August 1968: Tanks in Prague & "People got to be free" # 1 on Billboard

We remember that Warsaw Pact tanks were crushing the people of Prague this week in 1968.    Like Hungary 1956, the USSR did not tolerate dissent in any of its satellite states.   

Over here, “People got to be free” by The Rascals was #1 on Billboard USA. It spent much of the month of August as the most popular song of that summer.    

We don't know if the Rascals were inspired by The Prague Spring but it was a timely message.

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August 1965: 3 Beatles' fans rented a helicopter and the rest is history.....

Let's call them very devout fans.    

Many summers ago, these girls wanted to say hello to The Beatles.   So they rented a helicopter and flew over the group at the hotel that they were staying.   Eventually, they spotted one of the guys and he waved back.

It must have been quite a day in the story of Beatlemania.

 

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A word about The Royal Navy plus a cheap shot against Natalie Hapf

 

A word about The Royal Navy plus a cheap shot against Natalie Hapf..............

Could today's Royal Navy fight for the Falklands?

Could today's Royal Navy fight for the Falklands?:

This is not your grandfather's Royal Navy….

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/could-today-s-royal-navy-fight-for-the-falklands/

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Maybe you are old enough to remember when Argentina tried to take "Las Malvinas," or the Falklands, back in 1982. It was a call to action in the UK and PM Margaret Thatcher sent the fleet to keep the UK flag flying over the islands far away in the South Atlantic. It was a big flop for Argentina, in large part because the UK sent the fleet.

Could the UK do that today if Argentina tried again? I don't think that Argentina will do it again, but the point about the Royal Navy is real. Let's check this very long but informative report by Steven Wills at War on the Rocks:

The Royal Navy’s descent from the world’s second-most powerful fleet in 1945 to a force increasingly constrained by regional and coastal requirements might raise the question today of how many of the King’s warships might actually be at sea to defend the United Kingdom at home and its interests abroad in the immediate future.

By the 2030s, the Royal Navy surface fleet may consist of just thirteen Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, an unknown number of legacy Type 45 destroyers, and perhaps the first Common Combat Vessel. Will the Royal Navy again scramble to reactivate a decommissioned Type 45 as it did HMS Tiger and HMS Blake in 1982?

A credible hybrid force could still help arrest this decline, but only if Britain treats it as an addition to naval power rather than a budgetary escape from manned combatants. That would require sustained funding, industrial discipline, experimentation at scale, and cross-party political commitment -- far more than a promising concept and an ambitious delivery schedule.

In practical terms, Britain would need something approaching the seriousness of the Naval Defence Act of 1889: a national decision that seapower remains essential and must be paid for accordingly. That legislation provided the United Kingdom with over sixty new vessels over the next decade, including ten capital ships.

Without such a similar commitment to robust naval capability, 2026 may be remembered not as the year the Royal Navy entered the future, but as the year Britain accepted the sunset of its last genuine means of projecting combat power at range.    

Britain needs to act quickly in its application of hybrid fleet concepts and in the requirement to staunch the bleeding out of its current ship and submarine capacity.

Bleeding indeed. This is not your grandfather's Royal Navy, as they say. Another question: Does the UK have the political power to do the right thing? I hope so because we've always seen them as our important ally in NATO.

So, could the Royal Navy keep the Falklands British today? I am not sure, but I hope the islanders understand that this is not 1982 anymore. Get your own guns because the British may not be coming.

On another subject closer to home, could the UK play a major role in keeping the Straits of Hormuz open? Again, I don't know, but it makes you wonder after looking at the UK today.

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We remember Roberto Clemente (1934-1972)

We remember that Roberto Clemente was born on this day in 1934.   He died tragically in 1972.   

Put me down as one of those kids who checked the box scores daily to keep up with Clemente's batting statistics.  His stats were awesome:   a .317 career batting average, 3000 hits, 240 HRs and 1305 RBI.   

Was he the greatest Latin player?  I would say yes, with all due to respect to others already in the Hall of Fame.    His greatest contribution is that he opened the door for so many Latins.

