Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Richard Nixon, John Kennedy and one of the closest elections ever

Today's campaign collectibles from a calmer time takes us back to 1960, one of the closest elections ever, hotly debated to this day.

Sen. John F, Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon were separated by 112,827 votes, a 0.17 percent difference.

Kennedy's electoral vote margin was larger, 303 to 219. But consider that six states -- Hawaii, Illinois, Missouri, California, New Mexico and New Jersey -- were won by less than 1 percent, and five of the six went to Kennedy. Switch a couple of those states around and the electoral vote gets closer or changes hands.

There continues to be some talk about voting in Chicago, and Texas where there were some counties in Texas where there were more votes counted than there were registered voters. Both states went to Kennedy.

But Kennedy also lost 14 electoral votes in the South, where "unpledged Democratic electors" were on the ballot. Southern Democrats were opposed to the civil rights and voting rights platforms in the national party's platform, and electors instead cast their votes for Virginia Sen. Harry F. Byrd, a segregationist who wasn't even running.

A couple cool fast facts: The 1960 election was the first in which 50 states participated, as Alaska and Hawaii joined the union the year before. Both had three electoral votes. Alaska went to Nixon and Hawaii to Kennedy.

The election also was the first to feature presidential debates, where a tanned and relaxed Kennedy is said to have gained an advantage over Nixon, who had just spent two weeks in the hospital because of an injured knee, sweated and declined makeup.

As for collectibles, there are lots of Kennedy items to be found. He's a popular president and there are many reproductions of his famous pins out there.

You don't see too many affordable pins with photos of Kennedy with running mate Lyndon Johnson and Nixon with Henry Cabot Lodge.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Thomas Eagleton, vice presidential candidate for 18 days in 1972

Today's campaign collectible from a calmer time focuses not on George McGovern, but on his running mate for 18 days.

The Democrats were in serious disarray in 1972. Incumbent Richard Nixon was cruising to re-election, and the Dems endured a rough and tumble run-up to the convention.

McGovern in the primaries was stung by a Robert Novak column quoting an unnamed senator who said McGovern favored amnesty for war deserters, abortion and legalizing marijuana. But he prevailed.

Facing likely defeat against Nixon, McGovern struggled to find a running mate. Eventually he settled on Missouri Sen. Thomas Eagleton. At the rowdy convention, Eagleton wasn't declared the winner until 1:51 a.m. He and McGovern weren't able to give their acceptance speeches until 2 a.m. So much for prime time.

Things got worse from there. After about two weeks, Eagleton confirmed whispers that he once suffered from depression and had undergone electric shock therapy -- a fact he kept from McGovern.

McGovern said he backed his running mate "1,000 percent," which lasted about a week. Eagleton withdrew from the ticket following the national uproar, replaced by Robert Sargent Shriver.

Eagleton had a distinguished career in the Senate until 1987, and continued as an attorney, commentator and professor in St. Louis.

After Eagleton's 2007 death, Novak revealed the source of the anonymous quote that hurt McGovern in the primaries: Thomas Eagleton.

Given the narrow window of his time on the ticket, finding campaign pins featuring both McGovern and Eagleton can be a challenge. That makes the single one I've found to be a favorite.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: McKinley and Bryan, a study in contrasts

Today's campaign collectible from a calmer time takes us all the way back to 1896 -- my oldest collectible! -- and a study in contrasts.

Ohio Gov. William McKinley squared off against Democrat William Jennings Bryan.

McKinley raised $3.5 million, which at the time was a staggering amount of money, spending five times more than his challenger.

McKinley also didn't leave his home much, conducting a "front porch" campaign, with more than 500,000 people heading to Canton.

Bryan went completely in the opposite direction. He criss-crossed the nation by train appearing before millions of people. He was a famously gifted speaker and it was a novelty for people to see a presidential candidate in person.

He gave more than 500 speeches, including 36 in one day.

McKinley won in a fairly close election, with 51 percent of the vote, though it was pretty decisive in the Electoral College.

McKinley's running mate was Garret Hobart of New Jersey, who, in 1899, became the sixth vice president to die in office. That paved the way for Theodore Roosevelt to be added to the ticket the following year.

Bryan lost to the McKinley-Roosevelt team in 1900, and lost again to William Howard Taft in 1908.

