Heroes and Dipsticks 14

There are two Heroes this time for reasons that will become obvious as one sets up the Dipstick.

HERO

Joe Girardi, the manager of the New York Yankees. Hours after the Yankees won the World Series last week and on his way home with his wife, Girardi spotted a mangled car that had struck a concrete barrier on a New Jersey interstate.

He stopped his car, told his wife to call police, then Girardi darted across the eastboound lane of that interstate to help 27-year old Marie Henry of Connecticut, who had been trapped in her vehicle after the crash. Police say just running across that section of interstate was very risky since it was out of a blind turn in which traffic usually travels about 80 miles per hour.

The police had already been called when Girardi reached Henry. He stayed with her until the officers arrived for the rescue.

"The guy just won the World Series and what did he do? He stops to help. It was really surrreal," said officer Kathleen Cristiano.

Good Yankee. Good Samaritan.

HERO 2

Sesame Street, which began as an experimental project in children's television, has begun its 40th season as one of the greatest, most innovative, most creative, most revolutionary television shows of all time, an icon for educational television.

Who knows how many kids and adults through the years have been entertained, educated and inspiired by the Muppets and Sesame Street?

Forget the children's angle. It's one of the greatest television shows of all time.

DIPSTICK

Sesame Street was initially banned in Mississippi because it had an integrated, multi-racial cast.

Interesting since Jim Henson grew up in Leland, just outside of Greenville, Miss., and got a lot of the inspiration for the Muppets by spending hours along a bayou near his house watching various creatures.