Karl Vogel: Wire Watch, 6/29

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Comedian George Carlin, who died last Sunday, grew up in New York as a Brooklyn Dodgers fan.

In 2002 on Bob Costas’ HBO program, Carlin recalled his memory of listening to the radio call of the  “shot heard ’round the world” off Brooklyn’s Ralph Branca to give the New York Giants the pennant in a 1951 National League playoff.

“I was sitting at home listening on a little Crosley Radio,” Carlin said. “I had my little cat in my hand, a little kitten, it was a black cat and I named him Ezzard, after (heavyweight boxer) Ezzard Charles.

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“When Bobby Thomson hit that home run and I heard Russ Hodges describing it, I tossed the cat.

“I looked over and saw him heading for the window, an open window and we had two stories … fortunately for Ezzard, the curtains were there. He grabbed the curtains, then swung out over the yard and swung back in and I went and got him.

“He had good hands. And he lived.”

Sometimes adults say and write the darnedest things:

Gregg Drinnan, Kamloops (B.C.) Daily News: (on the Chicago Bears releasing Cedric Benson after two DUI incidents — one driving a boat and the other driving a car — in a five-week span) “If you’re like me, you’re wondering if he has a pilot’s license.”

Guy Patrick, London Sun: (on a 37-year-old Liverpool man who has eaten nothing but a particular candy bar for the past 17 years) “(It’s) living proof that man can live on Mars.”

Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press: “The Celtics’ Kevin Garnett is on the Wheaties box? Hmm. We thought these champions just had the Lakers for breakfast.”

Ken Willis, Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal: (on Subway paying $4 million for three races to be top sponsor on chunky Tony Stewart’s car) “Tony’s cut was reportedly $700,000, much of which has apparently gone toward foot-long meatball combos.”

Ernie Johnson, studio host for TNT’s NBA broadcasts: (on his college baseball career at Georgia) “I was a walk-on as a freshman, and a walk-off as a sophomore.”