I know the McKinley pin is from 1896 because it includes Hobart, and is actually a stud, designed to fit in a button hole. It's the oldest campaign treasure in my collection.

I can't tell which election the Bryan pin is from, though the color makes me suspect it's one of the later contests.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: The president known simply as 'W'

We've had presidents known by three initials -- JFK, LBJ and FDR -- and some known two initials -- like TR -- but I can think of just one know by one letter -- W, pronounced "dub-ya."

Today's campaign collectibles from a calmer time brings us back to George W. Bush, who was the subject of some very cool things!

I've had the opportunity to see President Bush twice as a candidate in 2000, twice during the 2004 campaign, a number of times arriving at the airport and at least twice as a former president.

I've picked up some neat collectibles along the way. Aside from the "Battling Bush" we discussed last week, I've got a cool talking, moving figure.

It's got two buttons. Press one and you get an inspirational quote. The other, marked "funny," gives you one of the president's occasional verbal missteps.

The campaign pins are among my favorite of the modern era. They're just nice photos.

The signature is from the president's book "Decision Points." He appeared at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and signed some copies of the book that were available after his discussion.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Lopsided loss leads to scarce Cox-Roosevelt pins

Today's campaign collectible from a calmer time takes us all the way back to 1920, a lopsided battle between two newspapermen and among the rarest of campaign buttons.

Republican Warren Harding was roundly expected to trounce Democrat James Cox.

Harding, running on an "America First" platform, won a 26.2 percent popular vote victory, still a record.

Democrats didn't spend much on what they knew was a lost cause, and as a result, didn't produce many campaign items, like pins.

Good-condition pins, especially those with photos of a Cox with running mate Franklin D. Roosevelt, are among the most sought after and expensive.

I found a more affordable, roughed up version of a pin with just the names after years of searching. It's among my favorites.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Alf Landon's sunflowers

Today's campaign collectible from a calmer time involves a blowout involving Franklin Roosevelt.

In 1936, FDR was on the winning side. But our focus today is on his challenger, Kansas Gov. Alf Landon.

The sunflower is the Kansas state flower, and Landon incorporated it in many of his pins. This one, with the felt, is my favorite.

(Yes, I know this looks more like a black-eyed Susan than a sunflower. Hush.)

Anyway, Landon apparently didn't travel much during the campaign and didn't offer too many views that differed from those set in place by Roosevelt.

The 1920 election was the most lopsided in terms of popular vote, this one was the most lopsided in terms of electoral votes. Landon took just two states -- Maine and Vermont -- with a combined eight votes.

Note that among the 46 other states that Roosevelt took was the sunflower-filled Kansas.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Going Rogue with Gov. Palin

Today's look at campaign collectibles from a calmer time takes us back to 2008 and GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin -- and a bookstore adventure.

A year after the campaign, Gov. Palin published her first book, "Going Rogue," and started her national book tour in Grand Rapids.

Now, the Governor had a rocky relationship with the media and wasn't doing interviews during the book tour. 

But my assignment with the newspaper was to find out why, of all the places in the nation, would she start in GR?

So I figured that if I bought a book and got on line, I'd have one shot at asking her a question. 

There was a good chance it would not work, but at least I'd get a signed book out of it.

So I stood on line for several hours, making friends with some college students and families just in front and behind me as we snaked through the mall and book store.

Finally, it was my turn.

"Welcome to Grand Rapids, Governor Palin. But I have to ask, why did you start here?"

The Governor looked up, paused, and said, "Well, it's a microcosm of America."

And that's the answer I needed.

I was pretty happy about that, as the photo shows. I have no poker face.

 But I do have a signed book, and some cool campaign pins from an historic race.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Wendell Willkie -- Democrat?

Today's campaign collectibles from a calmer time takes us the rather strange 1940 contest -- between two Democrats?

Wendell Willkie was an attorney and business leader in Ohio and most definitely a Democrat -- until 1939, when he realized that Franklin Roosevelt would seek an unprecedented third term.

Willkie changed party affiliations. Ronald Reagan often gets credit for the line "I did not leave my party. My party left me," but Willkie used it first.

The Democratic convention found FDR challenged by his vice president, John Nance Garner, who finished third and found himself bounced from the ticket. He was replaced by Agriculture Secretary Henry Wallace -- hence the corn on the pin -- despite Wallace being deemed too liberal and too eccentric.

