April 30, 1961: Willie Mays hit 4 home runs against the Braves

As far as I’m concerned, Willie Mays is the most complete player in baseball history.   He was the ultimate 5-tool player and could do everything well.  

Mays also stayed free of injuries, unlike Mickey Mantle who battled bad knees for his entire career with the Yankees.

Willie Mays had many big games in his glorious career, specially April 30, 1961.    

Mays hit 4 home runs at the old County Stadium in Milwaukee.   He went 4 for 5 with 8 RBIs.   

The Giants beat the Braves, 14-4.     

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1945: The BBC and Hitler is dead

According to reports, Hitler was shocked when he got reports that Mussolini had been executed in Italy.    Mussolini’s body, along with Clara Petacci, was put on display for Italians.

He did not want the same ending.   

On this day in 1945, he was reported dead by the BBC.  Later, we learned that it was a suicide and that his ashes were allegedly found along Eva Braun, his wife.  

The European war ended a few weeks later when Germany surrendered.    (Of course, the Pacific side of the war went on until Japan surrendered in September 1945)

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We remember Bobby Vee (1943-2016)

We remember Robert Thomas Velline who was born in Fargo, South Dakota on this day in 1943.    

We known him as Bobby Vee, one of the most popular pop vocalists of the early 1960's.    

He put 30 songs in the Billboard Top 100 including several in the Top 10:  “Take Good Care of My Baby” # 1, “Devil or Angel” “Rubber Ball” “More Than I Can Say”, “Run to Him”, “The Night Has a Thousand eyes”, and “Come Back When You Grow Up”.    

As I understand, he was one of the first artists to use what we now call a video to promote a song.

Bobby Vee died in 2016.

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April 30, 1789: George Washington became the first President of the US

On this day in 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the US.  

How do you recommend a book about President Washington?   You can't.   My suggestion is that you read one from time to time.   He was an amazing man who generated tremendous loyalty among the men who served under him.

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We remember Duke Ellington (1899-1974)

We remember Duke Ellington who was born in Washington DC on this day in 1899.    He died in 1974.

Duke was a jazz giant.   However, I first heard of him many years ago when my father used to listen to The Voice of America in Cuba.

Duke’s “Take the A train” was the intro-music for Willis Conover’s jazz show broadcast to the world on short wave.     

Conover broke the Iron Curtain, The Berlin Wall and came into Communist Cuba, too. 

It was a very catchy tune and millions around the world came to know Duke that way.

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Remembering "Respect" by Aretha Franklin

"Respect" was released on this day in 1967 and hit # 1 by mid-June.  

Over time, "Respect" became one of the most popular records of the 1960s and a frequent addition to movie soundtracks.

The story of "Respect" is rather interesting.  It was ranked # 5 in Rolling Stone's Top 500 all time songs.

"Respect" was written by Otis Redding, another one of my favorite performers.

Click here for the song.....

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1968: The musical "Hair" opened in Broadway

We remember "Hair", the musical that opened in Broadway on this day in 1968.     

There were two angles to "Hair".    

The first was "political" and it did nothing for me.   It still doesn't.     

The second was the music and that was great, including "Aquarius/Let the sunshine in" by The Fifth Dimension, "Easy to be hard" by Three Dog Night and "Hair" by The Cowsills.

The music was good but everything else was not that important.

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We remember Tammi Terrell (1945-1970)

Tammi Terrell was born Thomasina Montgomery in Philadelphia on this day in 1945.  

She died in 1970.    Tammi died from complications of a brain tumor.

Along with Marvin Gaye, they were the romantic duo of Motown with hits like "Ain't no mountain high enough" and "Your precious love".

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1945: Mussolini & Clara were shot by Italian partisans

On this day in 1945, Benito Mussolini & Clara Petacci were shot by Italian partisans.  

They tried to escape and were captured.  Eventually, their bodies were hung upside down and displayed publicly.

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We remember President Monroe (1758-1831)

We remember James Monroe who was born in Virginia on this day in 1758.  He was one our 5th president and the author of The Monroe Doctrine about European interference in the Americas.    He died in 1831.

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April 28, 1961: Warren Spahn pitched second career no-hitter

On this day in 1961, 40-year old Warren Spahn threw his second no-hitter against a very tough Giants lineup.   

According to SABR, it was a very cold day and only 8, 518 fans showed up at County Stadium to watch the game. 

