Baseball song: Joltin Joe Dimaggio!

One of the great baseball songs ever:  "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio"!  

The song makes reference to the 56-game streak, probably one of the greatest achievements in sports history.    

During the streak, from mid-May to early July, DiMaggio hit .408 with 15 HR and 55 RBI.

P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

The first "Indy 500" was held in 1911

The Indianapolis 500 is always a real treat.    It's like the Super Bowl in the sense that people get together and watch the race over food and drinks.   It is the only race that I try to catch.

It all got started in 1911 when Ray Harround came in first.   Good luck to the drivers and their teams.

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.

Happy Memorial Day

We salute, and remember, today all of the men and women who died serving their country.

Let me say a word about Nathan Aguirre, a young man from our church who was killed in Iraq in 2006.  I know his parents and send a warm greeting to both of them.

We remember reading the story of Katherine Cathey and her husband killed in action.

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 WORD ABOUT MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day is a special American holiday.  My guess is that all countries have one day to remember those who have paid the ultimate price, as President Lincoln said.  In the US, we call it Memorial Day and it has a long history. 

Let’s start with the war between the states or The Civil War (1861-65) and “Decoration Day“:    

On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed.

The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.

On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.

Later, it became Memorial Day after World War I and World War II:    

For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday.

Looking back today and reading about Decoration Day, I am amazed how our ancestors were willing to decorate the graves of northern and southern soldiers.  It’s a good lesson for those who want to remove statues.  Sometimes the best way to heal is to honor the dead rather than selectively remove them from history.

Remember their sacrifice on Memorial Day.

 P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos. If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

Summer reading: The great Bart Starr

Once upon a time, the NFL was more about rushing than passing.   In other words, those QB's from that era did not attempt 45 or 50 passes in a game.   Nevertheless, they were still the big heroes on the field.

My first football hero was Bart Starr.   I fell in love with # 15 because of Starr.   I used to move and throw the football like he did.    He was my complete idol.

Starr won two Super Bowl MVP's leading the Packers and establishing himself as one of the greatest QB's ever.    In this book, we see how much Bart Starr was in the middle of the development of the NFL into the game that we know today.

Great QB, maybe the best ever!   He died on this day in 2019.

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 word about Hal David's death, great songwriter

Hal David died in 2012. He was born on this day in 1921.   

David, along with Burt Bachrach, wrote some of the most popular songs of the last 60 years:

"Bacharach and David wrote many top 40 hits including "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," "Close to You" and "That's What Friends Are For."
"As a lyric writer, Hal was simple, concise and poetic -- conveying volumes of meaning in fewest possible words and always in service to the music," 
ASCAP's current president, the songwriter Paul Williams, said in a statement. "It is no wonder that so many of his lyrics have become part of our everyday vocabulary and his songs... the backdrop of our lives."
Many lyrics and tunes from Bacharach and David continue to resonate in pop culture, including "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" and "I Say A Little Prayer" to "What The World Needs Now Is Love." 
Their music was recorded by legendary singers including The Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond and their longtime partner Dionne Warwick."

It's hard to pick a song.....let me pick "Close to you" by The Carpenters.

1883: Happy birthday to The Brooklyn Bridge

It took 14 years, and sadly 27 lives, but The Brooklyn Bridge opened on this day in 1883.   It connected Brooklyn and New York City and designed by John A. Roebling.

President Chester Arthur, and Governor of New York & future President Grover Cleveland, presided over the ceremony. It was the largest suspension bridge ever built to that date.

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.

1934: Bonnie & Clyde killed by police

Bonnie & Clyde were killed on this day in 1934.  It happened in Sailes, LA.  They were ambushed by a police force and killed instantly.   And the rest is history.       In 1967, Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway were in a movie about "Bonnie & Clyde".

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.

The first Atlantic crossing by plane: Still amazing to think about

(My new American Thinker post)

Jimmy Stewart's The Spirit of St. Louis is a great movie, especially thanks to the scenes of Charles Lindbergh trying to stay awake over the Atlantic Ocean.

