"Just because you are different does not mean that you have to be rejected. "

"Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind."

Merry Christmas everybody, some of my "New Classic" Christmas favorites(no covers), I hope they will be for you too.

"He didn't take nothing from nobody,"

I just heard today that Doc Ellis passed. Doc Ellis was a pitcher in the Major leagues for 12 seasons from 68-79. Despite winning the comeback player of the year with the Yankees in 1976, a year in which he won 17 games, Doc Ellis’s best years were with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1968-1975 playing along side Willie Stargell, and the great Roberto Clemente. As a member of the 1971 Pirates, The first “all black” starting lineup in The Major Leagues, Doc Ellis won 19 games, was a starting pitcher in the 1971 All-Star game , and the Pirates subsequently won the World Series that year.
In an era that was struggling to identify its social norms and come to terms with its bigotry and racism. Doc Ellis was renowned among all that knew him as being uncompromising and outspoken. In 1972 he was maced by a security guard at Riverfront Stadium who said he "made threatening gestures with a closed fist"; Ellis said he was showing his World Series ring to prove he was member of the Pirates(some reports cite him as also carrying a half empty bottle of wine).
He was a hard nosed and fearless pitcher who prided himself on being able to intimidate batters;

“All hitters know they're gonna get hit. They just don't know when. The kicker for the truly good hitters is, you cannot hit me as many times as I'm gonna hit you. They take that hit to get six hits. But you gotta pop their ass so you can get an 0 for 4 on them one day. Don't get cocky now, motherfucker. The challenge is on. So let's get it on. Other guys might explain it differently, have different reasons, but that was mine. "

Doc`s loyalty and compassion were as equally uncompromising, committing his post baseball career to sobriety, and helping to counsel young baseball players, convicts, and the homeless. In 1990 he was essentially shunned by the Yankees organization for helping aspiring pitcher Pascual Perez.
Doc`s most infamous exploit was in the 1970 season a year that he won 13 games in a row, he pitched a “no hitter” (only 195 players in MLB have ever done this) in San Diego on acid. After some off days in Los Angeles, Doc woke up, dropped some tabs and went back to sleep. He was woken by his girlfriend who showed him the newspaper telling him he had to pitch that day. Doc took a shuttle down to San Diego and pitched a twilight game. Doc was diving off the mound and jumping up and down after each inning; he allowed 8 base on balls including hit batsmen, but was completely fixated on the strike zone.
Doc headed an alcoholism treatment center in the South Central Los Angeles community where he was raised. He succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver.
In the Los Angele Times Obit it was asked that all flowers and cards be sent to his sister; Elizabeth Grider, at 121 E. 139th St., Los Angeles, CA 90061.