We remember Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)

The great Ella Fitzgerald was born on this day in 1917.   She is known to many as "The First Lady of Song", a well deserved title in my opinion.

Ella had lots of problems as a young woman.  She was an orphan by 15 and had trouble with the law.    Eventually, she left that and became a very successful performer.

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.

We remember Lew Krausse (1943-2021)

We say happy birthday to Lew Krausse, who was born on this day in 1943.   He died February 2021.

Krausse came up with the Kansas City A's in 1961 and won 38 games between 1966-69.   Frankly, he pitched for some very bad teams.

Back in 1970, The Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee just in time to start the season.   They barely had time to change "Pilots" for "Brewers" on their uniforms.

It was Lew who started that first game against the Angels.   The home team lost 12-0 but baseball was back in Milwaukee.

In 1970, he went 13-18 pitching for a second year expansion team.   He was eventually traded to Boston, St Louis and finished in Atlanta.

Great trivia question:   Who threw the first pitch in Brewers' history?   Now you know the answer!

Lew finished his career in 1974:   68-91, & 4.00 ERA.    

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.

---

We remember Conrado "Connie" Marrero (1911-2014)

Conrado "Connie" Marrero was born in Sagua La Grande, Cuba, on this day in 1911.   He died in 2014.

Marrero was born in my father's hometown.  He pitched in the majors in the 1950's with the Washington Senators.   

He was 39-40 with a 3.67 ERA & selected to the 1951 AL All Star team.  Without question, his statistics have to be seen in the context that the Senators were a very bad team.  

In other words, wonder how many games Marrero would have won with a better team?

My late father told me many stories of Marrero pitching in the old Cuban winter league.

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.

---

We remember Bobby Estalella (1911-1991)

Roberto Ventoza Estalella was born in Cardenas, Cuba, on April 25, 1911. Bobby, as he was known, made it to the majors in 1935.

Bobby played 9 years and retired with a very good .282 batting average with the old Senators (now the Twins) and the A’s.

His best seasons were 1944-45 when he  hit .298 and .299. We will never know for sure but the end of World War II probably impacted his playing career. In 1946, many American players returned and teams were under pressure to give them their old jobs back.

After baseball, Bobby worked as a butcher in Washington DC and was hired by the Senators to teach English to a new generation of Cubans:   Carlos Paula, Pedro Ramos, Juan Delis, and Camilo Pascual.

In 1975, Luis Tiant’s father was allowed to travel to the US to see his son Luis pitch in the World Series.    As a consequence, Luis, Sr. and Bobby met again after having been teammates in the old Cuba leagues.

Victor, his son, and grandson Robert, also played in the major leagues.

Bobby died in 1991 and is buried in Miami.

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.

April 1968 and "McArthur Park" by Richard Harris

"Mac Arthur's Park" was released in April and was heard on the radio during the summer of 1968.

In an unusual move, Richard Harris, the great actor, got together with composer Jimmy Webb and the result was MacArthur Park. 

Webb was a great songwriter.   He wrote Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Galveston" and "Wichita Lineman", The Fifth Dimension's "Up, up and away" and Art Ganfunkel's "All I know".

"MacArthur Park's" arrangement was over 7 minutes long!   It is really two songs, the vocal portion and a wonderful instrumental bridge in the middle.

Today, some people think that "MacArthur Park" is one of the worst songs ever recorded. (Pop music madness)

Some people really like it! (Macarthur Park is the greatest song ever)

It was many many years ago.  Here is the song and the lyrics:    

"Spring was never waiting for us, girl

It ran one step ahead As we followed in the dance

Between the parted pages and 

were pressed In love's hot, fevered iron

Like a striped pair of pants

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark

All the sweet, green icing flowing down

Someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it'

Cause it took so long to bake it

And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no!

I recall the yellow cotton dress

Foaming like a wave

On the ground around your knees

The birds, like tender babies in your hands

And the old men playing checkers by the trees

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark

All the sweet, green icing flowing down

Someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it' Cause it took so long to bake it

And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no!