On May 21 in 1927, Charles Lindbergh did something that had never been done before:

At 7:52 a.m. EST on May 20, The Spirit of St. Louis lifted off from Roosevelt Field, so loaded with fuel that it barely cleared the telephone wires at the end of the runway. Lindbergh traveled northeast up the coast. After only four hours, he felt tired and flew within 10 feet of the water to keep his mind clear. As night fell, the aircraft left the coast of Newfoundland and set off across the Atlantic.
At about 2 a.m. on May 21, Lindbergh passed the halfway mark, and an hour later dawn came. Soon after, The Spirit of St. Louis entered a fog, and Lindbergh struggled to stay awake, holding his eyelids open with his fingers and hallucinating that ghosts were passing through the cockpit.
After 24 hours in the air, he felt a little more awake and spotted fishing boats in the water. 
At about 11 a.m. (3 p.m. local time), he saw the coast of Ireland. Despite using only rudimentary navigation, he was two hours ahead of schedule and only three miles off course. He flew past England and by 3 p.m. EST was flying over France. It was 8 p.m. in France, and night was falling.
At the Le Bourget Aerodrome in Paris, tens of thousands of Saturday night revelers had gathered to await Lindbergh’s arrival.
At 10:24 a.m. local time, his gray and white monoplane slipped out of the darkness and made a perfect landing in the air field. The crowd surged on 
The Spirit of St. Louis, and Lindbergh, weary from his 33 1/2-hour, 3,600-mile journey, was cheered and lifted above their heads. He hadn’t slept for 55 hours. Two French aviators saved Lindbergh from the boisterous crowd, whisking him away in an automobile. He was an immediate international celebrity.

The best part of Lindbergh's odyssey is how incredible it was.  It was a test not just of a machine, but of the human body and mind.  In other words, the flight could have ended if Lindbergh had not stayed awake.  He could have crashed and drowned from the lack of sleep.   

Lindbergh said this about sitting in that small cabin with nothing but his eyes and good instincts to get him to his destination:

While my hand is on the stick, my feet on the rudder, and my eyes on the compass, this consciousness, like a winged messenger, goes out to visit the waves below, testing the warmth of water, the speed of wind, the thickness of intervening clouds. It goes north to the glacial coasts of Greenland, over the horizon to the edge of dawn, ahead to Ireland, England, and the continent of Europe, away through space to the moon and stars, always returning, unwillingly, to the mortal duty of seeing that the limbs and muscles have attended their routine while it was gone.

Lindbergh died in 1974.  Wonder what he thought when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon five years before!

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 Robin Gibb (1949-2012)

Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees died on this day in 2012.    (Robin and twin brother Maurice were born in 1949.    Maurice died in 2003)

Along with Barry and the aforementioned Maurice, the three brothers formed The Bee Gees. They wrote and recorded some of the greatest songs of the pop era.

The Gibbs were born in England but grew up in Australia. By 1967, when Barry was 21 and the twins were only 18, The Bee Gees hit the US charts with "New York Mining Disaster". As they say, the brothers had a lot of international hits after that!

Robin's voice gave The Bee Gees a very special sound. He sang the lead vocals in several of The Bee Gees' big hits, such as "I started a joke".

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.

1943: We remember the crew of "The Memphis Belle"!

We remember today one of the legendary flight crews of World War II, or men of The Memphis Belle.

Back in 1943, the aircraft flew its 25th mission over Europe.    It became the first B-17 to complete 25 missions.

A few years ago, a movie was made about this crew:

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.

---

Tags: Memphis Belle  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

Yvonne Craig, the "Batgirl" (1937-2015)

Who remembers "Batgirl"?   Yvonne Craig was born in Illinois in 1937.

Most of us remember her as the young woman who fought the bad guys along with Batman & Robin.    Yvonne Craig died from cancer in 2015.   

I recall the show and specially Batgirl's good looks.  She was an awesome looking Batgirl!

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.

Mother's Day 1967: Mantle # 500

On Mother's Day 1967, Mickey Mantle hit # 500 at Yankee Stadium.   

Mantle retired the following season with 536 HR.   Back then, that was third behind Ruth and Mays.   He is 18th on the all-time HR list today.

What if Mantle had been able to play as a DH?     He retired 3 seasons before the AL adopted the rule.     My guess is that he would hit 600 HR with all of those extra at bats.

Mantle played in 12 World Series and hit 18 HR.

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.

1958: Musial got # 3,000

The great Stan Musial got # 3,000 on this day in 1958.    It happened at Wrigley Field.    Musial came into the game as a pinch-hitter.    He may be the only player to get # 3,000 as a pinchhitter.   

Musial went into The Hall of Fame in 1969.   He won 3 NL MVP's and retired with a .331 average, 3,630 hits, 475 HR & 1,961 RBI.

He was one of the greatest.

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 Fred Astaire (1899-1987)

We remember Fred Astaire who was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on this day in 1899.    He died in 1987.

We remember him as one of the great dancers of the 20th century.

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.

