It's rare to get a new story about an oft-told subject. In Sacramento, the bizarre story of serial killer Dorothea Puente never really dies. But I found a fresh story. New from me today: www.sacbee.com/news/local/a...

As Sacramento home tour features Dorothea Puente house, a forgotten lie comes to light

Twin sisters recall the bizarre claim made in 1963 by the woman who would become Sacramento’s most infamous serial killer.

sacbee.com

I got 82-0 in that game lots of people have been playing here. The secret seems to be 1960s Warriors-era Wilt Chamberlain, who is basically a cheat code for the game and putting 2-3 other all-time superstars in the lineup.

Dusty Baker has a memoir out Tuesday. I spent an hour and a half at his Granite Bay home this past week and spoke to fellow baseball players and people who've known him since childhood. What a man. What a life story. www.sacbee.com/news/local/a...

Dusty Baker’s new memoir ‘Crossroads’ shares unique life, Sacramento friendships

The longtime Major League Baseball manager and All-Star player — who moved to the Sacramento area as a teen — has a book out this week.

sacbee.com

I've been on-staff since September as a general assignment news reporter for The Sacramento Bee, though I write about baseball periodically. I have two such stories today...

New from me: Talked to Gary Sheffield about how he mentored his godson Gracen Halton, a recent draftee of the San Francisco 49ers. www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/s...

A baseball great mentored one of 49ers’ 2026 draft picks. It repaid a kindness

Gracen Halton, a recent fourth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers has a famous mentor: His godfather is one of Major League Baseball’s all-time greats.

sacbee.com

One of my best friend’s dads died on Saturday. He had a unique and remarkable life. I was honored to write his obituary. www.sacbee.com/news/local/o...

Longtime Sacramento Ballet co-artistic director Ron Cunningham dies at 86

“He brought out so much of the joy,” one of his former dancers said.

sacbee.com

When I talked to Dusty Baker on Saturday at the Giants FanFest Tour in West Sacramento, he told me he'd soon be heading to Nicaragua to coach its national baseball team. There's a fun story about how this came to be. www.sacbee.com/sports/mlb/a...

MLB legend Dusty Baker is heading to Nicaragua. How a joking request turned real

Dusty Baker isn’t done managing. The baseball legend is traveling from his home in Granite Bay to Nicaragua to manage its team in the World Baseball Classic.

sacbee.com

I don't write about baseball much these days. That said, I'm covering the Giants FanFest Tour in West Sacramento today. Am sat next to John Shea in the pressbox. Just talked with a man about how Roberto Clemente could have played at least two more years, if not for his death. (My guess: Maybe 3-4.)

I've been on-staff for a few months at The Sacramento Bee. I don't share my work a ton on here, but this piece I have out today about a local man who consulted on "Marty Supreme" was fun to report. www.sacbee.com/news/local/a...

This Sacramento ping-pong consultant worked on Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Marty Supreme’

“Marty Supreme,” which opens Christmas Eve in theaters nationwide, could be one of 2025’s top films. A Sac State professor consulted on it.

sacbee.com

I'm guessing Jeff Kent will be an Era Committee selection to the Hall of Fame today. But a choice of Fernando Valenzuela, who is a first-time candidate on the veteran ballot this year, would be inspired.

One of three pieces of concrete or old sidewalk that I got out of the ground in the far corner of our backyard today. I love finding literal pieces of history.

Kate@baseballkate.bsky.social · last yr.

Found in our backyard today. Possible piece of old WPA sidewalk. It is stamped with 1939

Some news: I'm now on-staff as a news reporter for The Sacramento Bee. It's been a fun first few weeks, covering everything from "One Battle After Another" to Dorothea Puente. I even got to talk briefly with Steve Sax yesterday about "Homer at the Bat." www.sacbee.com/sports/mlb/a...

Portrayed as outlandish criminal in ‘Simpsons’ classic, A’s Steve Sax looks back

The former MLB star featured in “Homer at the Bat,” one of the long-running cartoon series’ most beloved episodes.

sacbee.com

My latest. Last day of a good and varied first week on-staff for The Bee.

The Sacramento Bee@sacbee.com · last yr.

Three Reds players also hit homers in Sunday’s game.

