Shannon Elizabeth at Days of the Dead Chicago 2012

Days of the Dead is coming to Rosemont (Chicago) November 22-24. I'll be back "On the Beat" there, but for now, I am recalling some cool moments from my many years there.
I met the lovely actress Shannon Elizabeth at DotD Chicago 2012. A film veteran of 20+ years, Shannon might be best known for her role in American Pie.
In addition to her fine work on screen, Shannon is doing wonderful work in the real world. In 2001, she founded Animal Avengers, a non-profit animal rescue organization. More recently, she founded the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation to focus on broader conservation issues. Shannon has dedication, passion and concern for the environment and she is actively doing wonderful things. She's not just some celebrity spokesperson. She is personally involved.
Go to the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation site to get ore info on her and her cause. Follow Shannon Elizabeth on twitter and also the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation on twitter.
Check DaysoftheDead.com for all of the info on the Chicago event and the rest of their events across the country. Also follow Days of the Dead on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Shannon Elizabeth and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2012.

Friend Encounters: Kathleen Turner and Michael West at Days of the Dead Indianapolis

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities. With Days of the Dead returning to Chicago November 22-24, today is a Friend Encounter: Days of the Dead edition.

Today is another Friend Encounter that I witnessed. It is also another Friend Encounter featuring two celebrities, one of whom is also my friend, although author Michael West would eschew the celebrity label.

Legendary actress made her Days of the Dead debut in Indianapolis last July. The veteran actress starred in epic movies including Body Heat, Romancing the Stone and others. She also had a recurring role on tv's Friends as Chandler's drag queen father.

I first met and interviewed Michael at a Days many years ago and have followed his career since. I always bug him for a picture whenever I run into him and he politely obliges.

Michael has written many books, including the Legacy of the Gods series. He's also written short stories and articles. Several of his books reside on my book shelf. I am a big fan of his work and of the man himself. Over the years, I always look forward to catching up with him at Days in Indy, his hometown.

It's always fun for me to see celebrities excited about meeting other celebrities. Michael was very happy to meet Turner, as were the rest of her fans. Michael also met several other of his favorites and I will feature more of those in the future.

Check out DaysoftheDead.com for more info including the celebrity list. I don't know if Michael will be there, but it is certainly possible you will see him in the crowd. If you miss him, you can always go to ByMichaelWest.com.

Kathleen Turner and Michael West in Indianapolis, IN-July 2019.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #643 Taylor Swift & Beyoncé

Celebrity Jersey Cards is a weekly series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing sports jerseys. With baseball season over, we turn our attention to the best and worst teams in football.

 Born in Pennsylvania, music star Taylor Swift has been known to wear sports jerseys in concert. Swift will perform at the Super Bowl LIV in 2020. It's quite possible the New England Patriots, who are 8-1, will again be the AFC team. Swift wore a Pats Jersey in concert to get a Celebrity Jersey Card. Her #13 was an odd choice, although she has worn other numbers for the Pats. I somehow doubt she was a Tommy Hodson fan.

A native of Houston, TX, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is one of the rare celebrities famous enough to be recognized with one name. I think her Celebrity Jersey Card came from a simple fashion choice by Beyoncé. I don't believe it was a special occasion. I'm assuming the #9 is for former QB Carson Palmer and not former kicker Doug Pelfrey.

Keilani Ricketts Loves Johngy's Beat

After a stellar softball career at the University of Oklahoma, Keilani Ricketts has gone on to a great career with the National Pro Fastpitch USSSA Pride and Team USA. A couple months ago, Team USA announced Keilani's inclusion on the Team USA softball roster headed for the 2020 Olympics in July 2020 in Tokyo.

I have followed Keilani through most of her NPF career. Unfortunately, the Pride will not be in the NPF in 2020, but I will continue to follow Keilani wherever she pitches.

Keilani took a few minutes out of her training to send a shout out to Johngy's Beat. We greatly appreciate her kindness and consideration. We return the favor by encouraging all to follow Keilani at @LaniRicketts10 on twitter.

I'll be following Keilani and Team USA on the road to the 2020 Olympics. I'll provide recurring coverage here, on Patch.com and GlobalTravelerUSA.com. You can also check TeamUSA.org. 

April Hunter at Days of the Dead Chicago 2013

Days of the Dead returns to Schaumburg (Chicago) November 22-24. I'll be "On the Beat" all weekend, but for now I am recalling some of the many fun moments I have had at DotD over the years.

Several years ago, I met and interviewed April Hunter. That interview can be found at On the Beat With April Hunter.

April has been a wrestler, a fitness competitor, a model, actress and more. She has also published a line of comic books, as well as appeared in several others comic books.

She is also known for her cosplaying. As you can see, she was cosplaying at the Days of the Dead when I met her. Cosplay isn't unusual at comic or horror cons, but it is a bit unique for the celebrity guests to be cosplaying. April did it well and it made for an interesting sight. I give her credit for having and providing extra fun.

Check DaysoftheDead.com for all of the info on the Chicago event and the rest of their events across the country. Also follow Days of the Dead on Facebook for more frequent updates. Also, follow April at @AprilHunter on twitter.

April Hunter and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2013.

