It's just a number

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"

A quote from the great Satchel Paige -- Satchel Paige was a legendary Negro leagues pitcher who finally gained admittance into Major League Baseball one year after Frank Robinson.

"If more is better, then Satchel Paige was the best.
He threw more pitches for more fans in more places for more seasons than anyone else did. Black or white. Then or now.

Satchel Paige amazed barnstorming white major leaguers with his array of pitches.

He threw mostly strikes. He was charismatic. And like the pink, drum-banging bunny who came along later, he just kept going and going and going." ESPN.com

After 20 years in the Negro leagues, Satchel become the oldest "rookie" ever in Major League Baseball. It is thought that he was 42 years old, although he was quite coy about his actual birthdate, if he even knew. Signed by Bill Veeck, Paige helped the Indians win the pennant that year (1948). He was the oldest pitcher in the majors when he pitched his last game at the age of 59.

"Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter" Satchel Paige

I guess I'm a bit like Satchel in that I don't easily remember my age, typically rounding up to make it easier. Certain years are more exciting to me: 44 my favorite number, 10/11/12 sounds like a year to celebrate, and etc. But other than that I'm wating until Cindy turns 50 in November before I round my age up to make it easier. Drives Debbie crazy as that makes her older!

October 11th is a fun date. The number one song on October 11, 1963 (a very famous date indeed) was "Sugar Shack" by Jimmy Gilner and the Fireballs -- and was so popular it became the #1 hit overall in 1963 (told you it was a good date!)

Henry Heinz (think ketchup), Eleanor Roosevelt, Steve Young (FB player), Chris Spielman (the famous OSU linebacker), Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Emily Deschanel (Bones), Miechelle Wie (golfer) were all born on October 11th.

It also marked the passing of: Redd Foxx (actor), Chico Marxx (comedian), Meriwether Lewis (famous explorer of Lousiana Territory and Pacific Northwest), and Pope Boniface VIII.

It's also the date of many famous world news events such as:

1776 -- British fleet defeats 15 American gunboats under the command of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. Arnolds troops fought valiently however, delaying the British campaign and giving Patriot Forces enough time to prepare the crucial defense of New York.

1862 -- Confederate calvary loots Chambersburg PA in a daring raid in the aftermatch of the Battle of Antietam.

1915 -- Bulgaria enters WWI.

1929 -- Will Rodgers stars in the first sound film -- They had to see Paris -- in New York, cementing his rise from the stage to a film star.

1942 -- US defeats Japan in the Battle of Cape Esperance, sinking a Japanese fleet of ships on its way to reinforce troops at Guadalcanal.

1950 -- FCC issues the first license to broadcast color television.

1962 -- Pope John XXIII convenes the first ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church in 92 years.

1968 -- Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission is launched, an 11 day orbit of Earth with the first live TV broadcast from space.

1975 -- Bill Clinton marries Hillary Rodham.

2002 -- Former President Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

And of course, Vicki Lee Chorman was born on this day.

I was very ill when I was born. My parents should have taken that as a sign for things to come from me! Ornery, obstinate, and definitely unique and different (not to mention difficult!).

I was a "little c" baby. In addition to the ABO and D blood groups there are also minor blood groups such as 'c' (little c) and 'K' (Kell). Anti-bodies as you know are the natural defence against anything which is different from yourself (first clue to my personality!). When blood cells with a different blood group from your own enter your blood system you develop anti-bodies against those. Little c is an alloimmue condition where the antibodies attack the red blood cells. My sisters (some, if not all) started this process in previous pregnancies as the antibodies needed to be built up in Mom and future children are at substantially greater risk.

The Anti-c causes haemolytic disease which causes a low blood count, anaemia and in a few cases fetal death. I was right there except for a complete blood transfusion (which I admit freaked me out when I learned of it years later -- thinking that someone elses blood was coursing through my veins!).

This is not the Rh disease you are thinking about although similar and related. The frequency of Rh is about 1 in 1000, little c is much more rare. The Anti D immune globin used for preventing Rhesus disease is not available for the more rare red blood cell antigens such as little c -- I do like to be different. It started out a lifetime of weird, interesting, and difficult to diagnose health problems.

I imagine, though, that I turned out all right despite the rough beginnings.

Awwww -- Wasn't I cute?