Willkee was a colorful dark house candidate in a crowded GOP field that included Thomas Dewey, former President Herbert Hoover and Michigan Sen. Arthur Vandenberg. His convention-selected running mate, Senate Minority Charles McNary, was actually the leader of a "Stop Willkie" movement.

With war on the horizon, Roosevelt won handily. But FDR did tap his vanquished rival as an international emissary, and Willkie gave the president his full support -- much to the chagrin of the party he was, in theory, leading.

There was also talk of Willkie accepting Wallace's spot as FDR's vice president in the 1944 election, which eventually went to Harry S. Truman.

Willkie never did make it to that election, dying of a series of heart attacks in October, 1944, at just 52 years old.

The 1940 election spawned all kinds of cool pins given the unprecedented nature of FDR's bid for the third term and the awesome alliteration of Willkie's name.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Theodore Roosevelt's charisma carried the day in 1904

With the national dumpster fire burning even more brightly, let's head to Theodore Roosevelt for our campaign collectibles from a calmer time feature.

TR, having reached the presidency upon the death of William McKinley, was seeking a term of his own in 1904.

The Democrats nominated another New Yorker, Alton B. Parker, the respected chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals.

Parker's running mate was West Virginia Sen. Henry Davis. He was 80 -- yup -- and remains the most senior major-party candidate nominated for national office.

Parker and Roosevelt actually held very similar views. The biggest difference was that TR was highly charismatic and Parker, well, was not. 

Roosevelt won in an historic landslide. Bully!

I'm thrilled to have three Roosevelt pins from the campaign, including two with Charles Fairbanks, TR's running mate. And the Parker-Davis pin was a sweet find, too!

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Thomas E. Dewey -- Michigander, New Yorker

Today's campaign collectible from a calmer time leads us to the tale of a Michigander turned New Yorker who came pretty close to winning the presidency.

Thomas E. Dewey was born in Owosso -- about midway between Lansing and Flint -- and attended the University of Michigan.

He earned a reputation as a tough prosecutor in New York, earning the nickname "Gangbuster" for chasing the mob.

That lead to Dewey being elected New York governor, where he doubled state aid to education, increased salaries for state employees, created the State University of New York system and reduced the state's debt by more than $100 million.

Dewey was the GOP nominee for president in 1944, but was defeated by Franklin Roosevelt and Harry S Truman.

He ran again in 1948, and was overwhelmingly favored to beat Truman. Dewey tried to run a cautious campaign, speaking in vague platitudes. He convinced, at least, the Chicago Daily Tribune.

Dewey remained influential and respected, especially with Dwight Eisenhower. Later, President Johnson offered him a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, which he declined.

Dewey remains the only Republican to win the nomination twice and fall short both times.

I've got a couple of of pins from both of Dewey's campaign, but my favorite is the plastic elephant. It doesn't indicate what year it is from, or even if it is from one of his gubernatorial runs. But it's pretty cool!

Central Michigan University has an exhibit in its library right now focusing on the candidates who did not win, and it has one of the original Daily Tribune papers on display. The exhibit is well worth the trip to Mt. Pleasant. Fire up, Chips!

Campaign collectible from a calmer time: Dancing Obama

Today's cool campaign collectible from a calmer time takes us back to 2008. That's a dancing Obama.

Hit the button and he says "I put the rock in Barack" and then dances while singing something to the tune of "Oh, Susanna" with lyrics that still make me cringe eight years later.

I snagged this at Walgreen's, and the company must have been covering its bases because there was a Hillary version in addition to a John McCain version. 

At $15, they were a bit steep to get all three.

The photo is from an Obama rally on Calder Plaza in Grand Rapids.

I've only seen President Obama up close twice --this rally and once at the airport. 

The media was assembled on the flatbed truck, as is the custom, but there was a small area to the right of the trailed that was filled with local dignitaries.

After descending the steps from the jet, Obama shook hands with his official greeters then walked over to the local folks in the area near the trailer.

"How's your summer going?" he asked, as he reached into the group to shake hands.

He was going to an event in Holland and stepped from Air Force One to Marine One, and it was really cool to see the helicopter up close!

There were actually several of the familiar, dark green choppers and another large helicopter that departed for Holland.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: 'Battling Bush' and a friendly wave

Today's campaign collectibles from a calmer time brings us to a fun story about President George W. Bush.