There will be another song for me For I will sing it

There will be another dream for me

Someone will bring itI will drink the wine while it is warm

And never let you catch me looking at the sun

And after all the loves of my life

After all the loves of my life You'll still be the one

I will take my life into my hands and I will use it

I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it.

I will have the things that I desire

And my passion flow like rivers through the sky

And after all the loves of my life

After all the loves of my life I'll be thinking of you

And wondering why

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark

All the sweet, green icing flowing down

Someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it

Cause it took so long to bake it

And I'll never have that recipe again

Oh, no! Oh, no No, no Oh no!! "

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.

April 25, 1976: Rick Monday saved the US flag

We remember Rick Monday, a pretty good outfielder who played for the A’s, Cubs, and Dodgers.

His best years were with the Cubs (1972-76), when he hit 106 home runs and was a very tough out.    Later he moved to the LA Dodgers and hit a 9th-inning HR to beat Montreal in the 1981 NLCS.

However, his greatest baseball moment had nothing to do with hits or home runs.

It happened on April 25, 1976.

You may remember that it was the Bicentennial year, and Watergate and Vietnam were behind us.  The economy was a bit sluggish, but people were looking forward to July 4 and all of the patriotic parades and celebrations.

On an April afternoon at Wrigley Field, Monday took his position in center field and was playing catch with José Cardenal, his Cuban teammate.

Rick saw a couple of guys trying to burn the U.S. flag; he ran and grabbed it before they could light the match. The two idiots were arrested, and Monday gave the flag to one of the security guards.

This is what he told The Washington Post in 2006 about the incident:

“I was angry when I saw them start to do something to the flag, and I’m glad that I happened to be geographically close enough to do something about it,” said Monday, now in his 13th season as a Dodgers broadcaster.

“What those people were doing, and their concept of what they were trying to do was wrong. That feeling was very strongly reinforced by six years in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. I still think it’s wrong to do that.”

It was wrong and we salute Rick Monday after all of these years later..

By the way, Rick was with the 1981 LA Dodgers that won the World Series.    He wrote about his time in LA in a very entertaining book.

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.

Dems attack rogue judge in Virginia. Truckers in California. Mendoza & his mother. Iran 1980.

 Dems attack rogue judge in Virginia.  Truckers in California.  Mendoza & his mother.  Iran 1980.

Now the judges are rogue and too active?

<em>Now</em> the judges are rogue and too active?:

A district judge stops President Trump and he is saving democracy. A couple of judges stop Democrats and now they are "rogue," "activist," and a threat to mankind.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/04/em_now_em_the_judges_are_rogue_and_too_active.html

Happy # 59 to Omar Vizquel

Omar Enrique (Gonzalez) Vizquel was born in Venezuela on this day in 1967.   He was too young to watch Luis Aparicio play in the major leagues but I'm sure that he heard a lot about him growing up.    Every kid in Venezuela knows about the great Aparicio.

Omar was an outstanding shortstop.   However, let's not overlook his bat:  .272 BA, 2,877 hits, 456 doubles and a very good .336 On Base Pct.

Will he make the Hall of Fame in a couple of years?   Probably not but he will eventually.    

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.

A very difficult April 1980 for President Carter

If you remember late April 1980, then you recall two huge front page stories that rocked the Carter presidency.

First, it was Mariel and the arrival of 100,000 Cubans to the US. It was a boat-lift like no other and became very controversial, specially with then Governor Clinton of Arkansas who faced very hostile voters.

Second, it was Iran and the on-going story about US diplomats held hostage when the US Embassy was attacked the previous November.

On another front, President Carter approved a mission to go into Iran and rescue the hostages.

Unfortunately, he had to address the nation a few days later to tell us what went wrong.   It was a terrible morning and we heard that 8 US servicemen were killed when one of the departing helicopters collided with a AC-130 transport airplane on the ground.

It was horrible week of April and things only got worse that summer with one economic shock after another.

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.