Dylan’s Highway is Good to Revisit

What is it about Bob Dylan that is so extraordinary? His poetry is exquisite, in particular the early work. He has said when interviewed that it simply flowed when he was young. He didn’t know where it came from.

The Nobel Prize in literature recognized the beautiful quality of his work. However, if he was only a great poet no one would have bought his albums.

He has an unusual voice. It is not operatic. But it is distinctive. It is melodic. For me, most importantly, it is embedded with character, depth and it distinctly harkens back to the folk and blues heritage of America’s past. The more I listen, the better it sounds.

Being close to 76, the anthem for meaningful aging to me is the lyrical Forever Young. In his words, “May you stay forever young.”

H. Robert Rubin, best-selling, Amazon memoirist and author of Look Backward Angel, How Did I Get Through This? and Please Save the Third Dance for Me, all available on Amazon.

Joe’s Moment in the Sun

Baseball is the only sport I know of, where the defense holds the ball. The catcher is asked to call the game, the type of pitch and the location of the ball. The pitcher may reject that, but trust and communication between those two people is critical in getting the hitters out. When the two of them together can create a no hitter, that’s memorable.

It was June 27th, 1980. A Dodger pitcher, Jerry Reuss, threw his one and only, career no hitter. It was the only no hitter I had ever watched until last night. I couldn’t believe, as I thought back to that evening, that it had been almost 41 years.

I have rooted for the San Diego Padres for the last 27 years. I was fully aware that there had never been a San Diego no hitter in the 52-year history of the club. I knew, from having served tennis balls for years and watching baseball, that, the three critical elements of a delivery (serve or pitch) were the location, the movement and the speed of the ball.

Last night Joe Musgrove, San Diego native, pitching for the Padres against the Texas Rangers, had all three. Although, it was movement, he had in abundance. His control was so sharp that there were no free passes to first base. He also struck out 10 batters in the nine full innings he pitched. His catcher, Victor Caratini, called a brilliant game as well.

Finally Joe was asked postgame how luck might have been involved as is usually true of no hitters. He said when Joey Gallo, their best hitter, was accidentally hit by his pitch, he was lucky Joey didn’t get a chance to hit.

A night of Josephs you say? I am reminded briefly of the Joe who stopped any chance of a no hitter in 56 consecutive games. As Paul Simon put his plea, “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?

In the late innings, last night, and on the final pitch, my eyes teared up and my heart swelled. Some things you just can’t completely explain. Where have you been Joe Musgrove?