My alter ego best friend simpatico

“My alter ego best friend simpatico and shadow for over 40 years,” said Rocky “Sly” Balboa,  Silvester Stallone, his incarnation over those decades the red carpet’s  its ‘Over the Rainbow’,thes resounding longevity, topping the ‘Hollywood’fame and fortune charts.

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Earlier in the folklore, Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewitz, were readying  “Citizen Kane” scenario and William Randolph Hearst’s passionate quest of the Californian who wanted to become President of these United States.

But with it all at San Simeon , siring  his stable of journalistic heirs and his actress mistress Miriam Davies, he seemed to renounce it all, with his public wish  fulfillment.

The White House as a familiar heritage by a Brooklyn “mensch”in 2016’s election ad it’s not Bernie Sanders, the former Mayor of Brattleboro Vermont, and a once Flatbush dude of Madison High School off Kings Highway, in Brooklyn.

                               III

“Hello Rocky,” said the Chief from his third floor bedroom ,overlooking the Beverly Hills Hotel T  age 88,  still fantasying his passion of challenging FDR for the White House…second  third term notwithstanding his plate glass over, with his mi

actress mistress, (Miriam Davies) his chain of newspapers, Colonel Lindbergh…..the solo viajo to Paris  and maintaining his Empire in those depression laden yesterdays.

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So what if Miriam Davies he had no charisma….she may not have the Sylvester Stallone  40 year comeback off the mat, but she was the Chief’s mistress (wife, daughter…)   and that was a red carpet moment.

“Right, Rocky?”

“Right”

January 16, 2016  The City that doesn’t sleep.   

Nice guys finish last

“Nice guys finish last,” said Leo the Lip Durocher, a former  St. Louis gas house gang  shortstop, his admonishments to the Ebbets Field knot hole kids in the cradle of  their adrenalin into  20th Century  Buck Rodgers Flash Gordon yesterdays…  evolving energies  that transcended the ordinary and mediocre.

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The “Lip” in his role of the manager of the Brooklyn  Dodgersflaunted his status. HIs raiment : the expensive patented leather shoes, his stalwart livery was one thing about his persona, but the very ego *trip to the pitcher’s mound when the Dodges hurler was being cannon balled. 

The very gesture of taking the ball from the traumatized hurler seemed to this observer   was a formidable ritual of domination. A father  giving his son  the cat of nine tails licking.

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Durocher was a classic case of a Toots Shor hard drinkingSinotra Dean Martin  hanger on.. Never a spectator  yet  by these eyes, a force constantly driving for more and more visible attention.

Could only an egotist say with any immunity “NICE GUYS FINISH LAST”

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Fined by the Judge (Frick or Landis) for making the “Field of Dreams” is own, he was sold by Macphail  to the Polo Ground Giants, and eventually left baseball to younger more strident actors like Pete Rose..Yet he continued his ego trip aggressions, marrying Larraine Day,  matching his initials, living in a condo on Wilshire Boulevard, not  far from the UCLA campus.

Continuing his  life style by attending the Friars, playing gin, being seen with the right cronies, living in the fast “gas house gang” lane. Out toward Lake Elsinore  and the San Bernardino Freeway.

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*“Gimme  the ball, kid. You’re out of here.”

“New York New York” January 18, 2016  

But for the moment in Tel Aviv

But for the moment in Tel Aviv, our U.S. Air Force IntelligenceOfficer considered hi8mself a “Voice of America”  CBS Edward R. Murrow candidate.  Those yesterdays, broadcasting the Naziblitz from the London rooftops, hailed the stance of a hero,during the advent of World War2…..

Hadn’t he be groomed forsuch a nonpareil roile, notwithstaqnding standing at the corner of Allenby and Ben Yahuda in Tele Aviv but a crow’s eye from, Jaffa, the mEDIterraneanand  sharing a breakfast with Mr.Murrow and his children at the Dan Hotel.

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HDN’T HE put in his stint at MidwoodHBigh School

as the comissiuner of Athletics, the sports ditor for the epilog, eitting up the om petittiveintralmural games for the Comets, Gremlins nd the Ocean venue east Wmiwood Jewish Center Wingate Field “scholars….

“Honest Bill “ Rosenblatt, Shelly fine, Lenny Singerf(the captain_ dede eye Wally Kaplan, Lustgaqrden, Howie Weiusglass off the bech, Jerry Ringelheim,. Lefty Fisher.

In  the groove perhaps, but to sit eye ball to eyeball with Raymond Gram Swing’s CBS auteur Edward R. Mujrrow at the Dan Hotel’s Tel Av iv   brfeaskfast for timeless “Voice of America” role seemed a CroMagnon m an impossibilityuh. An unbelkievable reality!

Martin Block’s Make believe ballroom? Hey what?

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But if itwasn’t for Julie Raskin , the Chairman of the Mn’sAthletic department, forwarding his spirited letter to ULA near the end of our Senior Year, who knows. But his endorsement lent oursel;ves to the bsketb all wavelength of recruitin g the legendary John Wooden.

His initials the reverse of the former Wilber Johyns…..John Wooden successor, Wilbur becoming theAthletic Diorector.

Coach Johnsleavingducawts for us at Madison Sqare Garden’s M idsemster NIT wqhere our blue eyes caught Dave Minor of Toledo University, playing with aq plastic vise onhius left arm….ave transferring to UCFLA as WW2 neared its end.

Dave introducing us to the team’s center   Don Barksdale….Drafted by Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics. 

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Minoring in Physial Education, Barkskdale had a music store on Suth Western Avenue. When we clled there, a voice picked up the phone. “Jackie Robinson here.”

January 13, 2016 The City that never sleeps