Clemente won 4 batting titles:  1961, 1964, 1965 & 1967.   Sporting News ranked Clemente at # 20 among the 100 greatest players of all time.

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Happy # 87 Joe Azcue

José Joaquín Azcue López was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, on this day in 1939.  

Like so many others, from Minnie Minoso to Mike Cuellar to Camilo Pascual to Pedro Ramos, he played in the pre-Castro Cuban league and then the majors.

“Joe”, as he was known, broke with the Reds in 1960 and developed a reputation as a good defensive catcher.  In 1963, Joe was traded to Cleveland where he enjoyed some good seasons including a trip to the 1968 AL All Star team.  By the way, Azue joined fellow Cuban teammate Luis Tiant who started and won that game.

Azcue hit .252 over 909 games and retired with the Brewers in 1972.

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The week in review with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda...

 

A chat with Bill Katz, the editor of Urgent Agenda.................A review of US-South Korea relations, Iran and President Trump this week, Democrats vs Democrats and other stories..............

Happy #100 Fidel, I hope it burns down there

Happy #100 Fidel, I hope it burns down there:

There is nothing to say about Fidel at 100 except...good riddance.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/happy-100-fidel-i-hope-it-burns-down-there/

August 1973: Willie Mays hit # 660 or his last HR

The great Willie Mays hit his last home run, or # 660, on this day in 1973.   He hit it off Don Gullett of the Cincinnati Reds.   

Mays was # 3 behind Ruth and Aaron when he retired.   He had a .302 career average, 3283 hits and 1903 Rbi.  

Maybe the greatest player ever?   He gets my vote.

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We remember Diego Segui (1937-2025)

We remember Diego Segui who was born in Holguin, Cuba, on this day in 1937.     He was another one of those who played in the old Cuban league and later in the US major leagues:  Segui won 92 games, saved 71 with a 3.81 ERA.  

Diego broke in with the Kansas City A’s (now Oakland A’s) in 1962 but left his mark in the city of Seattle.    

My guess is that young Diego of Holguin never heard of Seattle when he was dreaming of a baseball career in the island’s sandlots. 

Segui is the answer to a great baseball trivia question:   Who pitched on opening day for the old Seattle Pilots in 1969 and the current Seattle Mariners who started playing in 1977?    (By the way, the 1969 Seattle Pilots became the 1970 and current Milwaukee Brewers)  

Here is the story:     

“The city of Seattle (Washington) has been home to two Major League franchises.The Seattle Pilots, who were an American League team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, 1969, before being relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.And the modern day Seattle Mariners, an American League team also based in Seattle, Washington, 1977 through today.Diego Segui is the only player in baseball history to play for both the Seattle Pilots (66 games pitched in 1969) and the Seattle Mariners (40 games pitched in 1977).Even more unique than that, Diego Segui played in both franchises Opening Day game, appearing in relief on April 8, 1969, the first game in franchise history for the Seattle Pilots, and was handed the loss on April 6, 1977, the first game in franchise history for the Seattle Mariners.”

Diego retired in 1977 after pitching with a few other teams.  Segui will be always be remembered in Seattle.   He is the only man who wore the Pilots and Mariners uniforms on their respective opening day games!   To my knowledge, no other major leaguer has ever done that.  

He died in 2025.

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Happy # 85 Boog Powell

We remember John "Boog" Powell born on this day in 1941.   

Powell broke with the Orioles in 1961 and became a regular in 1962:  15 HR & 53 RBI.   By 1964, Boog was one of the top power hitters in the AL:  a .290 average with 39 HR & 99 RBI.  His best season was 1970:  .297 average, 35 HR, 114 RBI and the AL MVP.   The Orioles also won the World Series that year.

Boog hit 303 HR as an Oriole (339 total) and remains one of the most popular men ever to wear the team's uniform.  After baseball, the former MVP set up a barbecue operation at Camden Yards.

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The week of Woodstock 1969

The Woodstock Festival started this week in New York.  It was a week of music and everything else.

The organizers sold 186,000 tickets and expected 200,000.   Eventually, they opened the gates and almost 500,000 showed up.   To say the least, the overflow of people created some serious traffic jams and logistical problems.

