1867: Alaska and Seward’s Folly

We remember President Andrew Johnson because he succeeded President Lincoln and was impeached and not convicted in 1868. 

 

Yet, he made a decision in 1867 that impacted the 20th century in ways that no one could have imagined.  It may have been as consequential as The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 that doubled the size of the nation.

 

Back in March 1867, Secretary of State Seward signed a treaty with Russia and purchased Alaska for $7 million.  

 

It was actually a huge bargain but that’s not what they thought back then.

 

So they called it “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s icebox”.

 

The critics were tough on President Andrew Johnson, too.  They called it his “polar bear garden.”

 

Less than a 100 years later, or 1959, Alaska became a state and nobody is calling the purchase a folly anymore.

 

Can you imagine Soviet missiles pointing at the US from north in Alaska? Or more oil fields in the hands of Putin today?

 

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We remember Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)

Vincent van Gogh was born in The Netherlands on this day in 1853.   He died in 1890.

For some time, I've been meaning to watch "Lust for life", a movie about his life.    Kirk Douglas was amazing as Vincent Van Gogh, the Dutch painter, and nominated for best actor.  Anthony Quinn was also great.

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"Sandlot" is a fantastic movie

Want to watch a great movie?   Try "Sandlot", the story about the boys and their sandlot team.

Once upon a time in Los Angeles, there was a sandlot baseball team.   They used to play ball every day, a story that most men my age will understand.

During one of their games, a boy hit the ball over the fence and it landed next to "the beast" or a big dog that scared the heck out of them.

What was the big deal?   The ball was signed by Babe Ruth and they were using it without dad's permission.

Well, I've given you enough of the story.   Watch it because it is fantastic.

You can get the movie here!

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1776: Juan Bautista de Anza and San Francisco

On this day in 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza arrived in what we now call San Francisco.  

It took years to settle the city by the bay.  By 1852, the population had reached 36,000.

Thanks to Sr. De Anza, we got songs like "San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie.....the composer was John Phillips of Mamas & Papas.....

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1951 "RHUBARB": A cat inherits a fortune plus Ray Milland & Jane Sterling

It must be the start of a new season because those old movies about  baseball are on TV.  

I caught "Rhubarb", the cat who inherited a fortune, including a baseball team.   Frankly, it's hilarious!

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We remember Jack Ruby (1911-1967)

Jack Ruby was born Chicago on this day in 1911 and died of cancer in 1967.  

As far as we know, Ruby never changed his story about killing Lee Harvey Oswald.     Apparently, Ruby did not want Jackie Kennedy to come to a trial.   He took that explanation or story to his grave.

For the record, I believe that Oswald shot President Kennedy on his own.  I came to that conclusion after reading Gerald Posner’s “Case closed” in the 1990’s.   

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We remember Joseph Barbera (1911-2006)

We remember Joe Barbera who died in 2006 and was born on this day in New York in 1911.

I did not know that he was the creator of all of these cartoon characters:   Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, Scooby-Doo, the Flintstones & the Jetsons.   

What a great and creative life!

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We remember Thomas E. Dewey (1902-61)

We remember Thomas E. Dewey who was born in Owosso, Michigan, on this day in 1902.    He was a distinguished lawyer, prosecutor, and the 47th Governor of New York, 1943-54.   

Dewey was the GOP nominee for president in 1944 and 1948.   

No one expected Dewey to win in 1944 but the popular vote turned out to be a lot of closer than predicted.     FDR won by 3.5 million out of 48 million cast that day but blew out Dewey in the Electoral College:  432-99.

Everyone expected him to win in 1948 or defeat President Truman, who had assumed the presidency after FDR died in April 1945.    In the end, President Truman won and surprised all of the experts.

Mr. Dewey served as Governor of New York until 1954.  He was active in GOP politics until his death in 1961.

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We remember Clyde Barrow (1909-34)

Clyde Barrow was born on this day in 1909 in Texas.    

We remember him as the Clyde of Bonnie & Clyde.  They turned into a deadly couple who robbed banks and killed a lot of policemen.    

In 1967, a movie starring Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway made them famous all over the world.

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"Houdini" with Tony Curtis & Janet Leigh is a good movie

A few days ago, the retro channel showed "Houdini", a 1953 film with Tony Curtis & Janet Leigh.   It is the story of the famous Harry Houdini and based on the 1928 book "Houdini" by Harold Kellock.

I found this movie to be very entertaining.   Curtis & Leigh make a great pair.   

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We remember Harry Houdini (1874-1926)

The great Harry Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary on this day in 1874.    He died in 1926 or age 52.      

It was an amazing but short life.

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We remember Steve McQueen (1930-1980)

We remember Steve McQueen who was born in Beech Grove, Indiana, on this day in 1930.    

