We remember Jim Bunning (1931-2017)

We remember US Senator and Hall of Famer Jim Bunning.   He was born on this day in 1931 and died in 2017.

Bunning broke with the Detroit Tigers in 1955.   He won 118 games over 9 seasons in Detroit.  He moved to Philadelphia in 1964 and won 89 games.   Overall, Bunning won 224, or 118 in the AL and 106 in the NL.

His best season was 20-8 & 2.69 ERA in 1957.      He did not pitch for a lot of winning teams and or miss a start in 11 years.    

Bunning was perfect on June 21, 1964, also Father's Day, in a 6-0 victory against the New York Mets.   In 1958, he threw a no-hitter for Detroit on July 20, 1958, against Boston, winning 3-0.

In 1996, Bunning was inducted into The Hall of Fame.    He was also elected to the US Senate from Kentucky.

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1803: US Senate ratified The Louisiana Purchase

On this day in 1803, the US Senate ratified The Louisiana Purchase.   

It confirmed President Jefferson's decision.  There were many concerns back then about the constitutionality of the purchase.  

Nevertheless, it doubled the size of the country and gave the US control of the Mississippi River.

 

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1980: KC Royals finally beat the Yankees

In the late 1970's Kansas City and New York met 3 times in the ALCS.  The Yankees won in 1976, 1977 and 1978.  

The 1976 and 1977 series saw New York win in the bottom of the 9th (Chris Chambliss walk off HR) and a top of the 9th rally in Kansas City.   They were crushing defeats for the Royals.

The Yankees won the 1978 series in 4 games.

Finally, the Royals won in 1980 sweeping the Yankees.  George Brett's HR off of Goose Gossage clinched it.

And KC finally beat New York!

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Columbus Day and the story of “El Indio Hatuey”!

Another year and more reasons to remember Columbus, or "Colon" as we say in Spanish.

One of those reasons is that he set foot on Cuba 2 weeks later or October 28.   

Columbus and his crew moved on to Florida or the future US state.  He eventually headed back to Spain in January 1493.

Columbus was looking for a new route to India, found Cuba by accident and subsequently made "El indio Hatuey" a historical icon!   

As you may remember, Hatuey fought the Spanish and was burned to death.

"Hatuey" also became the face of one of Cuba's favorite drinks, or "Malta Hatuey".

Think about this story the next time you are having a "malta" with a Cuban sandwich or some of those "croquetas".

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October 1968 and Bob Gibson

Back in October 1968, I ran home with my little transistor radio hoping to catch Game 1 of the World Series on TV.  I knew that my mother would have the game on TV, so my objective was to get home.

I ran faster and faster when I heard that Gibson was pitching a shutout and about to set a post-season record for strikeouts.  Well, I did not make it home, but I did hear strikeout #17 on the radio and caught the post-game interview.

It was arguably the greatest pitching performance of the 20th century because he was facing a Detroit lineup that included Al Kaline, Norm Cash, Willie Horton, Bill Freehan, and Jim Northrup.  The 1968 A.L. champion Tigers were a great team.  It's hard to believe that anyone could strike out 17 against a lineup like that.  He was as dominating as any pitcher in one game. 

The amazing Bob Gibson died this week in 2020.  He was 84 and fighting cancer.

Over the years, Gibson won 251 games with a 2.91 ERA.  He also threw 56 shutouts!  Add 255 complete games plus winning Game 7 in 1964 versus New York and 1967 versus Boston!

In the aforementioned season of 1968, he won 22 games, pitched 28 complete games and 13 shutouts.  His ERA was a super-human 1.12!

I did not make a typing mistake.  It was indeed 1.12 over 304 innings.

Gibson added a no-hitter in 1971 and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1981.

He was absolutely awesome and died shortly after Lou Brock, his teammate from those Cardinals who won three N.L. pennants in five years, passed away.  Sad month for Cardinal nation.

Never saw him in person but lots of times on TV.  As I told my late father one day, I would have Bob Gibson on the mound if my life depended on one pitch.

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1957: Braves beat Yankees in 7 games

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On this day in 1957,  the Milwaukee Braves won the first and only World Series title in Wisconsin's history.  (The Brewers lost the 1982 series to St Louis.)

The Braves were the underdogs.   They faced Casey Stengel's Yankees, or the powerhouse of the 1950's.   New York had won in 1956 and 5 titles between 1949-53.   By the way, New York and Milwaukee met again in 1958 but the Yankees won.

It was a great series for Lew Burdette, who won 3 games.   He won games 5 and 7 and pitched 3 complete games.   Burdette was named Series MVP.

Milwaukee was on top of the baseball world on this day in 1957.

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1845: Another birthday for The Naval Academy

We salute The Naval Academy today.  It opened with 50 midshipmen students and seven professors.  

It became the U.S. Naval Academy in 1850 and thousands of officers have graduated, from the late Senator McCain to many others.

Happy birthday! 

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"Julia" and more John Lennon memories!

(This is John and his mother Julia)

A couple days ago, we posted about John Lennon and his songs.

Of course, John was killed in December 1980 outside his New York City apartment.

We remember a great song from The Beatles' White Album.

This is "Julia", a song about his mother who was killed in an accident when John was a teenager.

Here is that song about Julia, his mother, and Aunt Mimi, who became very close to him.

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(Lennon/McCartney)

Half of what I say is meaningless

But I say it just to reach you, Julia

Julia, Julia, oceanchild, calls me

So I sing a song of love, Julia

Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me

So I sing a song of love, Julia

Her hair of floating sky is shimmering,

glimmering In the sun

Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me

So I sing a song of love, Julia

When I cannot sing my heart

I can only speak my mind, Julia

Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me

So I sing a song of love, Julia

Hum hum hum hum... calls me

So I sing a song of love for Julia, Julia, Julia"

 

We remember John Lennon (1940-80)

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John Lennon was born in Liverpool on this day in 1940.   He met Paul in 1957 and the rest is musical history.  

Incredibly, John was killed in 1980.    I guess that I must be getting old because I remember that night like it was yesterday.

Click here for "In my life" from Rubber Soul, a song about people who have passed.  It's a good one to remember John today.

A few years ago, his first wife Cynthia wrote about John.

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1936-39: A look back at The Spanish Civil War with Barry Jacobsen

1936-39:    A look back at The Spanish Civil War with Barry Jacobsen.......click to listen

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