The "Columbus of New England"...
New Englanders have been singing "How high's the water, mama ?" for what seems like an eternity as up to 15 inches of rain have created states of emergency in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine with more rain on the way today. Eventually the rain will end and one of the prettiest vacation spots in America will provide sunny days, salty air, beautiful beaches and you if you're lucky enough to visit Cape Cod this summer. I may be biased (ya think ?) and this may sound like a press release from the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce but I defy you to find a nicer place in the summer than the Cape...
We have the Cape thanks to an English explorer by the name of Bartholomew Gosnold, who with the exception perhaps of the surviving generations of the Columbus family, has been referred to as "The Columbus of New England". All Mr. Gosnold did in 1602 was drop anchor off the Massachusetts coast, go ashore and discover a land teeming with sassafras, cedar trees, furs and an abundance of fish. Good old Bart had the presence of mind to name the land, Cape Cod. For an encore, Gosnold found an island covered with wild fruit which he proclaimed "Martha's Vineyard", in honor of his daughter Martha...
Not only did Gosnold inspire the next English effort to establish a permanent settlement in the new world at Jamestown, Virginia, but he gave untold generations a summer paradise for centuries to come and your humble blogger and Mrs. humble blogger will be making our annual voyage to his discovery in July and singing along with Patti Page:
"If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air. Quaint little villages here and there, you're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod"...
More May 15 Memories...
1602} See above feature...
1912] The Tiger's Ty Cobb is suspended indefinitely for beating a fan who was missing a hand and only had 2 fingers on the other hand. Tiger players refuse to play until Cobb is reinstated (who was their manager, Tony Soprano ?)...
1918] Airmail service begins between Washington, Philadelphia and New York...
1926] The New York Rangers are granted an NHL franchise (along with Chicago and Detroit)...
1930] Ellen Church becomes the 1st airline stewardess on an United Airlines flight between San Francisco and Cheyenne, Wyoming (serving Bruce from the Bay and Cowboy Bob from the plains on the same flight)...
1940] Nylon stockings go on general sale for the 1st time in the U.S. (robbers rejoice)...
1941] Joe DiMaggio goes 1 for 4 starting his 56-game consecutive hitting streak (a record that still stands)...
1948] Hours after declaring it's independence, the new state of Israel is attacked by Transjordan, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon (the more things change, the more they stay the same)...
1948] The great Citation wins the 2nd leg of the Triple Crown by a comfortable 6 lengths in the Preakness Stakes (Citation, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, will win the triple crown by winning the Belmont Stakes in June)...
1957] Elvis Presley does something not easily done, inhaling a cap from one of his teeth. He's rushed to an L.A. hospital to have it removed from his lung...
1963] Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" wins a Grammy for "Record of the Year" and Vaughn Meader's "The First Family" wins a Grammy for "Album of the Year"...
1964] The Smothers Brothers give their 1st concert at Carnegie Hall...
1965] Jackie DeShannon & the Ronettes guest on "American Bandstand" doing "What The World Needs Now is Love" and "Be My Baby"...
1967] Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman meet...
1968] Archie Bell & the Drells ("from Houston, Texas") are #1 with "Tighten Up"...
1972] Democratic Presidential would-be nominee George C. Wallace is shot and paralyzed by Arthur Bremer while campaigning in Laurel, Maryland...
1985] Prince releases "Raspberry Beret"...
1992] New York department store Alexander's closes all of its 11 stores...
1996] Bob Dole leaves the Senate to campaign for the Presidency against Bill Clinton...
2003] June Carter Cash dies of complications following heart surgery in Nashville at 73...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
Happy Birthday To...
1918] Eddy Arnold...
1936] Anna Maria Alberghetti...
1937] Madeleine Albright...
1937] Trini Lopez...
1940] Lainie Kazan...
1951] Chazz Palminteri...
1953] Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett...
{Today is the 135th day of 2006 with 230 days remaining in the year and 14 days until Memorial Day]...
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