Some Bob Feller and all of those idiots protesting an election

(My new American Thinker post)

On Friday morning, I heard on the radio about protests in various parts of the country.  Most of them were peaceful, but there were apparently some problems in Portland. 

Shortly after, I drove by a group of people who were celebrating Veterans’ Day.  I stopped the car, parked, and dropped in to see what was going on.  It was a senior center in the area dedicating a small statue for our veterans.  It was full of men, and many of their spouses, who had served in Korea, Vietnam, and even World War II. 

After the nice ceremony, I went over to a gentleman in a wheelchair who was wearing a Cleveland Indians baseball cap.  I saluted him for his service and got into a little baseball talk about the 2016 Indians and Bob Feller, his baseball idol.

Bob Feller was one of the best pitchers in baseball history.  He won 266, completed 279, and retired with a 3.25 ERA.  He was on that 1948 team that won the Series. 

However, there is another episode in his life that must be remembered, too.  This is from his Baseball Hall of Fame page:

“Rapid” Robert really began to hit his stride after his 19th birthday, rattling off a string of three straight twenty win seasons. It was during this time that Senators’ manager Bucky Harris conveyed the following strategy to his players when facing Feller “Go on up there and hit what you see. If you can’t see it, come on back.” 

The day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, December 9, 1941, Feller put aside his 3-C draft deferment status and enlisted in the US Navy. 

With this selfless act he became Major League Baseball’s first player to enlist in World War II, and in the process, gave up nearly four seasons of baseball in the prime of his career. 

But Feller had no regrets “I’m proud of that decision to enlist. It was important to serve your country. I didn’t worry about losing my baseball career. We needed to win the war. I wanted to do my part.”

At the conclusion of the war, Feller returned to the game and picked up right where he left off averaging more than 19 wins a season over the next six years.

Are you listening, Colin Kaepernick?

Feller was obviously not the only Major-Leaguer who gave up his prime years to serve in the military.  There were others, like Ted Williams and many more.

It is refreshing to say hello to a veteran on Veterans’ Day and remember a man who was willing to put everything on the line to defend his country.

Salute to all the veterans, and thumbs down to the people in the streets who can’t digest the fact that they lost an election.

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

We remember George Patton (1885-1945)

Am I the only one who finds this historical fact interesting? There is something very interesting about this story.

We remember George Patton, one of the great military men in US history.   He was born in San Gabriel, California on this day in 1885.     Coincidentally, we remember this day as Veterans Day, or the day to recall those who served.

During WWII, Patton led the Allies to victory in the invasion of Sicily, and was instrumental to the liberation of Germany from the Nazis.

He died on December 21, 1945 in Heidelberg, Germany.

In 1970, a great movie came out about ‘Patton”.    Just recently, Bill O’Reilly wrote about “Killing Patton“.

 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.

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We remember Glenn Miller on Veterans Day

It's Veterans Day and a time to remember the great Glenn Miller.   His career was brief but extremely consequential:

1935 – Glenn began recording under his own name for Columbia.  His instrumental ‘Solo Hop’ reached the Top 10.
1937 – Glenn organized his own touring band and signed to Brunswick records.
1938 – The group was unsuccessful, and was disbanded.
1939 – The Orchestra played at the Glen Island Casino, NY, a major swing venue, and was heard on radio.
17 Top 10 hits including ‘Sunrise Serenade’; ‘Moonlight Serenade’; ‘Wishing (Will Make It So)’. Chart-toppers:  ‘Stairway to the Stars’, ‘Moon Love’, ‘Over the Rainbow’, ‘Blue Orchids’, ‘The Man   With the Mandolin’
His ‘Moonlight Serenade’ radio series for Chesterfield aired on CBS three times a week.
1940 – ‘Tuxedo Junction’ sold 115,000 copies the first week.  ‘Pennsylvania 6-5000′ was released.
31 Top 10 hits:  ‘Careless’, ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’, ‘Imagination’, ‘Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)’, and ‘Blueberry Hill’; ‘The Woodpecker Son’.  ‘In the Mood’ and ‘Tuxedo Junction’ were inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
1941 – Another 11 Top 10 hits:  The band made the movie, Sun Valley Serenade, introducing ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’, soon a million seller.#1 hits: ‘Song of the Volga Boatmen’, ‘You and I’, ‘Elmer’s Tune’.
1942 – 11 Top 10 hits and 3rd year as the top recording artist with ‘American Patrol’, ‘A String of Pearls’, ‘Moonlight Cocktail’, ‘Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)’ and (I’ve Got a Gal) In Kalamazoo’ which came from Miller’s second film, ‘Orchestra Wives.  The end of Miller’s dominance of popular music when he received an officer’s commission in the Army/Air Force.  Glenn organized a service band, performed at military camps, and hosted a weekly radio series.
1943 – Two more Top 10 hits including #1 ‘That Old Black Magic’.
1944 – Took his band to Great Britain, performed for the troops and did radio broadcasts. 

