,951-1.
It has It has 7,816,230 digits.
If printed in its entirety, it would fill 235 pages
of the New York Times newspaper.
(NY Times, March 29, 2005)

43

At age 43, Doug Flutie of the New England Patriots was the
NFL's oldest player on an opening-day roster in the 2005 season.
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

At age 43, Robert Parish of the Boston Celtics was the oldest
player to appear in an NBA basketball game, retiring in 1997.
At age 43, Roger Clemens of the Houston Astros won the ERA for pitching.
At age 43, Sean Landeta, the Philadelphia Eagles punter, had his best season.
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

44

Hello, little leaves,
Said not St. Francis
But my son in the spring,
Doing at two
(Neither really begged)
What it took the other—
He'd agree and laugh—
44 years to do.

Louis Zukofsky (1904-1978)
"So That Even a Lover" in Some Time (1940-1956)
Complete Short Poetry (1991), p. 114

Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw is a book by Norman Davies
(Book Review, NY Times, July 25, 2004)

The Atlanta Braves hit 44 home runs during their homer streak of 24 games
from April 18-May 12, 1998.

The brown dwarf star OTS 44 has a miniature solar system in the making. It is part
of a cluster of very young stars about 500 light-years away in the constellation Chamaeleon.
(NY Times, Feb. 8, 2005)

At age 44, Chris Chelios of the Detroit Red Wings is the oldest
player in the NHL and captain of the U.S. hockey team at the Turin Olympics.
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

Jimmy's Corner is a bar at 140 West, 44th Street, New York City near Times Square.
(NY Times, Aug. 20, 2006)

46

Code 46 is a 83-minutes science fiction film (United Artists, 2004)
directed by Michael Winterbottom, starring Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton
(NY Times, Aug. 6, 2004)

The Detroit Tigers hit 46 home runs during their homer streak of 25 games
from May 25-June 19, 1994.

47

John Elway had a NFL record 47 fourth-quarter game-winning or game-tying drives.

At age 47, Julio Franco of the New York Mets is the oldest
player in Major League Baseball. Franco batted .275 in 2005.
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

48

1896 Olympics Medal was made of silver for 1st place,
and bronze for 2nd place. It was 48 mm in diameter. Front
side of the Athens medal has Zeus' face along with his hand
holding a globe with the winged victory Nike on it, with the
inscription "OLYMPIA". Reverse side showed Acropolis site.
(wikipedia.org; schiffgold.com: stillmed.olympic.org)

49

At age 49, Martina Navratilova is the oldest player
in professional tennis, and oldest ever Grand Slam champion.
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

'Utter amazement': Steph Curry scores 49 in win over 76ers and the Warriors have found their swagger (Golden State Warriors beat 76ers 107-96. Curry's eighth 40-point game of the season; his 11th straight game with 30-plus points snaps Kobe Bryant's record for a player 33 years old or older; his 46 3-pointers over the last five games is a new NBA record; and he became the first player in league history to make 10 or more 3-pointers four times in a five-game span.) (By Wes Goldberg, Mercury News, 4-19-2021)

50

"BASKETBALL: Stephen Curry scores
Game 7-record 50 as Warriors eliminate Kings"
(Stephen Curry set a Game 7 scoring record with 50 points and the Golden State Warriors kept their championship-repeat dreams alive with a 120-100 road win over Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon. Curry's 50 points were three more than he'd ever scored in a playoff game, & two more than the 48 Kevin Durant put up against Milwaukee Bucks in a Brooklyn Nets Game 7 loss in 2021 Eastern semifinals. Curry made 20 of his career-high 38 shots overall & 7-for-18 on 3-point tries.) (YouTube)
(By Field Level Media, Reuters, Yahoo News, 4-30-2023)

50^o N Latitude Sign at Cape Mudge, Quadra Island, British Columbia, Canada

"What's So Hot About 50?" is an article by Daphne Merkin
about "middlesex"— sexual life and women over 50.
(NY Times, Feb. 12, 2006)

