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Why Roger Maris isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball September 6, 2022August 20, 2022

Let’s talk about my dad’s favorite Hall of Fame case: Roger Maris. Maris broke babe Ruth’s single season home run record, but then you never hear much else about him. How can someone break a record that stood for 34 years and not be in the Hall of Fame? Let’s take a look at why Roger Maris fell short of the Hall of Fame.

Dad had no reason to like Roger Maris. He played for the team he rooted for as a kid that left Philadelphia and went west. And then right when he got good, The New York Yankees traded for him. And then of course, he had his best years with the Yankees.

But Dad admired a guy who played hurt. Maris played hurt a lot. And I think it bugged him that the Yankees didn’t really appreciate him outside of his magical 1961 season. Read more

What is a Lionel E-unit?

Dave Farquhar Toy trains September 1, 2022June 4, 2022

You don’t have to hang out with Lionel enthusiasts for long before you hear about a mysterious thing called an e-unit. But what is a Lionel e-unit, anyway?

The Lionel e-unit is an electromechanical device that allows Lionel trains to sequence through forward, neutral, and reverse when the operator cycles power to the track, making it easier to simulate train operations. Originally the e-unit operated using a solenoid, copper fingers and a drum to change the motor’s polarity. In recent years, various companies have replicated the e-unit’s function with electronics.

What does dot matrix mean?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 31, 2022August 27, 2022

What does dot matrix mean? Dot matrix printers were the dominant form of computer printer for around 20 years. Although they are largely obsolete today, they do still have niche uses. For example, if you get a paper paycheck, it’s probably printed with a dot matrix printer.

Dot matrix printing gets its name from the technique it uses. It defines a rectangular matrix consisting of dots, usually nine or 24 dots across. The fewer dots in the matrix, the more noticeable the gap between the dots, resulting in crude looking letters. The text is recognizable, but looks very much like it was printed by a computer.

Wire nut not working? Try this

Dave Farquhar DIY August 30, 2022September 15, 2023

There are various reasons why wire nuts can stop working, some of them more obvious than others. So if you’re in the middle of a project and your wire nuts aren’t working, or if a wire nut stopped working after a period of time, here are some things you can do about it.

Why Dave Parker isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball August 29, 2022December 9, 2024

Dave Parker, the slugging outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates among others, is an interesting Hall of Fame case. During his years of eligibility through conventional means, support for his candidacy was a bit tepid. He is a very good example of a borderline player, someone who fell just short of being a slam dunk case. So here’s why Dave Parker isn’t (wasn’t) in the Hall of Fame, and who says he should be in, and why.

Update: On December 8, 2024, the Classic Baseball Era committee elected Dave Parker and Dick Allen to the Hall of Fame.

Japanese tin trains

Dave Farquhar Toy trains August 25, 2022June 4, 2022

Some time ago, I had an idea to build a tin HO scale train layout using one or more old Japanese tin trains. I never got around to it, but Ralph Graves had the idea independently of me, and unlike me, he followed through and built what he imagined in his mind. The results are, in a word, spectacular.

Advantages of CRT over LCD

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 24, 2022June 4, 2023

CRT displays certainly have a following. And there are any number of reasons for that. I generally prefer LCD, but there are times when CRT is better, especially when it comes to retro gaming. In this blog post, I’ll cover the advantages of CRT over LCD.
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Are thrift stores open on Sunday?

Dave Farquhar Saving money August 23, 2022June 4, 2022

There is a perception that thrift stores are not open on Sunday. There was a time when that perception was more than just a perception, and in some parts of the country, it may be truer than in others. The reasons makes sense once you think about it. Let’s talk about which thrift stores are open on Sunday, which ones aren’t, and why that might be.

Computer Reset, Dallas

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 22, 2022February 23, 2026

Computer Reset was a large used computer store and warehouse in northeast Dallas whose heyday was in the 1980s and 1990s, but it remained a go-to source for vintage and retro computer parts into the 2010s. Its fame grew after it closed in 2019 when several prominent Youtubers visited the facility and made videos about it.

Colber electric train accessories

Dave Farquhar Toy trains August 18, 2022September 22, 2022

Colber was a manufacturer of electric train accessories from 1949 to 1954, and electronics components from 1955 to around 1995. They were based in Irvington, New Jersey. The name was an amalgamation of its founders’ last names, Collett and Burke.