I went to a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium in 1986 or 87. It was the Bartles and James period. As the game progressed a vendor climbed the steps crying "Bartles and James light wine spritzer here. Get your Bartles and James light wine spritzer" No takers.
B & J was an Anheuser product. Briefly but memorably.
I am going to miss seeing the newspaper on our sidewalk every morning---here is the blog post I wrote when I found out that those days are numbered. Thanks for all you do!
I love the random way that your thank you note with highlights from your writing leads to random interesting articles I would have never encountered and then weaves in great music. Thanks a million!
PS It’s like having a chat on a Southern front porch on a Sunday summer afternoon with a glass of something cold. You never know in which direction the conversation will lead but you leave feeling better than when you arrived…
And you nailed it. You strike just the right chords of memory, joy and wonder with your work. Even when I don't agree with you, I enjoy the conversation you launch. Good writing is a gift great writers give their audience. And we thank you.
As a loyal subscriber and fan of your excellent writing, i must tell you it is difficult for me to read anything of a sport i believe is not only responsible for encouraging and glorifying violence, but is responsible for untold injuries to the developing brains of young people and the undermining of education in America. I say this as the daughter of a former football coach, mother of a high school football player, cousin of several NFL and college players and someone who suffered a devastating cerebral injury and knows intimately the results of such “accidents.” To enjoy as “entertainment” this brutality and damage to young people is painful for me to watch and read about. I hope to continue to read your lovely prose, but your commentary on football hurts my feelings. Just IMHO.
Valerie, thanks for this. I'm a total hypocrite on this subject. I love football but can't abide boxing or MMA. It's especially hypocritical to love college football, where for so many years the players worked for little or nothing. But I do love it, find something beautiful and connective and redemptive about it, despite the suffering I know it causes. I might not feel this way in 20 years, but I do now. We probably all love some things we shouldn't.
Great article, as usual. I’m facilitating your wonderful book Dogland tonight for my book club. Can you share what writing got you on the short list for a Pulitzer? No doubt in my mind you will eventually have one.
Thanks for the kind words, Betty! I was a Pulitzer finalist for a package of stories from back in 2004 ... I don't think the others are available online anymore, but I did save this one: https://tommytomlinson.com/the-hunley-8-the-charleston-9/
This is one of those posts that I have to share to myself so I can be reminded to come back to it to finish up! Too many things to explore in one sitting, which is why I’m so late in reading it in the first place!
I’m particularly looking to read the piece about The Charlotte Observer carriers. My Dad delivered the morning edition to ~600 people for several years. Some of my favorite memories are of getting up with him at 2:00 on a Saturday morning to ride along. We always got a Co-Cola and a pack of nabs! When I was about 14, I delivered The Charlotte News in my neighborhood.
I went to a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium in 1986 or 87. It was the Bartles and James period. As the game progressed a vendor climbed the steps crying "Bartles and James light wine spritzer here. Get your Bartles and James light wine spritzer" No takers.
B & J was an Anheuser product. Briefly but memorably.
https://lindaminor.wordpress.com/2024/09/07/860/
I am going to miss seeing the newspaper on our sidewalk every morning---here is the blog post I wrote when I found out that those days are numbered. Thanks for all you do!
Get yer book front and center Tommy. That's not 5,000 subscribers. That's 5,000 sales : )
I love the random way that your thank you note with highlights from your writing leads to random interesting articles I would have never encountered and then weaves in great music. Thanks a million!
PS It’s like having a chat on a Southern front porch on a Sunday summer afternoon with a glass of something cold. You never know in which direction the conversation will lead but you leave feeling better than when you arrived…
That's just the vibe I'm shooting for!
And you nailed it. You strike just the right chords of memory, joy and wonder with your work. Even when I don't agree with you, I enjoy the conversation you launch. Good writing is a gift great writers give their audience. And we thank you.
Great description!
As a loyal subscriber and fan of your excellent writing, i must tell you it is difficult for me to read anything of a sport i believe is not only responsible for encouraging and glorifying violence, but is responsible for untold injuries to the developing brains of young people and the undermining of education in America. I say this as the daughter of a former football coach, mother of a high school football player, cousin of several NFL and college players and someone who suffered a devastating cerebral injury and knows intimately the results of such “accidents.” To enjoy as “entertainment” this brutality and damage to young people is painful for me to watch and read about. I hope to continue to read your lovely prose, but your commentary on football hurts my feelings. Just IMHO.
Valerie, thanks for this. I'm a total hypocrite on this subject. I love football but can't abide boxing or MMA. It's especially hypocritical to love college football, where for so many years the players worked for little or nothing. But I do love it, find something beautiful and connective and redemptive about it, despite the suffering I know it causes. I might not feel this way in 20 years, but I do now. We probably all love some things we shouldn't.
Said the abused wife with a broken jaw...
Oh and that defense of it as "bringing people together," so did lynch mobs.
https://youtu.be/AQyLEz0qy-g?si=Q2T36RuDNwgNiQl6
Wow, that is a luxury MRI machine with headphones AND music choices! I’ve just had to put up with all the pinging here lol
Great article, as usual. I’m facilitating your wonderful book Dogland tonight for my book club. Can you share what writing got you on the short list for a Pulitzer? No doubt in my mind you will eventually have one.
Thanks for the kind words, Betty! I was a Pulitzer finalist for a package of stories from back in 2004 ... I don't think the others are available online anymore, but I did save this one: https://tommytomlinson.com/the-hunley-8-the-charleston-9/
Thank you. Sorry the rest are not available. Haunting. Great writing.
This is one of those posts that I have to share to myself so I can be reminded to come back to it to finish up! Too many things to explore in one sitting, which is why I’m so late in reading it in the first place!
I’m particularly looking to read the piece about The Charlotte Observer carriers. My Dad delivered the morning edition to ~600 people for several years. Some of my favorite memories are of getting up with him at 2:00 on a Saturday morning to ride along. We always got a Co-Cola and a pack of nabs! When I was about 14, I delivered The Charlotte News in my neighborhood.