"50 Is Just a Short Stop From 40" is an article by Bill Finley
about professional athletes performing in their late 40's
(NY Times, March 5, 2006)

51

Area 51 is the common name of a highly classified United States Air Force (USAF) facility within the Nevada Test and Training Range.
A remote detachment administered by Edwards Air Force Base, the facility is officially called Homey Airport. The USAF & CIA acquired the site in 1955, for flight testing the Lockheed U-2 aircraft. The intense secrecy surrounding the base has made it the subject of conspiracy theories of unidentified flying object (UFO) folklore.
Area 51 is located in southern portion of Nevada, 83 miles (134 km) north-northwest of Las Vegas. The surrounding area is a popular tourist destination, including the small town of Rachel on the "Extraterrestrial Highway". The perimeter of the base is marked out by orange posts and patrolled by guards in white pickup trucks and camouflage fatigues.

Area 51: The Dreamland Chronicles is a 1998 book by David Darlington.
In recent years, Area 51 has spurred public interest from its role in the government's $30 billion "Black Budget," from sensational charges about
captured alien spacecraft. It has also given birth to a feisty guerrilla
subculture bent on exploding secrecy surrounding this mysterious spot.
David Darlington unfolds the history, legs, and characters involved with
Area 51, weaving a weird tale of intrigue and outrage and UFOs that
speaks volumes about popular culture and American democracy at
the of the twentieth century.

Area 51 is a 2015 American found footage science fiction horror film
directed & shot by Oren Peli and co-written by Peli & Christopher Denham.
The film stars Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, Ben Rovner, & Jelena Nik. Film
was produced by Jason Blum under his Blumhouse Productions banner, and was released in a limited release. The 4 teenagers sneaked onto the military base using signal jammers, night vision goggles, & Freon-laced jumpsuits. They discovered a cavern-like structure beneath Area 51 with sleeping aliens, one awakens & chased them, abductng them in an alien spacecraft. They escape as Reid's camera falls & plummets to the ground.

51 Exercises for the Piano by Johannes Brahms

51 West 51st Street was the location of Toots Shor's Restaurant in Manhattan,
a New York landmark in the 1940's & 1950's. It was place the famous and would be famous went to see and to be seen. Yankee, Yogi Berra is said to have met Ernest Hemingway there one night. Hemingway was introduced as "an important writer."
Berra is said to have replied: "What paper you with, Ernie?" Dinner menu dated Friday, September 18, 1953 with a picture on back of 14 of baseball's greatest. "The Romance
of the Wrecking Ball" by Jeff Byles is an article with photo showing the restaurateur
Toots Shor when the 3000-pound wrecking ball, painted to look like a baseball, in
honor of his sports-bar milieu, demolished his saloon in 1959. (NY Times, Jan. 22, 2006)

52

52 hertz solitary whale makes a distinctive stream of sounds at
around that basso profundo frequency, just above the lowest note on a tuba.
(NY Times, Dec. 21, 2004)

"52 Oswald Street" is a poem by Galway Kinnell
for Wendy Plummer and Jill Niekamp
The 40-line poem starting with
"Then, when the full moonlight
would touch our sleeping bodies,"
and ending with "sleeping, quite long ago"
appears in Mortal Acts, Mortal Words
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1980, pp. 46-47

53

Jumble is a word puzzle with a clue, a drawing illustrating the clue,
and a set of words, each of which is "jumbled" by scrambling its
letters. A solver reconstructs the words, then arranges letters at
marked positions in the words to spell answer phrase to the clue.
The clue, & sometimes illustration, provide hints about the answer
phrase, which uses a homophone or pun. Jumble was created in 1954
by Martin Naydel. Henri Arnold & Bob Lee took over the feature in
1962 and continued it for at least 30 years. As of 2013, Jumble was
being maintained by David L. Hoyt & Jeff Knurek. Jumble cartoon
on Jan. 31, 2023 had the numbers 5 & 3 together resembling "53".
Took 6 minutes (1/31, 7:37-7:43 am) to solve the puzzle & reproduced in Adobe Photoshop.

