With more than 45 inventions to his credit, Kumar Patel joined an exclusive club this month when he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
But when the chief executive of Santa Monica’s Pranalytica Inc. was first contacted about the honor, he was skeptical. He had received a message asking him to call Fred Allen, the selection committee chairman. But that was the name of a popular radio and television comedian from the early 20th century.
“The only Fred Allen I know was on TV, (so) I’m sure this must be a prank call,” said the 73-year-old. “But then I called and that’s how I found out.”
Patel, best known for creating a carbon-dioxide laser used in a variety of industrial and medical applications, was one of 10 inventors honored this month in Washington, D.C. The elite group included some big names such as Steve Jobs, the late head of Apple Inc.
“I have an iPod. I have an iPhone. I’m an Apple computer person,” said Patel, who noted that he had either met or was familiar with all of the other inventors. “A person is known by the company he or she keeps and this was really great company.”
Strong Pitching
On Aug. 19, 1969, then 13-year-old Steve Lambert was supposed to go to a Chicago Cubs game with his dad. But his dad had to work and Lambert didn’t get to go.
That was the day the Cubs’ Ken Holtzman threw a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves.
Decades later, on Sept. 17, 1996, Lambert visited some friends in Denver and left a ballgame at Coors Field because of cold, rainy weather. That was the night the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo no-hit the Colorado Rockies.
So when Lambert, a former executive at the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and now a partner at public relations firm Gallagher 20/20, found himself at Angels Stadium a few weeks ago and noticed Angels pitcher Jered Weaver was several innings into a no-hitter, he stayed planted in his seat.
“By the fourth inning, I’m thinking he’s got a chance. By the sixth, I’m saying, ‘We’re not going.’ By the seventh, the whole stadium was beginning to buzz.” said Lambert, 55. “So I finally got my no-hitter after waiting 40-some years. It was just wild.”
Staff reporters Richard Clough and James Rufus Koren contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].