We remember him for many films, such as the World War II P.O.W. film "The Great Escape" (1963), "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968) and "The Cincinnati Kid" (1965).

McQueen died in 1980.

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Berlin 1949: The USSR lifted the Berlin blockade

The Cold War began shortly after World War II. 

We recall something that happened on this day in 1949 or the day that the USSR lifted the blockade against West Berlin.   

For over a year, the USSR tried to strangle West Berlin by closing all entrances to that city. 

The US and UK broke the blockade with a massive airlift of supplies to keep the citizens fed and warm over the winter. 

The numbers were impressive:   

Over the course of the airlift, 2.34 million tons of food, coal, fuel and other vital supplies were delivered to Berlin’s 2.2 million inhabitants.

More than 277,000 flights involving 300 aircraft took part in the operation, the biggest of its kind. At the height of the airlift planes were taking off and landing at 90-second intervals.

The Soviets ended their blockade on May 12, but the Allies continued the airlift until August 27 in order to build up a sufficient supply of goods.

Some 78 people lost their lives during the airlift — 31 Americans, 39 Britons and eight Germans.

The Berlin airlift was one of President Truman’s finest moments.  He stood up to the USSR and the good guys won. 

Of course, we also remember the story of the “candy bombers“, the pilots who dropped candy to children.

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1954: "Saskatchewan", a movie and a very familiar voice jumps at me

Flipping channels and I came across "Saskatchewan", a 1954 movie about the Canadian frontier.    The big stars were Allan Lad and Shelley Winters.

I was pleasantly surprised when Jay Silverwheels ("Tonto" of The Lone Ranger") was playing Cajou, an Indian from the tribe who had good relations with the white people.

The movie was released in 1954.   I'm not sure if he was already playing "Tonto" in the classic TV series.

By the way, the movie's choreography was fantastic.

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We remember Tommy Davis (1939-2022)

We remember Tommy Davis who was born in Brooklyn, NY, on this day in 1939.  He died April 2022.

Davis broke with the LA Dodgers in 1959 and became a regular in 1961.  He won back-to-back batting titles in 1962-63 and seemed headed for The Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, Davis had some bad injuries and never regained his early form.   

In 1973, Davis joined the Orioles and became one of the first veterans to get playing time as a designated hitter.   He hit .291 over 4 seasons with Baltimore and played in a couple of ALCS. 

Tommy was a great hitter despite all of the injuries that limited his career:  .294 average, 2,121 hits and 1,052 RBI in 1,999 games.     

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"Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy" by Dr. Carlos Eire

Over the last few years, many Cuban Americans have written their "coming to the US" stories.    

Our friend Dr. Carlos Eire shared his story in "Waiting for snow in Havana".    Carlos left Cuba under the "Pedro Pan" program that brought 14,000 young people to the US.

It is a wonderful book.

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We remember Ritchie Ashburn (1920-97)

We remember Richie Ashburn who was born in Nebraska on this day in 1927.   

Ashburn broke with the Phillies in 1948:   .333, 32 Stolen bases, 154 hits in 117 games and the first rookie to start in the NL All Star team.    

He was third in the NL Rookie of the Year vote behind Alvin Dark and Gene Bearden.

Over the next 14 seasons, Ashburn won 2 batting titles, led the NL in hits 3 times, 4 OBP titles and twice in triples.

Ashburn retired in 1962:    .308 career batting average, .396 OBP, and 2,574 hits in 2,189 games.   He was selected to The Hall of Fame in 1995 and died in 1997.

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We remember José Méndez (1887 – 1928)

We remember today José de la Caridad Méndez Báez who was born in Cardenas, Cuba, in March 1887. He was a baseball hero in the early years of the new Cuban republic. Unfortunately, he died young in 1928. Mendez was a right-handed pitcher in the Negro Leagues for the following teams: Chicago American Giants, 1918, Detroit Star, 1919, and the Kansas City Monarchs, 1920-1926. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2006.

This is a bit of his baseball story:

Although he spent his entire career playing either in Cuba or the Negro Leagues of North America, José Méndez often faced AL/NL competition in exhibition games. And he regularly bested some of the game’s biggest stars like Christy Mathewson and Eddie Plank.

After a 1911 tour of Cuba, Philadelphia Athletics catcher Ira Thomas said: “More than one big leaguer from the states has faced him and left the plate with a wholesome respect for the great Cuban star. It is not alone my opinion but the opinion of many others who have seen Méndez pitch that he ranks with the best in the game.”

Nicknamed “The Black Diamond,” the Cuban-born hurler had a lean, wiry frame, with a deceptively hard fastball and a sharp curveball. He was also able to keep hitters off balance because of his ability to change speeds so well.