Chicago Fire Truck 53
is located at Engine 125 House
2323-2325 N. Natchez Ave, between
W. Grand Ave. & W. Belden Ave, Chicago.
It is from the North District, 2nd District.
Video of Fire Truck 53 responding to fire.
CFD is largest fire department in the midwest.
It's also one of the oldest, established before 1833.

Ringo Starr's book Postcards From the Boys (2003) contains 53 Postcards from his fellow Beatles. It was published in a limited edition of 2,500 by Genesis Publications for $495.

Dogen's last words were, "for 53 years I've hung the sky with stars;
now I crash through. What a shattering!"
from "Dogen's Last Words" in Norman Fischer's
On Whether or not to Believe in your Mind,
The Figures, Great Barrington, MA, 1987

54

1932 Winter Olympics Medals were awarded at Lake Placid,
New York. 54 mm in diameter, gilt silver for 1st place. Front side of scalloped medal showing winged goddess with laurel branch, over clouds and a view of the Adirondack Mountains. Back: Olympic rings over "III Olympic Winter Games Lake Placid 1932". Laurel branches below. (icollector.com)

Mark Messier retired after 25 seasons in the N.H.L. His 1887 career points
the second highest after Wayne Gretzky. Messier will always be remembered
for helping the New York Rangers win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.
(NY Times, Sept. 13, 2005)

55

Tim Lincecum wore uniform #55 pitching for the San Francisco Giants (2007-2015). His career Win-loss record
110-89, Earned run average = 3.74, Strikeouts = 1,736.
Career highlights: 4x All-Star (2008-2011); 3x World Series champion (2010, 2012, 2014); 2x NL Cy Young Award (2008, 2009); 3x NL strikeout leader (2008-2010); Golden Spikes Award (2006); Pitched two no-hitters (2013, 2014). Multiple no-hitters thrown, multiple Cy Young Awards won, multiple All-Star selections, multiple World Series championship titles (shared with Sandy Koufax & Justin Verlander). In 2014, Sacramento Bee described Lincecum as the most beloved San Francisco sports figure since Joe Montana.

1924 Winter Olympics Medals were awarded in Chamonix,
France. 55 mm in diameter, designed by Raoul Benard, Paris. Front side features a victorious athlete holding ice skates and
skis high in the air with the Alps in the background. Reverse is inscribed at length in French, with dates January 25-February 5, 1924. (wikipedia.org; icollector.com)

Jayson Williams wore uniform #55 playing for the New Jersey Nets (1999)
(NY Times, Nov. 14, 2004)

Engine 55, Broome Street [Frederick Brosen's watercolors of NYC]
(Frye Art Museum, Seattle, Aug. 28, 2005)

Louis Armstrong sent a Western Union telegram to Joe Glaser
at 110 West 55th Street in New York City to wire him
"$500 immediately against any extra money that I will make"
(NY Times, Feb. 12, 2006)

"A Night Out With Janis Ian: At Fifty-Five" is an article by Melena Ryzik
on the Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter in New York
NY Times, Apr. 9, 2006)

Poem 29 "Obit" in May Sarton's Coming Into Eighty: New Poems (1994)
ends with 55 years ago:
OBIT
Next door
He played Bach
On the harpsichord.
I listened
And wrote poems.
Fellow lodgers,
We hardly
Exchanged a word.

The obit has brought me
An acute sense of loss,
Free fall
Down a nowhere shaft,
As when he told me
He was engaged
To someone else.
In Bloomsbury
Fifty-five years
Ago.
— May Sarton (1912-1995)
Coming Into Eighty: New Poems
W. W. Norton, New York (1994), p. 59

There are 56 poems in Denise Levertov's Oblique Prayers (1984)
Poem 55 is titled "Of Being":
OF BEING

I know this happiness
is provisional:

        the looming presences—
        great suffering, great fear—

        withdraw only
        into peripheral vision:

but ineluctable this shimmering
of wind in the blue leaves:

this flood of stillness
widening the lake of sky:

this need to dance,
this need to kneel:
                              this mystery:

— Denise Levertov (1923-1997)
Oblique Prayers
New Directions, NY (1984), p. 86

56

There are 56 pages in The Illustrated Alphabet of Birds
published by Crosby & Nichols, Boston, 1851.
The 56th page shows the letter Z with 14 different birds.

