DAILY DIRT: There’s nothing wrong with 83-year-old Pete Rose’s memory

Well, other than forgetting about Tommy Harper … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,016 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Pete Rose debuted in MLB in 1963 — that’s 61 years ago — and on a recent Instagram post was able to recall all but one of the other players in the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup in his first game in the big leagues.

“That was opening day (against the Pittsburgh Pirates),” Rose said.

Rose then rattled off the following Reds teammates who were in the starting lineup that game: Frank Robinson in left field, Vada Pinson in right field, Gordy Coleman at first base, Leo Cardenas at shortstop, Gene Freese at third base, Johnny Edwards catching and Jim O’Toole pitching.

The one player he missed was center fielder Tommy Harper. He thought Wally Post had played that day.

Interestingly, Rose corrected his interviewer on how to pronounce Cardenas’ name. “CARD-in-us,” Rose pointed out after immediately after the interviewer said “Car-DEEN-is”.

The Reds won that game, played at Crosley Field, 5-2. Rose was 0-for-3 (even though he “remembered” getting a hit). Robinson and Coleman homered for the Reds.

Of Rose’s fellow starters that day, only Edwards (age 86), Cardenas (85) and Harper (83) are still alive.

2. Did you know (Part 75)

• That Duke Fakir, the last remaining member of the original Four Tops, died earlier this week at age 88. (We’ll have some more on this in the coming days.)
• That the most commonly used letter in the alphabet is “E”.
• That a cat has 32 muscles — in each ear.
• That the first letters of the months July through November spell JASON.
• That M&M stands for the candy’s inventors, two guys named Mars and Murrie.

3. Here’s the best this week from “Found on Facebook”:

• “My wife left me today. She says I put sports ahead of our relationship. We were together six seasons.”
• “She just texted me and said I can still smell your COLON on my pillow. This is why spelling matters.”
• “The fact that Keith Richards has outlived Richard Simmons really makes me question this whole healthy eating and exercise thing.”
• “Some people have no idea what they’re doing, and they’re very good at it.”
• “I don’t like to brag, but I put together a puzzle in one week and the box said 2-4 years.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Some words I found that were quite wise: “Why age gracefully, when you can age like an old cheese … full of character and slightly offensive.”

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He doesn’t have time for the easily offended.