Dodgers and the economics of baseball. David Catron on 2026 elections and Columbus set sail in 1492....
Monday, August 03, 2026
From 'The Boys of Summer' to Damn Dodgers
From 'The Boys of Summer' to Damn Dodgers:
The Dodgers exemplify what's wrong with baseball.
Click to read:
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/from-the-boys-of-summer-to-damn-dodgers/
August 3, 1492: Christopher Columbus set sail
On this day in 1492, Columbus sailed to look for that passage to India. As we know, he found something totally different and came back a few more times.
Columbus' life had its ups and downs. He discovered the New World but died in Valladolid on May 20, 1506, without realizing the great scope of his achievement.
Well, we're glad that he sailed many years ago.
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We remember Tony Bennett (1926-2023)
Anthony Dominick Benedetto was born on this day in 1926 in Astoria, New York, of Italian parents. He died in 2023.
We know him as Tony Bennett, the voice of so many great songs like "I left my heart in San Francisco".
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
August 3, 1923: Calvin Coolidge became President of the US
By he way, President Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872.
A few years ago, Amity Shlaes wrote a good book about President Coolidge.
A few years ago, Amity Shlaes wrote a good book about President Coolidge.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Memories of Vin Scully
(My new American Thinker post)
We learned that Vince Scully passed away. He was 94 and retired from the microphone a few years ago. I remember a college professor who told me that the Dodgers had changed coasts, the letter on their cap from B to LA, and added the names of the players to the uniforms, but Vince Scully was always the voice of the team.
His story is remarkable, as Anthony Castrovince wrote:
Though born in the Bronx, near Yankee Stadium, in that epochal year of 1927 and eventually associated with the Dodgers, Scully grew up a New York Giants fan. He would emulate the batting stance of his favorite player, Mel Ott. But as early as age 8, Scully knew that he wanted to announce games even more than he wanted to play in them.
Fordham-educated and Navy-trained, Scully got into broadcasting at just 22 years old, and he did so by making an impression on a man who had been a major influence. Scully was a fill-in at WTOP in Washington, D.C., when one day a message was left for him at his parents’ home. His mother relayed it.
“Red Skelton called!”
Actually, it was Red Barber, who was heading CBS network sports and looking for a backup voice for “College Football Roundup.”
And the rest is history, as they say. He was a natural on the radio and eventually made it to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
My memories of Vince Scully are about the post-season. I did not live in the Los Angeles area so did not hear him call Dodgers' games. It was in the post-season when I heard his unique style of calling a baseball game. Always had the feeling that Vince had scored a 100 on his grammar tests.
I remember the 1974 World Series when the Dodgers played the Oakland A's. He was talking about players' salaries and spoke about the new reality of the game. He said something like the losers' wives wear mink coats these days. He meant that the losers would get a nice check, too.
Later, I went out of my way to research some of his top calls, such as Sandy Foufax's perfect game in 1965:
“It is 9:46 p.m. Two and two to Harvey Kuenn, one strike away. Sandy into his windup, here’s the pitch. Swung on and missed, a perfect game!”
Then there was Kirk Gibson coming off the bench and hitting a walk off home run in game one of the 1988 World Series. He seemed surprised that Gibson would come to the plate and then couldn't contain his emotions when he went around the bases.
Scully was a natural, a legend and something out of a time when people got their baseball on the radio. He was good on TV as well and would call the game and tell you a story at the same time. Of course, I did not get to hear those nightly telecasts but have enjoyed going back and listening to his many recordings, such as Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
I bet he and Red Barber are calling one heck of a game up in heaven. Rest in peace, Mr. Scully.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
1948: Satchel Paige's first major league start
He started his first game on August 3rd and pitched 7 strong innings against the Senators.
Paige was the greatest pitcher of the old Negro Leagues. He led the Kansas City Monarchs to four consecutive pennants from 1939 to 1942. It’s not clear how many games he won but it was a lot of them.
Paige was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1971.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
Sunday, August 02, 2026
A chat with George Rodriguez, South Texas
Guest: George Rodriguez, South Texas. The week of Texas polls and a border mess in Spain.
Click to listen:
A containment barrier too late
A containment barrier too late:
Spain seems finally to have figured out that unrestricted illegal immigration is bad.
Click to read:
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/a-containment-barrier-too-late/
We remember Myrna Loy (1905-1982)
Myrna Adele Williams was born in Montana in 1905 and died in 1982.
We remember her as Myrna Loy and "Nora Charles" in the great series of movies with William Powell.
They had great screen chemistry and became one of the all time favorite Hollywood couples. Loy & Powell made 14 movies.
P.S. You can listen to my show. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.
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