Air Force One arrives at the Grand Rapids airport at a freight hanger away from the passenger terminals, and reporters are allowed to gather there to watch the plane arrive and the president come to the door and wave before walking down the steps to the apron and awaiting motorcade.

Reporters are positioned a safe distance away on the trailer of a flatbed truck. There are usually a bunch of reporters there for the arrival, and there are few things more impressive than seeing that magnificent plane up close.

But very few reporters are there for the departure. I remained for one of President Bush's visits. He stepped out of the limo, saw me standing all alone on the back of the truck and waved. That was cool!

Almost as cool as today's collectible from the 2004 campaign, when the incumbent President was challenged by then-Sen. John Kerry from Massachusetts.

These are sweet inflatable punching bags, and the boxing gloves squeak when you hit them. They are very heavy, as there is sand in the base to keep them standing upright. And they are very difficult to get back in the box!

I don't remember in what store I found these, but I do remember being smart enough to grab one of each!

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Watching Al Gore up close

Today's edition of campaign collectibles for a calmer time is based on the idea that kids should never pass up the opportunity to meet a sitting president or vice president.

We had just recently moved to the Grand Rapids area when I read that Vice President Al Gore was going to be appearing at Riverside Park for a morning event. 

My son was 8 and my daughter was 3, so we all headed off to the park.

I spied an orange snow fence and knew that was to be a rope line for Gore to walk down, shaking hands.

I didn't want Caroline to wander off and lose our place along the fence, so I tossed her on my shoulders.

Gore came over, shook Andrew's hand, shook my hand, looked at Caroline and said "High five!" Then we head all the cameras clicking.

My colleagues at the Press made me a copy of the photo. 

Alas, I was not wearing my cool 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign watch at the time. It's one of those odd collectibles that's too good to pass up.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: Adali's shoe, a Pulitzer Prize and turning a negative into a positive

Today's campaign collectibles from a calmer time offers a a lesson in turning a negative into a positive -- with a local connection!

In the Eisenhower-Stevenson campaign of 1952, Stevenson was at an event in Flint and photographer Bill Gallagher spotted the hole in his shoe, snapping what became an iconic photo and earning a Pulitzer Prize for my former employers, The Flint Journal.

Eisenhower's team was quick to pounce, calling attention to the hole and creating these buttons.

Stevenson, however, embraced the photo as example of his every-man frugality and produced shoe pins and other items.

Ike, however, was a shoe-in, winning in a lopsided election, 442 electoral votes to 89.

Campaign collectibles from a calmer time: 'Just one life between that madman and the presidency'

I collect campaign memorabilia and have some fun pieces. To help distract from the dumpster fire we're dealing with this year, I thought I'd share a different item each day through the election and talk about nicer times.

One of my favorite pieces is this 1900 pin with President William McKinley and his running mate, Theodore Roosevelt.

TR had been governor of New York and already a national hero -- and the state's political machine had no use for his reforming and energetic, independent ways. The only solution was to bury him in an office where they believed he'd be unable to do anything -- the vice presidency of the United States.

The president reluctantly accepted him on the ticket, prompting McKinley mentor Mark Hanna to famously exclaim, "Don't you realize there's just one life between that madman and the presidency?"

Six months after his inauguration, McKinley was assassinated and Roosevelt, at 42, because the nation's youngest chief executive. 

The presidency has never been the same.

It's also worth noting that even 116 years ago, we were dismissing candidates as madmen, so I guess we haven't really changed all that much

Rebooting 2016 seems unlikely, so we're waiting for Cespedes in year 52

I want to reboot 2016.

Seriously. Let’s march into Times Square, raise the glistening ball back to the top of the flagpole and lower it at midnight once more.

Today we embark on our traditional journey of pairing the age we turn with a Mets player who wore that number, and thinking about what lessons that exercise might bring for the year ahead.

Flipping the calendar to 2015 brought good news and adventures. But 2016, while appearing to start off good, has brought rather difficult challenges. I've been hurt, people I love have been hurt and people I admire have been hurt.

As always, we look to our favorite baseball team for inspiration. The 2015 Mets were off to a great start, with an 11-game winning streak that made the early April showers seem like tears of joy.