Arm trouble in 1914 forced Méndez to reinvent himself as a shortstop. Over the years Méndez played for several teams and returned to the mound from time-to-time, but it was not until the 1924 Negro Leagues World Series that Méndez’s pitching arm would again feature prominently. Pitching for the Kansas City Monarchs, Méndez went 2-0, with a 1.42 ERA in four pitching games in the series and leading the Monarchs to the Negro Leagues World Series championship.

In seven years in the Negro Leagues, Mendez posted a record of 30-9 with a 3.46 ERA.

In her memoirs, Mrs. John McGraw recalled how her husband, whenever Méndez pitched against the Giants, would express regret about the ban that kept Méndez out of the big leagues: “Without mincing words, John bemoaned the failure of baseball, himself included, to cast aside custom or unwritten law, or whatever it was, and sign a player alone, regardless of race or color.”

Mendez was not a player that I grew up hearing about. It wasn’t until his election to The Hall of Fame in 2006 that I became interested in his career. Nevertheless, he belongs in Cooperstown and another example of the great legacy of Cuban baseball.

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We remember Wyatt Earp (1848-1928)

Like many of you, I got reconnected with Wyatt Earp from that movie a few years ago starring Kevin Costner.   The movie was released in 1994. 

   

Also, I started watching "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp", a TV series 1955-61.   You can now buy the whole series HERE.

Wyatt Earp was born on this day in 1848 and died in January 1928.

Earp was quiet a figure from the old West.   

The aforementioned book by Stuart Lake is available HERE.  

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1953: The Boston Braves became the Milwaukee Braves

On this day in 1953, The Boston Braves made it official and moved to Milwaukee.       

The Braves spent 13 seasons in Milwaukee before moving to Atlanta for the 1966 season.  

In Milwaukee, they won the World Series in 1957 and the NL pennant in 1958. 

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A book about James Madison (1751-1836)

We remember President James Madison who was born on this day in 1751.

As a graduate of James Madison High School, I've always been very fond of President Madison and his work with the US Constitution.   Also, let's not forget that Mrs. Madison saved a portrait of President Washington when the British invaded Washington in 1812.

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"Coroner Creek", a 1948 movie

Not long ago, I caught “Coroner creek”, a 1948 Western.   It was about vengeance, romance, surprise and all of those things that happen in Westerns.    

The 1948 movie featured Randolph Scott as “Chris Denning”, the new kid in town, and Marguerite Chapman as “Kate Hardison”, the girl who runs the town hotel for her ailing father.    

Like a lot of the old Westerns, it flies by and the scenery is great.    

It is based on a novel by Luke Short.

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1952: Is "High noon" the best western ever?

Where does "High noon" rank?   My vote is for one of the best westerns ever, somewhere between John Wayne's "The shootist" and "Gunfight at the OK corral".  

The cast is extraordinary:  Gary Cooper, Lloyd Bridges and Grace Kelly.      The film is from 1952 so I don't know if this was Grace Kelly's first major movie.

Excellent movie and the ending scene is fantastic.   

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We remember Bobby Bonds (1946-2003)

Bobby Bonds was born in California on this day in 1946.   He died in 2003 at age 57.

In the early 1970s, Bobby Bonds was one of the greatest players in baseball.    He was a "30 home run 30 stolen bases" player in five different seasons.   

In 1973, he came within one home run of being the first "40-40" player in history:  39 HR and 43 stolen bases.    Jose Canseco did it in 1988.

Bonds had some great years with the Giants.   He was traded to the Yankees and played with several AL teams.   I had an opportunity to watch him and appreciate his incredible talents.   

By the late 1970s, he was no more than a DH.   In his early days, he was a complete player with the Giants.

Overall, he finished with a .268 career batting average, 332 HR, 1,024 RBI and 1,886 hits.    

He is probably better known today for being Barry Bonds' dad.

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1957: "Run of the arrow" a great movie

"Run of the arrow" is not your typical western.   It's the story of a bitter Confederate veteran who joins a Sioux tribe to keep his war against the Union going.  

This is from the TCM summary:    

A revisionist Western that makes complex statements about the nature of race, identity, and loyalty, Run of the Arrow (1957) is a key film in the oeuvre of renegade director Samuel Fuller. Though Fuller was often criticized for lacking a social conscience - his taste for lurid pulp fiction usually excluded it - this picture paints as open-minded an image of the American Indian as you're likely to find in 1950s cinema. 

The main character, played by Rod Steiger, actually sides with the Indians for the better part of the film, a stance that runs decidedly counter to what John Wayne and his ilk had been doing for the previous 20 years.

Steiger plays Pvt. O'Meara, a Confederate soldier who fires what turns out to be the final shot of the Civil War. A Union lieutenant named Driscoll (Ralph Meeker) is on the receiving end of the bullet, but he recovers from his wound. 

