Uptown Magazine - November 19/09
Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No
Back in 1970, with a couple days off before his next trip to the mound, former Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitcher Dock Ellis decided to drop some LSD to unwind - and managed to get so messed up that he lost track of an entire day. Scheduled to pitch against the San Diego Padres, Ellis was still high when he showed up at the park. Although his teammates eventually figured out he was high, they didn’t know on what. Not only was Ellis tripping on acid, he had also downed some speed to try and centre himself. Still, despite the chemicals coursing through his bloodstream, Ellis managed to keep it together and throw a no-hitter, one of the most coveted accomplishments in baseball. “I can only remember bits and pieces of the game. I was psyched. I had a feeling of euphoria. I was zeroed in on the (catcher’s) glove, but I didn’t hit the glove too much. I remember hitting a couple of batters, and the bases were loaded two or three times,” explained Ellis in an interview. “The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn’t. Sometimes I tried to stare the hitter down and throw while I was looking at him. I chewed my gum until it turned to powder. They say I had about three to four fielding chances. I remember diving out of the way of a ball I thought was a line drive. I jumped, but the ball wasn’t hit hard and never reached me.” James Blagden’s animated short recreates that fateful day.
My Parents Were Awesome
Were your parents awesome before they gave up all their dreams, friends and free time to raise you? Do you have proof? My Parents Were Awesome is a crowd-sourced photo blog that reminds you that your parents were probably way cooler before you came along.
Quick Hits
Video of the Week: Grand Analog - Take It Slow (Spaces & Places)
Grand Analog is back with its second video from Metropolis is Burning, Take It Slow (Spaces & Places). Shot on the streets of Toronto, this video will hopefully get lots of air play on the nation’s music station.
MP3 of the Week: The XX - Shelter (Them Jeans Drum Edit)
L.A. hipster Them Jeans puts his own spin on The XX’s Shelter.
