Good Deeds (9-21)

"¢ Caroline Mast, who played women's basketball for Ohio University in the 1980s, was a solid player who did not dazzle with acrobatics. After her games "“ and I personally witnessed many of them "“ fans would think that Caroline had a quiet night although her team had won yet again. Then the fans would look at the box score and see that she had scored 30-plus points again.

OU Sports Information Director Glenn Coble once sent film to a person who evaluated candidates for All-American honors. Mr. Coble said the person returned the film. He added, "I was told she wasn't flashy enough to be All-American."

However, Central Michigan coach Donita Davenport said about Caroline, "If I had to put together a scouting report on Mast, I'd suggest they lock the bus, and if they don't let her off the bus, I think they could hold her to 20."

In 1986, Caroline scored 33 points and led Ohio to a 92-85 overtime victory over Central Michigan in the Mid-American Conference championship game. After the game, most of the OU players could be seen celebrating in the middle of the court. Caroline could be seen by the Central Michigan bench, shaking hands with Central Michigan players.

I (David Bruce, the author of the column you are reading now) can vouch for the fact that Caroline is a kind, considerate person. When I was a sports reporter for The Athens NEWS, I covered both the men's and women's basketball teams, which played games on the same night: The women played their game first, and the men played their game afterward. In one game, Caroline set yet another record, and I needed a quotation from her quickly because the men had started play and I needed to watch that game. As soon as Caroline heard that a reporter needed a quotation quickly, she came out of the women's locker room and gave me the quotation I needed. By the way, Caroline was an excellent student at OU as well as an excellent athlete and an excellent person. I was teaching in the OU philosophy department when she took logic from a friend of mine. She missed one class all quarter, and after missing that one class she saw her teacher during his office hours and apologized to him.

"¢ Chances are, you have never heard of the Scottish pop group Trashcan Sinatras, but they have their fans "“ I mean, they really have their fans. They hit a very rough patch when their 1996 album "A Happy Pocket" did not even get released in the U.S., leading to a serious case of insolvency that would drive many bands into preferring boring but secure day jobs to the excitement and lack of funds of making music. Fortunately, the fans on the band's e-mail list came through in a big way in 1997, sending funds and causing lead singer Frank Reader to send them a note saying that he and the band were "embarrassed" by their generosity. By the way, two of their fans who sent money were Will Harris and David Medsker of Bullseye.com, writers about pop culture who know what they like and support it. Unfortunately, the band has suffered other bad luck. In 2004, they released the album "Weightlifting," but their record label "“ SpinArt "“ went bankrupt before sending the band even a penny. Still, Trashcan Sinatras soldier on, making music and keeping their fans happy.

"¢ A couple once knocked on the front door of author Jim Hightower's home. They had noticed that the fig tree in his front yard was bearing ripe fruit, and they asked if they could please harvest some figs. Mr. Hightower was going out of town on a trip, so he said, "Sure, have at 'em." When he returned from his trip, he found by his front door two jars of delicious fig jam. These days, something called "urban fruit foraging" is happening. Many people have fruit trees but they don't pick all of the fruit. In Oregon there's the Portland Fruit Tree Project. Owners of fruit trees sign up, and then they alert others when the fruit is almost ripe. A harvest is organized, and the fruit is not wasted. Fruit trees bear lots of fruit, and one of the organizers of the Portland Fruit Tree Project says, "A fruit tree is really made for sharing with your neighborhood."

"¢ Country music star Garth Brooks once attended the San Diego Padres' spring-training camp at their invitation. He didn't have any illusions about making the team; instead, he said that he wanted "to swing the bat for the sake of getting to hear the wood go through the wind." And oh, yeah, the Padres donated $200,000 to the charitable organization Touch 'Em All instead of paying Mr. Brooks a salary. By the way, Mr. Brooks was in New Orleans for a concert when he learned that an 11-year-old fan was unable to attend the concert because she was ill and in a hospital in Monroe, La. He went to Monroe and visited her.

"¢ On July 21, 2009, Sheldon Sanov lost his wallet, which contained cash, credit cards, and enough information for a dishonest person to steal his identity. He wrote in a letter to the editor of the Santa Barbara (Calif.) Independent, "Returning home without finding it was the most agonizing experience one could imagine until "Independent" staff member Evan Wells called to report he found the wallet (lying on the street) and would be happy to return it to my home. It was truly one of those 'only in Santa Barbara' moments that makes one appreciate how special the people of this community are."

"¢ Australian author Bryce Courtenay has traveled much, and he has been mugged often. In New York a man hit him and knocked him down. He got up and asked, "What's the matter?" The mugger said, Give me your wallet, buddy." Mr. Courtenay replied, "No," and the mugger hit him again and knocked him down. Again, Mr. Courtenay got up, and he asked, "Hey, what's the problem?" The mugger replied, "My family hasn't eaten for three days." Mr. Courtenay said, "I've got lots of money." He then bought the mugger lots and lots of groceries.

"¢ In 1977, many of Lily Tomlin's young fans waited in the winter cold so that they could buy front-row tickets to her one-woman Broadway show "Appearing Nightly." She surprised them by appearing in character as Mrs. Beasley, who wore a 1940s Red Cross volunteer uniform and gave them coffee and doughnuts.