1878: Pro baseball started in Cuba

On this day in 1878,  professional baseball started in Cuba.    

The first game was between Habana and Almendares, the two teams that would be great rivals until Castro dissolved the league after the 1960-61 season.    

The league had four teams in the 1950s:   Habana, Almendares, Marianao, and Cienfuegos.   

It was great and very passionate baseball.

Along the way, many major leaguers played winter ball in Cuba, from Willie Mays to Brooks Robinson.   

During the summer, Havana was also a AAA franchise, the Havana Sugar Kings in the Cincinnati organization.    Havana played in The International League with other teams in Montreal and Toronto.

For more on Cuban baseball history, check out "The pride of Havana".

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

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We remember Scotty Moore (1931-2009)

In 1954, fate put Elvis and Scotty Moore in the same studio.    And the rest is musical history and some of rock's most famous recordings.   

He was born Winfield Scott Moore III on this day in 1931 in Tennessee.    

He is # 29 in Rolling Stone's Top 100 guitarists.  You can hear him in those great Elvis' songs.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

 

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We remember Fred Foy (1921-2010) the man who used to say "a fiery horse with the speed of light"...

Back in 2010, our friend Bill Katz, of Urgent Agenda, wrote a wonderful post about the passing of a radio legend:

"Fred Foy announced "The Lone Ranger," one of the greatest, and longest-running, radio adventure shows ever. My, how we would sit at those old Emerson and Philco radios and wait for Fred to tell us that the Ranger, and his trusty native-American sidekick, Tonto, were galloping our way.
These days, the show would be considered politically incorrect. But to us, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were heroes, moral and otherwise."

I grew up watching The Lone Ranger.  Didn't everybody love Silver, the beautiful white horse?

More recently, my sons became real fans too! 

RIP Mr Foy!  Thanks for:

""A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty Hi-Yo, Silver! ...""

Great show.....great voice!

 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 # 71 to AG Jeff Sessions

We say happy birthday to Attorney General Jeff Sessions who was born on this in Selma, Alabama.    

No ‘Feliz Navidad’ for Jorge Ramos, or so we hear

Our friend Jorge Ramos just made an incredible statement, as I saw in this report:  

Nearly a year into the Trump presidency, Univision anchor Jorge Ramos says he’s experiencing “the worst moment I’ve had in the 34 years I’ve been living in the United States.”

“With Donald Trump there, I have never been treated so badly. I have never been insulted so much. We’ve never been attacked so much. They have never tried to run us out as much as now,” Ramos vented in an interview with the Spanish radio network Cadena SER.

Ramos, who proclaimed himself “if not an enemy, an opponent” of Trump in the interview, complained about the massive blowback he has received since deciding to use his media platforms to openly oppose the choice of over 62 million American voters in last year’s U.S. presidential election.  

It’s a free country and Jorge Ramos can choose to spend his “Navidad” any way he wants. However, Jorge should consider a couple of things:

First, if the Democrats had won, then he’d be angry writing articles about Democrats never keeping their promises. Let’s remember this one from a previous “Obama Navidad”:    

“When he had a hold on Congress, when he had 60 votes in the Senate, he could have done it,” Ramos says. “And he didn’t. He chose other issues. And that’s why Latinos are so frustrated.”

“Muy correcto Jorge.” The Democrats didn’t because they know that you, and most of your colleagues, will support the Democrats no matter how many promises they make and break. As I have said on Univision & Telemundo, Hispanics will never be powerful until they hold parties accountable for promises.

Second, you could be back in Mexico calling Trump names but earning “pesos.” That would be  really misery!

Cheer up. Trump’s presidency will mean more book sales, more appearances on “Hannity” and living the good life in the U.S.  Plus, Univision will pay lower taxes next year!

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

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1975: A big Christmas for major league baseball players

It was Christmas 1975, and Santa Claus dressed up as Peter Seitz, an arbitrator called into action to settle an argument between the players and the owners. Seitz came down the chimney and left baseball a decision that would change the game forever.

The decision involved a couple of veterans fighting to survive in the majors: Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith. McNally was one of the game’s premiere pitchers with the Orioles but was traded after the 1974 season. He retired after the decision. Messersmith had pitched for the Braves and felt underpaid, and he was probably right.   

Neither man benefited much from free agency, but they did challenge the rule and won in the courts.   

For almost a hundred years, baseball had operated under what they called “the reserve clause:”    

Until Peter Seitz came along, Major League Baseball interpreted the reserve clause to renew itself “for the period of one year” indefinitely, since even the renewed contract contained the clause.  

