Goodbye Bobby… Bobby Murcer, the only New York Yankee to ever play with both Mickey Mantle and Don Mattingly, died from complications from a brain tumor he was diagnosed with on Christmas Eve 2006. He was 62. I will always remember him as a “Red Sox killer.� He had a knack for contributing to a Yankee win over the Red Sox, usually during the later innings… a class act, he will be missed.

At the midway point… The Boston Red Sox head into the All-Star break as the American League East’s top team. I like the AL over the NL by a score of 8-3.

Picnic on the Shore… What could be more perfect than a picnic lunch or dinner down on the shore? I’m talking Shore Road, Bay Ridge’s backyard. And who better than John O’Neill, owner of Shore Road Delicatessen, could prepare the perfect picnic? No one, I say. So on Tuesday, I stopped by the deli, picked up two sandwiches, salads and drinks for me and my niece, Krista Noelle Borst, and picnicked down on Shore Road. It was divine. Try it, I think you’ll like it.

Like father, like son… Thomas Agostino, who will be a senior at Xaverian come September, was the sole DJ at the Relay for Life benefit held last month. His dad, Tom, also a DJ, does the Xaverian parents event in April, called Xtravaganza… Michael Spadaro, a ‘98 Xaverian graduate, golfed in the Francesco Loccisano Golf Outing two weeks ago with his dad Frank Spadaro, also a graduate of XHS, circa 1968… Steve Carberry, a 2006 Poly Prep graduate who attends Villanova and plays a little Big East baseball for the Wildcats, was at the Frankie Marra 4th of July Picnic, he was with his grandfather, John Riddle, watching his Uncle Mike Riddle whale away on guitar with the band Prodigal Child.

More on the Loccisano Foundation… one of the specific aspects of the Loccisano Foundation’s mission is to personally assist families of our community who have a child diagnosed with cancer, as well as to bring about awareness in our community, and to help fund research. Camille Loccisano, Frankie’s mom, wants it known that they are here to help these families when they are finding difficulty meeting the demands of medical treatments that their insurance may not cover, or to give them financial assistance when a parent must take leave from their job in order to be a 24/7 care-giver in the hospital to their ill child.

“When a family is so worried over their child’s health and life, they should not have the burden of financial debt added to the list,� says Camille. If you are considering a donation to this wonderful fund, you can make your check payable to The Francesco Loccisano Foundation and mail it to Citizen Kane c/o The Brooklyn Eagle, 30 Henry Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11201. I’ll make sure it gets to Camille.

Aviator Sports… Lots of stuff happening at Brooklyn’s famous Aviator Sports Complex, Hangar 5 at Floyd Bennett Field. The soon–to-be Brooklyn Nets will host two three-day basketball clinics at the site on July 22, 23 and 24; and August 5, 6, and 7 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. for a cost of $100 per child. The clinic is open to ages 7-17, boys and girls. For more information you can e-mail Brendan@ aviatorsports.com or call (718) 758-7547.

Also at Aviator… The Nets are hosting a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for men 19-39 on Saturday, August 9; and for men over 40 on Sunday, August 10 and women 18 and older on Sunday, August 10. Cost is $125 per team and each team may have up to five players. For more information you can e-mail Brendan@ aviatorsports.com or call (718) 758-7547.

“I see nuthing�… Over the Fourth of July weekend, my wife taped a bunch of “Hogan’s Heroes� episodes off of TVLand. This was one of my favorite shows as a kid. This was Bob Crane’s CBS claim-to-fame. He was perfect for the part of Col. Hogan, as was John Banner as Sergeant Schultz and Werner Klemperer as Commandant Klink. I’m still looking for my favorite episode where Klink says to Schultz, “shoot him!� and Schultzie (after putting his gun behind the bookshelf) says, “I seem to have lost my rifle.� Classic…

Tuesday in the park with Bob, revisited… we’re getting closer to D-Day with every tick of the clock. I’m talking Dylan Day, August 12, Prospect Park Bandshell. This may very well be the last time I see my idol perform on stage. I have seen Bob more than 20 times, in places like Madison Square Garden, The Spectrum in Philly, the Boston Garden, Jones Beach, Garden State Arts Center, and the Beacon Theater. One of the only reasons I am going to this show is because it’s in Brooklyn. My first ever Dylan show was at Madison Square Garden, 10 days after my 16th birthday. I was taken by my best friend’s older brother, Billy DeLorenzo. I was in my glory for weeks. To listen to this guy sing my favorite songs live was an incredible experience. He played that gig with The Band, and in June of 1974, the album of those concerts was released. Called Before the Flood, I believe the album contained two songs that were actually recorded during the January 31 show that I attended. How cool is that?

“They held a concert out in Brooklyn�… My album of the week, in honor of Billy Joel and his final Shea Stadium concert, is Turnstiles, released right before my graduation from Xaverian in 1976. It is my favorite Joel album and each song is tremendous. We played it all night at my graduation party at 80 88th St. “Miami 2017,� a song off the album was a favorite of everyone at the party, so that’s my choice for this week’s song.

My other picks of the week… So many people told me I needed to see “The Incredible Hulk� that I did. On a scale of 1-10, I gave it a 4, and that was because I like Edward Norton so much. My favorite movie of the year, so far, is still “Ironman� (and yes, I did enjoy the final scene of Hulk!) For my book of the week, I am revisiting an old author, Dean Koontz, and reading Odd Thomas from 2003 for the first time. I am halfway through and can’t wait to finish. Luckily, it’s the first of a series!

Comments, suggestions? Contact me at citizenkane@brooklyneagle.net

The best of Brooklyn for Brooklyn’s best, that’s you. . . . Have a great week!

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