Death, Inevitable

This is very sad to me personally in a complex way so I will try to explain. I'm a Mets fan and over the years my good friends and I made trips down to Philly by land air and sea to go to the games. Now without a doubt Philadelphia fans are the biggest jerks ever (a generalization). But Philadelphia counts as a real city, in part because of guys like this...and I have to give my respect.

And also, wise guys will say that cheesesteak = heart attack but really, the guy sold cheesesteaks and it was up to you to use your good judgment to eat 2 and not 12 cheesesteaks a week, no? He was probably stressed out from running his business. I don't think diet caused it.

I went to Fenway with my friends and one of them wore METS regalia, and this was AFTER the Mets won the 1986 World Series. We were out there on the metal roof in right field hanging out and went down to field level and these Boston guys bought us beers. I cannot imagine that happening in Philadelphia.

And I don't like Boston either but looking back they didn't club us. Totally cool at Fenway, as was Jillian's, although they would not sell me a shot and a beer at the same time. Against Boston law.

Anyway, my mind wanders. Hats off to Joey. Here's that bell, it tolls for thee.

From my lawyer - this is not an endorsement of cheesesteaks.

Joey Vento, the owner of a landmark south Philadelphia cheesesteak stand who told customers to order in English, has died at age 71.

Vento's nephew Joseph Perno, a manager at Geno's Steaks, told The Associated Press that Vento had a massive heart attack and died Tuesday. He said family members had just gotten out of the hospital and wouldn't be making any immediate statements.

In November, Perno said Vento had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer a few months earlier and was to have surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Longtime friend Domenic Chiavaroli told the Philadelphia Daily News and The Philadelphia Inquirer that Vento had been at the cheesesteak stand Tuesday morning, as he was every morning before opening, but went home to Shamong, N.J., later in the day and told his wife that he wasn't feeling well.

"I've been coming here since 1967," Chiavaroli said. "Joe was a good guy. He always tried to help everybody."

[Associated Press]