Fast Ball

By George Barany

George Barany is a Rockefeller alum (1977) currently on the faculty of the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. He still remembers a watershed moment at the interface of American culture and sports that occurred fifty years ago … October 6, 1965 to be exact. For more about this specific puzzle, including a link to the answer, visit http://tinyurl.com/fastballpuz. More Barany and Friends crosswords are at http://tinyurl.com/gbpuzzle.

Across

  1. With 19-Down, October 6, 1965
  2. Passion
  3. Breathlesspuzzle
  4. Sch. attended by Reggie Jackson and Barry Bonds
  5. Prepare for winter takeoff
  6. Catchphrase
  7. El ___
  8. Pitcher on October 6, 1965–not!
  9. 10,000 square meters
  10. Birth control method, for short
  11. Movie promo
  12. Stretch out
  13. Word with up or off
  14. Geezer
  15. Stable staple
  16. Mythical beast that was turned into a peacock
  17. Vegan’s protein source, sometimes
  18. First Bond flick
  19. Kvetch
  20. Promise
  21. Categories
  22. LAX postings
  23. Little foxes
  24. Some babies’ first words since gay marriage was legalized
  25. Family room
  26. Spare parts?
  27. Dale and Tim, to Yogi
  28. Prepares potstickers, perhaps
  29. Heartbreaking headline
  30. Leo the ___ (Durocher nickname)
  31. Originating country for much spam
  32. Pitcher on October 6, 1965
  33. Fingers, e.g.
  34. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” playwright Edward
  35. Surmise
  36. UFO crew
  37. Escort, for appearance’s sakes
  38. Heaps kudos on
  39. Like a wallflower

Down

  1. America’s Cup vessel
  2. Basket material
  3. Pitcher on October 6, 1965
  4. Magazine department
  5. Brought up
  6. Alice’s restaurant?
  7. Cause of some repetitive behavior, in brief
  8. Spanish king
  9. Liaisons
  10. Big wheel at a supermarket?
  11. Fed. law enforcement org.
  12. Bus depot: Abbr.
  13. “A ___ on both your houses!”
  14. See 1-Across
  15. Traffic jams
  16. Remote spots?
  17. It started on October 6, 1965
  18. Sri ___
  19. Well versed people
  20. Pitch
  21. Served perfectly?
  22. Hotel posting
  23. They played on October 6, 1965
  24. Feinstein or Wiest
  25. Meager
  26. They played on October 6, 1965
  27. Like Noah’s passengers
  28. Left port
  29. Tribal leader, often
  30. Military mess?
  31. Height’s companion
  32. Pert
  33. Apply gently
  34. Corrida cry
  35. Org. for Anthony and James
  36. The “S” in R.S.V.P.
  37. Chain letters?