Sorry, lefties, but Pinochet looks better every day

We remember that Augusto Pinochet was born on this day in 1914. He died in 2006. Back in 1988, General Augusto Pinochet had run Chile for 15 years.  He overthrew President Salvador Allende in 1973 and took over a country in total chaos.  His free market policies turned Chile around and created an economy that was the envy of the developing world.  Unfortunately, he never had the legitimacy of an election.  So he did something strange.  He asked the people if he should continue, and they had a "plebiscite."  Pinochet lost and left power.  This is the story:

Gen. Augusto Pinochet's bid for eight more years in power ended in defeat today, as a united opposition beat him soundly in a presidential plebiscite of Pinochet's own design.

After a long night in which the opposition continued to announce returns showing a 60-percent vote against Pinochet and the government gave out practically no totals at all, a government spokesman announced early this morning that with three-fourths of the vote officially counted, Pinochet was losing with 53 percent of voters rejecting him. There would be no further vote totals until midday, he said.

Later, Interior Minister Sergio Fernandez, who had run Pinochet's campaign, announced that the regime would recognize the results of the vote, which he characterized as still provisional. Because of the democratic process that had transpired, "the great winner is the country," Fernandez said. Pinochet himself made no statement.

Chile said no, and Pinochet accepted the verdict.  Let me add that it was time for Pinochet to go as much as I admired his economic accomplishments.  As a Chilean told me back in 1988, Pinochet did a good job, but it was time to get our democracy back.

Down in Cuba, the situation is ripe for such a plebiscite.  Cubans have never voted in a free and multi-party election.  Yes, they vote in Cuba, but it's a sham, because the Communist Party is the only on the ballot.

President Biden should call for such a plebiscite with international observers.  It should also say the U.S. will recognize the winner as the legitimate government and end the embargo immediately.

Will the Castro regime accept the challenge?  No, but let's keep the pressure on.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

Still talking about Pinochet after all these years

We remember that Augusto Pinochet was born on this day in 1914. He died in 2006. 

Back in 1988, General Augusto Pinochet had run Chile for 15 years.  He overthrew President Salvador Allende in 1973 and took over a country in total chaos.  His free market policies turned Chile around and created an economy that was the envy of the developing world.  Unfortunately, he never had the legitimacy of an election.  So he did something strange.  He asked the people if he should continue, and they had a “plebiscite.”  Pinochet lost and left power.  

This is the story:

Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s bid for eight more years in power ended in defeat today, as a united opposition beat him soundly in a presidential plebiscite of Pinochet’s own design.

After a long night in which the opposition continued to announce returns showing a 60-percent vote against Pinochet and the government gave out practically no totals at all, a government spokesman announced early this morning that with three-fourths of the vote officially counted, Pinochet was losing with 53 percent of voters rejecting him. There would be no further vote totals until midday, he said.

Later, Interior Minister Sergio Fernandez, who had run Pinochet’s campaign, announced that the regime would recognize the results of the vote, which he characterized as still provisional. Because of the democratic process that had transpired, “the great winner is the country,” Fernandez said. Pinochet himself made no statement.

Chileans said no, and Pinochet accepted the verdict.  Let me add that it was time for Pinochet to go as much as I admired his economic accomplishments.  As a Chilean told me back in 1988, Pinochet did a good job, but it was time to get our democracy back.

Down in Cuba, the situation is ripe for such a plebiscite.  Cubans have never voted in a free and multi-party election.  Yes, they vote in Cuba, but it’s a sham, because the Communist Party is the only on the ballot.

President Biden should call for such a plebiscite with international observers.  It should also say the U.S. will recognize the winner as the legitimate government and end the embargo immediately.

Will the Castro regime accept the challenge?  No, but let’s keep the pressure on.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

Thanksgiving is about family

Our first Thanksgiving in the US was 1964.  It was a pleasant experience but my dad had to work at the hotel.  He had a night job and we needed the money.

Over the years, my mother "Cubanized" the meal with "yuca" and black beans.  Our turkey always had a Cuban flavor and everybody loved it.

Most of all, we are happy to get together and say thanks for living in the US.