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April 28, 1956: Frank Robinson hit # 1 of 586 career HR

On this day in 1956, Frank Robinson hit the first of his 586 lifetime home runs.   The pitcher was the Cubs’ Paul Minner in the old Crosley Field in Cincinnati.    Frank hit 38 in 1956 and was selected NL Rookie of the Year.    
He won the NL MVP in 1961 & AL MVP in 1966.    

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First Lady Louisa Catherine Adams 1825-29

First Lady Melania Trump was born in Slovenia.  Who was the other First Lady born out side of the US?  The answer is Louisa Catherine Adams.   Her husband John Quincy Adams was the 7th president (1825-29). 

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We remember Bobby Rydell (1942-2022)

We remember Bobby Rydell who was born in Philadelphia on this day in 1942.   He died April 2022. 

I think that he became famous in "Bye bye Birdie" with a very young Ann Margaret, another teen idol of the early 1960's.    

Bobby had many hits on the radio, including "Forget him" and "Wild one". 

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April 26, 1865: John Wilkes Booth killed

We remember that John Wilkes Booth was killed on this day in 1865.  

Booth went into hiding after killing President Lincoln.  He was found by Union troops hiding in a farm and killed there.

Booth was a popular actor at the time.  His family was one of the first families of American theater.  He made his New York debut in 1862 and things were looking up.  However, a respiratory illness in 1863 put him on the sidelines for a while.

His other passion was the cause of the Confederacy or the South.  It motivated him to kill President Lincoln at Ford's Theater in Washington DC.

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We remember Hack Wilson (1900-48)

Lewis Robert "Hack" Wilson was born in Pennsylvania on this day in 1900.   He died in 1948.

Hack, as he was known, broke with the Giants in 1923 but blossomed with the Cubs in 1926.   

In fact, he hit 190 HR with 769 RBI in 850 games.   He led the NL in RBI with 159 in 1929 & 191 in 1930.   

His stats with the Cubs were awesome.     

In 1979, the Veterans Committee selected Hack Wilson to the Hall of Fame.

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1963: Peggy March and "I will follow him"

Some of you may remember “I will follow him” from “Sister Act”, the movie with Whoppie Goldberg…..

The original version goes back to 1963 when 15 year old Peggy Marsh (Margaret Annemarie Battavio) put it at # 1:

I WILL FOLLOW HIM

“Love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow

I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep A mountain so high it can keep me away

I must follow him, ever since he touched my hand I knew
That near him I always must be 
And nothing can keep him from me He is my destiny

I love him, I love him, I love him And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
From now until forever, forever, forever

I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep
A mountain so high it can keep, keep me away Away from my love

I love him, I love him, I love him
And where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow
He’ll always be my true love, my true love, my true love
From now until forever, forever, forever

I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go
There isn’t an ocean too deep A mountain so high it can keep, 
keep me away Away from my love

Do-do do-do-do do-do-do and where he goes
I’ll follow, I’ll follow, I’ll follow I know I’ll always love him…”

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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.

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Remembering "Summer Wine" by Nancy and Lee!

"Summer wine" was a great song recorded many summers ago.

It's a song about a stranger who meets a stranger. I guess that I will leave the rest of the story to your imagination.

I love the song because it lends itself to a male and female vocalist.

The woman repeats the chorus over and over again. ("Strawberry cherries and an angel's kiss in spring....my summer wine is really made from all these things.")

The man tells the story.

Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood recorded the original version of "Summer wine".

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1956: "Heartbreak hotel" by Elvis was # 1 this week

  

Elvis recorded this song in January 1956 and it became his first # 1 and gold record.   "Heartbreak hotel" is one of the greatest rock songs of all time.  

It launched Elvis and everything that followed, from more gold records to movies.   I learned later that Chet Atkins played guitar and Floyd Cramer the piano in this recording.

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1719: Robinson Crusoe was published

It was 1719 and a wonderful new book by Daniel Defoe was published in England.   

It was about a shipwrecked sailor who spent years on a deserted island.   It was apparently based on the experiences of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor lost off the coast of South America in the early 1700's.

By the way, I recently saw this 1953 movie about "Robinson Crusoe".  It was interesting.

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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!! "

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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.    

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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.

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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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1954: # 1 of 755 for Hank Aaron

We remember Henry, or Hank, Aaron today.    He hit # 1 off Vic Raschi of the Cardinals.  