May 10, 1940: Prime Minister Winston Churchill

We remember that Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the UK on this day in 1940.   PM Churchill was one of the great men of the 20th century.    His books about World War II are a must read for anyone learning the history of the war.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  

We remember Tony Gwynn (1960-2014)

We remember Tony Gwynn who was born in Los Angeles on this day in 1960.  

Like Clemente and Aaron, Gwynn played in the shadows of better known players in bigger markets. 

Yet, he put together an amazing career:  .338 career average or the best since Ted Williams retired with a .344 average.

Unfortunately, I did not get to see Gwynn play because I’ve always lived in AL cities. 

He was the quiet superstar and best pure hitter since Rod Carew.

 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 Rick Nelson 1940-1985

We remember Rick Nelson who was born on this day in 1942.  

It was 1985 and I remember quite well the night that Ricky Nelson was killed in an airplane accident.

Nelson and his band were on their way to Dallas for a concert. (I was planning to attend one of Nelson's performances)

Before MTV, DVDs, music videos and I-PODs, Ricky Nelson used to sing on TV every week.   He was a huge teen idol with hits like "Travelin' man" and "Hello Mary Lou".

After his parents' show faded, Nelson moved on and recorded some great folk/country songs.

He sang many Bob Dylan tunes and wrote "Garden party", a really nice song about an unpleasant personal experience at Madison Square Garden.

It's hard to pick a Nelson favorite, specially since he recorded so many nice tunes.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right 

We remember Don Rickles (1926-2017)

We remember Don Rickles who was born in New York City on this day in 1926.    He died in 2017.

Like many of you, I got to know Don Rickles on "The tonight show" or those famous celebrity roasts.   He was hilarious and the master of insult.

He leaves behind a huge legacy of comedy.   He will make us laugh forever.

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.

Remembering V E Day 1945 with Barry Jacobsen

Remembering V E Day 1945 with Barry Jacobsen....

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 Gary Cooper (1901-61)

Gary Cooper was born on this day in 1901. 

He made some great movies.   My favorites are "Pride of the Yankees" from  1942 and "High Noon" from  1952.

A great actor, an American original.

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 Jimmy Ruffin (1936-2014)

We remember Jimmy Ruffin who was born in around Collinsville, Mississippi, on this day in 1936.    His brother David sang with the legendary Temptations.  

In 1966, Ruffin recorded one of the greatest pop tunes of the Motown era:    "What becomes of the brokenhearted".    Jimmy died in 2014.

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 Evita Peron (1919-1952)

We remember María Eva Duarte who was born in Los Toldos, Argentina, on this day in 1919.    She tried acting and modeling but her life changed when she married Juan Peron, a military man who eventually became president of Argentina.

As First Lady, she became President Peron's secret weapon, a woman of incredible political skills hugely popular with the working class.

Evita died very young in 1952.   She was only 33.

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 Johnny Unitas (1933-2002)

We remember Johnny Unitas who was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on this day in 1933.    He died in 2002.

Unitas was one of the greatest NFL QB's.   He played with the Baltimore Colts and set many passing records.    His greatest moment was the 1958 NFL title game vs Giants.    Johnny U, as he was known, may have created the modern position of quarterback that day.

He ranked # 6 in the Top 100 NFL players.

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.

1915: A German torpedo sank The Lusitania

It was a turning point in World War I and the US.

On this day in 1915, the Lusitania was torpedoed without warning by a German submarine.   

A couple of years later, the US Congress voted to declare war on Germany and the war was truly global.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

May 7, 1965: Keith Richards and "Satisfaction"

It happened on this day or the moment that Keith Richards got the inspiration for "Satisfaction".

A few days later, Keith and Mick Jagger worked on the song and the group recorded it.

"Satisfaction" was the group's first # 1 song in the US.    

Rolling Stone, a magazine that has nothing to do with the group, ranked the song as # 2 in the Top 500 songs of all time.

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.

"Ship of Fools" a movie from 1965

A couple of years ago, the retro channel featured "Ships of fools", a very intense movie from 1965.   It was based on a novel by the same name.   

The story is very complicated about a collection of characters traveling in a German ship from Veracruz, Mexico, to Bremerhaven, Germany, in 1933. 

Let me share a couple of observations.   

First, it is a very long movie, i.e. 149 minutes!    Get ready for a long movie.  This is not your typical 90-100 minute movie.   

Second, you need to be familiar with what happening in Europe or the world in 1933.   Otherwise, you may miss some of the political comments or not appreciate the context of the story.

