Jack McCallum
@jackmack12.bsky.social
Author of 13 books, most of them acknowledged; Sports Illustrated writer for 1,523 years. Latest book about the largely unknown story of Oscar Robertson's high school team.
RIP Michael Ray Richardson, a troubled and gentle soul who provided two of the most memorable quotes in NBA history. Asked during the 1981-82 season about the state of his Knicks, he said, "The ship be sinkin'." Asked how far it could sink, Sugar added: "The sky's the limit." You can't make that up.
November 12, 2025 at 2:00 AM
RIP Michael Ray Richardson, a troubled and gentle soul who provided two of the most memorable quotes in NBA history. Asked during the 1981-82 season about the state of his Knicks, he said, "The ship be sinkin'." Asked how far it could sink, Sugar added: "The sky's the limit." You can't make that up.
My annual Veterans Day post about my friend, Bobby Gasko, who died in Vietnam and another young soldier, Mike Arciola, who died in Iraq. bit.ly/4oEI2SQ
Two Athletes, Two Soldiers
As the war in Iraq approaches its fifth anniversary, SI senior writer Jack McCallum—still haunted by the death in Vietnam of his best friend and
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November 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
My annual Veterans Day post about my friend, Bobby Gasko, who died in Vietnam and another young soldier, Mike Arciola, who died in Iraq. bit.ly/4oEI2SQ
No one is requesting that I do commercials, but if I did it would be for air fryers. You gotta get one. Thanks for listening.
November 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
No one is requesting that I do commercials, but if I did it would be for air fryers. You gotta get one. Thanks for listening.
The real takeaway here is health expert RFK Jr. exiting Stage Right as soon as he realizes something has gone off script. bit.ly/3LpJFVQ
This Viral Photo Defines The Trump Presidency
"As members of the press were quickly ushered out of the room, Trump turned away from the fallen man, staring off into space."
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November 7, 2025 at 3:47 AM
The real takeaway here is health expert RFK Jr. exiting Stage Right as soon as he realizes something has gone off script. bit.ly/3LpJFVQ
Shocking that President Bone Spurs could not bring down the Navy pilot/prosecutor in New Jersey governor race.
November 5, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Shocking that President Bone Spurs could not bring down the Navy pilot/prosecutor in New Jersey governor race.
Great line by my old colleague Tom Verducci to Rojas: “Welcome to the world of World Series legends.”
November 2, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Great line by my old colleague Tom Verducci to Rojas: “Welcome to the world of World Series legends.”
Not over till the fat catcher swings
November 2, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Not over till the fat catcher swings
Good thing we get an extra hour of sleep with this game
November 2, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Good thing we get an extra hour of sleep with this game
Want to thank @williamfleitch.bsky.social for including "Dream Team" in his piece for The Atlantic about sports books. (Sorry if you hit a paywall.) Instead of calling me "old" or "ancient," Will christened me as an "auk." I'm honored. bit.ly/3Wlm0Im
Seven Books That Will Change How You Watch Sports
Digging into the transformative trends behind the games is a valuable pastime of its own.
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October 27, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Want to thank @williamfleitch.bsky.social for including "Dream Team" in his piece for The Atlantic about sports books. (Sorry if you hit a paywall.) Instead of calling me "old" or "ancient," Will christened me as an "auk." I'm honored. bit.ly/3Wlm0Im
Bull Durham is back. As a musical. It's trying to get to Broadway, in other words, trying to make The Show. Writer-director Ron Shelton wrote the book and the brilliant and should-be-better-known Susan Werner did the music. Here's a piece about it on si.com. Read it between innings.
bit.ly/3WnFyfg
bit.ly/3WnFyfg
‘Bull Durham: The Musical’ Continues Baseball’s Role of History Preserver
Based on the 1988 film, the play continues the myth and lore surrounding the game.
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October 25, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Bull Durham is back. As a musical. It's trying to get to Broadway, in other words, trying to make The Show. Writer-director Ron Shelton wrote the book and the brilliant and should-be-better-known Susan Werner did the music. Here's a piece about it on si.com. Read it between innings.
bit.ly/3WnFyfg
bit.ly/3WnFyfg
Dan has spun some great tales over the years, and this is among the best. Sure, you have material for a story, but you gotta figure out how to spin it. He did. Sorry if you run into a paywall.. Cousy was one of the first superstars I met on the hoops beat, and he was always terrific. bit.ly/4njpTZe
Bill Russell’s daughter had never met Bob Cousy. Until now. - The Boston Globe
Karen Russell knew Cousy had been public about regrets for not doing more for her father when the two were teammates.
bit.ly
October 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Dan has spun some great tales over the years, and this is among the best. Sure, you have material for a story, but you gotta figure out how to spin it. He did. Sorry if you run into a paywall.. Cousy was one of the first superstars I met on the hoops beat, and he was always terrific. bit.ly/4njpTZe
Rewatching some “Breaking Bad,” and on comes the first appearance of “Better Call Saul” Goodman. When you’re in legal trouble with drugs, Jesse explains to Walt, “You don’t want a criminal lawyer. You want a CRIMINAL lawyer.”