Then the bad things started to happen. Captain David Wright went down with a hamstring injury that somehow turned into career-threatening spinal stenosis. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud and then-perfect reliever Jerry Blevins got hurt in the same game, the latter, through an unforeseen incident with a curb, was out for the rest of the season. And, the stud closer, it was learned, could attribute some of his studliness to banned substances, making him banned from the clubhouse.

The Mets were quickly left with an amazing rotation and a punchless offense.

It’s a little difficult to pinpoint the moment the Mets bottomed out.

Perhaps it’s the day the team was no-hit by a 27-year-old Giants rookie, who missed a perfect game only because he hit three Mets with wayward pitches.

Or, it was July 23, the day the team faced Clayton Kershaw, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, and sent out a lineup that included John Mayberry Jr. – batting .170 – in the clean-up spot, followed by Eric Campbell, who was hitting .179. They were hitting better than the battery, where catcher Anthony Recker, at .137, had a lower average than pitcher Bartolo Colon, whose flailing at-bats were expected to generate more laughs than hits. The lineup managed to get a hit in the seventh, which was a moral victory.

Or, perhaps it was July 29, the day when sportswriters inaccurately Tweeted mid-game that the Mets had acquired Brewers’ slugger Carlos Gomez for injured pitcher Zach Wheeler and shortstop Wilmer Flores. 

That famously sent Flores, who didn’t want to be traded but thought he had been based on the apparent appreciative departing ovation he received, trotting out to his position with his glove and tears.

I think it actually might be the next day, when the Mets somehow piled up a 7-1 lead over the Padres, only to have the Friars chip away at it as storm clouds came increasingly closer. With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, the heavens opened, forcing a rain delay. After a 35-minute pause, closer Jeurys Familia strode back to the mound for the final out but instead allowed two hits and a home run, giving the Padres the lead. That was followed by another rain delay before the Mets were meekly retired in order.

After the near-trade the day before, the soggy loss was a ridiculous gut punch in a couple of months that was full of them.

How are we finding this inspirational?

As my friend Greg Prince writes in his essential new book “Amazin’ Again,” “the Mets never gave up despite the difficulties they encountered.”

Before the water-logged Mets uniforms had a chance to completely dry out, General Manager Sandy Alderson added a new one to the clubhouse – adorned with a big 52 on the back.

Yoenis Cespedes was a five-tool player on a disappointing Detroit Tigers team that was more in need of prospects than any of Cespedes’ abundant talents.

Fitted in glorious blue pinstripes, he became the hottest player on the planet. In all, Cespedes hit 17 homers and drove in 44 runs in 57 games as a Met.

An all-world masher in the heart of the order with Wright and d’Arnaud returning from injuries – coupled with a rotation that includes the Dark Knight, Thor and other assorted superheroes -- allowed the Mets to pull ahead of the Nationals to claim first place and never let go. The resurgent Mets, led by No. 52, marched through the playoffs and into an unexpected but well-earned World Series.

As we reflect on the present personal challenges and the arrival of year No. 52, we can recognize that the Mets, despite the struggles, kept in a position to become successful by working hard and never giving up.

It’s OK to be angry, but it is important to let it fade before it turns into bitterness. Bitterness consumes. Nothing good comes from it. I recognize that I have many, many blessings and have leaned on my faith, family and friends.

Today is a double celebration of a birthday and Opening Day. No. 52 could have left as a free agent after the season, but he’s back with the Mets in centerfield because he knows good things are about to happen.   

Merry Christmas, everybody!

And God bless us, everyone!

As Mets play Cubs, a Wrigley memory: 'Help, there's a dead Cubs fan in my lap'

Naturally, having dispensed with the Dodgers and their evildoer Chase Utley, we’re all focused on the Mets and the Cubs.

The National League Championship Series starts at Citi Field, then heads to Chicago and Wrigley Field.

Now, Wrigley is a fun place and we always seem to have adventures there, between Wiffle Ball with alleged former major-leaguers and snapping photos that end up in ESPN documentaries.

Then there was the day I was sure a Cubs fan died in my lap.

Here’s a trip to the archives for one of the first stories told on this blog a decade ago.

My assignment was to check out a charter school in Chicago that was run by a company setting up a similar school in Flint. 

It was just a coincidence that the Cubs were in town on the day we were scheduled to be there. It also was just a coincidence that I wrapped up the last interview in time to make it to Wrigley before the first pitch.

