Happy Anniversary to ME
It's All About The Numbers

What would we do without math?

July 11, 2010
By: O. J. Cunningham

I'm a "numbers" kinda guy.

I've always been fascinated with the Arabic Numbering System. developed somewhere around 500 AD.

In recent years, I've even assumed the somewhat despicable role of corporate "bean counter" to keep the company doors open during this difficult Michigan economy.

When I was eight or nine, I was always amazed at the way my dad was able to do complicated math problems in his head. I remember trying to match his "way" with numbers when I was in grade school. I could never keep pace.

I was always fascinated with baseball statistics. Batting Averages, Fielding Percentages, ERAs and the like. I spent hour after hour with pencil and a calculator trying to see what it would take for the leading hitter on the Tigers to move into 1st Place on the Batting Average list. In high school, my catholic-education math grades we're always "A" but in the end, it was advanced mathematics (Calculus) that chased me out of the College of Engineering at a small, private college in Indiana back in the early 1960s.

Every 4th of July, I have to do the "math in my head" (like my dad did so easily) to find out how many years it's been since I began my corporate career with a little weekly newspaper called Sports Page.

2010 minus 1976 equals 34 years. Happy Anniversary to me.

Thirty-four is a pretty big number. But looking back, it's difficult to call it a "long time." Time flits by unexpectedly while we're living life. My 40's and 50's seem like yesterday. But, even more frightening . . . 70 feel too much like tomorrow.

This year, that math problem got me thinking about other numbers that seem to be a part of my day-to-day existence.

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Joey Chestnut ate 54 hot dogs in 10 minutes at Nathan's

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45 years since college

49 years since high school

40 years since the Strategic Air Command (SAC)

Chris will be 26 this moth

Jessica will be 24 in September

Donna (wife) would kill me if I posted her age

Sports Hall of Fame is 20 years old this October

Largest Brown Trout I ever caught is 22" long

The Tigers are 7 games over .500

Margaret Smith Court (24

Steffi Graf (22)

Helen Wills Moody (19)

Martina Navratilova (18)

Chris Evert (18)

Serena Williams 13

Billie Jean King 12

The Pere Marquette is 90 miles long

Roger Federer 16

Pete Sampras 14

Rafa Nadal 8

Mom died 7 years ago

Dad died 27 years ago

River is 16 months old

Donna's mom is 60 years older than Jessica (On Jessica's Birthday)

Justin Verlander is 10-5 before All-Star Break

Notre Dame's last National Title -- 1988 (Lou Holtz)

Numbers have always played a big part of the Cunningham family. Not surprising that both kids are math majors.

Donna usually get all the credit for the kids college success. But somewhere, I think my dad is still smiling and working the numbers in his head . . . and looking down (with mom) on our Cunningham clan.

Happy 34th Anniversary to you too, Dad.