Sunday Morning Coffee — July 6, 2025 — Sunday Morning Scramble

By Roy Berger, Las Vegas, NV.

I made it home last weekend from playing old-guy baseball in Pittsburgh. My goal was to be able to board Sunday night’s flight back to Vegas and not use the pre-board lane. Using dormant muscles in unnatural movements is not readily recommended at 73. So, taking my regular boarding position was a big win. The baseball tournament was a fundraiser for Pittsburgh Pirates Alumni Charities. I figured one last time for a good cause, why not? This was another of my last times playing ball. No snickering please. Originally we were supposed to play four games in two days, but the weather had other ideas reducing the schedule to three. The skies got very dark last Saturday afternoon just about the time word spread that former Pirates great Dave Parker, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in three weeks, died. Fittingly, a few minutes later, the heavens opened with rain canceling the last game of the day. I’ve been doing this baseball thing since 2010 after a half century break from high school —17 camps in the last 15 years. I’ve known for a while that time was catching up with me. Fifty-plus guys played in the Pirates event, most have been longtime friends from the various camps I’ve attended. At least I didn’t embarrass myself. I was just as bad as everyone else. I got two hits in only six at-bats—the games were low scoring and shortened to five innings to dodge the rain. My last time at the plate on Sunday, my last at-bat ever, was the way to go out hitting a drive to right with two outs and runners on second and third. In Pirates-speak it wasn’t quite a Willie Stargell shot, more like Mario Mendoza, but enough to fly over right fielder Kevin Wright’s head and get him on his horse, a slow one, to fetch. It may be the best ball I hit in over 120 games of this adult lunacy, no longer wearing younger man’s clothes. Steve Vance, who pitched the meatball, told me afterwards the guys in his dugout said they never saw me hit a ball that far. Me neither. For me it was my last swing at a baseball, something I did for the first time in 1962 dressed in a Dial-A-Car Comets Little League uni. I know I’ve said this twice before but that’s it. This, my third baseball retirement equals Bret Favre’s. I have no intention of catching Sugar Ray Leonard with four. As a bit of insurance I left my baseball shoes in the field’s trash bin. For 15 years, beginning at age 58, I chased my childhood major league dream and loved every minute of it. There is something special about putting on a baseball uniform and smoothing the dirt—I don’t care how old you are, everyone feels like a kid again. Glad I was able to for all these years

From last weekend— some offense, some defense and cleats suitable for a trash can. (Photos by Ruth Dmitrzak)

The most humiliating part of the Pittsburgh baseball weekend didn’t happen on the field but a few days before leaving home. I went to a local Las Vegas batting cage to get in some practice swings off a pitching machine. On either side of me were a couple of 10-year-old kids doing the same thing with their young 30-something mothers watching. I got the look from the moms. I knew what they were thinking. In presidential parlance it was something like “what the f*uck is this dinosaur trying to do.” They weren’t wrong.

The toughest ticket I’ve seen during my eight years living in the desert was for Dolly Parton. She announced six upcoming Caesars Place Colosseum shows in early December. Dolly hasn’t performed an extended Vegas residency since 1993. It’s no coincidence the December dates overlap when the National Finals Rodeo is in town. Tickets went on sale at 10 am on June 25 with 70,000 people on the queue and 75 minutes later all 26,000 seats were gone. Comparatively, for six shows at the Sphere almost 120,000 seats would be available. The Dolly resale market has tickets up top in the balcony, closer to the Forum Shops than the stage, at $1,300 over face. Rodeo week in Vegas is when testosterone and $100 bills flow freely. This is brilliant concert marketing.

If you are like me, I know you’ve been wondering what country has the most vending machines per capita in the world? No need to phone-a-friend. Japan has over 5.5 million machines which is roughly one for every 23 citizens. Essentially it’s standard fare with water, soft drinks and candy but there are also Japanese vending machines that sell edible insects and underwear should you have the urge or need.

I’m guilty. I’m a sap and watch the soapy Virgin River on Netflix. Sitting on pins and needles waiting for the seventh season hoping Jack and Mel had a great honeymoon and deeply concerned about Charmaine’s whereabouts. And for those who can’t wait, take a peek at the Wild West version of Virgin River— Ransom Canyon also on Netflix with Minka Kelly and James Brolin. It will leave my fellow saps wanting more. The Studio on Apple starring Seth Rogen was cute featuring the best comedic performance I’ve seen in a long time: Bryan Cranston’s guest spot in the final episode of this first season. And I just finished the eight episodes of Waterfront on Netflix with a thumbs up. Another one that I didn’t see coming but grabbed a hold of me and wouldn’t let go was Duster on Max. First season, eight episodes.

This past Tuesday, July 1, was Canada Day for our friends in the great North. In the States 7/1 has become known as Bobby Bonilla Day. In one of the worst baseball deals ever, the New York Mets give Bonilla a check for $1.2 million every July 1 beginning in 2011 going through 2035. When the Mets signed Bonilla in 1999, then-Mets ownership thought they were flush with cash from their investments with Bernie Madoff. At least that’s what the financial statements showed. Oops. Bonilla chose to take part of his salary in deferred payments over 30 years with interest. However, the Mets aren’t the only ones still on the Bonilla hook. Baltimore owes him $500,000 a year through 2028. Bonilla hasn’t played MLB since 2001. It’s good to be Bobby Bonilla every July 1.

June Lockhart with her Lassie family and today at 100.