57

The 57th Franz Kafka (1983) is a collection of science fiction stories
by Rudy Rucker, a mathematical philosopher. All these pieces and a number
of others, together with verse and non-fiction, have since been republished
in an eccentric tome called Transreal! (1991)
(David Pringle, The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction,
2nd Ed., Scolar Press, Aldershot, UK, 1990, p. 134)

Astroid 57 Mnemosyne has period of orbit 5.59 years
with 2.77 AU perihelion and 3.53 AU aphelion.
Asteroid diameter = 116 km.
Discovered by R. Luther on Sept. 22, 1859 at Dusseldorf.

59

X-59 QueSST Jet ("Quiet SuperSonic Technology") is an American experimental supersonic aircraft developed at Skunk Works for NASA's Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator program. Design started in February 2016, with the X-59 scheduled for delivery in late 2021 for flight tests from 2022. Cruise at Mach 1.42 (1,510 km/hr; 937 mph) and 55,000 ft (16,800 m), creating a low 75 Perceived Level decibel (PLdB) thump to evaluate supersonic transport acceptability.

Simon & Garfunkel's song "The 59th Street Bridge Song" (Feelin' Groovy) is from their 1966 album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary Thyme

60

1900 Olympics Medal was gilt silver for 1st place, silver for 2nd,
and bronze for 3rd place. Medal was rectangular, 42 mm wide &
60 mm high. Front showed a winged goddess with raised arms holding laurel branches with city of Paris behind her. Reverse:
victorious athlete holding a laurel branch before the Acropolis
in Athens. (wikipedia.org; stillmed.olympic.org; Sotheby's)

1968 Olympics Medal was gilt silver for 1st place, silver for 2nd,
and bronze for 3rd place. Medal was 60 mm in diameter, with blue
colored band. Front shows the traditional goddess of victory, holding
a palm in her left hand and a winner's crown in her right. Reverse: an Olympic champion carried in triumph by the crowd, with the Olympic stadium in the background. (wikipedia.org; stillmed.olympic.org)

Duke P. Kahanamoku (USA) won the Olympics Gold
in 100-meter freestyle swimming (1920) in 60.4 seconds.

61

BASEBALL: Maris Hits 61st Home Run:
New York Yankees Roger Maris #9, with a count of two balls,
no strikes, in the fourth inning of the game with the Boston
Red Sox, hit his 61st home run of the season to become the
first man in major league baseball history to hit more than
60, on Oct. 1, 1961, at New York's Yankee Stadium. The ball
went into the right field stands, about 360 feet away. It broke
34-years record of Yankees Babe Ruth's 60 homers in 1927.
(New York Daily News, September 10, 2022)

BASEBALL: 'I almost had it': Frankie Lasagna laments
missed opportunity to catch Aaron Judge's 61st homer
(Judge entered the Yankees' series at Toronto this week
one shy of AL record of 61 home runs set by Roger Maris
(1961); 61 years to tie Maris 61 homers in 1961. Judge
gave the ball to his Mom who was in attendance;
Judge will win MVP as well as Triple Crown for 2022.)
(By Lorenzo Reyes, USA Today, 9-29-2022)

62

BASEBALL: Yankees star Aaron Judge surpasses
Roger Maris with 62nd homer, logging greatest
MLB power season since steroid era
(On Tuesday night, 10/4, in the second game of a doubleheader in Texas, Judge jumped on a 1-1 slider
from Rangers starter Jesus Tinoco, sending history
over the left field fence. It landed in Section 31 at
Globe Life Field, and the fan who grabbed it was
reportedly escorted away by security with a big decision to make. Historic
home run balls in the past have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.)
(By Zach Crizer, Yahoo News, 10-4-2022)