They eventually released a 3-disc LP of the event.    

My favorite song about the events was Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock", a song released months later by Matthews Southern Comfort Band.

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A chat with Allan Wall, blogger and George Rodriguez, South Texas conservative.

 

Guests:   Allan Wall, blogger and George Rodriguez, South Texas conservative......

CANTO TALK podcasts from last week

Catch our shows from last week:

P.S.  You can listen to my show.  If you like our posts, please look for ”Donate” on the right column of the blog page.

Could Sandy Posey sing ‘Born a Woman’ today?

Could Sandy Posey sing ‘Born a Woman’ today?:

It’s another weekend, and the WNBA is still trying to answer the question about who is a woman.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/could-sandy-posey-sing-born-a-woman-today/

August 16, 1948: Babe Ruth died...

We remember that Babe Ruth died this week in 1948.

As a baseball fan, I will always associate 3 numbers with Babe Ruth:

a) 714 career home runs, a record that was broken by Hank Aaron in 1974;

b) 60 in 1927, a season record broken in 1961 by Roger Maris.  We should point out that Maris did it in a 162 game season versus 154 in 1927; and,

c) He was 3-0 as a pitcher in The World Series.    Ruth was an outstanding pitcher.

The Babe was 53 when he died.  

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We remember Eydie Gorme (1928-2013)

Edith Garmezano was born in New York on this day in 1928.  Her parents were Sephardic Jews and that’s why she spoke Spanish.  She died in 2013 days before her 85th birthday.

In 1964, Eydie Gorme revived her career with Trio Los Panchos and an LP of Spanish songs.

And this is where my parents and thousands of other Cuban parents come in!

In those early days in the US, my parents found tropical relief in cold Wisconsin winters by listening to all of those Spanish ballads that Eydie Gorme recorded.

I can remember listening to her LP (that’s what we had before CD or MP3 files) over and over again. My mom really loved them. It was the romantic music that she and my dad dance to in Cuba.

Frankly, I learned to love it too.

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August 1977 and we remember another anniversary of Elvis' death!

It was August 16, 1977 and I was driving home from a night class.  Like everybody else, I was shocked to hear of Elvis' death.  He was only 42.

Elvis came to Baltimore in mid-1977.    I recall speaking to a lady who went to the concert.  She said that Elvis looked terrible and overweight.   Her words were "awful and fat".

She added  that this is not the Elvis that she remembered in Las Vegas a few years before.

We know now that Elvis was not taking care of himself and allegedly taking drugs.

There were many chapters in the Elvis story, from the young rocker to the big concerts of the 1970's.    Please give me his earlier material, such as "I want you, I need you, I love you".

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Karoline Leavitt putting motherhood over being a press secretary. Democrats running away from Hasan Piker. WNBA still trying to decide what the W stands for. Kiss on Times Square 1945.

 

Karoline Leavitt putting motherhood over being a press secretary.  Democrats running away from Hasan Piker.  WNBA still trying to decide what the W stands for.  Kiss on Times Square 1945.

Mom's choice

Mom's choice:

Karoline Leavitt put her kids first, and that's something to celebrate. 

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/mom-s-choice/

August 15, 1965: The Beatles at Shea Stadium

Can you ask your mother or grandmother about The Beatles on Shea Stadium many years ago?   Over 50,000 people showed up at this open concert, including a lot of teen girls who adored The Beatles.

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Happy # 80 Jimmy Webb, one of my very favorite songwriters!

This week, we wish a happy birthday to Jimmy Webb, who was born on this day in 1946.  He was also the man who wrote "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston" and "MacArthur Park".

His songs were recorded by The 5th Dimension, Glen Campbell, Art Garfunkel and Richard Harris.

You can learn more about Jimmy Webb at his website.

"McArthur Park" was one of the greatest songs ever written.  We posted something about that song last year: 1968: McArthur Park, Richard Harris and Jimmy Webb

He is a great songwriter.