Unwilling to accept the "death" of his beloved South once the peace treaty is signed at Appomattox, O'Meara heads West. There, after establishing his worthiness through an endurance test known as "the run of the arrow," he joins a Sioux Indian tribe. Eventually, he falls in love with a beautiful maiden named Yellow Moccasin, played by Sarita Montiel, whose voice was dubbed by RKO contract player Angie Dickinson!

It's a neat story and worth watching.  By the way, Sarita Montiel from Spain was a very popular actress and singer in the Spanish speaking world.  

You can click here to watch the movie.

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1960: The White Sox added the name to their uniforms

On this day in 1960, the Chicago White Sox introduced new uniforms with last names over the number.   

It took a while for the idea to catch on.   There are still teams today, such as the Red Sox and Yankees, who do not have names on their home uniforms. 

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“Obama got nothing from Cuba” and a few other memories from the late Charles Krauthammer

Back in 2015, Charles Krauthammer wrote this:

There’s an old Cold War joke – pre-pantyhose – that to defeat communism we should empty our B-52 bombers of nuclear weapons and, instead, drop nylons over the Soviet Union. Flood the Russians with the soft consumer culture of capitalism, seduce them with Western contact and commerce, love bomb them into freedom.

We did win the Cold War, but differently. We contained, constrained, squeezed and, eventually, exhausted the Soviets into giving up. The dissidents inside subsequently told us how much they were sustained by our support for them and our implacable pressure on their oppressors.

The logic behind President Obama’s Cuba normalization, assuming there is one, is the nylon strategy. We tried 50 years of containment and that didn’t bring democracy. So let’s try inundating them with American goods, visitors, culture, contact, commerce

We know how that “inundating them with American goods, visitors, culture, contact, commerce” turned out. The regime is still there.

We remember the great Charles Krauthammer, one of the best political commentators. He was born on this day in New York City in 1950. 

It was Dr. Krauthammer who coined the phrase “Bush derangement syndrome” in 2003. He was reacting to the irrational behavior of so many Democrats. We also enjoyed his commentaries on the “Fox Report”. 

Last, but not least, Dr. Krauthammer published a best seller a couple of years before his death in 2018.

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We remember Charles Krauthammer (1950-2018)

We remember the great Charles Krauthammer, one of the best political commentators.      He was born on this day in New York City in 1950.

It was Dr. Krauthammer who coined the phrase "Bush derangement syndrome" in 2003.   He was reacting to the irrational behavior of so many Democrats.    

We also enjoyed his commentaries on the "Fox Report".

Last, but not least, Dr. Krauthammer published a best seller a couple of years before his death in 2018.

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1964: The Dave Clark 5 on The Ed Sullivan Show

On March 8, 1964, The Dave Clark Five were the second British group to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.   

The band from London put 17 singles on Billboard‘s Top 40 between 1964 and 1967:  “Glad All Over,” “Bits And Pieces,” “Because,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Catch Us If You Can,” “Over And Over,” “Having A Wild Weekend" and many others.

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1974: "The sting" sweept Oscars and nobody was talking politics!

Once upon a time, I cared about the Oscars.   I guess that was before every movie star decided to give a political speech that no one cared to hear.

"The sting" with Paul Newman and Robert Redford swept the Oscars in 1974.   It also introduced Scott Joplin's music to a lot of us.   Joplin died in 1917.    

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen.

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1961: Episode # 100 of "The Rifleman"

"The Rifleman" is one of my favorite Western shows.     On this day in 1961, the series ran its 100th episode.

Not long ago I watched "The Queue".  This is the episode about a Chinese man, and son, who face prejudice from a couple of local troublemakers.  In the end, Mr Wang, and son, settle down and open a laundry.

Great show!

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We remember Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born on this day in 1806.   She was an English poet of the Romantic Movement.      

On September 12, 1846, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with Robert Browing.   They had a son in 1849 and lived happily ever after.

"How Do I Love Thee?" (Sonnet 43) is probably Barrett Browning's most famous poem today.  It was written during her courtship with Robert Browning.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight for the ends of being and ideal grace."

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We remember Mary Wilson (1944-2021)

We remember Mary Wilson who was born on this day in 1944 and died February 2021.   

The Supremes were Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard.  They were three very talented young women from Detroit.  In a short time, the trio became the most successful "girl group" in rock and pop history.  Later, Diana Ross enjoyed a huge solo career!

 

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1966: Marvin Miller and the players' union

(Marvin Miller with Joe Niekro and Nolan Ryan many years ago)

Marvin Miller was named executive director of MLB Players Association on this day in 1966.    He became one of the most important labor union leaders ever and a very consequential advocate for the baseball players.  

Miller died in November 2012.  

Looking back at the last 40-something years of "free agency", some of the salaries are indeed ridiculous and small market teams were impacted.  

However, Mr. Miller did not force any team to offer anyone a salary.  "Free agency" only gave the players the opportunity to negotiate.  It did not force any owner to offer any amount or terms.  

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