Stumblin' Along 9/29 '24
Clocks
Clocks
- MiG-21 (Fishbed F)
- NY Baseball Report Week 27
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Coldplay’s Clocks. Despite peaking at only #29 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the song won the Grammy Record of the Year in ‘03.
Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, wrote the lyrics and the piano riff for Clocks in 15 minutes in a studio in Liverpool. Martin’s fascination with clocks could stem from his great-great-grandfather, William Willett, who famously campaigned for the establishment of British Summer Time in 1916. Martin told Melody Marker, “He used to ride his horse early in the mornings in summer and no one else would be up. He thought it was a real shame that people were missing these hours of sunlight, so he had the idea of shifting the clock forward so it stayed light longer in the evening."
(Source: SongFacts)
In regards to the last two sentences of Verse 2, Martin said, “I reckon everybody in the world questions whether they're useful to the world or not. Some people think they're doing marvelous things. Hitler thought he was doing great things for the world, and yet we'd all say, 'No, no, no, he was doing terrible things.' Some people would say that Coldplay is a great thing for music and the world. Other people would regard us as the devil incarnate, so of course it's always a conflict.” That is quite a wild comparison to make on an MTV interview but I see his point.
Great tune, naturally on to a bit about a fighter jet and then some baseball…
MiG-21 (Fishbed F)
The Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21 was a single-seater jet fighter made by the Soviet Union. It entered service in 1959 and was mass-produced with about 13,000 licensed by the Soviets to other countries. The MiG-21 has flown in 56 air forces, the most by any other jet fighter, and has thus been involved in more conflicts than any other aircraft in history.
During the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Air Force was first supplied the MiG-21s by the Soviet Union in April 1966. The US forces immediately felt the impact with an uptick in losses. While the MiG-21 lacked a long-range radar, experienced pilots would use a ground-based control system to carry out high-speed hit-and-run attacks against US bombers. The Soviet jet fighter was very effective at downing US aircraft or at least forcing them to get rid of the bombs on board before they were able to reach their targets.
The MiG-21s’ effectiveness directly exposed that US pilots needed better training. The US Navy created the Navy Fighter Weapons School, also known as Top Gun, in March of 1969. The objective of the school was to teach American pilots techniques and tactics to thwart MiG-21 threats. The green camouflaged MiG-21 displayed at the Intrepid Museum was gifted by the Polish people. It flew in the Polish Air Force and was used for the defense of Warsaw. The top speed of the MiG-21 clocked in at 1,385 miles per hour or 2,228 Kilometres per hour. The American forces nicknamed the MiG-21 Fishbed because the one syllable indicates propeller-driven, two syllables jet-propelled with the F standing for “fighter.”
Now to some baseball…
The New York Mets have lost 3 straight and are now tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final spot in the National League Wild Card. With 3 games left to play, the Mets will play the Milwaukee Brewers today and then head to Atlanta for a double-header after their Wednesday + Thursday games were postponed due to Hurricane Helene.
Despite their losing streak, New York can still clinch playoffs on Sunday with a win over the Brewers and an Arizona loss. The only way the Mets don’t make the postseason is if they were to lose 2 of the next 3 and the D-Backs win on Sunday. Just in case they don’t play another game in Citi Field, the Mets fan faithful earlier this week gave Pete Alonso a standing ovation last Sunday night. Alonso, who is just 26 homers shy of Darryl Strawberry’s 252 franchise record, is set to be a free agent at the end of the season.
Game 156 (9/22)
- Anthony Volpe commits a throwing error in the Bottom of the 1st that allows Oakland to score 2 runs. Jasson Dominguez gets the score knotted with a 2-run homer the following half inning. Aaron Judge hits his 55th homer of the season in the 3rd inning, followed by a Gleyber Torres solo shot in the 5th. Luis Gil can’t get out of the 6th inning as the A’s make it a one-run game before the Yanks tack on 2 more runs on doubles from Mike Stanton and Austin Wells. The Yanks won 7-4 the last time they played at the Oakland Coliseum.
Game 157 (9/24)
- The Yankees are back in the Bronx hosting the Baltimore Orioles. Clarke Schmidt goes 5.1 innings allowing 3 runs with 7 strikeouts. Aaron Judge gets the Yankees on the board with his 56th homer of the season. I missed most of the game on 4th & Goal with the Bros, plus picking up takeout from Hoboken’s Keming Fine Chinese Restaurant. Their Mei Fun House Special is excellent, highly recommend. When I got back in the 7th inning, the Yanks got a bit of a rally, only for it to end with terrible baserunning from Juan Soto and Gleyber Torres. With 2 out and Aaron Judge up next, you can’t run yourself out of an inning like that. The Yanks lose 5-3 as the Orioles clinch a playoff berth.
Game 158 (9/25)
- Before the game, Nestor Cortes tells reporters he got an MRI on his left arm and will likely be shut down for the rest of the season. Marcus Stroman is starting in Cortes’ place after he was put into the bullpen. The Yankees look a bit sloppy in the 1st inning as Stroman gets hit around pretty hard while allowing 3 runs. Not all on Stroman as Dominguez completely misplays a routine fly ball in LF. Volpe gets the Yanks on the board with an RBI single in the 2nd. Stroman can’t get out of the 4th inning without allowing 2 more runs and then Clayton Beeter allows 2 more to make the game 7-1. Juan Soto hits his 41st home run. The Yankees also get a late rally going in the Bottom of the 9th, which peaks with Aaron Judge’s 57th homer of the season with runners on the corners. Unfortunately, the Yanks still lose.
Game 159 (9/26)
- Gerrit Cole is on the hill for his final tune-up start for the playoffs. Mike Stanton gets the Yanks on the board in the 2nd with a solo homer. The Yanks DH then doubles in the 6th inning which clears the bases and blows the game open because Cole is dominating. The Yankees’ ace goes 6.2 innings while allowing 0 runs. Aaron Judge caps off the night with a 2-run homer in the 7th inning to make it 9-0. The Yanks win 10-1 and clinch the American League East.
Game 160 (9/27)
- Much of the Yankees lineup is out with postseason home-field advantage being the only thing they have left to play for in this series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I missed this whole game at a friend’s wedding. The bride and groom looked fantastic, the venue was awesome, was impressed with the cover band, the prime rib was good, and great craic all around. Yanks lose the game 4-2 as Jazz Chisholm steals his 40th base of the season. The Knicks also traded for Karl Anthony-Towns.
Game 161 (9/28)
- The Yankees clinched the American League-best record and home-field advantage in the postseason because Cleveland lost. Luis Gil in his final tune-up start before the playoffs gets hit hard, allowing 6 runs in 5.2 innings. Clayton Beeter looked better in relief, striking out 3 of 4 batters. Jazz Chisholm homers as the Yankees lose again. The boys are down bad after too many Blackberry Gins at the wedding. Anthony Rizzo fractured his finger and will probably be out for the postseason.