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1945: The most famous kiss of the century

(My new American Thinker post)

Back in mid-August 1945, President Truman announced the end of the Pacific War:

In what later became known as Victory Day, an official announcement of Japan's unconditional surrender to the Allies is made public to the world on August 14, 1945. Japan formally surrendered in writing two weeks later, on September 2, 1945. 

Even though Japan's War Council, urged by Emperor Hirohito, had already submitted a declaration of surrender to the Allies, via ambassadors, on August 10, fighting continued between the Japanese and the Soviets in Manchuria and between the Japanese and the United States in the South Pacific.

And then the kissing started.

According to a story by Eliza Berman:

Alfred Eisenstaedt's photograph of a sailor kissing a woman in Times Square, after news broke of the Japanese surrender in World War II, has lived a storied life since it was taken on August 15, 1945. Often called "The Kiss," it became the iconic image of celebration at war's end, a black-and-white bookend separating an era of darkness from the beginning of a time of peace. It has also in recent years received a sort of #metoo infamy, after the woman in the photo said that the kiss was nonconsensual.

But "The Kiss" was not the only photograph taken that day, nor was Eisenstaedt the only photographer navigating the boisterous New York City festivities. Another LIFE photographer, William C. Shrout, brought a different set of negatives back to the office that day, with his own perspective on the people's response to peace.

While Shrout's photos have much in common with Eisenstaedt's—kisses abounded that day—they capture one thing that Eisenstaedt couldn't easily have captured: images of Eisenstaedt himself. In one photo, Eisenstaedt kisses a reporter, his camera slung over his shoulder, in a pose not unlike that of the famous kiss he photographed that day. In another, he and that women walk toward Shrout, bright smiles on their faces.

Shrout's images of a host of other anonymous embraces help put that famous kiss in context. And Shrout's images of the man behind that photo remind us that, even if a photojournalist is meant to be an impartial witness to history, he is also a part of the history he is witnessing.

I guess that's why that song "It's Been a Long, Long Time" was so popular: "Kiss me one, kiss me twice and kiss me once again..."

My mother remembers the LIFE magazine cover.  She was a 16-year-old young woman in Cuba and always checking the LIFE issues that made their way to the island.  And then she said the girls in that little Cuban town thought the whole thing was so romantic.  Who knew that a bunch of Cuban teenage girls would say that?

Before the wokes, we could drop a couple of atomic bombs, celebrate victory, and kiss the first girl within sight.  It's too bad our kids are learning something else in school.

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Let's meet Nilda Cepero, Cuban American author & poet

Guest: Nilda Cepero, artist, author & poet........we discussed her poetry, books and music.......Nilda was born in Cuba and came to the US with her parents......

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.

Listen to "Let's meet Nilda Cepero, Cuban American author & poet" on Spreaker.

WNBA not sure about the W plus Karoline's choice

 

Another week and the WNBA is still wondering what the W means.  I thought that W meant women,  Karoline Leavitt chooses to care for her kids and some people are freaking out.  Michigan polls show Rogers leading, Happy # 81 Steve Martin.

The WNBA should hire Sherlock Holmes

The WNBA should hire Sherlock Holmes:

It’s apparent that without his extraordinary investigative skills and Dr. Watson’s medical knowledge, they’ll never figure out what a woman is.

Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/the-wnba-should-hire-sherlock-holmes/

We remember Mark Fidrych (1954-2009)

Mark Steven Fidrych was born on this day in 1954.   He died in a farm accident in 2009.

In 1976,  Fidrych became the most popular player in baseball.    He had a great season and even started the All Star game:   19-9, 24 complete games and a 2.34 ERA.    

He went 10-6 for the next 4 seasons and battled one injury after another.    By 1981, he was out of the game!

In 1976, Mark made headlines with his pitching, antics on the mound, his genuine exuberance in playing the game, and his “just folks” persona that made a permanent impact on the American public and brought Fidrych his lasting fame, making him one of the most inspirational players in the history of the game.    

He was baseball’s “one hit wonder” but touched the thousands of fans who turned out to see him in Detroit and every other park in the AL.     