Aaron was the last of the Negro League players to play in the majors.   

He hit # 1 of 755!

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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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Coincidence? The first Earth Day in 1970 on Vladimir Lenin’s 100th birthday?

Before Babalu, American Thinker and websites, I used to write “letters to the editor” in our local newspapers.  It was our only option.

In 1990, I wrote a letter addressing the coincidence that Earth Day 1970 was created on the 100th anniversary of Vladimir Lenin’s birthday.

Coincidence?

It was published in The Dallas Times Herald, a newspaper no longer around.   In other words, I can not link to the letter but can share the content here.

My letter addressed a couple of points:

First, the environmental movement had become a refuge for the left, specially in 1990 following the collapse of the Soviet empire; and,

Two, it was ironically the cities of communist states in Eastern Europe, Cuba and the old USSR with the worst pollution problems in the world.

In fact, The New York Times wrote this in 1990:

While efforts to restore clean air to the United States have met with partial success, there is a far greater ecological disaster brewing in Eastern Europe, a report on worldwide air pollution said today.

The report, issued by the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington-based environmental group, warned that gains in the West are quickly being negated by the unrestricted burning of high-sulfur brown coal and diesel fuel that is blackening cities across Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

My letter argued that the communist world was polluted because of a lack of property rights as well as the absence of freedom or the rule of law.

It’s no coincidence that democratic states, like the US or Western Europe, are more sensitive to pollution or dirty rivers.  In general, elected representatives are more sensitive to the air that their constituents breathe or the water that they drink.

So is it a coincidence that Earth Day and Lenin’s birthday are on the same day?   I doubt the coincidence given the anti-capitalism tone coming from the movement.

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The old "Little Women" is still great

Yes, "Little women" is your quintessential "chick flick".    Nevertheless, it is a very good story.

The 1949 version, with Meg (Janet Leigh), Jo (June Allyson), Amy (Elizabeth Taylor), Beth (Margaret O'Brien) and Mrs March (Mary Astor), is a great film about family.    

It is often featured on TCM and very good.

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April 21, 1865: Abraham Lincoln's funeral train left Washington

On this day in 1865, the Lincoln funeral train left Washington DC.     The train traveled through 180 cities and seven states on its way to Illinois.   Millions lined up to say goodbye to the 16th president.

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Lenin and those very dirty and polluted cities of the old Soviet bloc

We celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Earth Day.”  We are also reminded that Vladimir Lenin was born on this day in 1870. 

Coincidence?  I don’t know. We do know that there is anti-capitalism streak in the environmentalist movement.  Just check out AOC! 

Do any of the people who started “Earth Day” know what Lenin’s ideas did to the environment in communist countries? 

The collapse of the Soviet Union opened up many of those countries enslaved behind what Prime Minister Churchill called “The Iron Curtain.”   

We learned many things: 

• The economies were really backwards compared to those on our side, i.e. East vs West Germany for example; and, 
• Their cities were really dirty and polluted. 

In fact, The New York Times wrote this in 1990: 

While efforts to restore clean air to the United States have met with partial success, there is a far greater ecological disaster brewing in Eastern Europe, a report on worldwide air pollution said today.

The report, issued by the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington-based environmental group, warned that gains in the West are quickly being negated by the unrestricted burning of high-sulfur brown coal and diesel fuel that is blackening cities across Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

It was obvious that the communist world was polluted because of a lack of property rights as well as the absence of freedom or the rule of law. It’s no coincidence that democratic states, like the US or Western Europe, are more sensitive to pollution or dirty rivers. In general, elected representatives are more sensitive to the air that their constituents breathe or the water that they drink. 

So is it a coincidence that Earth Day and Lenin’s birthday are on the same day? I don’t know but someone forgot to check what Lenin and the gang did to the water and air in communist countries.    

Maybe they should change the date and remember someone who actually cared about clean water and fresh air. 

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April 21, 1904: Ty Cobb made his professional debut!

On April 21, 1904,  Ty Cobb made his professional with Augusta (South Atlantic League).  He hit a double and HR in an 8-7 loss to Columbus.

Cobb broke with Detroit in 1905 and his career numbers still leave you in total shock:  .366 batting average, 4,189 hits, 724 doubles, 295 triples, 892 stolen bases and 117 "dead ball era" HR.    He did it all in 3,035 games!     

What an amazing hitter!

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