Steph Curry answers critics, pours in career-high 62 points in Warriors' win over Trail Blazers [Curry's final stat line of 62 points on 18-for-31 shooting (8-for-16 from 3-point range and 18-of-19 from the free-throw line), five rebounds & four assists in 36 minutes.]
(By Wes Goldberg, Mercury News, 1-5-2021, C1, C4)

Klay marvels at Steph Curry's 62-point night and Damian Lillard shows respect
(Magic Johnson, Dwyane Wade and others pay respect to Steph Curry after his career night in Warriors' win over Trail Blazers; By scoring 31 points in each half, Curry became the first player since New Orleans' Pete Maravich in 1977 to score more than 30 in each half,) (By Jon Becker, Mercury News, 1-5-2021, C1, C4)

63

Orlando Cabrera, shortshop of Los Angeles Angels reached base in 63 consecutive games from April 25 to July 6, 2006. During the streak, he had 76 hits, 27 walks,
and 2 hit by pitch. It was 6th longest in history. Ted Williams holds the record
with 84 straight games in 1949. (NY Times, July 9, 2006)

64

"When I'm 64" is a song by the Beatles in their
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album (1967).
If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four.
(Photo Source: "When I'm 64" rollingstone.com)

"64 Teams Reaching for the Sky" is an article by Lee Jenkins
on the 64 college basketball teams competing for the 2006 NCAA championship.
(NY Times, March 16, 2006)

Jugoslavia 1115: Chess (issued 9-18-1972)

Chess Board has 64 squares with 32 white squares and 32 black squares, There are 16 white chess pieces and 16 black chess pieces— 8 Pawns, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights, 2 Bishops, Queen and King. Game is won when the opposing King is captured. Knight's Tour is a sequence of 64 squares on a chess board, where each square is visted once, & each subsequent square can be reached from previous by a knight's move.

Knight's Tour of 64 Squares

64 DNA Codons: There are 64 different codons in the genetic code and the table (left); most specify an amino acid. The codons GCU, GCC, GCA, GCG represent Alanine (high helix potential), GUU, GUC, GUA, GUG code for Valine (high β-sheet potential), UCU, UCC, UCA, UCG code for Serine (high Bend potential). Chou & Fasman determined the amino acid potentials (1974) that led to predicting protein 2ary structures [Biochemistry 13, 222-245 (1974)]. (Photo Source: "DNA Codons" quora.com)

64 Hexagrams in I Ching (1000 BC): The I Ching usually translated Book of Changes is an ancient Chinese divination text that is among oldest of the Chinese classics. Originally a divination manual in the Western Zhou period (1000-750 BC). Confucius wrote philosophical commentaries known as the "Ten Wings". The 1st Hexagram is Qián "The Creative". The 64th Hexagram is Wèi Jì "Before Completion". Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716) was inspired to use I Ching to design the binary code (1703) for computers. He wrote to Peter the Great on his discovery. (Photo Source: 64 Hexagrams 3.bp.blogspot.com)

65

Speed Limit on most U.S. highways is 65 mph. In the United States, speed limits are set by each state or territory. States have also allowed counties and municipalities to enact typically lower limits. Highway speed limits can range from an urban low of 25 mph to a rural high of 85 mph. Speed limits are typically posted in increments of five miles per hour. Highest speed limits are generally 70 mph on the West Coast & the inland eastern states, 75-80 mph. Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Vermont have a maximum limit of 65 mph. (Photo Source: Speed Limit Sign ecteezy.com)