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We remember David Crosby (1941-2023)

We remember David Crosby who was born in Los Angeles on this day in 1941.   He died in January 2023.

Crosby was an integral part of The Byrds & later Crosby, Stills & Nash.  They recorded a bunch of great songs, such as "Suite Judy Blue Eyes".  This is the 45 version, a little shorter and better.

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Happy # 81 to Steve Martin

We say happy birthday to Steve Martin, one of the best comedians of our generation.   Martin was born in Waco, Texas, on this day in 1945.

Martin played several roles, from his antics on “Saturday Night Live” to others.   He is funny and that’s all I can say.   

Who can ever forget “King Tut”?

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1971: We remember Bob Gibson's no-hitter

On this day in 1971, Gibson pitched a no hitter against the Pirates.  He struck out Willie Stargell to end the game. 

Gibson won 251 games with a 2.91 career ERA!   He pitched 56 shutouts with 255 complete games.   In 1968, he went 22-9, with a 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts!  Awesome pitcher!

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A word about Earl Weaver (1930-2013)

We remember Earl Weaver who was born on this day in 1930 and died in 2013.  We understand that Earl and his wife were in a cruise and he died suddenly.

Earl Weaver was the legendary manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1968 to 1982.  He came back for one season in 1986 and retired again.

During his tenure, the O's played in 4 World Series and won the AL East 6 times.  He managed Hall of Famers like Brooks & Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray and he was the one who moved Cal Ripken from third to shortstop in his rookie season of 1982.  He had four 20-game winners in the 1971 Orioles. 

Earl was well known for his fights with umpires and Jim Palmer.    He was one of the greatest managers in baseball history. 

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August 14, 1969: The Mets were 9.5 games out!

We remember the 1969 New York Mets for beating the heavily favored Orioles in the World Series in 5 games. 

On this day in mid-August, the Mets were 9.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs.  The young Mets caught fire in late August and went to win 102 games.  The Cubs won 92 but couldn't keep up with the Mets.   

Sadly, 1969 may have been Ernie Banks' best chance to play in the post season.  He hit # 500 in 1970 and retired without playing in the post-season.

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Wisconsin effect, WNBA committee still searching and more

 

Wisconsin effect, WNBA committee still searching and more....

Go buy your turkey...for now

Go buy your turkey...for now:

The election in Wisconsin didn’t go as radical as it might have, so Thanksgiving is safe...at least in the short term.

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Turkey Day is back, and you won’t be hearing anything about a certain community being upset by a family holding hands and saying thanks. The tradition lives on, and that’s a good thing.

Centrist Democrats are probably happy this morning that Ms. Hong won’t be around to tell us about her radical ideas, from Thanksgiving to everything else. However, they shouldn’t count their chickens either because we don’t know how Ms. Hong’s supporters are going to react. It may be the wild card in the upcoming election. They may stay home rather than support the establishment, as they call it. In other words, they are not wild about Crowley.

The other big story of this primary is that the polls were off again, as Susan Crabtree points out:

Late into Tuesday night, Hong, a chef and state lawmaker who has drawn enthusiastic support from the party’s left flank, found herself overtaken by Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, as six states held primary elections. Hong had entered Tuesday with polls showing her in a very safe double-digit lead.

By early Wednesday morning, with 98% of the votes counted, Crowley had pulled off the improbable, defeating Hong by roughly 3,000 votes in one of the night’s biggest surprises.

Another Tuesday and another bad night for polls. Maybe polling in these low-turnout primaries is a risky business. It certainly looks that way. As a friend in the polling business once told me, it’s tough to poll people who don’t answer their phones.

Can Crowley unite the party? That’s the real question. He may have won last night, but he is not a distinguished local politician, as many of my friends in Milwaukee have told me.

For the time being, the Democrats avoided disaster by nominating Ms. Hong. The odds favor Mr. Crowley over Mr. Tiffany, but I wouldn’t bet on that completely. Again, let’s see how Mr. Crowley performs in debates and how he can unite the party.

In the meantime, the Turkey survives.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

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Click to read:

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/go-buy-your-turkey-for-now/