October 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Rewatching some “Breaking Bad,” and on comes the first appearance of “Better Call Saul” Goodman. When you’re in legal trouble with drugs, Jesse explains to Walt, “You don’t want a criminal lawyer. You want a CRIMINAL lawyer.”
Most effective sign at the “No Kings” rally in Bethlehem Pa.: “Somewhere in America
a young Hispanic girl is hiding in an attic writing a diary.”
a young Hispanic girl is hiding in an attic writing a diary.”
October 18, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Most effective sign at the “No Kings” rally in Bethlehem Pa.: “Somewhere in America
a young Hispanic girl is hiding in an attic writing a diary.”
a young Hispanic girl is hiding in an attic writing a diary.”
After watching several playoff baseball mound conferences, I informed my wife that until the World Series is over I will be holding an oven mitt over my mouth during all conversations.
October 18, 2025 at 2:21 AM
After watching several playoff baseball mound conferences, I informed my wife that until the World Series is over I will be holding an oven mitt over my mouth during all conversations.
The excitement is palpable.
October 18, 2025 at 12:19 AM
The excitement is palpable.
I theorize that when a first or third-base ump is asked to rule on a checked-swing, it's like he being awakened from a nap and has no clue about whether the batter swung or not.
October 18, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I theorize that when a first or third-base ump is asked to rule on a checked-swing, it's like he being awakened from a nap and has no clue about whether the batter swung or not.
Phils manager Rob Thomson believes he's managing an American Legion team when he orders a no-outs bunt with a slow runner trying to go from second to third. And Bryson Stott, one of the most baseball-savvy guys on the team, bunts it down the THIRD BASE LINE without disguise.
October 7, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Phils manager Rob Thomson believes he's managing an American Legion team when he orders a no-outs bunt with a slow runner trying to go from second to third. And Bryson Stott, one of the most baseball-savvy guys on the team, bunts it down the THIRD BASE LINE without disguise.
United States is so far behind on this final day of the Ryder Cup they should've turned it into a regular-golfer scramble. Shotgun start. Beer stops at every green. Hot dogs on the grill. Circus clowns riding around in carts.
September 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
United States is so far behind on this final day of the Ryder Cup they should've turned it into a regular-golfer scramble. Shotgun start. Beer stops at every green. Hot dogs on the grill. Circus clowns riding around in carts.
I'm pretty sure that, after his Britain visit, Trump is going to want his own horse-drawn carriage. And a robe and crown might be nice, too, thank you very much.
September 19, 2025 at 12:26 PM
I'm pretty sure that, after his Britain visit, Trump is going to want his own horse-drawn carriage. And a robe and crown might be nice, too, thank you very much.
As a way to show my wife I understood what she said, I'm alternating between "Heard, Chef!" and "Copy that!" But she says, "How about if you just go with 'Okay' and shut the hell up."
September 16, 2025 at 11:12 PM
As a way to show my wife I understood what she said, I'm alternating between "Heard, Chef!" and "Copy that!" But she says, "How about if you just go with 'Okay' and shut the hell up."
RIP Mark Volman, co-founder of the Turtles. I got to know Mark a little because my bro-in-law, bassist Donnie Kisselbach, toured with them for a while. Mark was the spirit of the group, a gentle, smart man who had a life as a music educator even as he was still doing the "Happy Together" tours.
September 6, 2025 at 2:42 AM
RIP Mark Volman, co-founder of the Turtles. I got to know Mark a little because my bro-in-law, bassist Donnie Kisselbach, toured with them for a while. Mark was the spirit of the group, a gentle, smart man who had a life as a music educator even as he was still doing the "Happy Together" tours.
RIP to one of the great guys, George Raveling. George happened to be my counselor when I attended the Jack Kraft basketball camp in the summer of 1965. That is NOT what he is known for. He was working security at Martin Luther King's Washington D.C. speech in 1963 and, on a whim, asked King for a
September 4, 2025 at 1:09 AM
RIP to one of the great guys, George Raveling. George happened to be my counselor when I attended the Jack Kraft basketball camp in the summer of 1965. That is NOT what he is known for. He was working security at Martin Luther King's Washington D.C. speech in 1963 and, on a whim, asked King for a
Mesmerized by Djokovic pre-serve routine. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Catch. Hold. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Serve.
September 3, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Mesmerized by Djokovic pre-serve routine. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Catch. Hold. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Serve.
USA Today billed this as an exclusive and said that Vance "revealed" this astonishing news. Seriously, at best we're a year away from turning into North Korea. bit.ly/3Hxm9on
Trump's gold-splashed Oval Office has Vance kid's seal of approval
JD Vance told USA TODAY the Oval Office was "kind of dark and gloomy" before President Trump gave it a gold-heavy makeover.
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August 28, 2025 at 1:24 PM
USA Today billed this as an exclusive and said that Vance "revealed" this astonishing news. Seriously, at best we're a year away from turning into North Korea. bit.ly/3Hxm9on
The most interesting revelation of fam vakay so far is that one grandson thought “Pizza Hut” was “Pizza Hat,” which would be a far better name. Thanks for listening.
August 13, 2025 at 9:54 PM
The most interesting revelation of fam vakay so far is that one grandson thought “Pizza Hut” was “Pizza Hat,” which would be a far better name. Thanks for listening.