California State Route 65 is a north-south state highway in the U.S. state of California. It is composed of two segments in the Central Valley. Southern segment begins at SR 99, near Bakersfield and terminates at SR 198 near Exeter. It also serves communities of Oildale, Ducor, Terra Bella, Porterville, Strathmore, and Lindsay. Northern segment begins at Interstate 80 in Roseville & terminates at SR 70 at Olivehurst. It also serves Rocklin, Lincoln, & Wheatland. Highway is 94.217 miles long. (Photo Source: CA State Route 65 wikipedia.org)

Highway 65 Interstate Kentucky: enters the US state of Kentucky from Tennessee, five miles south of Franklin. It passes by the major cities of Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, and Louisville before exiting the state into Indiana. Along its 137.32-mile length in Kentucky, major attractions I-65 passes include the National Corvette Museum, Mammoth Cave National Park, Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest, & Fort Knox before entering the state's largest metropolitan area, Louisville. (Photo Source: Highway 65 Interstate Kentucky wikipedia.org)

King's Highway 65 is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The route begins at Highway 66 and travels 6.6 miles southeast to the Quebec border. At its midpoint, the route is concurrent with Highway 11. Highway 65 was assumed in 1937 following the merger of Department of Northern Development (DND) with Department of Highways (DHO). It initially connected Matachewan with Highway 11 at New Liskeard, but was extended east to the Quebec border in 1956. Route has remained unchanged since. Its length is 76.6 miles. Existed August 7, 1937 to present. (Photo Source: King's Highway 65 wikipedia.org)

66

Santa Monica 66

Route 66: Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California

Mr. D's Route 66 Diner

Michael Wallis: "Route 66" (1990)

THINGS TO DO: Route 66, America's 'Mother Road', readies for its centennial (By the 1950s, the 2,400-mile highway lured travelers with the post-World War II promise of adventure on the open road. As era of interstate highway driving dawned, Route 66 began to reflect a yearning for a time when a journey was about more than the destination. Now 8 states traversed by America's defining highway are getting it ready for its 100th anniversary, in 2026. Iconic highway has always been "the ultimate symbol of a restless nation on the move," writes Michael Wallis in "Route 66: The Mother Road", the 1990 book.) (By Erika Bolstad, Mercury News, June 25, 2023, F7-F8) THE TRAVEL LIST: Top 10 must-sees along Route 66 1. The Wigwam Motel, San Bernardino, California, and Holbrook, Arizona; 2. Painted Desert, Arizona; 3. Mr. D's Route 66 Diner, Kingman, Arizona; 4. Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas; 5. Roy's Motel and Cafe, Amboy, California; 6. Historic Seligman Sundries, Arizona; 7. Grand Canyon, Arizona; 8. Meteor Crater and Barringer Space Museum, Winslow, Arizona; 9. Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California; 10. Standin' on the Corner Park, Winslow, Arizona. (By Jackie Burrell, Mercury News, June 25, 2023, F7)

1972 Olympics Medals were awarded in Munich, Germany.
66 mm in diameter. Front: an Olympic champion carried in triumph by the crowd, with Olympic stadium in background, designed by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli (1928). Back Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus and Léda, patrons
of sports competitions and friendship, represented by two
naked youths. Designed by German artist Gerhard Marcks (stillmed.olympic.org)

68

1960 Olympics Medals were awarded in Rome, Italy.
68 mm in diameter. First designed to be worn around the
winners' neck. Front: an Olympic champion carried in triumph by the crowd, with Olympic stadium in the background. Back: Traditional goddess of victory,
holding a palm in her left hand and a winner's
crown in her right. (stillmed.olympic.org)

16-Inch Gun from USS Missouri Battleship
Designation: 16-in/50 caliber
Date of design: 1939
Gun weight: 267,904 lbs
Gun length: 68 feet (816 inches)
Projectile Range: 24 miles
(Photo Source: yelp.com)

69

Cleopatra's Needle Westminster, London

Cleopatra's Needle in London (similarly named obelisks exist in Central Park, New York and Paris) is an ancient Egyptian obelisk located on the Victoria Embankment in Westminster, London. Inscribed by Thutmose III and later Ramesses II of the Egyptian New Kingdom, the obelisk as moved to Alexandria in 12 BC, where it remained for nearly two millennia before it was presented to the United Kingdom in 1819 by the ruler of Egypt and Sudan Muhammad Ali, in commemoration of the victories of Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and Sir Ralph Abercromby at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. Standing 69 feet high (21 metres) and weighing in at 224 tons. The obelisk was transported to London on January 21, 1878. On erection of the obelisk in 1878, a time capsule was concealed in the front part of the pedestal containing a set of 12 photographs of the best-looking English women of the day, John 3:16 in 215 languages, and copies of 10 daily London newspapers.