On December 15th, Glenn Miller boarded a transport plane to Paris, never to be seen again.

His music lives on in the many recordings still available.

 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.

Happy Veterans' Day and remembering the vets from World War I

Today, we remember every man and woman who has worn the military uniform, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq.

We should pay special attention this year to the few remaining members who served in World War I.

After all, WWI ended years ago today.

There are very few left, as you can see in this post today:

"Photographer David DeJonge plans to capture a vanishing bit of history Tuesday on a trip to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington.
There he hopes to photograph 107-year-old Frank Buckles -- one of the few men still alive who fought in World War I. Buckles will lay a wreath at the grave of Gen. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, who led U.S. forces in Europe in World War I." (A Race to Honor World War I Vets)

Our thanks to all for their service and commitment to freedom!    We remember the "citizen soldier".

 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.

Baseball and Veterans Day!

(My new American Thinker post)

The Gods of baseball rekindled my love for baseball. I got a bit soured a few months ago when a weak commissioner couldn’t stand up to the wokes. He should have told the wokes to go to an “expletive deleted” place or he’d have Bob Feller threw a fastball at their neck. Trust me. A Bob Feller inside pitch is probably scarier than to hear that there is a drone with a missile looking for you.

In the end, the Gods of Baseball put the commissioner in his place and we can enjoy the game we love. As a kid, I grew up playing baseball in Cuba. My love affair got stronger when we came here and go to play ball in the US. A few weeks ago, we all became Braves fans just to see Atlanta get the trophy and stick it in the eyes of the wokish commissioner.

Baseball is back and so is its rich history to recall on this day that we remember the men and women who wore the uniform of the US.

Bob Feller, the Hall of Fame pitcher, died in 2010. He was one of many professional athletes who served in World War II. We remember Feller, what he accomplished on the field, and his sense of patriotism:

Just days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Feller put aside his 3-C draft deferment status and enlisted in the US Navy. With this selfless act, he gave up nearly four seasons of baseball in the prime of his career. But Feller had no regrets.

“I'm proud of that decision to enlist,” Feller said. “It was important to serve your country. I didn't worry about losing my baseball career. We needed to win the war. I wanted to do my part.”

At the conclusion of the war, Feller returned to the game and picked up right where he left off, averaging more than 19 wins a season over the next six years. Bobby Doerr recalled: “Bob was just a regular, solid person. He was the same guy, all the time. He gave his opinions and he said what he thought. He didn’t hedge around anything. He was one of the top pitchers I saw in my time. He was timed at 100 miles per hour and he had a real good curve ball. You had to always be alert with him. He was a real competitor.”

At the time of his passing on Dec. 15, 2010, Feller had been a Hall of Famer for more years than anyone in history – having earned election in 1962.

Dennis Eckersley summed it up best when he said: “Bob was truly a great American and a great ambassador for the game of baseball.”

Like so many of you, I say “thanks” to all of the veterans on Veterans Day. It is the day that we salute the millions of fellow citizens who serve or served in the US Armed Forces.

It is a day to salute and say thanks. It is also a good day to remember who has fought and continues to fight, to defend our way of life.

Happy Veterans Day!

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

 

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Veterans Day and soldiers

World War I ended on this day in 1918.   Over time, we've remembered the veterans on this day.

Thanks to all of those who served in past wars and defend our freedoms today.   Let's give special mention to that "citizen soldier" or the man willing to fight for our freedoms.

 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.