THE BOOK--Playing The Percentages In Baseball

I saw Ken Dryden in Spadina station on the night of the 1997 federal election.  My friends noticed him, but I didn’t believe it was him - after all, what the heck is the GM of the Leafs doing taking the subway at 10 on Wednesday night?  He heard the commotion and waved at us across the tracks.

A few days later, I read in the paper that Dryden never drives to Maple Leaf Gardens - or takes the limo and driver that comes with the job - preferring public transit.

6 career peaks, and humility…

Obviously many professional athletes can retire at a relatively early age and not have to worry about money for the rest of their lives.  They generally don’t because they love playing, they don’t have anything else to do, and/or they want to make more money.  SOMEONE out of all these guys does not like playing all that much or does not want/need any more money and thus will retire early.  Who are we to even comment on that one way or another? It is their prerogative.  If anything I would have lots of respect for someone who did retire early. It would suggest to me that their life was not necessarily driven by a desire to make money and it would also suggest to me that maybe they had some more important interests or goals to achieve, like Dryden. Not that being a professional athlete is not a “noble” profession.  It’s not the peace corp or anything, but it does give fans a lot of pleasure…

An interesting story is that of Stan Javier, who was 37 when he retired but by no means washed up.  He had begun a forestry business in the Dominican Republic and decided that was where his heart lay. 

And of course there’s Barry Sanders . . . .

Oddly, this post made me think of Steve Martin, who has had careers as a comedian, author, actor, painter and now recording artist who recently played his first show at the Grand Ole Opry. I bought his banjo album out of curiosity; he can really play. (Check out the comments on Amazon.com.) It’s a lot of things for one person to do so well.

4/ - don’t forget Steve Martin the inventor.  The Opti-Grab was a huge success for a while.

Regarding Ken Dryden: Perhaps it runs in the family. IIRC, his older brother Dave was co-commissioner of the WHA while tending goal for one of its teams, back in the early 70s or so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Dryden

“On March 20, 1971, in a game between his Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens, Dave faced his brother Ken, the only time in the history of the NHL that brothers opposed each other as goalies. At the end of the game, the two brothers shook hands at center ice, a tradition normally saved for the playoffs.”

I have a distinct memory of this.  I cannot believe the date, nor the claim.  They must have faced each other in an all-star game or an exhibition game between NHL/WHA or something, as well, right?

Otherwise, this means I was 2 1/2 years old when this happened, and I refuse to believe that I could remember that.

Ok, reading more, the date is correct. 

Dave was also in the 73/74 All-Star game, but Ken was not.  I’m left to believe that they faced each other in some exhibition game at some point in their careers.