"...It's my birthday too, yeah!"

Today is the birthday of Catherine Zeta-Jones.  I doubt it has anything to do with their marriage, but it’s also Michael Douglas’s birthday.  Barbara Walters was born on this date in 1929, as was the taller of The Two Ronnies.  That same day, Dmitri Shostakovich celebrated his 23rd birthday and William Faulkner turned 32.  Shel Silverstein was born on Barbara’s first birthday, Glenn Gould on the day she celebrated number three.

Will Smith, Fletcher Christian, Cheryl Tiegs, Doris Matsui, Thomas Hunt Morgan, Ian Tyson, Felicity Kendal, Christopher Reeve, Mark Rothko, Robert Gates, Juliet Prowse, Heather Locklear, Robert Bresson, Aldo Ray ... September 25 babies, one and all.

September 25 is the birthdate of 50 Major League Baseball players, from George Cobb in 1865 through Brad Bergesen in 1985.  By far the most famous is (undeserving, IMHO) Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto, who leads the birthday boys in most offensive career totals.  Interestingly, Scooter was born in the same year (1917) as the winningest September 25 pitcher, Johnny Sain.  Beyond those players, fans may recognize such September 25 birthday boys as Glenn Hubbard, Rocco Baldelli, Joel Pineiro, Geno Petralli, Tony Womack, Sal Butera, Steve Arlin, and Pat Malone.

The list of pro football players born on September 25 totals some 65 men.  Maybe it’s because I’m less than completely knowledgeable about football, but I recognize very few of the names.  Just about the only ones worth mentioning at all are Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck and All-Pro safety John Lynch.  In contrast, the September 25 NBA list is short but sweet—only seven players, but it includes HOFer Bob McAdoo, future inductee Scottie Pippen, and All-Star Chauncey Billups.  Only longtime defenseman Carol Vadnais stands out among the 16 NHL players born on this date.  Finally, aside from the aforementioned Pippen, I can identify only four of the 288 Olympians whose birthdays are celebrated today—American pole vaulter Jeff Hartwig, sprinter Marshevet Hooker, and long jumper Grace Upshaw, along with Canadian figure skater Tracy Wilson (only because she’s now a skating analyst on CBC).

Mark Hamill, Hubie Brown, Aida Turturro, Red Smith, Jean-Phillipe Rameau, Paul MacCready, Feroz Khan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bell Hooks, Francesco Borromini, Eugenia Zukerman, Michael Madsen, Sir Colin Davis, Anson Williams, Erik Darling, Robert Walden ... all were born on September 25.

As was I, 59 years ago in Philadelphia.

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