70

2008 Olympics Medals were awarded in Beijing, China.
70 mm in diameter. For the first time jade is used for Olympic medals. The medals have been designed with inspiration coming from "bi", China's ancient jade piece inscribed with a dragon pattern. The medals symbolise nobility and virtue and are the embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honour, emitting a strong Chinese flavour. Front: Goddess of victory Nike pictured in the Panathenaic Stadium. Back: Medals are inlaid with jade with emblem of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 engraved in the metal centerpiece. (stillmed.olympic.org)

70 Park Avenue Hotel in New York City has 205 rooms
and is located on the corner of 38th St. and Park Avenue.
(NY Times, April 3, 2005)

The Seventy Prepositions is a book of 48 poems by Carol Snow.
University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 2004 (PS3569.N57.S48.2004)

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was 70 years old
when signing the Declaration of Independence (1776)
He was the oldest member of the Continental
Congress. Franklin lived another 14 years
and also signed the U.S. Constitution in 1788.
Portrait by Joseph Siffrein Duplessis (1778)

73

73 Comptines et Chansons: Nursery Rhymes
is a French children's book by Henri Parisot with 73 counting rhymes & songs.
Aubier Montaigne, 1978 (paperback 2001)

74

74 minutes is the maximum length for an audio CD because Sony President
Norio Ohga wanted the disc to hold all of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

75

Speed Limit 75
traffic sign in Texas
raised by 5 mph
ending 13-year policy
of keeping limits low
to reduce pollution (2014).

78

The Motion Picture 78th Academy Awards was held at the Kodak Theater
on Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, on March 5, 2006.
(NY Times, March 6, 2006)

79

Scoop #108: Skyscraper Crash (1954)

Plane Crashes into 79th Floor of Empire State Building on July 28, 1945— The B-25 Mitchell bomber, with two pilots and one passenger aboard, was flying from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Due to heavy fog, the plane crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building, near the 79th floor. 14 people were killed by the crash.

Scoop #108 Back

80

Speed Limit 80
traffic sign in Utah
on Interstate Highway 15
for 401 miles.



80-foot Rainbow Falls
is located in Hilo, Hawaii.
Almost 100 ft in diameter.
Named after Hawaiian Goddess Hina.
On sunny mornings around 10 am,
rainbows can be seen in the mist
thrown up by the waterfall.

83

Gypsy 83 is a film written and directed by Todd Stephens (2004)—
a follow-your-dream inspirational comedy in the clothing of the Goth cult.

84

New York's original Penn Station (1910) had 84 pink granite columns

85

2012 Olympics Medals were awarded in London, England.
85 mm in diameter. Front: Traditional goddess of victory flies into Panathenaic Stadium bringing victory to best athlete. For these Games, figure of victory is accompanied by inscription: "XXX Olympiad London 2012". Back: An abstract design with the emblem of Olympic Games London 2012 at its centre as a metaphor for the modern city. (stillmed.olympic.org)

2016 Olympics Medals were awarded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
85 mm in diameter. Weight 500 grams (1.10 lb). Front: Design in place since the Olympic Games Athens 2004 with the inscription "XXXI Olimpiada Rio 2016". Back: Emblem of Olympic Games Rio 2016 surrounded by laurel leaves, representing the link between Olympic athletes & nature. Their crown shape recalls those awarded to the winners in Ancient Greece & evokes victory. (stillmed.olympic.org)