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We remember Garrick Utley (1939-2014)

We remember Garrick Utley.  He was one of those TV newsmen that many of us grew up watching:

"Clifton Garrick Utley was born Nov. 19, 1939, in Chicago. His parents, Clifton Utley and Frayn Utley, were pioneering broadcast journalists in Chicago, and he began accompanying them to studios at an early age.He graduated in 1961 from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., then served in the Army before joining NBC as John Chancellor’s assistant in the Brussels bureau. (Chancellor later became anchor of the “Nightly News.”)By 1964, the 24-year-old Mr. Utley was reporting from war zones in Vietnam, earning $62.50 a week, he later recalled.After covering major international events, Mr. Utley served as a weekend anchor of “Nightly News” in the 1970s, reported on U.S. presidential elections and prepared a series of in-depth programs on civil rights, foreign affairs and other topics.He won two of broadcast journalism’s most prestigious honors: the Overseas Press Club of America’s Edward R. Murrow Award for coverage of the Cold War and the Peabody Award for his contributions to a 1985 NBC special report, “Vietnam: Ten Years Later.”

My memories are of Vietnam but he also reported from Prague 1968.  

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1966: Sandy Koufax retired

 

Sandy Koufax retired on this day in 1966.   His arm was spent at age 30.  

 

I saw him pitch a couple of times on TV, or more specifically when he broke my heart in game 7 of the 1965 World Series against my favorite Twins.

 

For my money, he was the greatest lefty of our generation.   Just ask the hitters who couldn't hit his wicked pitches!

 

From 1961 to 1966, his last season with the LA Dodgers, he won 129 games and led the league in strikeouts 4 times.  He was also the ERA champ 5 seasons in a row.

 

What about the post season?   He pitched the Dodgers to victories in the 1963 and 1965 Series.  

 

It's a shame that arm troubles cut his career short!

Check out the book by Jane Leavy.

 

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We remember Tom Seaver (1944-2020)

We remember Tom Seaver, one of the best pitchers ever.  He was born in 1944 and died in 2020.

The numbers tell you the story:  311 wins, a 2.86 ERA & 3,640 Ks.    His best year was probably 1969 when the Mets won the World Series:  25-7, a 2.21 ERA and the Cy Young.   

By the way, did I tell you that he threw 231 complete games, twenty-seven 3-hitters, ten 2-hitters, five 1-hitters and a no hitter?  Wonder why they used to call him "Tom Terrific"?

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1966: Frank Robinson AL MVP

There are great players and then there is Frank Robinson.  

On this day in 1966, Frank Robinson was the unanimous choice for AL MVP.   He had just led the Orioles to a World Series sweep of the LA Dodgers.    

The Orioles won the AL pennant four times in six years with Robinson in their lineup.   

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We remember Aaron Copeland (1900-1990)

We remember Aaron Copeland, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, on this day in 1900.  

He is known for works like Appalachian Spring and Fanfare for the Common Man, among many others.

Copeland died in 1990.     

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1864: Atlanta and the Civil War

Back in September 1864, Atlanta was evacuated.  On this day, the Union Troops began the destruction of Atlanta.     

It was the beginning of the end of the Civil War or the brutal battles that eventually broke the back of the Confederacy.   It did not really end until April 1865.

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We remember Ninón Sevilla (1921-2015)

She was born Emilia Perez-Castellanos in Havana on November 10, 1921...and died in Mexico City in 2015.......Ninon was one of the first "rumberas" of the movies, specially Mexican movies in the 1940's and 1950's......

Ninón Sevilla 'Arrímate cariñito': http://t.co/od9Y9oN3B5 via @YouTube
— Silvio Canto, Jr. (@SCantojr) January 2, 2015

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Truman surprises in 1948

On election day 1948, everybody thought that Mr. Dewey, the GOP nominee, would be the next president of the US.  

However, the country woke up the next morning hearing that Mr Truman had been returned to office.

No one knows for sure but I think that Mr. Dewey got a little bit too confident.  On the other hand, Mr. Truman worked hard for every vote.  And Truman won.

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