These things happen. What also happened that day was one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen at a ballpark.

Since I was buying just one ticket, the Cubs were able to sell me a seat about five rows right behind home plate — among the best seats I’ve ever scored. Chris Berman of ESPN was in the next section.

It was a beautiful May afternoon, and Jon Leiber was throwing for the Cubs against the Braves and future Met and Hall-of-Famer Tom Glavine. Glavine was not at his best that day, giving up five runs including a blast from Sammy before being chased in the fifth. I take that Tommy was disappointed but not devastated.

But the real story took place in the seat in front of mine.

Early in the game, a guy wandered to his seat with a beer in each hand. He looked a lot like the Jim Belushi character in "...About Last Night," wearing a red satin Bulls jacket and sweat pants.

He didn’t spend much time in his seat, disappearing for an inning at a time to buy more beer and smoke in the concourse — which was fine with me. I was enjoying the unobstructed view of Chipper Jones taking a collar with two strikeouts.

Later in the game, the guy came back and slumped down in his seat to take a nap. I remember thinking, "What a waste of one of the best seats in Wrigley."

As this guy slept, he apparently tried to get more comfortable, stretching out instead of slumping. His arms went out over the seats on either side of him. Keep in mind, Wrigley is an old ballpark with small seats and narrow rows. His head now stretched back so far into my personal space that I had a hard time keeping score in my program.

This went on for an inning or so, with people sitting around me making jokes.

Suddenly the guy’s arms started shaking and bubbly spittle was forming on his lips. I knew this wasn’t good.

Then we heard something spilling and saw a puddle forming under his seat. Did he knock over his beer? No. He was wetting himself.

Now, one of the things I remember best from Mr. Ousteckey’s eighth-grade science class is that the first thing you do after dying is wet your pants — the body just releases everything.

I remember thinking, "This guy is dead. There is a dead Cub fan practically in my lap."

The guy in the seat next to me started freaking out, waving frantically for an usher. One came over and radioed for the paramedic on duty. A lot of people in the section were trying to move away. I was scared, but apparently had the presence of mind to continue keeping score, as my program would indicate.

The paramedic was pretty calm. He leaned over the guy, poked him a little and said. "Hey, chief. I work for the Cubs. Let’s go for a walk."

The guy -- apparently not dead -- woke up, groggily stood up and started walking with the paramedic. Then he stopped, turned around and went back for the half a cup of beer in the cup holder. He walked off, oblivious to what had transpired. Someone came by with a cup of water to pour under his seat and dilute the puddle.

Apparently these paramedics have some experience with drunken Cub fans.

Monkey Kings and other things I learned in China

I’ve just returned from an incredible adventure in China, where we visited five cities in eight days talking about our state, its people and the things we make and do.

This work required our full attention. But I did keep my eyes open to see new and exciting things. Here are 10 things I learned.

History

The Chinese are probably far too polite to say it, but I suspect they scoff at what we consider ancient history in America.

We spent one morning touring the amazing Great Wall, visiting the Mutianyu section, which is about an hour outside of Beijing. That part of the wall is about 1,400 years old.

To put that in perspective, Columbus “discovered” the New World in 1492, just over 500 years ago. This section of the Great Wall already had been standing for more than 800 years when Chris packed up the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

I didn't learn the Chinese phrase for "I've got socks older than you," but I think that's how they might feel about our ancient history in the Americas.

American brands

I went for a short walk in Beijing and saw so many little shops that were no bigger than a walk-in closet. But there also were some chain stores that we’d all recognize, like Starbucks, DQ and 7-Eleven. There were KFC restaurants everywhere. But check this out – they don’t specialize in finger-lickin’ good chicken, but Asian food instead. And we got ice cream there, too. Wouldn’t the Colonel be surprised?

Baseball underware

One of my colleagues explained that basketball is very popular in China – thank you, Yao Ming – and American football is just plain confusing. But my beloved baseball just isn’t on the Chinese radar.

So imagine my surprise when walking down a street near People’s Square in Shanghai I saw this sign with the Major League Baseball logo – advertising underware. Now, I get trying to introduce Chinese sports fans to baseball with caps and even jerseys.

But underware?

Mopeds

I’m New York native. I’ve driven in Manhattan. I’m brave. But I’m not brave enough to drive in Beijing. Red lights, walk signs, lanes – these all seem to be merely suggestions to drivers. The most aggressive New York cabbie would be hiding under his dashboard if he had to drive in Beijing.