Happy 100th birthday to Timmy and Lassie’s mom, June Lockhart on June 25. Ms. Lockhart started her film career in the 1930s and came into our living rooms in the 50s and 60s playing Ruth Martin in Lassie; Dr. Maureen Robinson in Lost in Space and Dr. Janet Craig in Petticoat Junction. She won a Tony in 1948 for her Broadway role in For Love or Money. Ms. Lockhart is a kid compared to Eva Marie Saint who celebrated number 101 on Friday. Ms. Saint did a thousand things on TV, movies and stage but is best remembered for her Academy Award performance in On The Waterfront. She also starred in North by Northwest and Exodus.

Maybe it’s just me but when I go to a restaurant I couldn’t care less what my server’s favorite dish might be. Last weekend in Pittsburgh my waiter not only told me his menu choice but also his father’s and brother’s. I went rogue and ordered what I wanted.

Handicapping is not my strong suit as I’ve proven over and over again in this space, but getting this right wasn’t too difficult. In our November 23 Sunday Morning Scramble, two weeks after the 2024 election, we wrote: I’m not really bullish on the long term prospects of this relationship ending well. The president-elect has given his new best pal and confident, Elon Musk, his own “walk-in” music when the soon to be co-chair of the new government efficiency agency called DOGE enters a room. David Bowie’s Space Oddity will play. As sure as Major Tom radios back to Ground Control, jealousy will set in, never a good thing with Mr. Trump. This relationship will go sideways quicker than a runaway Tesla.

Interesting anonymous poll of 120 Major League Baseball players conducted by The Athletic a few weeks ago. Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers was the top vote getter among field managers whom players would want to play for. The Reds’ Terry Francona was a close second. Bud Black of the Rockies and Oli Marmol of the Cardinals tied for least desired. No surprise that the Dodgers have the best organizational reputation among the players with over double the votes that the second place Yankees garnered. The Athletics, White Sox, Rockies, Marlins and Pirates, in that order, have the worst reputations.

The bad and good this week from Vegas Strip hotels: if you are staying at Aria and the triple digit heat makes you thirsty think twice before you grab that bottle of water out of the room minibar. It’s $26. As an alternative you can go to the Starbucks in the lobby where a bottle is only $7.45. A can of Coke out of that same Aria minibar is a comparatively reasonable $13.75. The flip side is a very rare tip of the cap to Resorts World, which occupies the same tract of land that used to be the Stardust. Resorts World, needing to boost business, has suspended its parking and resort fees for the summer.

International air traffic to Las Vegas plunged in May, down almost four percent. The lag was led by Canadian visitors who are turning their backs on the States put off by the 51st state annexation talk and tariff threats. While double-digit increases in visitors from the U.K., Korea and the Netherlands helped reduce the tourism damage, a 22% dip in Air Canada and West Jet arrivals put the overall totals into the red.

Above is Wally and the Beav for a publicity shot at Universal Studios on what is supposed to be the Cleaver’s front lawn. You television trivia buffs tell me the address of the house that’s on the set behind them.

The Vegas Golden Knights made the biggest splash in NHL free agency this week by signing the biggest name available, Mitch Marner, formerly a Maple Leaf. Local sportsbooks immediately made VGK the 2026 Stanley Cup co-favorites with defending champion Florida. The 28-year-old Marner will get $96 million over eight years. In a rush to recapture as much money of that as they can, the next day the Golden Knights put the new game authentic #93 Marner jersey on sale for only $574.99. No word on whether they throw in a $26 bottle of Aria water with each purchase.

Of course the famous address of the house in the Leave It to Beaver picture is 1313 Mockingbird Lane with the mortgage in the name of Herman and Lily Munster.

The recent NBA Draft has become an awfully difficult watch. Multiple times a kid is drafted, puts on the hat of the team that just selected him but then is traded, conditionally pending league approval, so nobody has any idea whom he will really be playing for. One selection, who said he looks forward to playing for Orlando next season, was wearing a Celtics hat, the team that just picked him. However, the biggest mystery of this year’s NBA draft was how Rutgers could have two of the first five players selected—Dylan Harper at number two and Ace Bailey, the fifth pick and still be terrible. Rutgers finished this season with a record of 15-17. I asked an SMC reader and friend, who has been a head coach at four different D1 schools and now scouts for an NBA team how that can happen. “That’s a great question,” he told me. “Steve Pikiell (Rutgers coach) is a really good coach. I’m surprised they didn’t win more than 15 games, but he had a really bad supporting cast to go with the two superstars.” Isn’t that on the head coach I asked? “Yes, sure is,” was the uncomfortable coaching fraternity response.

And finally, it appears the fuse has blown out. Motel 6 is being sued by the guy who promised the light will always be on. Tom Bodett, the chain’s spokesperson for 40 years, is suing Motel 6 for missing a $1.2 million contract payment but still using his voice and likeness in radio and television commercials. No word whether or not he still gets free waffles.

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I’m proud that Medjet is sponsoring Sunday Morning Coffee. I spent 20 wonderful years with Medjet in Birmingham, Alabama, and can tell you unequivocally they are the standard-bearer for medical assistance membership programs. A talented staff, who cares about its members, is at the forefront of the company’s success. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, domestic or international, a Medjet membership should be an important part of your travel portfolio before you leave home. Check out the Medjet website at medjet.com or just tap on the Medjet logo and you’ll be able to get a look at Medjet’s services, rules and regulations, pricing, and an overview of the organization. And remember, any opinions expressed in Sunday Morning Coffee content or comments belong to the author and not the sponsor. Safe travels with your Medjet membership! — Roy Berger