This effectively bound a player to a team until the front office decided otherwise. Once a player signed his first professional contract, he could not negotiate with another team until his original team let him go. This system gave teams little incentive to pay competitive wages, and so they didn’t. 

In 1930, Babe Ruth signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees for $80,000 per season (adjusted for inflation, the contract would be worth $1.1 million today). 

Ruth’s salary was a record at the time and, in today’s dollars, would remain so for more than forty years. 

Yes, in today’s dollars, players like Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays were all paid less than Ruth in 1930.

The owners said that the “clause” provided payroll stability. The players said that it limited their ability to earn money and look out for their interests. 

Both sides were right. However, there is no question that major leaguers had zero negotiating options, other than sit out spring training like Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax used to do.   

The rules were so arbitrary. Tony Oliva had to win three batting titles to earn $100,000, what they used to call “superstar status.” Three batting titles to earn superstar money?

The real free agent class came after the 1976 season, when Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Don Baylor and others negotiated their own contracts. Over time, Nolan Ryan became the first $1 million player, Rickey Henderson the first $3 million, Albert Belle the first $10 million and so on.

Where are we now on the another anniversary of that fateful decision? The game is doing well and the players can’t complain. At the same time, big payrolls have not necessarily bought pennants, as the Astros proved in 2017 and the Cubs and Indians showed with player development in 2016.

On the other hand, big payrolls have made the game too dependent on TV revenues. Baseball is not a good TV game and there is too much time between pitches, dragging out games over three hours!

Merry Christmas, baseball. I hope that every player remembers Curt Flood (the man who sat out a season to protest free agency) and the veterans like McNally and Messersmith who fought for what they enjoy now.

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

Remembering Maurice Gibb (1949-2003)

Maurice Gibb was born on this day in 1949.   His sudden death in 2003 was quite a shock, as we read in news reports:

"The 53-year old Gibb was rushed to Mount Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday after experiencing intense abdominal pain. Doctors discovered the pain was due to a twisted section in his small intestine. Before the operation Gibb reportedly went into cardiac arrest, which weakened his condition. After surgery to remove the damaged section of intestine, Gibb was listed in critical but stable condition. He passed away at 1AM Sunday morning."

His twin brother Robin died in 2012 but he battled cancer for over a year.  Robin's death was anticipated.  Maurice was sudden.

Maurice was the 3rd voice in all of the group's great harmonies. He also co-wrote most of the group's big hits, along with Barry & Robin.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

We remember Ellie Hendricks (1940-2005)

The wonderful Elrod Hendricks did not put up big numbers but was the kind of player that everyone wanted on his team.   

We remember that Hendricks was born in the US Virgin Islands on this day in 1940.  He died in 2005.

Hendricks joined the Orioles in the late 1960's and shared catching duties with Andy Etchebarren. 

Over time, Ellie enjoyed a long major league career because he was a first class professional with a very positive attitude.

On the field, he was remembered as Mike Cuellar's catcher. Off the field, he was one of the most popular players in Oriole history. Everybody loved Ellie Hendricks!

Between 1968-76, Hendricks caught 20-game winners Cuellar, McNally and Palmer.   He hit .273 in 9 post season series.   

In 1977, Ellie became a player/coach and a valuable piece in the development of young arms like Dennis Martinez, Scott McGregor and Mike Flannagan.   Later, he was the wise veteran in a clubhouse that included youngsters like Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken.

Ellie was a great PR ambassador for the team and active in various community organizations.    Super guy!

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

A word about the death of Vaclav Havel

We learned in 2011 that Vaclav Havel died in the Czech Republic.  He was one of my Eastern European heroes because he stood up to communism:

"Born in 1936, the son of a rich building contractor, Havel was denied a good education after the communists seized power in 1948 and stripped the family of its wealth.
Despite having no higher degree, he began writing literary criticism in 1955. The first of his absurdist plays, whose characters often struggled to communicate in the empty language of communist-era rhetoric, debuted in 1963 in a more liberal era that was crushed by tanks in the 1968 Soviet-led invasion.
Havel's plays then disappeared in censors' vaults, and the author was forced into menial jobs such as rolling beer barrels."

It takes a lot of courage to stand up to a repressive communist state.  Yet, he did it and we appreciate that.  He was also one of the few Europeans who criticized Castro.  He was a true friend of anti-Castro Cubans, as Jorge Ponce wrote today.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

 

Did you know that the Brothers Gibb wrote these tunes?

