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.    

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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.

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Iran 1980: The morning we got the news that the mission had failed

For my generation, the Iran hostage crisis is one of those news stories that brings back bad memories.

It started when the so called students crashed the US embassy in Tehran and held about 50 diplomats hostage.   It ended a few minutes after President Reagan was sworn in January 1981.

Between the takeover and the hostages’ release, the story was a daily grind of rumors and more bad news.   Many of us got hooked to an ABC nightly hostage show that ended up being “Nightline”.

The low point was April 24, 1980:

On April 24, 1980, an ill-fated military operation to rescue the 52 American hostages held in Tehran ends with eight U.S. servicemen dead and no hostages rescued. With the Iran Hostage Crisis stretching into its sixth month and all diplomatic appeals to the Iranian government ending in failure, President Jimmy Carter ordered the military mission as a last ditch attempt to save the hostages. During the operation, three of eight helicopters failed, crippling the crucial airborne plans. The mission was then canceled at the staging area in Iran, but during the withdrawal one of the retreating helicopters collided with one of six C-130 transport planes, killing eight soldiers and injuring five. The next day, a somber Jimmy Carter gave a press conference in which he took full responsibility for the tragedy. The hostages were not released for another 270 days.

What a horrible morning.

As I recall, the failed mission did not become a big issue in the campaign.  I recall then-Governor Reagan holding his fire and simply expressing sympathies for the soldiers.   Democrat challenger Senator Ted Kennedy did not say much either.

There were many bad mornings in the Carter presidency.   This one was one of the worst!

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The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda

 Guest:   Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.  The Iran War and what's next.  Virginia and districts.

The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda

 

Guest:   Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.  The Iran War and what's next.  Virginia and districts.

Listen to "The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda" on Spreaker.

Did someone forget to tell Claudia again?

Did someone forget to tell Claudia again?:

Does the woman even know what’s going on in her own country?

Click to read:

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

We remember Warren Spahn (1921-2003)

We remember one of the great left handed pitchers in major league history.  

Warren Spahn was born on this day in 1921 in Buffalo, New York.  He joined the Boston Braves in 1942 and moved to Milwaukee with the team for the 1953 season.   

It was in Milwaukee that he got to play with Lew Burdette, Eddie Matthews and Henry Aaron.   They won the 1957 World Series and the 1958 NL pennant.

His numbers were awesome:  363 wins, 3.09 ERA, 382 complete games, 5,243 innings pitched and 63 shutouts.   He pitched no-hitters in 1960, 1961 and was selected to The Hall of Fame in 1973.

Spahn's greatest pitching performance may have been a 1-0 loss to Juan Marichal in 1963.  He pitched 16 innings before giving up a HR to Willie Mays.

Spahn died in 2003!

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We remember Roy Orbison (1936-88)

Roy Orbison was born on this day in 1936 in Vernon, Texas.

He was one of the great voices of rock.  In fact, John Lennon was a huge fan of his vocal style.  He died in 1988.   

Most people remember him for "Pretty woman", a great # 1 song from 1964.    It also came back big with the soundtrack of the movie by the same name.  My favorite song was "Blue angel".

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April 23, 1564: We believe that William Shakespeare was born on this day

We say happy birthday to the great British author.  

We believe that he was born in Stratford-on-Avon on April 23, 1564.  No one knows for sure because birth records were not always reliable.   

We do know that he died on April 23, 1616 when he was only 52.  Well, let’s wish him a happy birthday anyway!   

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April 1967: Remembering "New York Mining Disaster 1941"

We remember the first US release by The Bee Gees.....the song reached # 14 in Billboard......the B-side was "I can't see nobody", a rather good song and lead vocal by Robin Gibb......both songs were released in the band's first LP.

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