Monday, October 21, 2024
Cuba's blackouts: I know where I was in '62
Cuba's blackouts: I know where I was in '62: Wolfman Jack's….
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Cuba's blackouts: I know where I was in '62 - American Thinker https://t.co/x8UNKwfb3J
— Silvio Canto. Jr. (@silvio_canto) October 21, 2024
Wolfman Jack's "Where were you in '62" was the line in the trailer for "American Graffiti."
Well, I know where I was.
At our home in Cuba, we sat around my father's Philips radio, the one with a shortwave band. It was my father's pride and joy. He bought it because of something called FM or the band with that clear audio sound to listen to his favorite songs.
Eventually, and the arrival of a communist dictatorship that shut down independent radio and TV, "Philip" as my mother called it, became a lifeline to international news. It's amazing how a radio can be a part of your growing up memories. I guess some of you remember Top 40 but for us down in Cuba "Philip" was a source of independent news.
Our place was very close to "El Malecon," the legendary Havana ocean drive promenade. We had a feeling that something was going on because it was full of "milicianos" or Cuban soldiers with anti-aircraft weapons were positioned on the drive where young couples would walk under that legendary Havana moonlight that Dean Martin sang about.
Thanks to Philip's clear audio, we heard Persident Kennedy (translated to Spanish) say that there were missiles in Cuba:
"In a dramatic televised address to the American public, President John F. Kennedy announces that the Soviet Union has placed nuclear weapons in Cuba and, in response, the United States will establish a blockade around the island to prevent any other offensive weapons from entering Castro's state. Kennedy also warned the Soviets that any nuclear attack from Cuba would be construed as an act of war, and that the United States would retaliate in kind."
Looking back, I recall the total shock in my parents' face. My mother told my father something like "if the shooting starts we are cooked" or something like that. Yes, the first missiles would probably drop in Cuba and we’d be cooked.
Looking back now, why didn't President Kennedy tell the Soviets to take Castro out with the missiles? My guess is that the Soviets would have asked: Do we take him out dead or alive? The Soviets were overextended in October 1962. We held all of the cards and should have demanded Castro's exit.
Second, why don't we ever talk about the impact on the people Cuba? The Missile Crisis was followed by more and more repression, brutality against the guerrillas in Escambray and the consolidation of the Castro dictatorship. It was unspeakable repression and shortages of everything.
As someone said: "Se fueron los cohetes pero se quedo Castro!" Or loosely translated to: the missiles left and the communist dictatorship stayed.
As the lights go out in Cuba, and hopefully the end of the dictatorship is near, I see the damage of communism in one island 90 miles away. Please don't let that happen in the U.S.
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We remember Celia Cruz (1925-2003)
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.We remember Celia Cruz....with Fernando Hernandez, author......she was born in Havana on this day in 1925........
We remember Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)
Dizzy Gillespie was born on this day in 1917. He died in 1993.
He left us a tremendous legacy of music and recordings for future generations to enjoy.
Dizzy Gillespie also pioneered the fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz music in the 1940's.
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October 21, 1975: Another year to remember Carlton Fisk and game 6
It seems like the whole country was up watching game 6 of the 1975 World Series. It was about 12:30 ET when Fisk hit the foul pole and ended one of the greatest baseball games ever played.
It took me a while to fall sleep because the post game celebration went on for a while. I don't know if anybody slept that night in New England.
Cincinnati and Boston went back to work the next night to play game 7. It was a pretty good game. Yaz made the last out of the game and the Reds were the champs.
It was the greatest baseball moment of my generation.
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We remember Whitey Ford (1928-2020)
We remember Whitey Ford who was born in Astoria, New York, in 1928 and died in 2020. He was known as "The Chairman of the Board" when he pitched for the mighty Yankees, 1950-67.
Ford pitched in 11 World Series for New York: 10-8 & 2.71 ERA. Overall, he was 236-106 with an amazing career ERA of 2.75!
Ford was selected to The Hall of Fame in 1974. He was the ace of some of the greatest Yankee teams ever. His teammates included Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris and others.
And a great gentleman as well.
Ford pitched in 11 World Series for New York: 10-8 & 2.71 ERA. Overall, he was 236-106 with an amazing career ERA of 2.75!
Ford was selected to The Hall of Fame in 1974. He was the ace of some of the greatest Yankee teams ever. His teammates included Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris and others.
And a great gentleman as well.
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.
Memories of the old Yankee Stadium!
Yes, the Yankees were usually the team that I was rooting against.
Nevertheless, I love the Yankee tradition, history and those 20-something World Series championships.
I love "Pride of the Yankees", the great movie about Lou Gehrig. I watch it every time.
I love Billy Crystal's "61", the wonderful movie about Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.
The Yankees are 27-11 in 38 World Series! They are the most successful professional sports franchise in the US. What else can you say?
In 1972, my dad, mom, brother, sister and I took a trip to New York.
We went to Yankee Stadium to catch a Saturday afternoon game between Baltimore and NY.
I remember staring at the field before the game. Truthfully, I was overwhelmed.
I kept looking to the Yankee dugout to see if Maris, Mantle, Whitey Ford, Berra or DiMaggio were in the park.
During my Baltimore days, the Orioles, Yankees and Red Sox were usually playing in a pennant race. It was some of the greatest baseball ever.
Over and over, Baltimore, Boston and New York decided the AL East in the last weekend of the season. Again, it was great baseball and Yankee Stadium was in the middle of it all!
More recently, the Rangers and Yankees played 3 great post-season series in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
New York won all 3 but it was great baseball. The Rangers finally got their revenge in 2010 when they beat New York to advance to the first World Series.
Who can forget the back to back Boston-New York AL championship series of 2003 and 2004?
Who can forget Reggie Jackson's 3 home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 Series?
There are a ton of memories, specially watching all of those Yankee veterans in the pre-game ceremony.
Thank God for giving us Yankee Stadium and all of those baseball memories.
Best of all, thank God for Yankee Stadium after 9-11.
I will never forget game 3 and Pres. Bush's pre-game strike.
I stayed up late to watch New York win those extra inning games in game 4 and 5.
Who can forget Derek Jeter and Paul O'Neill with their NYPD and NYFD caps? It was a wonderful tribute to the policemen and firemen who died on 9-11!
The new Yankee Stadium will have its own story. How can the new stadium top all of those rings and so many memorable moments? It will be hard but the Yankees are the Yankees!
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1976: "Disco Duck" on the radio
Back in 1976, the country was doing "Disco Duck:"
1. Disco Duck, Part 1 -
Rick Dees & his Cast of Idiots (RSO
2. If You Leave Me Now - Chicago (Columbia)
3. A Fifth of Beethoven -
Walter Murphy & the Big Apple Band (Private Stock)
4. Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry (Epic)
5. Lowdown - Boz Scaggs (Columbia)
6. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty -
KC & the Sunshine Band (T.K.)
7. Still the One - Orleans (Asylum)
8. She's Gone - Daryl Hall & John Oates (Atlantic)
9. I Only Want to Be With You - The Bay City Rollers (Arista)
10. The Best Disco In Town - The Ritchie Family (Marlin)
"Disco duck" became one of the big novelty hits of all time. It was perfect for the time, a nation in the middle of a stressful election looking for a little fun!
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The Battle of Trafalgar (1805)
We remember The Battle of Trafalgar that took place this day in 1805. Victory ensured that Napoleon would never invade Great Britain. Admiral Nelson, who was killed, was hailed as the savior of his nation and given a magnificent funeral in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
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