Heather Dorff and Jessica Cameron at Days of the Dead Chicago 2013

Days of the Dead returns to the Chicago area November 22-24. As I look forward to a weekend of horrific fun, I look back at some of the awesome folks I have met there over the years.

I met actresses Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff several years ago and had the pleasure of interviewing them. That interview can be found at On the Beat with Jessica Cameron and Heather Dorff.

Jessica and Heather can be called Scream Queens, a label they both embrace, but they are much more than just that. They are screenwriters, directors, producers and more. They have worked together on various projects, most notably Truth or Dare from 2013. It's a horror movie based on the game, although obviously things go way wrong (but that's the fun of a good horror movie).

Jessica and Heather are delightful young ladies. They had such enthusiasm for their film and the industry in general. They were fantastic with fans all weekend.

I miss these two and hope to see them again at a futire DotD, but until then, I keep I following them on social media. Follow Heather Dorff on twitter and Jessica Cameron on twitter to get info and updates on these talented ladies.

Also, check DaysoftheDead.com for news on all of their events around the country. This year, it is in Rosemont and it looks to be another stellar show.

Heather Dorff, Jessica Cameron and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2013.

Rick Lara at Days of the Dead 2018

Days of the Dead returns to the Chicago area November 22-24. As I look forward to another fun weekend, I look back at some of the fun people I have met there over the years.

Rick Lara is another of the unsung heroes of Days of the Dead. A graphic designer by trade, Rick is responsible for some of the cool artwork associated with Days of the Dead. His designs have appeared on tshirts, posters, ads, logos and other merchandise, with many of these items proudly scattered around my home.

It's people like Rick who are the backbone of any convention. Rick doesn't get the fanfare of the celebrity guests, but he is a very important part of the history of DotD.

You can always find Rick at the merch booth at DotD events, but until then, go to RickLara.net to see more of Rick's creations. Also, check DaysoftheDead.com formore info on the upcoming Chicago show.

Rick Lara and me in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Hannah Flippen of Team USA

Born in California, Hannah Flippen was a 3x All-American softball player at the University of Utah. Softball must be in her bloodlines, as Flippen's mother Mary Lou was an All-American at Utah State University.

After college, Hannah was drafted 17th overall in the fourth round of the 2017 National Pro Fastpitch Draft by the Scrap Yard Dawgs. She joined the Chicago Bandits for the 2019 season.

In 40 games last season, Hannah hit .265 with 8 homers, 27 rbi's, 23 runs scored, 7 stolen bases and a .375 on base percentage.

On the international scene, Hannah won a silver medal at the 2017 World Cup of Softball, a gold at the 2017 Pan American Championship and a bronze at the 2018 USA Softball International Cup. She hopes to add a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics to that collection.

Team USA announced their roster and Hannah was named an alternate. I am very happy for Hannah. She was a great addition to the Bandits last season and is a fantastic person.

Hannah's height (5'3") inadvertently became a joke between us last season. After a game when it was extremely hot, I talked to Hannah and mentioned that at least the game was short. She looked at me quizzically and asked me to repeat myself. She thought I said she was short. We both had a laugh about it. She may be short(ish) in stature, but she is tall in character.

Go to TeamUSA.org to follow Hannah's road to the 2020 Olympics. Also go to ChicagoBandits.com to follow her NPF career. I will also be providing coverage of both here, on Patch.com and on GlobalTravelerUSA.com.

Hannah Flippen and me in Rosemont, IL-June 2018.

Friend Encounters; David Howard Thornton and Troy Babbs at Days of the Dead 2018

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities. With Days of the Dead coming to Chicago November 22-24, this is a special Friend Encounters Dys of the Dead edition.

Troy Babbs is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I originally got to know him from Days of the Dead events, but we have also gone to other comic cons over the years. Troy is a lot of fun and has also been a lot of help with my various coverage.

As I have previously written, Troy is no longer part of the DotD crew and that makes me sad. I miss seeing his smiling face at those events. Still, I enjoy following his exploits on social media. He is always good for a laugh, feel good moment or cool celebrity picture.

I also look forward to seeing Troy at Squared Circle Expo coming to Indianapolis next year. Not much information is out yet, but it is going to be a great event. Stay tuned here for updates on that future event, as I will be "On the Beat" when it happens.

As for Troy's celebrity encounters, he met David Howard Thornton at DotD Chicago last year. Of the encounter, Troy said, "David Howard Thornton from Terrifier was awesome all weekend!! You should have seen him CRUSH Bohemian Rhapsody at karaoke!!" That is typical fun you will experience around Troy.

Go to DaysoftheDead.com for more info on the upcoming Chicago event and all others around the country. Also, follow Days of the Dead on Facebook for more frequent updates.

David Howard Thornton and Troy Babbs in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Cards That Never Were: Mike Patrick 1976 Topps

Cards That Never were is a recurring series in which I create virtual trading cards for players missed in various sets. It is a concept I have borrowed from too many to list, but I appreciate all of their efforts.

A product of Mississippi State, Mike Patrick signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots prior to the 1975 season. He spent four seasons with the Patriots, punting 225 times in 43 games.

Topps gave Patrick a card in sets from 1977 through '79, but skipped him in the '76 set. Of course, I had to rectify that omission and I found a cool action shot for that purpose.

Unfortunately, Patrick died in 2008.  He was a way too young 55.