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.

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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.

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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.