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James Agee was born on this day in 1909

Word of the Day – Wednesday, November 27th

 


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AGEE (AY-jee)

James Agee: American writer and critic
Tommy Agee: Baseball player
Common clues: “A Death in the Family” author; Pulitzer winner James; Ex-Met Tommie; "The Morning Watch" novelist; Tommie of the Miracle Mets
Crossword puzzle frequency: once a month
Video:
Tommie Agee


The mere attempt to examine my own confusion would consume volumes ~ James Agee


James Agee (November 27, 1909 – May 16, 1955) was a United States novelist, screenwriter, journalist, poet, and film critic. In the 1930s and 1940s, he was one of the most influential film critics in the U.S. His autobiographical novel, A Death in the Family (1957), won the Pulitzer Prize.




In 1951, Agee suffered the first in a series of heart attacks, which ultimately claimed his life four years later, at the age of 45, while riding in a taxicab in New York City. His considerable if erratic career as a movie script writer was by then curtailed by alcoholism, and his contribution to The Night of the Hunter (1955) remains unclear. During the 1950s he worked on movies with photographer Helen Levitt.


During his life he had modest recognition by the public but since his death in 1955 his literary reputation has grown enormously. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941) has been placed among the top works of literature in the 20th Century by both the New York Public Library and the NYU School of Journalism selection committees.


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Tommie Lee Agee (August 9,1942 in Magnolia, Alabama - January 22, 2001 in New York, New York) was a center fielder most noted for making what were arguably two of the greatest catches in World Series history. Agee was the 1966 Rookie of the Year, a two-time All-Star, and a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, and he was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 2002. His major league career spanned five teams: Cleveland Indians (1962-64), Chicago White Sox (1965-67), New York Mets (1968-72), Houston Astros (1973) and St. Louis Cardinals (1973).




The 1969 Mets were known as the "Miracle Mets" for their worst-to-first turnaround in the National League, and Agee's personal turnaround played a big part. That season, he scored 97 runs and played brilliant defense, leading to a second Gold Glove. In the 1969 World Series, he was instrumental in the Mets' victory in Game 3, in which he hit a home run and made two incredible catches that saved five runs. This game was the highpoint of his career, though he was productive over the next two years and stitched together a 20-game hitting streak in 1970. After retirement, he operated the Outfielder's Lounge near Shea Stadium.



This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "James Agee" and “Tommie Agee”.