Theme: Cooperstown - Four players enshrined at the baseball Hall of Fame who also share a last name with a U.S. President.
17A. Favorite Hall of Famer of the 39th U.S. president? : GARY CARTER. Jimmy Carter and catcher.
24A. Favorite Hall of Famer of the 7th U.S. president? : REGGIE JACKSON. Andrew Jackson and Mr. October.
44A. Favorite Hall of Famer of the 17th and 36th U.S. presidents? : WALTER JOHNSON. Andrew Johnson and Lyndon B. Johnson, and pitcher.
55A. Favorite Hall of Famer of the 38th U.S. president? : WHITEY FORD. Gerald Ford and pitcher.
Argyle here. This would be a lock...if I actually remembered our presidents by their number. C.C. nailed this, easy for our senior members and crunchy for our junior members. What a Monday should be; visually pleasing grid.
Across:
1. Tubers rich in beta carotene : YAMS
5. Wasn't indecisive : OPTED
10. Bouillabaisse, e.g. : STEW. (fish and vegetables)
14. Taken by mouth, as medication : ORAL
15. Mrs. Gorbachev : RAISA
16. Dancer-turned-spy Mata : HARI
19. Tablet with a "mini" version : iPAD
20. Tummy muscles : ABs
21. Egyptian cross with a top loop : ANKH
22. Black belt activity : KARATE
27. Opposite of vain : MODEST
28. "How awful!" : "UGH!"
29. Greets with a hand gesture : WAVES
30. Hook's sidekick : SMEE. Our favorite pirates.
31. ChapStick target : LIP. Bet they've had a good year.
34. Forewarning : OMEN
35. Visits the mall : SHOPS
37. Computer support person : TECH
38. "__ and Peace" : WAR
39. Spring melt : THAW
40. Acted without speaking : MIMED
41. British rule in India : RAJ
42. "The Bachelorette" contestant, e.g. : SUITOR
49. Catching some z's : ASLEEP
50. Shed skin : MOLT
51. Tackle a slope : SKI
54. Celebrity : STAR
58. Fill-in worker : TEMP
59. Greek i's : IOTAs
60. Revered one : IDOL
61. Historic times : ERAs
62. Midterms and finals : TESTs
63. Tour de France, e.g. : RACE. Daytona 500 this Sunday.
Down:
1. Discipline using mats : YOGA
2. Many an Egyptian : ARAB
3. Red Planet explorer : MARS ROVER. First pictures sent back; the ones you weren't allowed to see.
4. Shifty : SLY
5. Borneo primates : ORANGS
6. "Sit!" : "PARK IT!"
7. 10% church donation : TITHE
8. Opposite of WNW : ESE
9. Period before the Renaissance : DARK AGES
10. Avoid, as duty : SHIRK
11. Spanish finger food : TAPAS
12. Verse writer's Muse : ERATO
13. Add a lane to, as a highway : WIDEN
18. Animal houses : CAGES. Quite a selection; needed the perps to decide with one.
23. Back woe : ACHE
25. Paradise lost : EDEN
26. Leap : JUMP
27. Mother, to baby : MAMA
29. Bowl over : WOW
30. Female pig : SOW
31. Bubbly citrus drink : LEMON SODA. CSO? I think not. (coincidental shout out)
32. Cake decorator : ICER
33. Scholar's deg. : PHD
35. Tina Fey attribute : SHARP WIT
36. Journey to Mecca : HAJJ
37. Longtime Yugoslav president : TITO
39. Shade provider : TREE
40. Hazy : MISTY. CSO.
42. Tried to hit in paintball : SHOT AT
43. Except if : UNLESS
44. What haste makes : WASTE
45. Fall bloomer : ASTER
46. Andean alpaca kin : LLAMA
47. U. of Maryland team : TERPS. Short for terrapins.
48. Leaves out : OMITS
52. Fast food tycoon Ray : KROC
53. Vegging out : IDLE
56. Weed killer : HOE
57. 39-Down with cones : FIR
Argyle