The streets were scenes of organized chaos set to a symphony of horns. You’d think there would be crushed pedestrians stacked like cordwood at every intersection, but somehow it works.

I learned that driving a car is actually very expensive, with a driver’s license costing what would be $14,000 in U.S. dollars. That explained why so many people opted for bicycles and mopeds, which came in all shapes and sizes. My favorite were the three-wheeled versions, which just looked fun to drive.

Potties

I learned the difference between Western toilets and non-Western toilets, which are basically a hole in the ground. You don’t flush, but toss the TP – which you supply – in a little basket. This requires a great deal of undressing before you can take care of business. Or you can wait until you get back to the hotel.

Chinese food

What we think of as Chinese food is not really Chinese food. Meals come in many courses, and none of them ended with fortune cookies. General Tso never came around on the giant lazy Susan. In fact, I don’t even recall seeing any white rice.

I did enjoy trying many new and different things, most of them carefully and beautifully plated. Meals started with cold dishes, and the early waves usually involved soup leading to fish and other meats – lamb seemed to be popular – with at least one round of vegetables. The Chinese don’t seem to like sweets, so meals always ended with fruit. That included something I learned was called “dragon fruit,” which was white with black seeds.

It was fun to try exotic things like jellyfish – tasted like salty noodles – and appreciate the great care our hosts took to prepare such feasts. One highlight: Enjoying Beijing duck in Beijing.

Smoked eel was a breakfast option.

Breakfast

No bagels and Pop-Tarts. The Chinese breakfasts seemed to be similar to lunch and dinner – noodles, pork, black beans, and fish were in abundance. I regret not trying the smoked eel, but I did have some sushi. The hotel restaurants did prepare some traditional Western fare and there always was plenty of fruit.

Smog

There’s no denying it. Air pollution is an issue in China, and it’s a shame. There were great skyscrapers in Shanghai that I could barely see through the haze from just a few blocks away. The view from the 112^th floor observation deck of the Canton Tower didn’t show us as much of sprawling and vibrant Guangzhou as we had hoped. And the beautiful green hills surrounding West Lake were shrouded in gray.

This wasn’t a problem in Beijing, however. The government was planning for a massive parade to celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II and ordered factories closed for two weeks and vehicular traffic cut in half. We were greeted with brilliant blue skies that showed off the city’s architectural treasures.

Pandas

Contrary to belief, pandas do not run like squirrels around Chinese cities. There might have been some misinformation about this one. We saw no live pandas. But we did see a large sign with a panda outside a zoo, and there were many little pandas in the Great Wall souvenir stand. This was a crushing disappointment.

Monkey King 

I turned the corner in a hotel corridor near the conference rooms and ran smack dab into this guy.  The sign revealed he was the Monkey King. This required some research.

According to the always accurate Wikepedia, the Monkey King “is a main character in the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West. He is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices. After rebelling against heaven and being imprisoned under a mountain by the Budda, he later accompanies the monk Xuanzang on a journey to retrieve Buddist sutras from India.

He “possesses an immense amount of strength; he is able to lift his 17,550-pound staff with ease. He is also extremely fast, able to travel 34,000 milies in one somersault. He knows 72 transformations, which allow him to transform into various animals and objects; however, he is troubled in transforming into other forms, due to the accompanying incomplete transformation of his tail. The Monkey King is a skilled fighter, capable of holding his own against the best warriors of heaven. Also, each of his hairs possess magical properties, capable of being transformed into clones of the Monkey King himself, and/or into various weapons, animals, and other objects. He also knows spells that can command wind, part water, conjure protective circles against demons, and freeze humans, demons, and gods alike.”

I like the Monkey King. He should be one of the Avengers.

In all, I was amazed by China’s beauty, impressed by its architecture – both ancient and modern – and touched by the hospitality shown to me and others in my group.

Mostly, I remember the people we met. One of the government leaders we met told us he thinks Americans have the wrong idea about China, with some he met saying the country was a powerful threat to the United States, and others thinking most people lived in extreme poverty. The truth, he said, is that China is not as formidable as we think, and not as poor, either. The Chinese, he said, are peace-loving people looking to build relationships with other nations.

 It’s a special place, and I’d be thrilled to return.