Overall, a very good movie but I did not read the book.  My experience is that often the book is better.

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.

1952: "Decision before dawn", a different World War II movie

"Decision before dawn" is a very different World War II movie.    

It's not "The longest day" or "Saving Private Ryan", a couple of wonderful movies about D-Day 1944.    It's not "Casablanca" or a love story either.    

The film is about Germans helping the allies march through Germany with Richard Basehart as the US soldier who recruited Germans.  

The story is intense.   We've grown so accustomed to Germans as the bad guys that we forget many were opposed to Hitler and what he was doing.

It is a good movie.    However, be patient with the story because it takes time to develop.  

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.

"Nightmare Alley", a movie from 1947

A few weeks, the retro channel featured "Nightmare Alley", a movie from 1947.  

Tyrone Power plays Stanton Carlisle, "....a mentalist whose lies and deceit prove to be his downfall."

The movie is intense.  I will have to watch this movie again to get a better sense of the plot and the characters.  

Nevertheless, I liked it.   Frankly, I love these black and white 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.

1946: "The Razor's edge", a very intense movie

Before I start, let me tell you that "The Razor's edge" from 1946 runs about 145 minutes, or a very long time.    Nevertheless, the plot is very different and will keep you tuned in.

It is the story of Larry Darrell, played by Tyrone Power, a young man who just returned from World War I.    He was deeply affected by the war and needs a little to find the important things of life.

His girl is Isabel Bradley, played by Gene Tirney, a beautiful young woman who has marriage and commitment in mind.

There are other great performances in the movie, such as Clifton Webb and Anne Baxter.   Cecil Humphreys as "The Holy Man" is great.

Larry and Isabel do not get married.   They pursue different paths but circumstances bring them back together much later.

And the rest is up to you to watch.    I think that you will enjoy it.    It is based on a popular book by W. Somerset Maugham.    

The Razor's Edge.......1946 movie.... https://t.co/nT5KJCEwdb via @amazon

— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) February 22, 2017

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  

We remember “I love Lucy” 1953-57

Before we were Hispanics, or thought about leaving Cuba, there was “I love Lucy” on TV up here.

On this day in 1957, CBS aired the last “I Love Lucy” episode. It was the 181st episode of one of the most successful TV shows ever.    

Many years ago, our family watched “I love Lucy” episodes in Wisconsin. My mother loved to hear Ricky break out in Spanish. Of course, we all loved Lucy’s antics.

It’s hard to pick a favorite show or segment but Lucy speaking with Ricky’s mother is up there for me

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

---

1937: The Hindenburg disaster

We remember one of the great tragedies of the 20th century.    It happened on this day in 1937 when the Hindenburg burst into flames killing 36 passengers and crew members. 

Herb Morrison's audio commentary is one of the greatest radio calls of the 20th century.

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.

1956 and Gene Vincent's "Be Bop A Lula"

Gene Vincent recorded this rock classic today in 1956......it sounded a lot like Elvis and sold 2 million copies.....

BE BOP A LULA 

 "Well be-bop-a-lula she's my baby, Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe. 

Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe 

Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby love, My baby love, my baby love. 

 Well she's the girl in the red blue jeans. She's the queen of all the teens. 

She's the one that I know She's the one that loves me so. Say be-bop-a-lula she's my baby, 

Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe. Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby 

Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby love, My baby love, my baby love. 

 Well she's the one that gots that beat. She's the one with the flyin' feet. 

She's the one that walks around the store. She's the one that gets more more more. 

 Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby, Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe. 

Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby Be-bop-a-lula I don't mean maybe 

Be-bop-a-lula she's my baby love, My baby love, my baby love...."

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 James Brown (1933-2006)

We remember James Brown who was born on this day in 1933.  He left us a huge legacy of songs and albums.

In many ways, James Brown had a great life. He was born in poverty and worked his way to the top. He did make a few mistakes. Frankly, who hasn't?

He was great in concert!

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.

May 3, 1469: Niccolo Machiavelli was born

Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence on this day in 1469.   

We remember him for "The Prince", or the book that he published in 1532 when he was briefly jailed.  The book was intended as a handbook for politicians and it inspired the term "Machiavellian".   Some say that he is the father of modern political theory.  

I've read the book at several times in my life:

First, I had to read it in school;

Second, during a flight between Dallas and Chicago; and

Third, I saw the paperback on sale a few years ago and read it again one summer afternoon.

It is a good book and easy to read.  

He also wrote several poems and plays. 

Machiavelli died on June 21, 1527, in Florence, Italy.

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.