Blogger endings and beginnings

A year ago, Bob Timmermann began reading, and blogging about, the biographies of every U.S. president in the American Presidents Series, published by Times Books. "A man needs a goal in life," he posted at One Through Forty-Two or Forty-Three. "Even better, a man needs a relatively easily achievable goal." His posts were keenly observed, quirky and readable, qualities I've admired in his late baseball blog, The Griddle, and in guest appearances at other blogs around town. Timmermann recently wrapped his tour of the presidents with a piece on Ronald Reagan, pegged to a book by the late historian of Los Angeles Jules Tygiel.

The end of OTF-TOF-T meant Timmermann was a free agent, blog-wise. With baseball season approaching, he agreed to be the newest contributor to LA Observed. If we're all lucky, he'll post on anything that interests him, including some baseball. He's more likely to write about Japanese stadia, obscure players from Los Angeles and the catcher's interference rule than about the McCourts' divorce or Manny Ramirez, and that's a big reason I think you'll like him.

His first post at Native Intelligence is about sneaking off to Staples Center for Wednesday's opener of the Pac-10 basketball tournament. Excerpt:

I got a ticket from a scalper outside Staples at a 50% discount and likely could have held out for even less if I had the slightest bit of haggling talent. The ticket put me in the lower bowl of Staples about 15 rows up. For a Lakers game, that same seat would likely fetch $300-$1000 depending upon the opponent.

Timmermann grew up in Granada Hills, attended the same high school as current Dodgers job-seeker Garret Anderson, and lives now in South Pasadena. He tweets here. Bio and archive