2020 Olympics Medals were awarded in Tokyo, Japan.
85 mm in diameter. Front: Features design used since the Olympic Games Athens 2004, with the inscription "Games of the XXXII Olympiad Tokyo 2020". Back: Around the emblem of Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which expresses message of "unity in diversity", the lines collect and reflect myriad patterns of light, symbolising energy of the athletes & those who support them. (stillmed.olympic.org)

The Miss America 2006 pageant moved from Atlantic City, its home for 85 years,
to Las Vegas in an effort to head off a dwindling television audience.
(NY Times, Jan. 20, 2006)

86

"86 Floors Up, No Elevator Required" is an article by James Barron
on the 86th floor observation deck at the Empire State Building.
(NY Times, Oct. 7, 2004)

On June 11, 1776, Congress recessed
for three weeks. During this period,
the Committee of five drafted the
Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson drafted it, and
John Adams & Benjamin Franklin
made changes to it.
86 changes were made to the 1st draft.

88

88-carats Korloff Black Diamond— owned by the aristocratic Russian family,
the Korloff Sapojnikoffs, who sold it in 1920 after the Russian Revolution.
For the past 20 years it has been owned by Frenchman Daniel Paillasseur,
who named his jewellery company Korloff Paris after the diamond
and says it's his own special lucky charm.

New England Garden Trellis with 88 squares

90

The melting snow
dripped from the cornice by his window
90 strokes a minute—
— William Carlos Williams (1883-1963),
Paterson (1958), Book One, Section III (1946)
Edited by Christopher MacGowan
New Directions, NY, 1992, p. 29

92

Most goals scored in a NHL season is 92
by Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers in 1981.
NHL Records: Hockey Statistics

93

Flight 93 is the name of a TV movie on A&E on the hijacked plane
Flight 93 on September 11, 2001 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
(NY Times, Jan. 30, 2005)

96

"96 Vandam" is a poem by Gerald Stern

I am going to carry my bed into New York City tonight
complete with dangling sheets and ripped blankets;
I am going to push it across three dark highways
or coast along under 600,000 faint stars.
I want to have it with me so I don't have to beg
for too much shelter from my weak and exhausted friends.
I want to be as close as possible to my pillow
in case a dream or a fantasy should pass by.
I want to fall asleep on my own fire escape
and wake up dazed and hungry
to the sound of garbage grinding in the street below
and the smell of coffee cooking in the window above.

(This Time: New and Selected Poems, 1998)

97

Minister's Tree House was built by Horace Burgess in Crossville, Tennessee, in 1993 after a vision from God. The 97-foot-tall tree house and church was supported by a still-living 80-foot-tall white oak tree with a 12-foot diameter base, and relied on six other oak trees for support. He built it using 258,000 nails with a nailgun, and about 500 pounds of penny nails driven by hand. Guinness has it as largest tree-house in the world. On 10-22-2019, it completely burned to the ground. (NY Times, Oct. 26, 2019)

Minister's Tree House

John B. Goodenough Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2019)

John B. Goodenough (1922-2023) was an American materials scientist, a solid-state physicist, and a Nobel laureate in chemistry. From 1996 he was a professor of Mechanical, Materials Science, and Electrical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He is credited with identifying the Goodenough–Kanamori rules of the sign of the magnetic superexchange in materials, with developing materials for computer random-access memory and with inventing cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. In 2019, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino. At 97 years old, became the oldest Nobel laureate in history. (By Kurt Snibbe, Mercury News, Dec. 10 2023, B6)

99

X-59 Dimensions: Length is 99 feet, 7 inches. Width is 29 feet, 6 inches. Height is 14 feet. The X-59's unique shape controls the way the air moves away from
the plane, ultimately preventing a sonic boom from disturbing communities on the ground.
(By Kurt Snibbe, Mercury News, 8-15-2021, B15)

99 Names of Allah

Wayne Gretzsky's uniform number is 99

American 99 store in Bronx, New York is a 99-cent store