We remember Nicholas II (1868-1918)

Nicholas II was born on this day in 1868.  

He was the last Russian emperor (1894–1917).  In 1918, he and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks.

No matter how you feel about Nicholas, there was no excuse for the brutal execution of his wife and children.

In the 1970's, there was a wonderful movie "Nicholas and Alexandra".   It was great.

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May 18, 1860: Lincoln nominated by the GOP

The GOP nominated Abraham Lincoln on this day in 1860,   He was selected in the 3rd ballot of what we would call today a very contested convention.

Of course, Lincoln went on to win the general election in a four-way race.  Seven southern states seceded when he was inaugurated in March 1861.

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2004: Randy Johnson's perfect game

On this day in 2004, Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game.    According to Robby Hammock, who caught the game, the whole team sensed it right away.    

Great night for the Hall of Famer.    

Johnson's 4,875 K's rank behind Ryan’s 5,714 K's.  He finished his career with 10.61 K's per 9 innings, # 1 all time.   Overall, 303 wins & 3.29 career ERA.

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We remember Brooks Robinson. (1937-2023)

We say happy birthday to Brooks Robinson, who was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on this day in 1937.    He died in 2023.

Brooks Robinson broke with the Orioles in 1957 and played his entire career in Baltimore.    I attended Brooks Robinson Day at Memorial Stadium in September 1977.  Along the way, he played in 4 World Series, 6 ALCS, earned the 1964 AL MVP and won an astonishing 16 consecutive gold gloves for his work as a third baseman.   His play in the 1970 World Series earned him the series MVP.    

In 1957-58, Robinson played second base with Cienfuegos hitting .207 with 9 homeruns. As my late father used to say, many young players went to Cuba as a stepping stone to making the major league roster.

Overall, he hit .267 with 2,848 hits, 268 HR & 1,367 RBI.   Brooks had a reputation for being a great clutch hitter.     In his prime, he could hit a HR, a double or make a great play at third.

Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 and continues to be one of the most popular players of all time.

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Karol Józef Wojtyła was born on this day in 1920

John Paul II was born on this day in 1920 and died in 2005.  He was born Karol Józef Wojtyła in Wadowice, Poland.

John Paul II was a unique man.  He was in the forefront of fighting the three great evils of the last 100 years.

First, young Karol fought Hitler’s Germany and saw some of his Jewish friends captured and subsequently tortured by the Naxis.  Dr. Andrew Swafford recalls the challenges of growing up in a land occupied by Hitler’s Army:   

In 1935, a Polish tailor named Jan Tyranowski heard a homily where the priest said, “It’s not difficult to be a saint.” For whatever reason, this line moved Tyranowski — and in God’s providence, prepared him to contribute in a momentous way to the dramatic and tragic history of the twentieth century. George Weigel notes that by the outset of World War II, Tyranowski was “living a daily schedule of prayer and meditation more strict than that observed by many religious orders.” Little did he know what (or who) was right around the corner — little did he know what God was preparing him for.

With priests being rounded up in Poland by the Nazis, the formation of the youth had to pass into different hands. Tyranowski created the “Living Rosary,” groups of fifteen young men, each led by a more mature young man. 

Each of the group leaders would be personally mentored by Tyranowski; one such leader was the young Karol Wojtyla, who met Tryanowski in 1940. 

It was Tyranowski who introduced Wojtyla to the writings of St. John of the Cross — which eventually became the subject of Wojtyla’s first doctoral dissertation.

By 1943, the Living Rosary involved some sixty young men — ten of whom eventually became priests! As Weigel recounts, “For the young Karol Wojtyla and his friends in the first Living Rosary groups, Tyranowski represented a unique lay combination of personal holiness and apostolic zeal, a kind of life ‘that was completely unknown to us before.’” 

Indeed, one man can make a difference — even in the midst of the Nazi occupation!

Second, as a priest he fought communism. Often, he challenged the Polish communists and put his life in danger.  He understood that communism was a secular philosophy that violated human dignity.

As a Pope, he fought against the culture of death. He was a strong critic of abortion and moral relativism.

John Paul II was one of the great men of of the last 100 years. This is why we still remember him many years after his death in 2005.   This is a great biography.

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We remember Perry Como (1912-2001)

We remember Pierino Como who was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, on this day in 1912.     We knew him as Perry Como, one of the most successful male vocalists ever.   

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