A Eugene police employee put on a PRESS vest and was granted access real journalists weren't. We led a letter to tell officials how disturbing the incident was. Cops impersonating reporters puts journalists at risk and undermines the press's watchdog role. Read more from @jwcroxton.bsky.social

15 Press Organizations Send Letter To Eugene Mayor and Police Chief Regarding Public Information Coordinator ‘Press’ Controversy

Yesterday, Aug. 28, more than a dozen press organizations sent a letter to Mayor Kaarin Knudson and Eugene Police Department’s Chief Chris Skinner admonishing Public Information Program Coordinator…

doublesidedmedia.com

I haven't written a ton about baseball in recent years, but I just got off the phone with a former player who's close to 90. This kind of thing always puts me in a good mood.

In today's Immaculate Grid, I put forward an early 20th century pitcher named Jay Hughes who I only know of because of his ties to Sacramento where I live. Hughes's rarity score is 0.007%, meaning that out of ~58,000 grids today, Hughes was played three other times. I'd like to meet these people.

My latest. This pool, from the neighborhood I grew up in, is long gone. But the story around it is compelling, for better and worse.

The Sacramento Bee@sacbee.com · last yr.

The Riverside Baths, which became the Land Park Plunge, once attracted a heavyweight champion boxer and was popular with children.

Immaculate Grid stat lately I've been obsessed with: Players used. I'm at 793 through 293 recorded games. Anyone else keep an eye on this? @adarowski.bsky.social, looking your way.

Cool birthday present from @baseballkate.bsky.social just arrived. To honor its subject, I put the thing on as fast as I could.

Underrated stat: Mike Hampton hit three triples in 1999 while only giving up two.

Rare experience playing Immaculate Grid this morning: Scored better in the NBA version than the MLB one. (I don't know the Tampa Bay Rays very well.)

Sacramento used to have loads of bowling alleys. The last one in city limits closed after a fire last year. Now, the city is considering preserving the building. Here's a new piece from me today: bsky.app/profile/sacb...

The Sacramento Bee@sacbee.com · last yr.

AMF Land Park Lanes was the last bowling alley in Sacramento city limits when it closed last year. Now, city will decide whether it will be preserved or demolished.

BREAKING: Public Launch of Satchel Paige Project marklaurencearmour.wordpress.com/2084-2/ There is a short explainer on my website, then you click on the map and see where it takes you. Please pass this around to anyone you think might be interested

The Satchel Paige Project

Intro Since late 2023 I have been on a quest to log every pitching appearance in the extraordinary life and baseball career of Satchel Paige. From age 19 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to oldtimers gam…

marklaurencearmour.wordpress.com

Day died six days after getting voted in. He might have made it sooner, but there was reputedly a year that Veterans Committee member Roy Campanella was in the hospital and not allowed to vote by proxy and Day missed by a vote. (Rest in peace, Cobra.)

Jay Jaffe@jayjaffe.bsky.social · last yr.

RIP Dave Parker, the third Hall of Famer to die sometime between election and induction, after Eppa Rixey (1963) and Leon Day (1995)

I've been to one SABR convention, in 2014. It was awesome. Seeing the photos out of Dallas is making me realize I'm long overdue to get to another one of these.

In the 1952 World Series, Gil Hodges was atrocious, going for 0-for-21 with six strikeouts. What might not be well-known, but is cool to me: Hodges excelled the rest of his career in the postseason, with a .337/.404/.511 slash in four Fall Classics.

@grahamdude.bsky.social & I inadvertently became those millennials you read about this week. When your fur baby is injured a pet stroller somehow enters your life.

I write quirky, historical fare for the Sacramento Bee once or twice a month. Here's a piece I have out today about an old bank that's being converted into a high-end hotel. www.sacbee.com/news/local/a...

Historic bank is undergoing a transformation into Sacramento’s 1st 5-star hotel

“You look at these buildings and there’s so many of them you just couldn’t recreate today,” the developer said.

sacbee.com

"I had to ask the English people if they knew who Smokey the Bear is. But they don't. In England, Smokey the Bear is not the forest-fire-prevention representative. They have Smackie the Frog."

Niko Stratis@nikostratis.com · last yr.

Everyone has one Mitch Hedberg joke stashed in their brain like a squirrel to sustain them whenever they need to feel joy for 30 seconds and mine is “they say the recipe for Sprite is Lemon and Lime but I tried to make it at home, there’s more to it than that”

Back in 2014, I attempted to predict 20 years of Hall of Fame inductees. A decade on, some of this is prescient, some of it is wayyyyy off. baseballpastandpresent.com/baseball-hal...