Over the years, we've followed the amazing career of The Bee Gees. 

The brothers started performing at a very young age and eventually became international superstars in the late 1960's.

Today, we recall some of their songs recorded by other artists.   It's a long list and this is just a sample:

1)  "Sweetheart" by Engelbert Humperdinck, one of the big male vocalists of our generation.

2)  "Come on over" by Olivia Newton-John.

3)  "Islands in the stream", a huge hit for Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton.

4)  "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick. 

The great Brothers Gibb and their songs.    You can hear a medley of some of these songs on the "One night only" concert CD.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

December 2010: What will we talk about in 2011?

A post from December 2010:

It's always tough to predict in politics.  Nevertheless, I think that 2011 will be a very dangerous year here and abroad.

Bottom line:  It won't be a very easy year for Pres BO.

Let's look at some potential challenges.

First, we face serious "state budget" problems. 

California may have to enter into some kind of bankruptcy or rearrangement of contracts with public sector unions.

California's problems are not new but the stuff will probably hit the fan in 2011.

The once great Golden State has very high sales and income taxes, lavish entitlements, bad public schools based on federal test scores, and an out of control illegal immigration problem.

It also  has over regulated private sector, a shrinking manufacturing base, and public sector unions that turn out in huge numbers to protect the Dems who feed them.

My guess is that reality will finally hit California in 2011!

Who is going to bail out California?  Nobody!

I can't wait for Gov Brown and Sen Boxer to tell the unions that the fantasy is finally over!

On the foreign policy side, I am concerned with Iran, Venezuela and Mexico.

Iran, as the Wikileaks cables, confirm has everyone in the region scared to death. 

When do you think that Iran's neighbors will call for a US "preemptive" attack without a UN resolution or their public support?

Down in Venezuela, Hugo Chavez has turned that democracy into a farce.  He is ruling now by decree and expropriating private property in an alarming fashion.

Last, but not least, I am very concerned with the deterioration of Mexico.

We learned in the Wikileaks cables that there is a huge pessimism in Mexico about Pres Calderon's war.

Beyond that,  how much longer can the US tolerate a border with a lawless nation?

The cartels are now dangerously close to running huge portions of the border.

When will we have to defend our borders and place troops there? 

My guess is that we are closer to having US troops on the border than anyone would have believed months ago.

Overall, 2011 will be very tough.  Let's hope that Pres BO surrounds himself with people concerned about country rather than those who pander to ethnic groups.

P.S. We looked ahead to 2011 with Bill Katz of Urgent Agenda.

Click here for the interview!

PS: Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

1839: Young Abraham Lincoln became a lawyer

We know him as The Great Emancipator, perhaps the greatest president and the man who delivered The Gettysburg Address in the middle of the Civil War.   

Before any of that, he was a young lawyer in Illinois:

"On this day in 1839, future President Abraham Lincoln advances to another stage in his legal career when he is admitted to practice law in the U.S. Circuit Court. It was during his years practicing law that Lincoln honed his now famous oratorical skills."

Lincoln was elected to the US House later and then president in 1860.

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.  If you like our posts, drop a dime here.

2015 post: Let’s ice skate on the Thames like we did in 1715!

(My new American Thinker post)

The climate change conversation took a chilly turn this weekend. In other words, we are going get cold, really cold in the near future. This is from London:

A team of European researchers have unveiled a scientific model showing that the Earth is likely to experience a “mini ice age” from 2030 to 2040 as a result of decreased solar activity.

Their findings will infuriate environmental campaigners who argue by 2030 we could be facing increased sea levels and flooding due to glacial melt at the poles.

However, at the National Astronomy Meeting in Wales, Northumbria University professor Valentina Zharkova said fluctuations an 11-year cycle of solar activity the sun goes through would be responsible for a freeze, the like of which has not been experienced since the 1600s.

From 1645 to 1715 global temperatures dropped due to low solar activity so much that the planet experienced a 70-year ice age known as Maunder Minimum which saw the River Thames in London completely frozen. 

So let’s party like it’s 1715?     

it amazes me that people can be so certain about this and that in 20 years. I say this because I remember when we were warned about another ice age in our lifetime. I should have saved that Time issue!

So let’s protect ourselves against global cooling and warming. No matter what, we should all build domed stadia so that fans can watch games when it’s too hot or too cold!

And let’s buy some new ice skates just in case that the Thames freezes again!

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

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